Great Dane on AT possible?

[Socrates]

Hi all! I'm considering re-trying the AT this year. Unfortunately, I can't find much information on Great Danes and long distance hiking. Even more unfortunate, I think the answer is no, but can anyone say if my Dane would be ok on a thru hike? I'm not talking about food weight issues or anything, simply whether or not her build/breed can withstand it.

While they're known to be lazy, she will always have more energy than me. She tires out easily on hot days, but probably due to the fact that she's an inside dog and Florida gets HOT! So maybe she can be conditioned or become accustomed?

And just her weight (115lbs), I'm concerned if it would take a greater toll on her joints than it would other breeds. At 2 1/2 years old, she's young enough, but still.

*No need for any dog dislikers to chime in with negativity because 1- The forum sticky says to not do it and 2- I have one of the best disciplined, behaved, and gentle dogs on this planet. (Although I wouldn't recommend slapping her or anything.) 3- I'm an intelligent and responsible owner. Basically, she puts the average dog to shame and I've seen many an embarrassed owner blush as their dog acts a fool when we walk by.

And no, that is NOT ME with her! ha

[warraghiyagey]

Seems like a horrible idea for many, many reasons. . . enjoy your ooch at hime but I think if you take him/her, you'll wish you hadn't . . .

[warraghiyagey]

. . . pooch at home. . . .

[Wise Old Owl]

First build up, take the dog on five miles (two hours) around a local park observe the dog - on the AT - its ten - twenty per day miles. I too am on the fence as I don't know the breed.

[Jack Tarlin]

I'd consult with your veterinarian and see what they say.

Assuming there were no health risks, well sure, go for it, tho if possible, I'd get some hiking in beforehand to make sure your pet has some Trail experience.

Also, keep in mind that really big dogs are intimidating to some folks, so good training is a must in your case, as well as the need to keep the dog on a leash more often than most dogs would require. Extra vigilance would also be required in camp or at shelters (by vigilance I mean keeping the dog ona leash, away from food, out of shelters, kept outside at hostels, etc).

But assuming your vet says it's OK, I can't see a problem, tho there may be a few places in NH or Maine where the terrain might be a problem for a Dane. I can think of a few places in New Hampshire where a dog that big might have a problem with some of the straight-up hand-over-hand scrambling. But then again, I've seen some pretty big dogs out there (there was a really nice guy with a Great Pyreneese out this year for example) so you can probably pull this off.

Good luck.

[Desert Reprobate]

And you can throw on a saddle when you get tired of walking. Dual Use

[JoshStover]

how many pounds of food does your dog eat per day?

[BitBucket]

Back in Sept 2007, I was hiking from Amicalola to Neel(s) Gap and I passed these two guys with their Daschund coming down the Approach trail. They were finishing up a 40 mile SOBO section and they said the little Weiner dog had no problem during their hike.

So if the weiner dog could do it, your Great Dane should be able to handle it with no problem...I'd worry though about the amount of dog food and water you (she) will need to carry. I bet that critter eats 3-4 # of food a day.

On whether to take your dog or not, someone put it into perspective a while back when they said, "Are you prepared to carry the dog 8-10 miles, up and down the hills if he got injured and you had to carry him off the trail"?

At 10 pounds, I could easily carry the Weiner dog, but the Great Dane (at 115 pounds) would definitely have to be left in the woods. When you look at it from that perspective, the answer may be more obvious...

[drastic_quench]

On whether to take your dog or not, someone put it into perspective a while back when they said, "Are you prepared to carry the dog 8-10 miles, up and down the hills if he got injured and you had to carry him off the trail"?

At 10 pounds, I could easily carry the Weiner dog, but the Great Dane (at 115 pounds) would definitely have to be left in the woods. When you look at it from that perspective, the answer may be more obvious...

Hey, at 115lbs. you're talking hiker feed BBQ.

"How's my Dane (sob)?"

"Grrrrrrreat!"

[Feral Bill]

Needs a pack for food, bedding etc. Is the dog ok witht that?

[Wise Old Owl]

Socrates - you are getting positive replies and yet we don't know at this point if it is right for you, there is a lot going on here.

You need to tell us more about the positive hikes that you have had with the dog up to now.

