dogs

[hikerchick395]

I haven't owned a dog since my early years of hiking and never brought my own pet into the backcountry. With our love of Yosemite and other national parks trails, we didn't get another pet when my husband's beloved Tasha passed away.

That being said, I've hiked many trails with my neighbors and their smooth coated border collie. I was appalled on one of the early hikes, when she chased and killed a Belding ground squirrel. That didn't happen again. She was mostly interested in herding the hikers, keeping our group together. One time on the Mammoth Crest she got really grouchy because the lava rock hurt her pads. We did do a backpack once and she carried her own pack which suddenly transformed her into a working dog and she never strayed from the trail when carrying it. She also got grouchy when we got up in the middle of the night to watch the Perseids. Didn't understand us humans.

Currently, I've gone on a hike with another neighbor and her dog. A husky and very active. She occasionally needs to wear a collar to correct her actions. I have been dog sitting this husky and a golden lab when the neighbors go up to plow snow in Mammoth which has been quite frequent lately. I would like to see what the husky would act like when wearing a pack.

Don't expect to see as much, or any, wildlife when hiking with a dog, unless it is a glance of animals running away. That's the biggest thing I notice, plus having to stop at the NP border, such as Kearsarge Pass, instead of wandering over.

[bobby49]

IMG_0453 - Lucy, licking her nose.jpg (416.28 KiB) Viewed 474 times

Here is my new housemate, Lucy.

For the dog fans, she is a registered 4-year-old spayed Border Collie with what is called a Red Merle coat. Now I have to get busy and start training her once the initial vet exam is done and the dog license is issued. She was found to be low on "herding drive" so she was started out as a breeding dog. She had her first litter, and she gave up on the puppies before they were fully weaned. Then she had her second litter and did even worse. As a result, the dog breeder decided to sell her off (to me) as a pet. I have a while before I need to get a dog pack and some paw booties.

[bobby49]

Hi, my name is Lucy. I grew up on a ranch and spent my entire life there. I’m four in human years, but I’m a Border Collie, so that is about 28 in dog years. I’ve had two litters of puppies, but I was not a good mother, so that’s when the dog doctor did something, and now I don’t have any more puppies.
This new guy just got me, so I feel kind of stressed over the transition. He got me a comfy dog bed to be my den, but he doesn’t understand my daily habits yet. He feeds me OK, and there is good water to drink, but everything tastes and smells different from how it did back on the dog ranch. This new guy always seems to have meaty dog treats in his pocket, so I’m going to try to work things out with him. I miss my roommates back on the ranch, but they were pygmy goats, so I’m looking to make some new dog friends at this new place.
Border Collies are meant to be livestock herding dogs, but that isn’t my thing. Maybe being a pet and a backpacking companion will be OK, but I really have no idea about backpacking. I’m kind of afraid of rattlesnakes and mountain lions, so he better have even more dog treats in this for me. If I’m supposed to be a watchdog, then we have a problem, because I don’t bark much. Am I supposed to be watching out for bears and skunks?
I just got a bath today, and it was the first one in a long time. Things were too dusty out on the ranch, but it is much greener at this new place in the city. This new guy is OK. I think that I will keep him.

[rlown]

Congrats and good luck!

[sekihiker]

All this dog talk inspired me to write up a trip report for my dog Beans' first multiday hike.
You can find it at: http://www.sierrahiker.com/BeansDinkey2002/index.html

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks Lucy for introducing yourself! Good looking dog. Sounds like she will do well.

[gregodorizzi]

I love this dog thread.

[bobby49]

Lucy took her first trip to the vet today for shots and tests and probes and microchipping. Then we went to the dog license office, and now she is legal. We are still planning what strategy to use for flea and tick prevention, since there are deer ticks in the mountains. Each of my dog owner friends uses a different method or brand of stuff, and some of it is expensive, like more than $50 per month. She had spent her entire life on a dog ranch, so I took her out for a neighborhood walk today, and she was overwhelmed by all of the things to sniff. But, I need to start getting some miles on those paws if she is going to get ready for summer backpacking season. In two days she has already chewed through one dog harness.

[bobby49]

You see, that other dog named Beans is more of an ultralightweight type. That red bandana is very stylish. I got a similar one for Lucy.

[sekihiker]

You see, that other dog named Beans is more of an ultralightweight type. That red bandana is very stylish. I got a similar one for Lucy.

When it rained and I wanted to keep hiking, I just stuck her in the front pocket of my anorak. She was very adjustable. If it wasn't raining or hailing too hard, she was fine sitting sitting out the storm under an umbrella. For a photo of Beans chilling under an umbrella, see: http://www.sierrahiker.com/Woodchuck2005/index.html