Gotta vent - atypical dog story

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.
User avatar
2_Salukis
Posts: 239
Joined: 6/16/2006
14ers: 20 
Trip Reports (1)
 

Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by 2_Salukis »

So we're headed up Handies and this guy is coming down a few yards off the trail, just kind of meandering along. I'm thinking, should I tell him he should be on the trail or just mind my own business? :-k Then he yells something up in the air and completely unintelligible to everyone in our group, so I figure he's better left alone.

About 500yds later, this dog appears around a rock cropping on the trail. It's got a soaked leash on, but no one holding it. We initially get a growl, but it settles down OK without too much coaxing. No one is in sight either up or down the trail now.

So now we figure maybe the guy was looking for his dog (that would explain why he was off trail and yelling in the air), but why wouldn't he have asked us if we'd seen it or at least to keep our eyes open for it? :?

Since one of our group members decided to stay at the TH, another one volunteered to take it down to the guy, and if not his, to take it back to the TH and leave it there. Sure enough, it turns out to be the guy's dog. Now after finding the dog, warming up to it so it let's us take the leash, descending a few hundred feet and several hundred yards in distance, the guy gives a nonchalant "thanks." That's it. "Thanks." Less gratitude than people usually give after you've just taken a summit picture for them. :x
User avatar
Aubrey
Posts: 2011
Joined: 7/14/2005
14ers: 58 
13ers: 20
Trip Reports (128)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by Aubrey »

I hear ya, brutha. I'm a "dog" person (I have two of them), but I'm highly critical of other dog owners.

From my Sneffels TR from a while back, on the col above Lavender:

"And then I noticed a poor little dog, literally shivering from cold and/or fear. His paws were so cold he was lifting them off the snow. After talking with some folks on the saddle, I learned that the owner was far down the gully (close to the bottom), expecting the dog to follow eventually. Well, the dog wasn’t following. It was just standing there freezing. I felt so sorry for the little dude, so I told my wife to help Andy down and I scooped up the 20-pound dog and scree/snow skied down the gully. As I descended, I put the dog down at least three or four times to see if he’d start running down on his own, but I could never get him to move. From the saddle, I caught up with the owner and his group (near the base of the gully) in about 20 minutes. With little thanks, I handed the dog off to the owner. I don’t think he realized just how done his dog really was."

Perhaps the guy was embarrassed; I don't know. But I was annoyed how he didn't show any thanks and/or concern. For one, it took a hell of a lot of extra energy to bring that dog down safely. And for two, I wondered if he even gave a s**t about the well-being of his dog. Both points bothered me.

Bottom line, I hear ya, 2_Salukis. Even though we both have similar experiences, I just hope most people aren't so cold.
User avatar
shredthegnar10
Posts: 711
Joined: 8/13/2007
14ers: 58  2  1 
13ers: 15
Trip Reports (5)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by shredthegnar10 »

Wow, Aubrey, that sounds horrible ... I can't stand people who treat their dogs like crap :cry: . Granted, I suppose mine would be a lot happier if I took him hiking with me sometime instead of the standard jog around the neighborhood that he usually gets, but I can't even imagine doing anything like what you described to him.
Most things worth doing are difficult, dangerous, expensive, or all three.
User avatar
MUni Rider
Posts: 901
Joined: 7/31/2007
14ers: 51 
13ers: 7
Trip Reports (20)
 
Contact:

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by MUni Rider »

Aubrey wrote:I hear ya, brutha. I'm a "dog" person (I have two of them), but I'm highly critical of other dog owners.

From my Sneffels TR from a while back, on the col above Lavender:

"And then I noticed a poor little dog, literally shivering from cold and/or fear. His paws were so cold he was lifting them off the snow. After talking with some folks on the saddle, I learned that the owner was far down the gully (close to the bottom), expecting the dog to follow eventually. Well, the dog wasn’t following. It was just standing there freezing. I felt so sorry for the little dude, so I told my wife to help Andy down and I scooped up the 20-pound dog and scree/snow skied down the gully. As I descended, I put the dog down at least three or four times to see if he’d start running down on his own, but I could never get him to move. From the saddle, I caught up with the owner and his group (near the base of the gully) in about 20 minutes. With little thanks, I handed the dog off to the owner. I don’t think he realized just how done his dog really was."

Perhaps the guy was embarrassed; I don't know. But I was annoyed how he didn't show any thanks and/or concern. For one, it took a hell of a lot of extra energy to bring that dog down safely. And for two, I wondered if he even gave a s**t about the well-being of his dog. Both points bothered me.

Bottom line, I hear ya, 2_Salukis. Even though we both have similar experiences, I just hope most people aren't so cold.
If I had been there in your shoes, I would have been the owner of a new dog.
"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." (Theodore Roosevelt)

"Wilderness is not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit." (Edward Abbey)
User avatar
corinthia
Posts: 50
Joined: 5/29/2008
14ers: 10 
Trip Reports (1)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by corinthia »

MUni Rider wrote: If I had been there in your shoes, I would have been the owner of a new dog.
+1
Deep in the forest a call was sounding, and as often as he heard this call, mysteriously thrilling and luring, he felt compelled to turn his back upon the fire and the beaten earth around it, and to plunge into the forest, and on and on, he knew not where or why; nor did he wonder where or why, the call sounding imperiously, deep in the forest. ~Jack London, "Call of the Wild"
JPjibskier
Posts: 23
Joined: 6/2/2008
14ers: 16 
Trip Reports (1)
 
