Just Curious ?

[left52side]

Hi there,I have a two year old bull terrier(red-nose pit) and we are going to do a through hike next year 2017 starting in springer in march sometime.
My question or what im curious about as you can imagine him being a pit bull has tons of energy and muscle,my question would be what everyone thinks on physical ability for a dog and there weight limits etc. he is 53 lbs now . he will be just three years old at time of out thru hike to begin.
I am in early planning for his/mine food drops along the way and etc.
I am planning on using a quilt type bag for sleeping seeing on how he sleeps right next to me anyway,but am curious if I should pack his own blanket or jacket for him,
thought are appeciated,
thank you and awesome forum.

[Slo-go'en]

Red nose pit bull terrier : Temperament: Affectionate, Aggressive, Clownish, Courageous, Friendly, Intelligent, Loyal, Obedient, Strong Willed, Stubborn.

With those characteristics, doesn't sound like a great trail dog breed to me without a lot of training. Strong willed and stubborn seems to conflict with obedient, as does Aggressive and Friendly.

The big issue for any dog on the trail is keeping it from chasing wildlife. Dogs get lost that way every year.

Be that as it may, as a short haired dog and from Florida, you need to think of having his own sleeping mat, a coat and a blanket. Having a wet, smelly and often muddy dog cuddle up to you every night is a bit different then it getting into bed with you at home.

The weight range for that breed is 33 to 66 pounds, so already at 53 and only 2 years old is getting into the high end of that range. Don't worry, he'll be down to 33 before long.

Read a little more about this breed. They say they are good hikers, so that's a plus. They were originally breed for fighting and are very protective of their owner and their property. This characteristic maybe a problem on the trail when encounting new people in unfamiliar settings all the time. They also prefer warm weather, so being out in the cold, wet mountains in March may not be much to his liking, which could lead to behavior problems.

[Sandy of PA]

Rudy, a Pitt that I met hiking in 2012 had his own z-rest, just enough sections for him, strapped to the top of his pack.

[Moosling]

I've had 2 pitbulls and have taken them both hiking with me, I spent a lot of time with them walking through the neighborhood etc the biggest worry to me and it's already been mentioned is chasing wildlife. Get your dog out in areas where there are a lot of squirrels or rabbits see what they do, they may immediately chase them or they may kind of point before they investigate learn how your dog is and what triggers their curiosity that way you can teach them not to chase.

I've found a lot of pitbull owners have aloud the stereotype of the breed worry them it's really not a big deal both of mine has been very good "leashed"dogs they have also been extremely friendly with people and other dogs (my 85lb pit who died of cancer 2 years ago was best friends with my neighbors 2 chihuahuas)

They are short haired so yeah pack them a sleeping pad and a blanket.




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[Gambit McCrae]

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Now ward is JUST a section hiker, but has completed about 700 miles of the AT and about 1500 Trail miles. He is half pit and half lab, Early on I trained him and he was like a robot, every trip, he got complements on how perfect he was, how well behaved and friendly he was...Now he'se getting too old to go on longer trips because I wore him out. He has aches and pains, I believe that due to the extensive times of hard breathing and heat that he has breathing issues when he sleeps now, and he is only 7. Acts like he is 15.

So my vote, from a dog owners perspective, who has had the most loyal well behaved dog most have seen on the trail, leave the dog at home. That is unless he'se the one that talked you into thru hiking otherwise its your dream not his. This is not me being negative, its just my honest opinion.

As well, statistically dogs have been known most of the time to not live more then a year or 2 after finishing a thru hike
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[left52side]

Hey there thanks for the replys.
A little more about the pooch,he is from minnesota originally but has spent a year in florida(half his life).
But we did spend a winter in minnesota pryer to bringing him down here to florida.
We have spent several months travelling together jack kerowak style via freight trains hitching and alot of walking lol.
He is very acclimated to meeting new strangers,dogs and cats and is very friendly to all,a bit hyper at times as most all 2 year old pitties are,but very affectionate pooch and very well tempered.
One of my big concerns are planning his food drops and the weight he will be carring on his back for ten plus hours a day.

