Thru with dogs?

[Palmer]

I know that dogs aren't allowed on the trail in certain national parks sections. Has anyone ever thru-hiked the rest of the trail with a dog? Can a dog get enough water? Would a dog end up being bear bait?
Thanks.

[chai guy]

Someone had posted an account of trying to thru-hike with a dog on Trailjournals (I'll try to find it again), let's just say it wasn't pretty.

Dogs don't really dig hiking 20+ miles a day, the desert would be especially stuff for them I'd assume.

[George]

Hi Palmer,
I met up with a hiker in the southern end who was attempting to do the PCT trail sections allowed with his dog.
Bottom line was, the dog wasn't too happy. The pads on it's feet were wearing out - apparently dogs aren't designed for long continuous distances on hard ground.
What amused me was the fact that the dog was wearing small 'saddlebags' - he was carrying his own dog biscuits. :)
The other big concern of the owner was, that his dog would hassle snakes whenever he spotted them, and he was worried that his dog would eventually get bitten by a rattler. So that's something to think about.
Don't know how far they got, but I don't think his dog would have been too disappointed to return to somewhere where there was a lampost (street light). ;)
Be pretty cool to have a dog companion though, but don't know how practical it'd be.

[geek]

I have thru hiked the A.T. twice, seen alot of hikers with dogs and it is very hard on the dog. When I hiked the A.T. in 1990 Mr. Bill Irwin hiked with his seeing eye dog and it recieved constant care by a vet at set intervals along the way. If I remember correctly, at the end of the hike the vet claimed that the dog had 7 years of wear on his pads just from the hike. The A.T. has alot of soft dirt and water.
I am currently hiking the PCT and can't imagine bringing a dog out here. Most places the ground is baked as hard as cement and water is very scarce. The dog would definitly suffer.
I am not against animals as I hiked the A.T. in '90 with a cat but he rode on my pack and did not walk. This environment is too harsh even for that.
IMO Leave the dog home and try to survive the elements yourself.
geek

[George]

I am not against animals as I hiked the A.T. in '90 with a cat but he rode on my pack and did not walk.
geek

Hi Geek,
That sounds pretty cool! :)
How'd the cat handle the journey? Did he do the full distance with you? No problems with him disappearing on missions of his own?

[Palmer]

Yeah, the cat does sound neat! I kinda had a feeling that dogs wouldn't do well on the PCT. I often take our dog on AT section hikes, but I've heard that an AT thru hike takes a lot out of a dog and isn't recommended. I've never been on the PCT, but I suspected the story would be the same.

I shouldn't hijack my own thread, but what about llamas? I know that the PCTA site says that horses can't get enough pasturage and a support vehicle is a must. Could a llama get enough pasturage? We actually own two llamas, and getting them to carry some of the load might be nice.

[geek]

Hi Geek,
That sounds pretty cool! :)
How'd the cat handle the journey? Did he do the full distance with you? No problems with him disappearing on missions of his own?

his name was Ziggy. he did all of the trail except the smokies and baxter, he wasn't allowed in those parks. he ate TONS of shelter mice. he was a small kitten when i started but weighed 14 lbs. when i finished. he was so cool...thought that he was a dog. he would come to you and sit on command. he loved to swim and rode back to pennsylvania on the rear luggage of my mt. bike. as far as i know, he is the only cat to complete the A.T.:)
geek

[George]

14 lbs!!
A biking, swimming, hiking cat - brilliant!!
Go Ziggy!!! :)