Thru-Hiking with your best friend

[ATmutt]

Hey, all!! I'm planning to thru-hike Georgia to Maine, starting next March. I am planning to take my dog with me but I'm wondering about several things:
1) Dog Boots: yes or no?
I've read reviews that say that they all fall off, no matter how well-fit or expensive. Plus I'm concerned about her nails being pinched from pushing against the inside of the boots. But how do I keep her feet warm in freezing temps??
2) No Pet Areas
I know there's several areas where pets aren't allowed, but my dog is a service animal, so she can go to those places with me. Are there any areas on the trail that are impassable by large canines? Like places where I might have to climb up things or tough rivers to cross?
3) Rain Protection
My dog HATES the rain. How do I protect her from the rain without putting something on her that will cause her to overheat?

I'm really excited to take my best friend with me but these are some concerns that have been worrying me & I haven't been able to find answers anywhere so I'd really appreciate any advice!!

THANKS!!

[squeezebox]

You won't believe the can of worms you just opened.
Best to read a bunch of threads already out there.

[thestin]

On a normal AT year, you will encounter a good deal of rain, especially in the Spring. Thunderstorms are common many afternoons during the summer. Does your dog handle thunder well?

This will be an interesting thread to watch.

[onecamper]

If your dog hates rain he will hate the AT.

[Slo-go'en]

Big dogs don't do well on the AT, especially in NH and Maine where the trail gets very rugged. Do you think you could get your dog up this?
SAM_1690.jpgAnd that is just part of the cliff you have to go up - and just one example.

I saw three dogs in Maine recently. Two were small dogs and having a bit of a rough time of it. Another was medium sized and about to hit a very difficult part of the trail. I have to assume they made it through, but I bet it wasn't easy and took all day to do a mile.

Another problem is keeping a big dog feed well enough. Hiking all day uses up a lot of energy. What ever your dog eats now, triple it.

After all the rain, mud and possible snow in spring, it gets very hot and humid and water sources become scarce once into Virginia. This is very hard on dogs which is why the majority have to quit the trail before even getting out of VA.

Finally, if your service dog is for emotional support, it is not considered a service dog. Only dogs which support a physical or medical condition are acceptable.

[Slo-go'en]

Opps, that wasn't the example I was looking for this is:
SAM_1713.jpg

[ATmutt]

She doesn't like rain and, thanks to my mom, she's terrified of thunder. And she is a service dog for physical needs, not emotional, which is one reason why I want to take her. I've seen so many threads with advice on hiking with dogs but nobody ever says HOW FAR they hiked with their dog. I've heard that Virginia is the easiest part of the trail...maybe I'll leave her with my mom and just take her through VA if my mom can drive her up. I don't know...I just really hate the idea of being away from her for 6 months...it makes me sick to my stomach to think of it...but I don't want to take her on the trail if its gonna be too hard on her.

[ATmutt]

Thanks for the advice but, considering how I have a service dog, I know what the qualifications are. I wouldn't risk taking her on the trail just to be refused entrance to certain parts and have to quit the trail because of her registry type.

[Water Rat]

She doesn't like rain and, thanks to my mom, she's terrified of thunder. And she is a service dog for physical needs, not emotional, which is one reason why I want to take her. I've seen so many threads with advice on hiking with dogs but nobody ever says HOW FAR they hiked with their dog. I've heard that Virginia is the easiest part of the trail...maybe I'll leave her with my mom and just take her through VA if my mom can drive her up. I don't know...I just really hate the idea of being away from her for 6 months...it makes me sick to my stomach to think of it...but I don't want to take her on the trail if its gonna be too hard on her.

to White Blaze!

It sounds like your dog might be new to backpacking. It might be best to just take your dog on a weekend hike and see how it does with being on the trail. Service dogs tend to be trained to handle life indoors, and being outdoors 24/7 might be stressful for your dog (if your dog feels the need to be on lookout 24/7, plus deal with new environment, etc). Start there and see if your dog can handle that - Listening to your dog might be the best way to answer your question. I don't mean that to be harsh! I just mean that your dog might be the best one to tell you if he/she even wants to go hiking. Start there.

There is a member of White Blaze who has a service dog. His name is Bemental. He attempted a NoBo thru hike this year, but aborted that plan because the situation was too much for his dog. I believe he took some of the lessons he learned and went back to apply them to the trail, but it was a rough start. You might try contacting him to see what advice he can offer.

