Most people, I would think, who have met Sadie tell me she's a well-behaved hiking dog. She doesn't bark, she doesn't chase after wildlife (although sometimes she does go after deer for a bit), and she doesn't growl at others. She stays closeby and watches over her "herd." I never encourage her to chase wildlife and when other dogs are around, I hold her on the leash. My biggest worry with her is her behavior toward smaller dogs on the trail. Sometimes she barks at them, other times she wants to play. I never know with her when it comes to other dogs.
When I started adopting dogs, I also stopped hiking with people at first, but most people in the hiking club know my dogs. When the older two started showing aggression toward others at car camps, I stopped brining them along on hikes. I love my dogs but peoples' safety comes first.
So when I signed up for a 10-mile hike up Mt Wrightson for this Saturday via the eastern Gardner Canyon trail, I was stoked. The hike was sponsored through a club in Tucson that I had been wanting to get to know. I'm in training for the JMT and need both mileage and elevation. My first question was if dogs were allowed on this hike per the hike leader. The trail itself is open to dogs, but I respect the hiking leader's rules first. I was quite surprised by the replies.
B: Hi Connie, Dogs are allowed on this trail, however, I'm not all that fond of dogs as I like to see wildlife which are usually scared off by dogs (plus I'm a cat person). What kind of dog? Does it bark and run after wildlife?
R: Leave the dogs home.
W: I'm not sure dogs are allowed past the wilderness boundary.
On top of it all, the smoke advisory is through Saturday and one recent fire is in the general area of this hike. Even with cooler temperatures smoke is not good. Even without the anti-dog comments I may opt to bow out rather than do this hike solo, as ten miles in smoky air is never good.
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