Dog Etiquette on the trails

[Jasonst]

The dog looks like a wolf. It would have startled me also.

 

[spongebob]

I personally like dogs on the trails. I have had a few instances where the dogs I met were agressive towards me on the trails. I did not appreciate those moments. But almost always I like meeting dogs. It seems like people are trying to limit dogs hiking, just like smokers are getting banned. If there is a dog out there that smokes and likes to hike his choices are pretty limited. You have to watch out for that Second Hand Slobber dogs have. It has been found to cause sickness, just like second hand smoke.

 

[Dugan]

Bedford Incident - One More Etiquette Question

Regardless of how you feel about the Bedford incident, it is not about Dog Etiquette on the Trails. We've been pretty successful about keeping this thread on topic and constructive.

With that said, I have one more question about dog etiquette: as I walked with my dog this morning, I was noticing the jingle of his tags. I noticed it only because we haven't been using his regular collar for the past couple of days.

For hiking in wilder areas (the Whites as opposed to a local park):
Are jingling tags loud enough to be considered an annoyance?
Should they be muffled?

 

[bobmak]

Good question Dugan..... I actually put a small bell on Chica sometimes so that she will not come upon something (Or someone) completely unawares. I'd like to hear what others think about this.

 

[Doc McPeak]

I've run into dogs with bells and jingly tags and find them no more startling, alarming, or annoying then hikers with jingling trekking poles, squeaking boots or packs, singers, whistlers, conversationalists, or even those who themselves wear bells during hunting season. I prefer a dog on the trails to have a little jingle to them so you can hear them (and their owners) coming. Jingly tags or bells don't send noise very far in the woods.

 

[carole]

I would rather hear a little jingle as a warning that a dog may be approaching than hear a barking dog.

recent report

I would also prefer the mud on me to be from my own slopping along than from the dog that jumped on me today about 5 times before the owner reached it. "Sorry, he's a jumper."

 

[g o]

74red - i am so sorry to hear about what happened to your dog toby.

i will express my opinion to the police department and elected officials in manchester. mr. coco's license to carry a firearm should be revoked at the very least.

and yes, the more people (like mr. coco) i meet, the more i love my dogs.

 

[dug]

OK, self-imposed probation over

I used to hike with my lab with her 'jingly tags'. I always found it comforting to hear the sound. We did a lot of solo hiking, so sometimes for hours that was all I would hear.

Currently my coonhound has a cowbell. I once passed a woman hiking with their dog who had done that, and I always liked the idea. I keep the bell on her all the time, so when she's running around the woods by the house I can quickly locate here. Plus, she looks a lot like a deer in the woods, so the bell helps to deter an overly-aggressive hunter...I hope.

I found you really can't hear them too far away, so I wouldn't think they are an annoyance. Obviously biased in my opinion.

74red, I am a resident of Bedford, and know all about the situation. I already voiced my opinions, both here and directly to the BPD. I am sorry for your loss.

 

[AlpineSummit]

If the dog is unleashed - a MAJOR thumbs up for a little tinker bell to warn of their approach.

 

[evgeneia]

Sure Alpine...I aim to offend as little as possible (generally speaking)

Dugan-- we're thinking along the same lines--I was just wondering that yesterday (about the jingly tags). The tags on Lucy's collar are much louder now that we've switched to a harness for restraint (she still wears the collar for ID purposes mostly).

I really like hearing the jingle, it's comforting to know her approximate location and activity when we're out in the woods.

I'm glad to see that they seem to be well received by others as well....

 

[Kevin Rooney]

On Bells

Two years ago I wanted to put a bell on my dog (he's a big Newf) during hunting season, along with some bright surveyer's tape tied to his collar as I'd not been able to find an orange dog vest large enough to fit his 170lb frame. I experimented with a sleigh bell and a small cow bell - the size used for heifers - and liked the tone & action of the cow bell better. The bell works well for all the reasons noted above and is about right for a dog his size.

 

[Grumpy]

In my hunting days, I "belled" the dog when we were in thick cover after pa-tridge and woodcock, and even pheasants. It always gave me a pretty good fix on where the dog was located. Never have used a bell on my dog while hiking, but it really does sound like a good idea for those occasions and places where she could be off leash. I don't hike in the mountains with my dog these days, but I think bells on other folks' dogs would be better than OK (anywhere).

G.

 

[mommabear]

I love dogs and everytime I see one on the trail, I'm always happy to greet a new furry friend. Still, I think that anytime you are in public with a dog, you should leash it. If nothing else, it's just courtesy to other people. Even when you feel your dog is under your control, you never know what other dog may decide to go after your pet and it helps to keep the dog on a leash.

I have to say one thing bothers me about some of the dogs I see on the trail. Dogs are usually so devoted they will happily follow their owners to the ends of the earth - even if it kills them - and I think some of the big hikes are too much for some of the dogs. I appreciate the comments expressing concern over the dog's health and comfort.

To 74red, I'm so sorry to read about Toby. I had a scary-looking dog too and was surprised to see the unreasonableness of some people when they saw him. I could imagine that if I didn't always have him on a leash that somebody might have done the same thing to him. No matter what you could have done better in this situation, I still feel for you and am sorry to hear about your loss.