[jelind]

Hello:
I have a "blue" Great Dane just like yours. I also did half of the AT (Springer to HF) in about 50 days, and I grew up in the Whites and have spent many days on the AT sections of ME and NH. As someone who has both a Dane and experience on the AT, I would say absolutely *not*. The specific reasons and complexity of the issue are to great to express here. I would say "call me", if I were willing to leave my phone number for the world to see, so that I could explain it all. Simply said, she isn't built for it and it would be torture for her. As someone else said, are you prepared to carry her out when it becomes necessary and will you be happy with yourself when the resulting damage is permanent? I also do have a medical background, a bit of nutritional background, and I have done a significant amount of research on the nutritional needs of raising a Dane.
Best of luck on your trip.

[rlharris]

Based on my observations of Great Danes in other venues (e.g. obedience trials, agility), I don't think it would be a good idea to try a through hike with her. You might want to check out some of the on-line discussion groups devoted to Great Danes. There might be someone on one of them with hiking experience.

BTW, I like her natural ears.

[cowboy nichols]

Have you hiked with her? A thru hike is NOT the place to start. Expect to do less miles and shorter days. Big boned dogs do not do as well as the smaller breeds. I have hiked with dogs all my life and there are differance with dogs even of the same breed. Try a few days or weeks and see how she does . Good luck.

[Phreak]

Great Danes as a breed will have no issues hiking and backpacking. Be sure to build up her stamina with plenty of shorter hikes prior to your AT thru-hike.

[Fish out of Water]

I'm a huge fan of Great Danes and used to own one. In terms of long distance hiking, personally, I would say no.

Great Danes were built for hunting, boar in particular, so as simple analogies go they tend to be sprinters not marathon runners. They can be very active dogs but you might notice that it comes in bursts.

The part I would be most worried about is its back and hips as they are especially prone to hip displasia and other ailments in that nature. These ailments can be caused or made worse overtime by uneven walking, steep grades, climbing, having to contort the body in unusual ways, etc (As ours got older... older being 5 or 6, we actually limited the number of times or stopped letting her go up stairs when possible).

Also injuries to the paws and legs can be very serious to large breeds and difficult to treat without transportation. They may require the dog to move as little as possible or be carried especially if they have to rely on one less leg.

Just some of my thoughts on Danes. You've got a beautiful one btw.

[Socrates]

Alas, I feel the answer is "no". Unfortunate, yet realistic. Like I said, she is well trained. She stays on trails, doesn't chase animals, knows when to heel and NOT lead etc. Her behavior would be exemplary, but her health would probably become a factor.

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I really wish I could take her, but the cons far outweigh the pros so it is what it is. I'm not likely to attempt another thru hike while she's in my life. 5 months away from my girl who already has a short lifespan? It's hard to imagine. ha

[Heater]

. . . pooch at home. . . .

Yeah, right. Trying to retract and cover up.
I think you really meant "ooch at hime."

Retard.

[yappy]

yeah !! very good decision. i applaud you.

[The Mechanical Man]

Hi all! I'm considering re-trying the AT this year. Unfortunately, I can't find much information on Great Danes and long distance hiking. Even more unfortunate, I think the answer is no, but can anyone say if my Dane would be ok on a thru hike? I'm not talking about food weight issues or anything, simply whether or not her build/breed can withstand it.

While they're known to be lazy, she will always have more energy than me. She tires out easily on hot days, but probably due to the fact that she's an inside dog and Florida gets HOT! So maybe she can be conditioned or become accustomed?

And just her weight (115lbs), I'm concerned if it would take a greater toll on her joints than it would other breeds. At 2 1/2 years old, she's young enough, but still.

*No need for any dog dislikers to chime in with negativity because 1- The forum sticky says to not do it and 2- I have one of the best disciplined, behaved, and gentle dogs on this planet. (Although I wouldn't recommend slapping her or anything.) 3- I'm an intelligent and responsible owner. Basically, she puts the average dog to shame and I've seen many an embarrassed owner blush as their dog acts a fool when we walk by.

And no, that is NOT ME with her! ha

Socrates,
I am giving you real trail information, I just hope it reaches you in time before your hike.

As far as I know, a Great Dane named JAKE is the largest dog on record at the ATC headquarters to hike the AT. If anyone has any more updated information, plaese share it here.

His owner and Jake, spent the night at my place at Smith Gap Pa, I have a great picture of myself and Jake standing in my driveway, head to head. (sorry to whiteblaze users, unable to post at this time)

You may want to give the ATC a call to verify this story, don't listen to anyone else here who tells you otherwise.