A question if you please.

[pedxing]

I encountered two dogs without owners hiking the long trail last year. The first seemed to be waiting at a trail head and followed me for a while before turning around. The trailhead was in a fairly residential area (there were houses nearby) and I wondered if the dog had come from one of the houses. I considered taking more control of the situation, but I had no means of transport in Vermont and the dog seemed to want to be at the trail head. I alerted hikers coming the opposite direction, so that if they ran across the dog - they'd know if had been separated from its owner for some time. I also left some written notes.

The second had adopted some Thru-hikers coming the opposite way - who asked if I knew the dog. We conferred - they were closer to a trail head than I and we agree to post notes in opposite directions.

Both dogs seemed to be in good condition, and not very anxious, neither had tags. It seemed strange to me that two apparently well cared for dogs would be out and about without leash or tags.

I've found both the lost dog threads useful in thinking about what to do should I be separated from one of my dogs on a trail, or should I come across another separated dog.

 

[jbrown]

Very fair question, MadRiver. The overall responses (with a couple of exceptions) have been right on the money in my mind.

I've encountered a couple of dogs that were running free on trails in the Dacks. Both times, the owners were about 100 yds behind the dogs and caught up in a few minutes. Both times I hung out with the dog and made sure that their people were around and then kept going when they came around. (Both times the dogs were very friendly and seemed happy to make a new friend.)

I think I'd handle myself in a very similar way to dr_wu002 when he found that dog, except I'd probably clean up the puke...probably.

 

[David Metsky]

There's a dog who lives across the street from the Mt Kinsman trailhead. He came around from behind the house as I started up once, and followed me all the way to the summit of North Kinsman. He was good company, a fine hiking companion. When we got back to the trailhead he just wandered off back to his home, having had his exercise for the day. He seems to do this on a regular basis.

Moose, the dog who lived at the Ravine Lodge went up the mountain by himself everyday for nearly a decade to visit with the campers who hiked the mountain all summer. His collar made it clear to send him down the Gorge Brook trail as he'd occasionally follow hikers down the other trails and then Jack would have to drive around and pick him up.

Not all who wander are lost.

-dave-

 

[carole]

My course of action is based on many dog encounters. I would not encourage the dog to come with me nor would I bring it home. If it follows me I wouldn’t ignore it but would probably still leave it at a trailhead. If I had a means to lease it, I would, and would let the local police department know of the situation.

Am I unkind? I don’t think so. I’ve had kids, dogs, cats (and more) and loved them all and took my responsibility seriously. On the other hand I have had enough encounters with dogs to be near fed up – not with the dog but the owners.

I used to road run (and bike) but do so little to none now (I stick to trails) mostly because of dogs. Not just the ones that charge you but more so because of the ones that want to run with you (and in front of you, and around you, and out into traffic which causes drivers to blow their horn and get irate at me, when I have no control over the dog).

What’s this got to do with hiking? I have faced similar on the trails. While trailrunning I deal with dogs who would rather run with me than walk with their owners, dogs that don’t like people running, dogs that think I’m a threat and the owners are far behind (leash in hand!!), dogs that like to jump all over you (even some on leash)…the list goes on.

I have encountered dogs on summits that get there long before the owner, dogs coming up to the summit at the same time as I do and cause problems for other hikers who want me to control ‘my dog’, and dogs left on the summit because “the owner left but the dog didn’t”.

One occasion I was met by two dogs in a lightly traveled area who decided to join us. Fortunately they had tags and we had a cellphone and were able to get in touch with the owner who met us later in the day at the trailhead to pick up her dogs ‘who went out for a run’. We did share our food and water.

I also have seen my share of “lost dog” signs at trail heads.

I could tell you about the lost goat…but this is about dogs.

 

[MadRiver]

There's a dog who lives across the street from the Mt Kinsman trailhead. He came around from behind the house as I started up once, and followed me all the way to the summit of North Kinsman. He was good company, a fine hiking companion. When we got back to the trailhead he just wandered off back to his home, having had his exercise for the day. He seems to do this on a regular basis.
-dave-

I know that dog! My wife and I did that trail several years ago and I remember the dog. He lived right across the street. We ended up losing the trail, but that is another story.