Contact:

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by JPjibskier »

On Saturday around 3 or 4 I was getting water at the stream at S. Colony Lakes and saw a couple taking a little dog up Humboldt. They were in jeans and motorcycle jackets, no water or anything. As the thunder was clapping and echoing through the valley I asked what they were doing and they said they would have no problems. I saw them come down about 2 hours later, after the hail and rain, carrying the shivering wet dog down the mountain. They seemed to be in good spirits but I could tell the dog was having other thoughts. I guess some people just don't get it.
User avatar
cheeseburglar
Posts: 2434
Joined: 8/7/2006
14ers: 58  2 
13ers: 79 2 1
Trip Reports (8)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by cheeseburglar »

Maybe he was picking his nose when the dog saw a marmot and took off?
Would you have had a different opinion if he thanked you profusely?
It's a good thing that story is atypical and not a typical dog story. Typically there would be no leash at all!
User avatar
gander4
Posts: 166
Joined: 9/14/2006
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by gander4 »

Some people just don't deserve to have dogs.
User avatar
conradical
Posts: 54
Joined: 5/10/2007
14ers: 17 
13ers: 3
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by conradical »

I had a different one on 7/27 while on Shavano....

We were on our way back down, just below the saddle. A guy on the way up approaches our group (including my dog) and says, "Those dogs behind us seem friendly, but I can't vouch for them". Conversation continues and I find out these dogs belong to someone with a house adjacent to the Angel of Shavano Trailhead. The dogs left the property to join this group as they started on the Colorado Trail to head toward Shavano.

Another group that was passing had a hiker who had actually met the dogs before, he had a cabin nearby. He knew that one of them was 13 years old.

Anyhow, with some water and treats, our group got the dogs turned around and they hiked faithfully back to the trailhead with us. Unfortunately, we had taken off from Blank gulch. Although, on the way down I was able to contact the owner (cell phone service the whole trip) and arrange for a pickup. No tears, just thanks. But, that was enough for me. I was almost hoping that I'd get to keep them... They were great dogs.


The question is: What do you do if some dogs from a house near the trailhead start to follow you up the mountain? I think if I knew where the dogs came from, I'd return them first.

Side note: I was just waiting for somebody to lay into me for having three dogs on the mountain, all off-leash. But, I really wanted to go looking for that heard of mountain goats we passed on the way up. I could have hearded them all the way to Salida.
so_il_summit
Posts: 261
Joined: 8/3/2007
14ers: 37 
13ers: 4
Trip Reports (0)
 
Contact:

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by so_il_summit »

I don't understand the way some people treat there dogs. I take mine hiking with me all the time. I admit that if it isn't a busy day or at TH's I often let him off the leash. But he is almost 8 years old now, and stays right by me. He always has fun! He has climbed 4, 14ers, and usually pulls me up to the top, then wants to play fetch with his stick when we get back to the TH. He's not a little dog though. He's a pretty good size and used to hiking.
gander4 wrote:Some people just don't deserve to have dogs.
+1
User avatar
cbauer10
Posts: 926
Joined: 5/16/2006
14ers: 58  1 
13ers: 20
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by cbauer10 »

At least you had the heart to return the dog. You can't really change the way other people act, but rather just do the good thing in your mind. I like to think that someday they might get it, but probably not. Oh well, keep trying.
User avatar
Bobo
Posts: 158
Joined: 4/21/2007
14ers: 19 
Trip Reports (7)
 

Re: Gotta vent - atypical dog story

Post by Bobo »

Am I a bad dog owner? I don't think so, but, here's my story. Two years ago, I took "Buddy" along for a Tour de Massive (my avatar is actually from early in that hike). Buddy's in good shape. He was my training partner for marathon training, so a 20 mile run on dirt/rocky trails is not unusual for him. What happened though is that the rocks on massive were tougher on his paws than I expected, so by the time we started the descent off the ridge after hitting all the summits, his paws were sore. We were only about halfway down that steep descent before he started having real problems. He weighs about 85lb, so carrying him in my arms wasn't an option, so I tried to get him into my pack, no dice...way too big. Sadly it turned into a "death march". I'd go a little ways, he'd come along, then stop. I'd have to go back, carry him a few steps, then encourage him to go a few hundred feet, then repeat the process. I'm sure he was in pain, but I couldn't see much choice. Eventually, I decided to go ahead to the car, get my sleeping bag, some extra food, and come back and set up a bivy with him. The further ahead of him I got, the more determined he was to follow. If he wasn't going to stay put, I couldn't charge ahead. Eventually we got off the steep stuff, and his paws didn't seem to bother him as much, so we hoofed it back to the car. Shortly after that I got him some dog booties. The booties are great, although they do cause traction issues on snow. Despite the booties, I decided not to take him on Challenger/Kit Carson due to rockfall issues.
"At this point the runner might philosophize a and consider just where he or she is in the Imogene Pass Run. You've climbed 1945 ft of elevation in 5.45 mi, at an average of 356 ft./mi., 6.8% gradient. To reach Imogene Pass you must climb 3365 ft in the next 4.60 mi, at an average of 731 ft./mi., or 13.85% gradient. Your effort so far has simply been a warmup. The steep gradients of the named hills below are now less than the average gradient ahead." - IPR course description
Post Reply