Yes, service dogs have hiked the trail. Have you had the opportunity to read Blind Courage, by Bill Irwin? Bill was the first blind man to hike the trail and he did it with his guide dog, Orient. The short answer is that it can be done. The longer answer is that it is hard on dogs to make that long trek - Just like humans. How hard it is on an animal will depend on their overall health, their genetic history, age...and injuries incurred along the way. Will it hurt your dog to make the trek? Maybe yes, maybe no. If there is a way to do the trip without your dog, that might be best for your dog.

What about longer section hikes? Would that be an option? Or, maybe starting out with your dog...but keeping the door open that if your dog does not take to the trail, then your dog could go home? That would take the pressure off of your dog HAVING to hike the trail.

The AT is a very wet place, but you would also be dealing with the probability of snow, heat, rocky trails in the northeast (in addition to other spots). How does your dog do with these variables? If your dog doesn't do well with heat, you will be carrying any weight your dog could have carried (because your dog would be too hot to wear a pack). You already mentioned your dog does not do well with rain and thunder... I am just throwing these thoughts out there as something to consider. The more answers you come up with for the smaller questions, the better able you will be to come up with the overall answer to your big question.

Good luck!

[ATmutt]

Thanks! I'll definitely get in touch with that guy. I'm thinking that I can just set aside some money for just in case my mom has to come pick her up if she doesn't do well on the trail. It is possible for me to do the trail without her because I'll have family there to help me out, I just really hate the thought of being away from her for 6 months ((

[Slo-go'en]

The fact your dog doesn't like to get wet and is scared of thunder are enough reasons to leave her at home. For some reason I picture this dog as essentially a house pet, living a pampered life of luxury. To suddenly take her from that plush life style to being cold, wet and forced to walk 10 miles (every day!) on 1/3d rations of cheap dog food might be a bit traumatic and not too pleased about it.

OTOH, if you regularly take her on long walks in the woods, maybe that wouldn't be a problem. Get her used to that idea and the transition will go easier. Age and breed have a lot to do with how well a dog will do on a long hike. You can take pretty much any dog out for a week or two but getting beyond that can be tricky.

[Ladytrekker]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...&v=ZRkE8wisdII

You need to watch this video and he also wrote a book about hiking with your dog. Their is a Facebook forum called Hiking with Dohs


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[Ladytrekker]

Should say Hiking with Dogs


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[Ladytrekker]

https://www.facebook.com/groups/9003...3533291851259/


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[ATmutt]

LadyTrekker: Well I posted it on a forum about hiking with dogs, so....

Slo-go'en: She is constantly outside romping around in the creek & we go on nature walks several times a week. Plus, she absolutely does not eat cheap dog food. I do plan on bringing her with me for hikes for a few months prior to the trail to work up our stamina, so we can both get used to it.

Everybody: Not that I don't appreciate the input, but does anybody have first-hand experience in this field to where they can actually answer the questions I originally posted??

[Ladytrekker]

Not sure if these links are working can't tell on my ipad


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[Slo-go'en]

Everybody: Not that I don't appreciate the input, but does anybody have first-hand experience in this field to where they can actually answer the questions I originally posted??

Apparently not and that should tell you something right there. But I think your questions have been answered but to review:

1) Booties: No. (except maybe in special cases which your unlikely to encounter)

2) Difficult or impossible sections for a large dog: Probably yes, but not until you get to New England. Exactly how big a dog are we taking about here?

3) Rain jacket for a dog? You have to be kidding.

A winter caretaker on Mt Adams (NH) made a wind shell and fleece jacket for his short haired lab so Goldie could go above tree line in subzero temps and strong winds, but that was a special case. Dogs regulate their temperature by their tongue, not their body (since it's covered with fur). Therefore, putting a rain jacket on a dog will not cause them to significantly overheat. (except maybe if it's 100 out, but in that case they wouldn't need the rain jacket) In cold weather, short hair dogs can benefit from a jacket to slow down heat loss.

But I'm a little confused here. If she goes outside and romps around in the creek, she apparently doesn't mind getting wet, but yet doesn't like rain? That's a bit odd. I can understand the thunder, lots of dogs hide under the bed during t-storms.

I'm sure your dog eats good food at home, but on the trail that could well be a different story. Are you going to be able to afford good dog food and are you going to be able to carry it? A large dog is going to need a lot of food, 2 or 3 times what she normally eats, otherwise she will loose weight and turn into skin and bones. That's one reason smallish dogs do much better on a thru hike - they just don't need as much food. Having a dog carry a pack is more an issue of abrasion and comfort then causing any overheating. The few dogs I see making it to Maine do not wear packs.

