shelter etiquette

[TNhiker]

Any dog on the trail belongs on a leash around other people. For the dog and owners sake, as well as others.

agreed.....


and to prove this point, just look at the other thread about the guy getting attacked by a bear after his dog tried messing with the bear and its cubs........

[johnnybgood]

I was stopped and talking to a woman on a trail recently, her normally well behaved dog ran up to an approaching hiker, and bit him on his shorts, ripping them. The dog thought he was protecting his "home" and owner. This dog was very well behaved the rest of the time, but it would bark at certain people it didnt like.

Cookerhiker, in his book about his Colorado thru hike had this very thing happen to him. The dogs owner just brushed off the incident stating his dog was a little overly protective . Well then if he knew this in advance as he obviously did then his dog needed to be on a leash.

[MuddyWaters]

All the guy said to the woman was "you need to keep your F***in dog on a leash" and never stopped. If it had been a guy that was the owner instead of an attractive woman, I think he would have made a bit more out of it. I caught up to the guy a few days later and got a pic to send her .

The guilty party:
guilty.jpg


The damage:
DSC01909.jpg

[Likeapuma]

Any dog on the trail belongs on a leash around other people. For the dog and owners sake, as well as others.

I whole heartedly agree. I'll admit that I allow my dog off leash when we're not on a crowded trail, but as soon as I/he sees someone, he's called right back & placed on leash. For this very reason, I try to pick trails/times that have less traffic.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Any dog on the trail belongs on a leash around other people. For the dog and owners sake, as well as others.

You won't find any objections here. We leash up at the first sight of other hikers. Like I said, I trust my dog, but I still like to have control of each meeting.

[Blue Mountain Edward]

Most shelters are small and a dog takes up room. If a person only hiked a few miles, and has a car a few miles away that person should not be in a shelter.

[July]

Just lost two Dogs this year due to age (15yrs) blk and yellow labs. Best friends. Countless trail miles, but true love was the water. Loved the canoe rides, and when kayaking would run the bank, with intermittant swims (multiday trips). As to hiking, they would be leashed when approaching indiv/groups, as peoples responses to dogs vary greatly. As for shelters or tight group camping, my dogs were always more content under a tarp with me. Large groups of strangers seemed to keep them watchful. I wanted them to get the best nights sleep possible. And me too!

[TNhiker]

Most shelters are small and a dog takes up room. If a person only hiked a few miles, and has a car a few miles away that person should not be in a shelter.

Nope.....sorry but a shelter is for any hiker---long or short---the distance doesn't matter....

[Tuckahoe]

Most shelters are small and a dog takes up room. If a person only hiked a few miles, and has a car a few miles away that person should not be in a shelter.

Hmmm thanks for the heads up, as I didnt realize there were minimum miles traveled requirements

[RockDoc]

All of these sad stories are why I just use shelters as a place to fill up with water, then hike up to the next ridge top to camp.

[squeezebox]

Can we get off the dog jagg , and get back to being respectfull to others in shelters and on the trail
Please!

[squeezebox]

but first let me say to dogtra that I've seen a very few dogs trained at the level he claims, If his claims are true I admire the relationship he has with his dog.

[Likeapuma]

get back to being respectfull to others in shelters and on the trail
Please!

I think that's the #1 ingredient to having a good time on the trail!

[JumpMaster Blaster]

I think he was possibly wooing your K9 companion for cuddling & swapping of pesky insects lol.

I'm jealous of your dog's behavior as well. Can't imagine the countless hours it's taken to get to that level. I'm content that my dog will come back immediately when told to do so, regardless of what's catching his attention (haven't tried a bear yet though lol).

I agree with you that if a dog is well behaved & not a bothersome to others, it has every right to stay with you in the shelter. I think many dog owners, on trails, just let their dogs do as they please, resulting in the negative opinions you see on here.

I love my dog more than I LIKE some people, but when i go to a friend's house to eat and their 3 dogs are sniffing around my plate, I tell the owners I'm not comfortable with their dogs doing that. They say "oh they're just being nosy". NO- no dogs sniffing my food.

[mrcoffeect]

Large reason why I posted the first sentence. Internet communication has its faults. Its hard for me to read something like that and think its okay just because he planted an emote on it. If it was truly uncalled for like you say, then I apologize to you and him. Sorry.

I truly was trying to lighten the mood a little. But your weak attempt at an apology does little for me. You think very highly of yourself and it shows. Five minutes at a shelter listening to you go on about your dog and yourself would be enough to make me thow up my tent on a pile of rocks just get away.

[rickb]

My dog does have a vest stating that he is working and very clearly states DO NOT PET.

If you have a service animal people do need to make different accommodations, I think.

[atmilkman]

If you have a service animal people do need to make different accommodations, I think.

This is true. Check out the FAQ's. All you need is a doctor's note.


http://usdogregistry.org/register/em...dog-basic-kit/

[Pedaling Fool]

I like dogs, but it's the owners that are the real problem; just watch a few episodes with Cesar Millan and you'll see their ignorance.

I see leashed dogs all the time on my runs and the owners see me coming, but still they allow the dog to go way out to the side on these expandable leashes and it seems as though they think I need to adjust my course to go way around their "expandable zone", so I pick a line and I stay with it and almost always the dog walks out to investigate me and I always put my hand out as I pass, just in case, but usually he just sniffs my hand. However, on occasion they jump at me and I swat their nose and they back off. I'm just waiting for one of these owners to say something or better, yet, for the dog to actually attack me. To be continued...


On the trail I mostly remember unleashed dogs, but of the leashed ones most people keep their dog inline, so maybe it's just a thing with leashed dogs around here

[Dogtra]

I truly was trying to lighten the mood a little. But your weak attempt at an apology does little for me. You think very highly of yourself and it shows. Five minutes at a shelter listening to you go on about your dog and yourself would be enough to make me thow up my tent on a pile of rocks just get away.

At this point I don't care if you accept my apology. You threatened to damage my dog's training and his health, but it was ok to you because it was "a joke" and you used an emote. For the record I didn't threaten you for saying what you did, but instead if you did what you were "joking" about. I fully understand the limitations of this communication medium and I believe you do as well. Try to make better jests in the future, please.

As for how I act in shelters - You don't know what I'll do or what I'll talk about. This is Whiteblaze, not the AT. I'm defending my position in this thread, I'm not submitting to other people's opinions alone. From all the time I've ever spent on the AT... I've never heard a conversation starting with, "This one time, on Whiteblaze...". Nor would I want to draw extra attention to my dog out there than he will already get. Forcing dog talk is the same as gear talk... You just don't do it. If people ask, sure, but otherwise no.

But you're only trying to insult me here. * shrugs * Nobody can stop you from doing so. Just know that it degrades any standing you have, just as mine was degraded when I responded to your "joke".

Have a good weekend.

[Dogtra]

Also, thanks to Kevin, I have been educated on an area of the AT where dogs are allowed to hike but are prohibited from shelters. I thank him for that because I don't like being ignorant to laws/regulations that may apply to me.