I wonder if DOGS enjoy hiking and peakbagging?

[BrentD22]

I am currently researching a good hiking dog to become my new best friend on 4 feet. I have a family and friends, but none like to hike. I would like a dog that "enjoys" hiking and has short hair (can't stand the mess from dog hair). Any suggestions? Also do you really think they enjoy it?

 

[hillman1]

My golden retriever loves it. I just don't bring him to the high peaks of the Adirondacks because he is anti-leash. So he gets to enjoy other areas hiking. His most recent trip was Mt Adams, and he was pretty stoked.

 

[HockeyPuck]

Labs make great 4 legged best friends as well as hiking companions. When my lab sees me packing my backpack, grabbing the hiking stick and boots he gets very excited and runs around in circles wagging his tail.. He hasn't complained once..

I find black hairs all over everything but he's worth the effort of a little extra cleaning.

 

[wolftone]

kaya the wonder dog

Yet another vote for labs. They're versatile, rugged, and love to be in the outdoors. My dog is actually a border collie/lab mix, which is just about the hikingest pooch you can possibly find. She's only 8 peaks away from her 48 and has only complained twice - cannon's ladders and the north tripyramid slide.

Now that labs are the most popular dog in america, they are (sadly) relatively common at shelters. You should be able to rescue one without much trouble.

I have heard that beagles, bloodhounds, and other sniffing-oriented dogs are hard to hike with since they are more interested in following smells than staying on-trail. I'm sure there are exceptions, though.

I once saw someone dragging a Pug (!) up Lafayette and just this month saw an unhappy bulldog on the way up Caps Ridge. That's just wrong.

 

[Doc McPeak]

My German Shepherd loved hiking and peakbagging.

And he especially loved checking out the Views from the Top...

 

[sweeper]

Dido on the labs. Had a Russell Terrier I tried to hike. the trail would turn and she'd keep going straight.


I've got a Golden/Border Collie now and she can't get enough of the woods

 

[keepin' on]

another for the Lab-dogs!

I fourth the lab comment. Mine is awesome. She's a bit numb at times, but what dog isn't?? As far as enjoyment? I would like to think that she like it as much as me. Based on her body language only I'd say she does.

Have you had dogs before? Hiking with them can take a little extra patience. Like when Zoe charges 200 yards into the woods for no apparent reason....I usually smell what she did about 2 minutes after she's gone. Another consideration is the weight you will be schlepping for them. Extra food and water (mine "can not live without" a bite of my PB & J at lunch in addition to her food)! If you go with a lab remember that they are water dogs. Mine dives into every puddle of muck she can find (the more stinky the better). Lately she has taken to lying down in shallow streams when she gets too hot (at least it is running water).

Hmmmmmmmm, I think that’s it!

 

[bobandgeri]

We take our neighbors two goldens hiking when ever we can. When they see us hooking up the trailer they go crazy, and when they see us putting their packs in the car they start jumping straight up in air with all 4 legs of the ground. Yup - they love to go hiking, and are great hiking dogs. Like humans they each like to find their own way around touch scrambles - one likes to go straight up, one likes to go around. They are both very responsive to verbal commands so are almost always off leash, and do not approach other people on the trail - unfortuantly most people that see them want to talk and pet them, so those days our hikes take longer.

Pics from our last hike with them last Fall are located at:
http://rbhayes.net/weeks.html

 

[Rivet]

Dogs obviously could care less about peakbagging and lists.


They're just happy to be out walking in the woods with their owners.

 

[dug]

Didn't this come up recently? Groundhog day?

Labs are usually going to be a popular pick for this poll. They have a great disposition, and are hard workers. They love the outdoors, people, and usually other dogs. Mine was a tremendous hiker. I'd walk downstairs with my 'hiking hat', and she'd go nuts. Could not wait to get on the trail.

Coonhounds can be good dogs as well. The picture to the left is a Redbone. However, I will say that she is not as enthusiastic of a hiker as my lab was.

For example: My lab would run all up and down the trail on the way UP the peak, and on the way down would stay with me. She would go from the first in the group and back to the last to make sure we are all doing OK. The Redbone, however, stays with me the whole way up, and on the way DOWN she runs ahead and can't wait to get to the car. I don't take her as often as the Lab.