As for the last question about Virginia, the idea that Virginia is easy is a lie. The only reason it "seems" easy to thru hikers is the fact they just hiked 500 miles to get there. Some of the hardest sections of the AT outside of New England are in central Virginia. The easiest sections for dogs are GA, NC/TN. Even so, probably 3/4 of wannabe thru hikers with dogs don't make it to Virginia.

[Water Rat]

While I haven't thru-hiked with my dogs, I have spent lots of time on the trail and backpacking with them... Enough to be able to respond to a couple of the questions.

1. Booties - This will depend on your dog. How does your dog tolerate things on his/her feet? If your dog has not grown up wearing booties, it can be a tougher transition. I have one dog who will wear boots and her sister absolutely will not. While some dogs get used to wearing boots, some do not.... The trail (my dogs and I have have spent a lot of time on the trail in the NE) will be rough on your dogs' feet. An alternative to booties would be musher's wax. This is what I use on my dogs' feet. Check your dogs' feet as often as your own. If the paw pads start feeling rough, apply some musher's wax. Also good in snow, ice, and really wet conditions. When you start encountering rough trail, just add as a preventative measure.

2. Maine and New Hampshire will be tough on your dog. Yes, they can be done with a dog. But, there are also lots of areas with steep ups and downs...on the rocks. I avoid these sections with my dogs for many reasons.

3. Rain protection - Even a raincoat will not keep a dog dry on the trail. Your dog will get wet (just like you will). Rather than trying to futilely keep your dog dry, plan more for being able to get your dog dry when you stop for the day and keep the dog warm at night. Some people make dog blankets/coats for their dogs to keep them warm at night. A lightweight towel to dry the dog down, then a dog blanket/coat will warm your dog at the end of the day.

[FarmerChef]

My experience section hiking the whole AT with our Alaskan Husky....

1. Boots = not necessarily. Our Husky really enjoyed the snow and would choose to walk on it rather than the path when she had a choice. But she has a double coat and is adapted to harsh environments and very cold temps and snow. Mushers use booties but we did not like them when we tried them for getting her through Southern Maine. Instead, we let her go au naturale and she did fine. The Whites were a different story. That said, if you are hiking through snow with no booties, you might consider bringing some paw wax just in case he/she develops snow balls between his/her toes. At least, keep an eye on his/her feet in the snow. Also, I'm not sure of the recommendations for taking a short-haired dog or short-haired short legs dog hiking in very cold temps. Here's some guidance from the AVMA: https://www.avma.org/public/PetCare/...et-safety.aspx

2. No Pet Areas - Baxter State Park is off limits as well as the Smokies. Everything else is fair game. As for impassable. The Whites should be attempted with great caution. When wet the rock becomes like large-grit sandpaper and will quickly reduce your dogs nails and/or pads to shreds on the sheer rocks you need to butt slide down. We let our Husky skip most of the Whites. If we did it again, we would take her but only if it was dry and she had plenty of time to toughen up her pads and climbing/descending muscles. She was fine in Southern Maine though it was a lot of work for us to assist her. The rest of the trail is relatively easy for many good hiking dogs as far as terrain is concerned.

3. Rain protection - I can't think of a solution to the rain. We would take a disposable poncho and wrap it around our dog's midsection but not for her comfort. She wears a pack and with the pack on she could not shake water off as effectively. Plus we didn't want her double coat getting soaked. It takes hours to dry back out again and makes for a chilly evening if it's both raining and quite cold (mid to upper 30s and 40s) and an unpleasant evening if it's still in the 50s and even 60s. Some years a thru was rain for weeks on end, literally. And there's a saying in Maine, "No rain, no Maine." We also had fun in Vermud, I mean Vermont. Bottom line, if you can find an effective rain gear solution for your dog go for it. But know that you will probably experience a lot of rain and make sure your furry companion will be ok with that.

Finally, last bit of advice is that there are a few dogs that make it all the way through to Maine and many, many that have to come off trail. It's vitally important that your dog's comfort comes first. They will literally walk to death for you no matter how badly they are hurt and we may sometimes not pay attention enough to notice the slight limp or droop that signals a problem that can get worse in a hurry. I'm not saying you shouldn't do it; that's your call. But go into it eyes wide open that keeping your companion comfortable and safe for all 2,200 miles is a big undertaking.

2.

[lemon b]

Your not going to be hiking your own hike.
Your going to be hiking your best friends hike.
Shake down hikes are important to see what your friend has to say.
Many people do not like dogs.
Take your time preparing.
Wishing you two nothing but the best.