Dogs on 14ers?

Dogs, dogs and even some cats
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Should dogs be banned from 14ers?

No
119
71%
Yes
48
29%
 
Total votes: 167
lizzie2
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DOGS

Post by lizzie2 »

People need to relax about dogs. Until I hear that a dog has eaten someone on the trail, I think this needs to be eliminated as an issue of any significance/importance.
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paully
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Post by paully »

I disagree with that. There are far more things for dog owners to consider than just making sure they don't attack people. They should be more or less held to same standards as what you'd hold a human to. I agree that you can't expect a dog to intuitively know good climbing etiquette. It's up to the owner to have the dog trained. To say that people need to lighten up about dogs crapping on the trail, accosting people, or creating rock-fall danger is a bit of an overstatement.
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krisp
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Post by krisp »

As long as your dog doesn't bother Kessler.... :wink:
We came to get down.
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Wuldier
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Post by Wuldier »

i voted yes, but i almost voted no, tho the people who DO! take them up the mountains i would like to see them leashed, not because they annoy me(when i go up the 14ers i never bump in to anyone, letalone there dogs) but for the dogs saftey! it would be heart breaking to see a dog die because of a fall!!
Last edited by Wuldier on Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Wuldier
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Post by Wuldier »

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I am 95% sure these are samoyeds.
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robert c weber
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dog haters/control freaks:off with their heads!the problem i

Post by robert c weber »

the problem is not the dogs, it's the yuppy control freaks that want to control the back country and force their uptight big city, big money, being used to have their "little people" bow to their every whim...they tendto be very unhappy...I know these people and they make me sick...like to see some a-hole try to lay a hand on my dog..it's time to fight back...too many people in the backcountry not to many dogs...this is only going to get worse...some wisea-- will mouth offto the wrong person and it will get put in his or her place..
dharma bums forever
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CAYCE
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Post by CAYCE »

I love dogs and dont mind seeing them on the trail, but dog fanatics out there always seem like the biggest yuppies. guess its all in youre interpetation of yuppie. Now this could start an interesting new thread.
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coloradokevin
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Post by coloradokevin »

Jared, I agree with your above post... and also think it is ridiculous how worked up people are getting about this issue. I've hiked my entire life, and have a hard time accepting the credibility of some of the posts where people claim to have been attacked by dogs on damn near every trip they've taken to the mountains. It simply doesn't fit with my experiences on the trail. There are plenty of bad dog owners, and that's sad. All the same, there really aren't all that many bad dogs to encounter on the trail!

My dog is turning a year old at the end of this month. She's a 65lb German Shepherd/Akita mix. To date she has climbed three 14'ers, and hiked/backpacked countless other trails with me.

My dog is very well socialized, and fairly well trained. I don't mind owners of well trained dogs allowing their pets off-leash... For me this isn't typically an option at this time (my dog is going through her adolescent stage where she selectively ignores commands when she wants to explore someone/something new). So, given my dog's limitations at this point, she hikes with her leash on, hooked to my hipbelt while I hike with my poles. I'll occasionally unsnap her leash to clear obstacles and the like, but I certainly don't allow my pet to roam the mountain freely. I can make exceptions to this rule in areas where I know I won't encounter other people/dogs (these are her biggest weaknesses, as she loves to greet everyone... fortunately she hasn't been into the chasing wildlife thing).

I should also add that my dog wears a pup-pack when she climbs, and happily packs her own poop off the mountain. She's also fully conditioned for a 14'er ascent, and always has more energy than us after the climb!

My dog truly believes that she is the ambasador of the mountains, and tries her best to sway everyone she meets on the benefits of climbing with dogs!

Here's Juno on a hike at White Ranch Open Space (Jefferson County):

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madhatt
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Post by madhatt »

Well, I have to say i'm a bit mixed on this.

I have a dog "boxer" and she's great on the trail, doesn't bark or anything. Once I get off the main road there is NO way i'm putting her on a leash, the way I see it is this. If you have a dog that can get out of control then leash it up, but dogs like mine "which I know are cool non agressive dogs" don't need to be leashed all the time, Sure if there are small kids or someone who doesn't feel ok around dogs "which you can usually pick out of a crowd" then I'll leash her up.

As far as crapping on the trail goes? I've trained her to crap off the trail, and I don't pick it up... it's crap, not trash.

also, how many times have you been walking on a trail and come across some idiots plastic bag with dog crap in it. not for me man.

I say, these are the mountains and people that hike up there should be prepared to come across deer, bear, and dogs...
Visit my website for pictures of my backpacking trips and more!!

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Starzz01
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Post by Starzz01 »

My personal opinion, I like dogs, but people really should keep them on a leash. It's easy for people to say, "hey, my dog is great and would never hurt anyone", but the people who come across your dog don't know that. I don't know how many times I've heard someone say, "Oh, I've never seen my dog act like that before", "or, "don't worry, she doesn't bite" as the dog is growling at someone.

If I'm 14,000 feet up, the last thing I want is a dog that's 200 yards away from its owner to come up on me, start growling and make me take a wrong step backwards, taking a 200 foot joyride down the side.

Again, I like dogs, and defend a person's right to bring a dog with them if the dog can handle it; I just think they need to keep the dog on a leash. Chances are, if it's out at a place like that, the dog really is great. Unfortunately, most people's prevailing experience with dogs is in an urban environment with people who barely know their dogs names, much less how to train them interact with people. And those experiences cause some people to be a bit dog shy.
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co_whistlepig
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Post by co_whistlepig »

I am not a huge dog fan. However, if one feels the need to bring their dog on the trail if feel that the dog: 1) needs to be able to do the peak, i.e. no miniature poodles, chihuahuas, etc, 2) Be very well trained or on a leash, I don't mind the friendly dog but wearing a 40 lbs pack with a jumping dog is uncomfortable, furthermore the wild life would also appreciate it. A dog that is carrying his own stuff or stuff of the owner is a plus. I respect a working dog more than a spoiled dog.
"Because its there" - Sir Edmund Hilary
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timf
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Post by timf »

I agree with you Jared. This is a silly topic and yet I take the time to reply, HAHA. I've only encountered a couple of dogs that kind of tried to nip as I ran by on the trail at Mathews/Winters (Jeffco Open Space).

Ya know what though? I was over it about 5 strides later and then I thought it was funny. Basically yeah.... it was the owner's fault for not having control over their dog. The dog was just being a dog. I take my chance encountering other wildlife that has the potential of being far more hostile.

Bottom line for me is: You need to give someone permission to offend you. I think it's funny sometimes when people get offended over the silliest things. YOU GAVE THEM PERMISSION to offend you.

P.S. Kevin!!! Juno is a beautiful dog.
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