Dog breeds for hiking/running

Dogs, dogs and even some cats
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
njwhite
Posts: 30
Joined: 7/20/2009
14ers: 14 
13ers: 2
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by njwhite »

Similar to other posts in this thread, I have an Australian Cattle Dog (Red Heeler). I adopted her from a shelter so she has some other mix but is mostly cattle dog. This breed is known to be sure footed and very agile, I have not taken my dog (Aspen) up any 14ers yet, but she is very energetic and loves exercise. She is also a huge lover and knows how to relax when the time is right. My sister will gladly leave her alone with my 2 1/2 yr old niece and 6 yr old nephew. She just likes to give kisses. She also rarely barks which I love but I am not sure if this is true of the breed or just specific to my dog. She is about 55lbs (size of a small lab) which to me is a medium sized dog... Whatever you do, make sure you adopt a dog. There are soo many great dogs out there that need homes, we should not be paying someone to breed dogs when there are soo many in need!
aspen5.jpg
aspen5.jpg (63.45 KiB) Viewed 5180 times
aspen3.jpg
aspen3.jpg (205.36 KiB) Viewed 5191 times
aspen4.jpg
aspen4.jpg (54.17 KiB) Viewed 5172 times
User avatar
pnolans
Posts: 196
Joined: 7/20/2009
14ers: 7 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by pnolans »

Taz said to tell Aspen "Woof". Maybe someday we'll run into you on the Mountain!

Image
Image

Shameless "self" promotion, I know. It's just that Taz is clearly my best buddy! And a relentless hiker, until it gets HOT. :)
"Hey Queen Isabella,
stay away from that fella
He'll just get you into trouble, you know"
Common Sense John Prine
silverz
Posts: 1
Joined: 1/13/2010
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by silverz »

Some of the best dogs for for hiking definitely include goldens and labs. In fact, I don't think I've ever met a lab that wouldn't make a great hiking partner. http://gooddogbreeds.com has listings of different dog breeds and who they're best suited for.
User avatar
Rich H
Posts: 483
Joined: 8/15/2007
14ers: 45  7 
13ers: 163
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by Rich H »

aHudge wrote:We have two Rhodesian Ridgebacks, which are pretty good for everything you mention.

Great runners, very athletic, etc etc.
Males can get big...(100lbs +)
We have two females, who are 63 lbs (a little small for a female) and 80 lbs (a little big for a female).. but both are a nice size.

The only disadvantage is that they can get cold in the winter. (shorts coats) You'd probably have to get them a jacket.
Then again, they don't shed much which is pretty nice.


... and I guess you have to be prepared to explain yourself a lot (could be good or bad - depending on how social you are)
everyone always asks what kind of dog they are.
I have a Rhodesian Ridgeback as well and they are great...mine is just under 100 lbs and yes you do get a lot of questions.
ArloGuthroJeep
Posts: 22
Joined: 9/16/2008
14ers: 22 
Trip Reports (2)
 
Contact:

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by ArloGuthroJeep »

Our Australian Shepherd loves the snow...the downside is his long coat makes him prone to snow balls accumulating on it in the winter which makes cleaning them off frequently necessary...
Image
User avatar
Floyd
Posts: 1072
Joined: 7/16/2006
14ers: 58 
13ers: 100
Trip Reports (35)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by Floyd »

IHikeLikeAGirl wrote:I'm sure this has been covered, but trying to do a search on "good hiking dogs" had 3 very vague words in it....

After years of my daughter begging me, I am considering getting a dog this fall. Would like a medium sized dog with a mellow temperament; doesn't bark a lot; and that could go on long runs (10-16 mi), camping, and hike peaks with. Prefer one that "could" do short class 3 scrambling, if necessary.

Any particular breeds or mixed breeds come to mind?

Oh yeah, and I have a geriatric cat so, no breeds that like to chase or eat elderly cats please. :)

Would love to hear from anyone who has had kick *ss mountain dogs!
Love my labs.... that said, they aren't "medium sized" and is not "mellow tempered" and have a tendency to bark on occasion. They are the best family pet that I could ever imagine and one of them is tons of fun to hike/climb/backpack with. http://www.14ers.com/php14ers/tripreport.php?trip=6781" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; He's great on difficult class 2 but I don't like him going on anything too sketchy - Castle was probably about as "technically" difficult as I'd like to have him on. That's just me though, I know several others on this site and elsewhere that take their large breeds on much harder stuff. For scrambling, you may want a smaller breed, I saw a jack russell tackle the Wetterhorn as easily as if he was walking a sidewalk. If you don't want a barker, stay away from hounds and herding dogs (I know there are exeptions to people's individual dogs, but as a general rule, I'd say that's a fair statement.)

