Wonder if that worked.. that'll give you an idea of how large she was then. She has grown a few more pounds since. (You can tell a dachshunds age by the length of their nose!)
Depending on the persons knowledge, experience, equipment, physical condition, and rate of travel, it might be possible and responsible to hike 2000 miles with a young dog of the right breed. For the past 35,000 years or so, this sort of thing wouldn't have been unusual. Even with all the strange breeding practices of the past 100 years or so, it should still be easy for the right person to find and appropriate breed of dog.
Finding the right breed of person today, that's a different question.
you gotta watch those small dogs! get ate up by alot of things!
you'd crap yourself seeing fu-fu flying away with a hawk headed for supper time
I think I would go for some sort of a medium sized mixed breed, the closest thing I could find to what native americans might have had in our region as general outdoor companions. Something about the size of an Eastern Coyote, though obviously not an eastern coyote. They seem to be doing very well in our region however, which gives another good indication as to what sort of dog might be suitable.
We have a problem with coydogs, which are a mix of eastern coyote and dog. They usually run with their tails up, like a dog or wolf, which is one way to tell. The problem with them is that they are less afraid of human contact. Sometimes they are bigger than eastern coyotes also, which can make the problem worse. Also, by breeding with eastern coyotes they can make them more of a problem over time. In terms of size and weight and coat and fortitude, they are obviously proving to be well adapted to our environment. I am not saying they would make a good pet, as that would add to the problem. Just saying it might provide an indication of the type of dog to look for in a general purpose outdoor companion. Medium sized, robust with hybrid vigour, and good fuel economy.
May I sugest , go to a shelter find a dog you like that is at least 2yrs. old. Train for hiking and both of you will benifit.
If you are going to take a dog thruhiking I think the dog and owner should be able to pass the AKC's Canine Good Citizen test. It is all pretty basic stuff.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA!Originally Posted by cowboy nichols
I adopted my dog in Erwin TN, on my thru. Great area to pick one up at.
You will also run into strays along the way.
I would'nt bring a puppy, he will drive you nuts after a month or so. More power to you but it'll be a pain in the arse carry'n the sucker. If you can deal with carry'n him and all the puppy stuff ..... go for it. The more dogs on the trail the better, puppy or full grown.
What ever you do dont get one of those almost over-grown rats people think are dogs ..... AKA..... kick-dogs. They are just stupid....... of course my buddy in the photo loves them!!!
wrongway, i think the puppy would get sick of being carried?
thats like me asking you to go on a cool ass roadtrip, but if its ok could you ride in the trunk!just kidding
that was great of you to adopt.
I heard the cry of a puppy snatched by an eagle: cried like a baby. I wouldn't take a small dog.
Hmm. What to carry? 4 lbs. dog or 4 lbs. food. Easy choice.
this thread reeks of zoidfu.......just sayin'......
lol
I love that expression. I've started using it up here.
Those choices are not mutually exclusive.
Maybe passing this test should be required for Whiteblaze posting.
Discover Kentucky's Long Tail. Join The Sheltowee Trace Association and help us maintain, grow and preserve this national resource.
Politicians are like that too.
Pura Loco !
www.oasisofthetoucans.com
go to your local animal shelter and get a nice midsized looking mutt. they will be hardy and love you more than you would ever think possible. i have only ever had rescues and they are amazing dogs. make sure you get one that will be big enough to carry its own pack too.
The OP's age is 16, if that's a correct profile entry.
Nuf said.
"For me, it is better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring."
Carl Sagan
Suggestion
Just my opinion: Wait until after your hike to get a puppy !!!
He leads me beside still waters !!
Happy Trails..... BrotherAL
Krisgirl34,
When I was looking for a dog I went to this site: http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory/dogs/BreedMatch/
You move the sliders on the chart to what you are looking for in a dog and it gives you a list of the different breeds that meet your criteria.
Under Exercise Requirements you might try moving it all the way to the right thereby selecting a dog with high exercise requirements, The AT will give them plenty of exercise and you may be able to find a puppy that is already a few months old that way it will age a few more months before you start your Thru-hike, Some breeds grow to a fair size in only a few months.
I was considering getting a dog as well for my Thru next year and I still might.
And another option would be to get the puppy sooner than December so it is close to or full grown by next year.
any young puppy wont be able to respond to commands well enough (there are the exceptions, but its rare that a puppy listens well until they get out of the hyper stage). i would recommend you do what cowboy nichols said and go to shelter and find a 2-5 yr old pup that looks like it needs some hiking and start training him/her for the trail.
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