[squeezebox]

Sounds like you've already made your decision. Just be safe for all involved.

[Studlintsean]

I have a 10 year old pit bull mix and have been around a lot of pit bulls (board member for a local pit bull rescue). Pit Bulls are working dogs with an excellent drive to please their owners. Unfortunately (as shown quite often in the media), this drive is often exploited negatively by humans. I have not thru hiked or done a long section hike with my dog (longest ~ 50 miles) but he is a trooper and will keep attempting anything I have put in front of him because of his drive. I would talk to your vet, start out slow, and be sure to be prepared to call your hike early if you see signs of your dog struggling (emotionally or physically). Make sure he has a good recall, stay/ place, and knows his boundaries. Good luck.

P.S. There is no such thing as a red nose pit bull.

"Red or blue nose dogs are: a special type of Pit Bull / rare / worth
more than black nose dogs": The answer to all of the above is: FALSE!!!
Let's talk color in Pit Bulls.

Pit Bulls are traditionally a performance breed. That means that they
were originally bred based on how well they performed a certain task,
not what they looked like. Color was probably the least important thing
that old-time breeders of Pit Bulls considered. Today, Pit Bulls remain
largely a working/performance dog, and so the old way of doing things
as far as looks are concerned largely still holds fast. True, many Pit Bulls
today are also bred with the show ring in mind, however color is of
almost zero importance even in that venue. No one who really knows Pit
Bulls is all that impressed by color. A flashy color does not a good dog
make, and although many people have favorite colors, breed savvy
people know that it's what's under the coat that counts.

Pit Bulls come in almost every color that is genetically possible in dogs.
Some colors are more common (brindle or fawn for instance); some
colors you don't see as often (such as spotted or black and tan). One
thing is for certain, however: blue and red nosed dogs do NOT fall into
the "rare" category - there are many of both colors out there, especially
(at least in my area) the red nosed dogs.

There is, unfortunately, a faction of breeders (all unscrupulous), that are
attempting to cash in on the current fad of blue and red nosed dogs.
These people produce poor quality animals with no thought to health
and temperament, their biggest selling point being coat color. Breeders
of this type many times charge jacked up prices for their puppies,
justifying the high price tag by claiming their dogs are of a "rare" or
"special" color. The unsuspecting buyer is duped into believing their
animal is extraordinary simply because he happens to have an "odd"
colored nose. Breeders of this ilk are especially dubious because not only
are they producing bad stock, but they lure their customers in by making
false claims. Do not be fooled by this type!

There are, of course, very ethical breeders that produce blue and red
nosed dogs. There are many fine, healthy, stable examples of these
color varieties out there. These are dogs bred by people who care about
the breed, are knowledgeable about what they are doing, and breed for
MUCH more than just a snazzy color. There is nothing wrong with liking
one color above another, but one should be an educated consumer.
Realize that you aren't just buying a pretty face, but a living, breathing
creature that is going to make real demands and require money to care
for, time, and patience.

Some people have the mistaken belief that blue or red nosed dogs are a
special "type" of Pit Bull. When speaking of such dogs, these sorts are
apt to make statements such as, "I have a blue Pit", or "My dog is the
red nosed kind". Let's replace "brindle" with "red-nosed": "My dog is the
brindle kind." Sort of silly, no? Brindle is just a color a Pit Bull may be, not
a "kind" of Pit Bull. Well, ditto red and blue. There is a specific line of Pit
Bull known for its red noses; this is the Old Family Red Nose strain. But
this was a tight-knit family of dogs bred closely because of their superior
ability in the pit. The genetic closeness of the dogs made it easy to pass
on certain traits--it just so happens that the traits of the Old Family dogs
included not only gameness, but the genes for red noses as well.