 

[Waumbek]

Avoid brachycephalic breeds such as boxers and bulldogs. This is a newish term to me; basically it means pug-nosed or short-snouted. These breeds can have compacted airways, which makes them inefficient panters, hence prone to heat stress on exertion.

And I doubt that a dog really cares whether it goes to the dump or to the best mountain in the world, just as long as they GO with US, and we are more likely to enjoy the best mountain. But I'll check with my dog and see.

 

[Hillwalker]

St John's Water Dogs

Yeah, Labrador Retreivers... I hiked for over ten years with my three. Now down one due to age. One of the memories I will carry to my grave is my big yellow male standing on top of a big ledge on North Lafayette on a cold and windy October day with his ears flying straight out from the wind. He was looking off into the storm happy as hell with all the smells on the wind.

 

[Adk_dib]

I bet there are lots of dogs in the pound who would love to hike with anyone.
give one a try. I don't think a large breed like st. bernard would do good, but everyone is correct, labs and goldens are golden.

 

[mtneqgurl]

More pluses for Labs. 2 adoptees do great with us. They don't frighten people they meet, usually ignore other dogs, and Yes, they like it. We also rock climb, and they are real bored then. A little work at home will keep them on task and close by if you can find places that don't require a leash. Previous adoptee, a Beagle, required 24/7 leash or she'd be in the next county

 

[blueridge]

Big Air

We were watching ESPN Outdoor games "Big Air" dog contest last week. I asked my lab if she wanted to start training for next years games, the look on her face told me we should stick with hiking

 

[roadtripper]

take a look at the rhodesian ridgeback

You generally don't see this breed too often, but check out the rhodesian ridgeback breed. I have two friends who have them and they are hiking machines.

Pros for the breed:
never run out of energy (EVER)
extremely friendly with people and other dogs
little or no barking
short hair
absolutely love all physical activity
very friendly
very intelligent
uncommon
great personality

Cons for the breed
very high-maintenance (they need sustained activity (1hr plus) on a nearly daily basis for optimal health)
generally do not like swimming (those that do generally don't swim well)
very large dogs
takes them 2 years to outgrow their "puppy" stage
expensive
tough to find a good breeder (most people have them shipped across the country)
they have their own personality, and will not do everything you say
they only obey commands that come directly from their owner (and only about half of those

 

[spaddock]

My Golden loves hiking. I took him to Seymour and he enjoyed all 22 miles of it. For him it was probably more like 42 miles. When we got to the stream crossings he went nuts. He's only 1.5 years old so he has a LOT of energy. He made it up most of the steep parts too.

We rescued him from the humane society, got pretty lucky getting a pure bread golden puppy.

Before him we had a yellow lab that we got from a lab rescue program. He was older but still loved to hike.


-Shayne

 

[bobmak]

Chica loves hiking and gets all sorts of excited when her pack comes out. She has her own bed, water bottles camp toys. Most of our trips are 3-4 days and she carries her own food. The highest peak she has done is Adams (midweek), but she much prefers woods and swampy areas to peakbagging. Her favortie trips are when we can camp within walking distance of a river or stream and where there are plenty of animal smells for her to investigate. We try hard to avoid crowds and busy trails.

She is my 4th hiking companion and is chow/border collie. Companion #1, Pax, was a great dane mix; Companion #2, Jezzabel, was a shep/huskie mix; Companion #3, Skye, was a shep. All were rescues, and loved hiking.

 

[BrentD22]

Pics from our last hike with them last Fall are located at:
http://rbhayes.net/weeks.html

What kind of bone was that? I'am far from an expert or even knowledgable about bones, but that sure looked like a femur, but then again I watch too much tv!

To everyone else thank you for the suggestions about Labs. A friend of mine had a lab and I love her so much. I can't wait until I find, adopt, and get to know my new best 4 legged friend and hiking partner!

 

[Fu Jow Pai]

I'm sure this same thread came up recently, but anyhow, can't say enough about Jack Russell terriers, I have 2 of them, they love to hike, rarely stray of trail, and cannot be worn out period. My JR's have done all the 35's of the Catskills with me, most of them in winter. When the backpack comes out they freak. Great partners for the woods.