 

[Tom Rankin]

I know that dog! My wife and I did that trail several years ago and I remember the dog. He lived right across the street. We ended up losing the trail, but that is another story.

If you ever encounter a sheep dog while climbing Balsam Lake, Graham or Doubletop, it's perfectly capable of finding its way back to its home...

 

[Dugan]

Either way though, we did what we thought was right and I would apologize to nobody. Even if the owner was actively looking for the dog the bottom line is that the dog was safe and they got it back. We had to make a decision and we decided to take the dog with us instead of leaving it in the woods. I heard from the shelter that the owner was annoyed though and my reaction was "too bad."

-Dr. Wu

No arguments from me. You didn't immediately march off with the pooch. You made reasonable attempts to find the owner within the vicinity.

I too would be frantically combing the area if I lost my dog. However, if I saw my dog on lead and attended by a human, I'd be so relieved by finding my wayward pooch that I would be grateful to the human - even if they unwittingly interfered with the search process.

 

[dr_wu002]

No arguments from me. You didn't immediately march off with the pooch. You made reasonable attempts to find the owner within the vicinity.

I too would be frantically combing the area if I lost my dog. However, if I saw my dog on lead and attended by a human, I'd be so relieved by finding my wayward pooch that I would be grateful to the human - even if they unwittingly interfered with the search process.

Well, the dog followed up a few boys riding their bikes up the summit. Then, a few hours later we saw the dog again on another trail. The dog had followed some hikers. Said hikers told us that the dog had followed several people all over and they had recently picked up the dog. These hikers weren't interested in having the dog with them so we took the dog with us. We decided to take it with us based on the fact that it had been all over the moutain that day... it was also hungry and thirsty so we gave it some food and water, some of which is still in my car in a semi-processed form 2 years later. We spent about an hour going to people in the area and asking them if they recognize the dog which had no tags. Finally we took it to the vet and they verified that the dog didn't have a microchip or tattoo either.

Turns out, the dog lived on the other side of Greylock. Apparently this dog was free to wander around Greylock whenever he pleased. The owners were annoyed that they had to go pick him up at the vet in Adams. Since the dog had no tags and was hungry and thirsty and roaming all over the mountain I feel like we did the right thing and wouldn't have done it any different. Not a big inconvenience for the owners either -- awww, they had to drive 20 minutes to pick up their dog? Maybe if they put tags on the thing we could've delivered it to their house. As for us just leaving it in the woods -- I didn't like the idea. In hindsight, I know the dog could've gotten back to it's house most likely. But I didn't know that at the time.

-Dr. Wu

 

[woodstrider]

OK, now we ALL have too much time on our hands

, don't any of us have a life?

 

[MadRiver]

, don't any of us have a life?

I gave my final last week and the library is quiet so why not post a few comments. Besides, I’m heading for Greenleaf this weekend to be cooped up in a hut on a mountain in a rain storm.

 

[4000'er]

I feel like we did the right thing and wouldn't have done it any different. -Dr. Wu

No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[Shewolf]

First and foremost, I think any responsible owner would darn well make sure their dog had, at the very least, a collar with a ID tag attached. Like Dugan, my little buddy has his ID tag, the county license tag and his rabies vac. tag. Of course, at this stage in his life, he's not about to wander away from my property, much less hike...I can't imagine losing him.

I have yet to encounter a "lost" dog on my hikes. But I know if I did, I'd make a concerted effort to find his owner. If unsuccessful, I'd speak to all I encounter to put out the word I'd found the pooch, leave a post at the trailhead and make a beeline to the nearest vet, contact/notify other local vets of my discovery and his whereabouts...If I had no other choice, I'd then leave him at the local shelter...if I had a choice, he'd come home with me until either he's claimed or Dakota and I have another addition to our family...