What to do with the dog?

[shelterbuilder]

Are you starting a sled team?

No, I did that 20 years ago - Now I'm just keeping the team going!! Really.

[Gaiter]

Thickredhair, I like the idea of subletting or whatever it would be called, but not only is it against me lease (hate to have to deal with that while on the trail, or come back for a nasty surprise ) I also don't know if I could find someone that I would worry about the whole time. Thanks again for all the great help!!

yeah thats the weird part about that, you have to have respect from both sides in order for dog-sitting to work. i always respected the houses that i dog-sat for, but in a nightmare story, one family that i worked for in high school hired another kid from my school (where she was a teacher at) to dog sit for them after i moved away, and that new dog-sitter threw a huge party in their house, and she has boarded her dogs ever since (she was female dog herself who didn't have hardly any respect from others including her co-workers and my least favorite client, so i'm not too surprised that someone did that to her)

my advice is to work on the family, my parents have kept my dog for almost a year now, and its about to be longer since i'm starting a job on a cruise ship next week. there was a long adjustment period to establish who is alpha but all that tension has been worked out for the most part now. the downside is that my dad has grown very close to her since she is the better behaved than their dogs, don't know if i'll ever get her back (with her there it makes 3 black dogs and she is the smallest at 50lbs, needless to say we have the only house in the neighborhood that wasn't affected by a recent crime spree)

best of luck

[Jaybird]

I guess this is almost opposite of the topic of this forum, but maybe you dog lovers out there can help out? The girlfriend and I are considering thru-hiking the AT, probably 08. But we have a dog, what to do with her? ..............BLAH,BLAH,BLAH,..................... .................................................. .................................................. .................................................. .:.

i'm a dog lover too....& you can describe yours as cute as you like....but, LEAVE THEM @ HOME!

[NICKTHEGREEK]

I am beginning to think not always......

I am actually debating this with myself right now. I have a Sheltie and she love to be with me at all times… If I walk across the house she is there…..

I just come off the trail after a nineteen day section hike. My parents were able to keep my dog while I was gone. They did a great job caring for her but she actually did get sick while I was gone. She has gotten sick before when I have had to travel somewhere for several days. We have come to the conclusion that she suffers from separation anxiety. She will stop eating and gets sick….


Go figure…..

As a life time dog person one thing I pretty much know for certain is you don't need to walk on 2 legs to be a headcase.

[Trail Dog]

I hope that was a joke. Killing wildlife is against leave-no-trace ethics.

i thought that didn't apply to pests that lived off of human's failing to practice leave no trace.

-Hiker A left food in the shelter (violated Leave no trace)
-Mouse A found the food and ate it (now an accomplice to violating leave no trace)
-Dog A eats Mouse & left behind food and restores nature to its perfect balance.

[Appalachian Tater]

If you have a pool and have a grocery store withing walking or bicycling distance, I'll be glad to house sit for you and take care of the dog. PM me.

[Fenrir]

Thanks for the help guys, the good news is that it looks like we have someone that can look after the dog.

Thanks

[frieden]

This is a good example of a bad post. This is not a debate forum (please, read the rules again for clarification). This is a place for information and helpful tips, so dog hikers can learn how to hike with their dogs safely and responsibly. Only they know their dogs well enough to know if they like the trail or not.

i'm a dog lover too....& you can describe yours as cute as you like....but, LEAVE THEM @ HOME!

[saimyoji]

This is a good example of a bad post. This is not a debate forum (please, read the rules again for clarification). This is a place for information and helpful tips, so dog hikers can learn how to hike with their dogs safely and responsibly. Only they know their dogs well enough to know if they like the trail or not.

Click on the red triangle with the exclamation point inside to report posts you feel are innapropriate.

[frieden]

Click on the red triangle with the exclamation point inside to report posts you feel are innapropriate.

Thanks. Goat and I were both notified, and are back in the forum.

[HapKiDo]

I know a good answer to your question. Place your dog in the family atmosphere at Auntie Deb's Park A Pet in Blairsville, GA.

The info on her website is not accurate, as I believe the rates have gone up. You can find her at http://www.auntiedebsparkapet.com

I leave my dogs and cat there when I go hiking or visiting and am "working" for her in exchange for her keeping my pets when I go out of town and when I Thru Hike next year.

The dog will need to be neutered/spayed and up to date on shots. The dogs are socialized (slowly if not used to other dogs) and small dogs go outside with other small dogs (after they get used to Auntie Deb and her staff) and are played with, cuddled, and cared for in a family atmosphere. Auntie Deb has eleven dogs of her own and works with the SPCA providing care for their dogs and cats. I think she owns seven cats (or they own her).

If you decide to use her, explain that you'll be Thru Hiking the AT. If you're ever in Blairsville, GA, call her and go out to the kennel and check her out.

HapKiDo