[Rain Man]

My question or what im curious about as you can imagine him being a pit bull has tons of energy and muscle,my question would be what everyone thinks on physical ability for a dog and there weight limits etc. ... thought are appeciated....

What does his own vet say? Also, will you have vet insurance for injury or illness on your thru-hike? A list of vets up and down the trail in an emergency? Will arranged for him to get a vet check-up every month or so on the trail, to confirm health and/or find undiagnosed issues you might totally miss? Is that part of your planning, in other words?

I've run across some GREAT dogs and GREAT dog owners on the trail and hope that's y'all and I wish you both well.

[left52side]

Hello
Rain Man
these are all great points and glad you brought them up.
His vet says the more exercise the better for him,yes I have planned extra expense just in case of emergency vet bills visits checkup etc.
I am also working on setting up numerous mail drop planning to make sure he gets quality food and snacks as well as some extra fatty calories that im sure he will need ...

[DuneElliot]

A well-proportioned dog with good conformation can comfortably carry approx 20% of their weight. With this in mind, your dog can carry around 10lbs of his own food. If you transition him into a good quality, high calorie, high fat food such as they use for sled dogs you will need to carry less weight in food per meal (I had a list somewhere of the best foods for this). With this in mind, you need to figure out his calorie need per day (which would be comparable to extreme activity on most dog food brands list of recommended feed for each type of activity level).

Along with the food element, you will need to build him up to walking up to 20 miles a day. Your vet should definitely screen him for potential structural (bone and joint) and health problems before you attempt this. Once the vet has given the okay he needs to train as much as you do. He needs to learn to carry a pack, empty at first, then increase the weight he carries. Make sure the pack fits him. Both Granite Gear and Ruffwear make good packs, and I personally use RuffWear on my dogs. Make sure it fits correctly and comfortably.

Lastly, I would also suggest getting him a dog jacket. A short-haired dog like him will get cold easily. Muscled breeds do better than slender breeds in the cold, but a light-weight Gortex-covered fleece jacket will help at night and in the early mornings. By the time you get out hiking in the morning he won't need it unless it's really cold.

A solid collar with all the appropriate tags on it, his vet health certificate and a good leash are also important to have.

I love hiking with my dogs and they never tire (I wish they would sometimes) but Border Collies are bred for long-distance travels and endurance, and never, ever quit. While I'd love to thru-hike with them, the desert of SoCal is just prohibitive to doing so and I don't have as much interest in the AT. I also don't hike with them on leash, but on e-collars and wouldn't recommend that to just anyone.

[bigcranky]

+1 on his own closed cell foam sleeping pad - 4 sections of z-rest would be great (use the other half for your own sit pad, a useful item). He'll need his own quilt, too, I think, which you could make or buy. I'd get a synthetic quilt just for easy cleaning.

Be aware of how other hikers react to him. He may be the friendliest dog in the world but they won't know that, and some hikers may have some fear. Best to keep him leashed especially in camp, or have absolute 100% rock solid verbal control (which is a beautiful thing but takes a lot of work).

His age will be fine, he should be able to handle the physical aspects of the hike, but definitely start him out slowly. Bear in mind that you're basically hiking with a very enthusiastic toddler who will keep going no matter what hurts him, and he can't tell you anyway. So take it easy for the first couple of hundred miles.

[saltysack]

Best of luck...I hike with a shorty jack Russell so it's lil smaller but have found the cut down z rest pad which I use for sit pad during the day is a great sleep pad for him. He's also a short haired warm weather pup. I bought a cheap packable down vest from Costco and sewed up the pits and waist....custom dog bag that he loves...check out Ruff wear fleece dog jackets.