The descision you are going to need to make is probably the activity level vs. the temperment. If by "mellow temperment" you mean lack of aggressiveness, then you have plenty of options. But generally active breeds are a little schitzo, including my boys. I am always inquiring about breeds on my laps around the Cherry Creek dog park and you may want to look into a Vezla (sp?). Seem very good with families, very active, and ready to run.
"Athletes express themselves physically, this is their art. As an athlete, exhausting oneself on the field or or on the track or on the trail or on the mountain brings calm and satisfaction. Thrashing about… our expression." - Steve Gleason
User avatar
mountainmicah83
Posts: 454
Joined: 5/8/2009
14ers: 58  3  10 
13ers: 10 1
Trip Reports (24)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by mountainmicah83 »

I have a mixed breed from the humane society that I got when he was 8 weeks old and no one knows what the heck he is, But he lives for hiking and scrambling in the mountains. He looks like an irish setter, mixed with a lab and a golden retriever. One of his best traits is his long thick hair that keeps him warm even in blizzards. I never have to worry about him getting cold while on the trail. I have a friend with a jack russell and she is great at scrambling but she has to ride in the jacket when she gets colder.

All in all, I say for you to go to the humane society and spend some time with a few dogs that are a mix of breeds until you find one you like.
"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." -- Calvin Coolidge

Visit my blog at: http://mountainmicah.blogspot.com
User avatar
tenpins
Posts: 332
Joined: 8/12/2009
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by tenpins »

petsmart has kits that you can buy and then send in for testing to determine which breeds your pooch has.


Go to a shelter and find a mellow dog with good energy for hiking. Hundreds of good dogs out there ready to be your best buddy!
User avatar
MountainAx
Posts: 9
Joined: 11/29/2007
14ers: 17 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by MountainAx »

I will "4th" the comments on Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Mine is an 85lb male and has hiked a dozen 14ers with me. He has more endurance then I could ever hope for. His two fallbacks are that he's a wimp in cold weather and he is hesitant with tougher scrambling sections. For hiking in cold weather, I made him a down vest and he wears booties, which both work well. Even during summer backpack trips, he packs in his own 50 degree REI sleeping bag which he sleeps in. I get A LOT of questions and comments on him, but everybody loves his temperament. To me, he is the perfect combination of energy when you need it and lazy dog all other times.
Attachments
Hudson near the top of Mt. Harvard
Hudson near the top of Mt. Harvard
HudsonHarvard.jpg (127.78 KiB) Viewed 4084 times
User avatar
coloradonative
Posts: 43
Joined: 12/18/2006
14ers: 21 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by coloradonative »

I have a 90lb boxer that has 16 summits under his belt. He does well on class 3, and loves to go snowboarding with me.
Image
take the road less traveled. You might learn something about yourself.
User avatar
aHudge
Posts: 179
Joined: 8/13/2007
14ers: 41  7 
Trip Reports (4)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by aHudge »

MountainAx wrote:I will "4th" the comments on Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Mine is an 85lb male and has hiked a dozen 14ers with me. He has more endurance then I could ever hope for. His two fallbacks are that he's a wimp in cold weather and he is hesitant with tougher scrambling sections. For hiking in cold weather, I made him a down vest and he wears booties, which both work well. Even during summer backpack trips, he packs in his own 50 degree REI sleeping bag which he sleeps in. I get A LOT of questions and comments on him, but everybody loves his temperament. To me, he is the perfect combination of energy when you need it and lazy dog all other times.
Awesome!

I love Ridgebacks. Hudson looks like a very cool dog.
User avatar
llamaman
Posts: 396
Joined: 12/2/2009
14ers: 10  1 
13ers: 11
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Dog breeds for hiking/running

Post by llamaman »

IHikeLikeAGirl wrote:After many visits to the Humane Society and viewing some of the breeds suggested (or a mix thereof), my daughter and I fell hard for a German Shepherd/Chow named Lily. :iluvu: Ironically, I was wanting to stay away from a Chow, but we walked her a few times and she just fit so well.

The GS was a guess by the HS, but the Chow is definite. Anyone know what she might be if not GS? She's quite small, only 30 lbs and her shoulders are right at my knee.
Lily small.JPG
She looks like she could be mixed with a Shiba Inu. How big?

We have two lazy dogs. A shaggy guy (we've had many theories about his breed stock) and a hound mix. Both fun and lovable, but neither is very capable of long hikes. The shaggy guy was OK at it when he was younger. The hound is a complete couch potato. But we love 'em!

Image

Image
Post Reply