 

[dug]

On scary looking dogs:

My black lab was once about 20' ahead of me at a turn in the trail. She wouldn't go past a sharp turn without me, so she was standing there and waiting. I heard up ahead

"A b.... A bu.... A b-b-bear!" I came around the corner a split-second later and gave Gussie quick tickle on the butt. The woman started cracking up when she realized what it was.

On overly-devoted dogs:

Yes! This is so true!! Please keep a constant, watchful eye on their water supply, temperature, and paws. I've run out of water before (for the both of us), but I once neglected on putting on her booties on Mt. Jefferson, and by the time I checked them there were some cuts and scrapes. She never complained or nothing. I felt awful, and she soaked it up for a couple of days.

Please constantly check in on them.

 

[Dugan]

Bells

Thanks for the feedback. It wasn't 'til we had a couple of days without jingling tags that I realized they might be annoying.

I also make sure a dog is wearing cowbell or a few jingle bells during hunting season, along with an hunter orange vest. If you're handy with a needle, it doesn't take much to alter one of the cheap people vests from Walmart to fit a giant size dog.

Dug: I used to hike with a Great Pyrenees (looks similar to the Kuvasz in my avatar, but with a broader head). Someone once said, "Look, a bear!" when we were hiking on Wachusett in MA. And since when did Polar Bears move south?!

Mommabear: Yes - PLEASE keep an eye on your dog's health. I can't tell you how many dogs I've seen over the years whose owners weren't carrying first aid for the dog, or even water. I've even been on one hike where I saw someone else's dog die due to overheating. I also carry a muzzle in my first aid kit - a hurt dog may lash out. Another good idea is to get your dog used to being carried. If you ever have to pack them out, it'll be much easier if they already like being carried.

As for scary-looking, doesn't matter WHAT your dog looks like - from the tiny little puff-ball to junk-yard guard - there are some people who are worried or afraid of certain types, or of all dogs - and others who just plain don't like dogs. I may not agree, but then again I'm sure we all have fears that someone, somewhere would consider unreasonable.

 

[Jake]

74red;

My heart goes out to you, that is so sad.

While I lean towards the side of always keeping your dog leashed or in direct control, there was no call for that moron shooting the dog.

Can you let us know what the outcome was or is concerning the cop? Was he ever disciplined, reprimanded, charge by the local authorities? What are the chances of that thought, they sure protect their own

 

[Bob]

I hate political posts, BUT

74Red-
I just wonder how that cop's kids were affected by seeing their dad gun down a friendly pup. No matter how many lies are portrayed in the investigation, (CYA maximus) those kids know the truth and will be affected by it the rest of their lives.

afka_bob wrote-

Were you timing the events with a stop-watch?

this is a mute point since the the trigger happy 'peace' officer said in his report that the dog 'circled him 3 times, snarling and showing his teeth'. This is AFTER he kicked the dog.
I'd say that would have taken a lot longer than 5 or 6 seconds.
And after shooting the dog, he then pointed the gun at a person, who was NOT endangering him.
This guy is a menace to society, but the BPD will not admit it because then THEY would be held liable.
It's obvious who is lying here, and who is covering up for him.
People like him give all gun owners a bad name. And the anti-gun lobby only wants 'peace' officers to be able to have guns???

 

[afka_bob]

I hate lame posts based on hearsay and non-facts taken as gospel that purport to hate politics but embrace same eagerly, but....

The only thing we know for sure is that the dog was out of control.

Everything else is conjecture. That's why I asked questions -- questions that remain unanswered, by the way.

 

[audrey]

afka_bob,

just because the dog wan't leashed doesn't mean he was out of control. Now who's making assumptions? You know they didn't have a stopwatch.

This is the meanest-spirited thread in a long time.

 

[afka_bob]

Who's making assumptions? Not me. Owner freely admits that dog was off leash and out of his sight. That means that the dog was out of his control.

And, if the statements of 74red are to be believed, how does the police officer shield his two young children, unholster his gun, and shoot "8 or 9 shots" [according to owner] all in "5 or 6 seconds"?

Oh, yeah, this is mean spirited -- the police officer is being very much maligned on no credible evidence. Police in general are being condemned with a very broad brush. Should I think, boy, those dog owners sure do stick together!? I don't think that. I think there are a lot of good things in this thread, and a lot of good, decent dog owners and non-owners alike. And I won't call anybody here or elsewhere a moron, like Jake did above, or a menace to society, as Bob did above. That would be, as you noted, mean spirited -- and just plain wrong in the context of this forum, and probably in fact.

I'm trying to stick the reported facts -- the ones that appeared in the newspaper, and the ones that are not disputed by either side. Could others please do the same?

Oh, and thank you for answering the stopwatch question (even though I suspect you were not there, either -- my conjecture, of course, just as 74red was not -- again, my conjecture), I'm also guessing that there wasn't one, making the "5 or 6 seconds" statement seem (to me -- and this, too, is conjecture, here) erroneous at best, and manufactured to support the dog-owners abdication of responsibility and to falsely accuse a peace officer (which is not a dirty word, Bob) at worst.