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[kodiak319]

My dog's vet has enthusiastically endorsed my dog's upcoming thru hike. Arlo is a one year old Australian Cattle Dog mix. He and another vet I talked to have both also endorsed his carrying a pack with no more than 25% of his weight. I plan to keep it at less than 20%.
Shout out to Marie at Groundbirdgear.com - she makes dog packs to the measurements of your dog - excellent quality, Arlo's weighs in at one lb, no chafing as the pack comes in far behind his front 'elbows'. There is a ring sewn on the back for his leash, which then goes through two handles to help keep the leash from getting between his legs.
Food - check out dogfoodadvisor.com for (way more than one could ever want) info on various dog foods. Arlo eats Wellness Core dry - 421Kcal/cup metabolized energy. A cup weighs 4 oz, which makes it 105+ Kcal/oz of energy. I'm currently getting my spreadsheet together for mail drops at about every 6 - 7 days as I estimate he can carry not greater than 8 lbs and at one and a half times the recommended food he'll need to eat 12oz per day. And, of course, since I'll be eating a lot of high calorie treats, I plan on giving him peanut butter (thanks for the warning on the xylitol above), olive oil, dried eggs and other dog edible treats.
I'm hammocking and Arlo will have a closed cell pad to sleep on under the hammock. I can't speak to a coat as we've been hiking in the NH White Mtns this winter and he is a winter loving dude (not bad for a rescue from TX!) who doesn't need one.

[OldTrailDog]

I'm hammocking and Arlo will have a closed cell pad to sleep on under the hammock. I can't speak to a coat as we've been hiking in the NH White Mtns this winter and he is a winter loving dude (not bad for a rescue from TX!) who doesn't need one.

What form of insect screening are you providing for Arlo under the hammock? Or are you planning not to use a hammock bug net so that both of you can share the experience?

I'm probably going to pack an Alcott pup tent to close Belle (border collie) up at nights away from the bugs. Plus give her some protection from the elements. I've spent decades working in MT and WY wildernesses and the mosquitoes, noseeums, gnats, and flys for can be bothersome for folks, dogs, horses, and mules alike, to say the least.

[oliviamariana]

As well, statistically dogs have been known most of the time to not live more then a year or 2 after finishing a thru hike

I'm curious where you got this information -- that's a scary thing to throw out there without much explanation

[OldTrailDog]

I'm curious where you got this information -- that's a scary thing to throw out there without much explanation

I'd like to see the reference myself. I have an idea Justin Lichter (www.justinlichter.com) would inform him that it pretty much a load of BS. My border collies spent summers (usually every other week) covering 20-30 miles a day keeping up with the horses and mules (not counting "dog miles"). They came out of the summer bone thin, trail hardened, and they were undoubtedly tired at the end of a hitch, but were more than amped up to go again for a weekend of adventure or for the next hitch. They all lasted a lot longer than a year or two.

[OldTrailDog]

Kodiak319 attached is a my set up that includes an Alcott pup tent to get my border collie out of the elements and bugs.
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[kodiak319]

OldTrailDog - thanks for the idea! just ordered one. hopefully arlo will be happy to sleep in it!

[Slo-go'en]

I'm curious where you got this information -- that's a scary thing to throw out there without much explanation

It would be really hard to prove that since so few dogs manage to complete a thru hike in the first place and once the hike is done, thru hikers and their dogs disappear forever. But forcing a dog to do a thru hike can no doubt cause long term injury. There is no way you can feed the dog nearly enough food and if you load it down with a pack, that can cause spinal and hip problems later on. Many breeds have hip issues as it is and making them do 15-20 miles a day, every day for 5 months on rugged terrain with minimal food and rest just isn't a good idea.

Most dogs can make it up to Virginia with out too much trouble as it's still cool out, water is frequent and the trail isn't too hard on the paws. It gets much harder for them in Virginia when the nature of the trail changes and it starts to get hot. Very few dogs manage to get through PA and it's rare to see a thru hiker dog north of Vermont. If you really, really want to complete a thru hike, do yourself and your dog a favor and leave it home.