From: redd@mpx2.lampf.lanl.gov (Dale Redd -- MP-6 Operations)
Subject: Re: No dogs in Natl Parks
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: LAMPF Data Analysis Center, Los Alamos, New Mexico
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 11:46:00 GMT

> 
>> He was out alone, with his two hunting dogs.  The dogs suffered some
>> severely cut pads from going over shale.  The guy couldn't figure out
>> how to get them out, so he shot them.
> 
>(text deleted)
> 
>Here is another case of irresponsible dog owners, which is really what this di
scussion is all about. 
>--
>---------------------------------
>Tom Stephens
>CCN,  Chippewa Falls
>Cray Research Inc.  hens@cray.com

Like a lot of you, I was at first determined to stay out of this one, but since
it seems like this thread is the hot one of the month, I changed my mind.

I've had the good fortune in my life to have spent a fair amount of time in the
wilderness.  I personally do not hike or camp with a dog, but I also do not
judge whether others should or should not be able to.  I do not seek adversarial
encounters with people or animals while in the backcountry, but unfortunately
have had a couple involving dogs.  In both cases, the owners were simply being
irresponsible in the supervision of their pets, and were somewhat oblivious to
the annoyance that good ole Rover was causing.

My observation is that VERY few dogs are well trained and obedient enough to be
allowed to be unleashed in the wild (Please note I left room for exceptions)
Consider that your dog, who passed with honors at obedience school, may not
be very controllable in the heat of the moment of an encounter with a wild
animal or other people in a wilderness situation.  Think for a moment of the
consequences to the pet:  Have you ever seen what a boar racoon or a bobcat
is capable of doing to a dog?  To say nothing of plague, rabies, etc.  These
points are only a small representation of the hazards that a callow 
domesticated dog could encounter in the woods, and I won't belabor the point.

The most significant point I would like to make is that most dogs (again, I'm
leaving room for exceptions) like small children, are an INCREDIBLE pain in
the neck in the backcountry.  This, more than any other reason is why I choose
not to go into the outback with either.  Dogs will make noise on the trail,
disturb wildlife, bark at night, keep you awake by rustling around, bother
other people (especially if they also are packing pets) and be a general
nuisance unless, again, you are talking about an exceptionally well trained
animal.  This is not a guess.  I am speaking from experience.

What is well trained?  Would your dog heel immediatley (without yelling, tug-
of-wars, etc) if it saw a deer or a family of racoons or a bear?  Very few
in my personal experience have.  If the answer is no or "maybe" then it is
innapropriate to have that dog unleashed in the backcountry.  As to the 
question of leashing as a solution, read again the preceeding paragraph.

Also, traveling with a pet is invariably going to restrict you from places
where they simply are not allowed.  I prefer to not deal with this kind of
aggravation, as I'm sure lots of other people do.

Finally, a question:  Does your pet enhance your backcountry experience, or
have you just convinced yourself that it does?

(Flamemongers, fire away!!!)
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry