Just leave your dog at home

Adam Block wrote:

Useful recommendations / free dog sitting coupons anyone?

When traveling, and we have to leave the dogs while climbing, etc.- in the past we used fold-up nylon crates and stayed in dog-friendly hotels (there are several in Moab). If Noodle isn't crate-trained, however, that may not work. However, we are getting a slide-in camper for a truck, because we get tired of hotels and they are expensive, but also because it is a pain dealing with the dogs in a campground, and we can't leave them in a tent. Also, we ski a lot, and if we are at a lift area or if there is deep powder in the backcountry the dogs can't deal with it. If we don't take the dogs with us at all- we have a house/dogsitter. I realize none of this is necessarily cheap, but we just try hard to not cause situations as happened here. We love our dogs, as I'm sure you do, but there are a lot of people out there who either don't understand dogs or are outright afraid of them. 

@ RCLee-

you've had plenty of criticisms for non-dog owners.

What do you think about leaving a dog tied up at the base of a multi pitch climb for several hours?

Leaving aside the inconvenience imposed on other climbers due to his barking and his presence in the middle of the trail, is that really acceptable for the dog?

Adam Password wrote:

Orrr you can just NOT get a damn dog. I’d have a dog except for the fact I work long hours and travel frequently. Sure it’s “cool” to own a dog but I really question people that still want own a dog and go on lengthy vacations all the time. Then they complain about the dogs behavior. That’s why I always respected working dogs and their owners much more than leisure dogs and their owners. For those that have actually been around working dogs they know the difference I’m talking about.  

Wasn't aware that it was "cool" to own a dog, but glad that I'm cool! ;-). I don't know why one would take a dog on a vacation and then complain about it. We view our dogs as equal partners in hiking, skiing, canyoneering, and non-technical mountaineering (I have on occasion, however, put them on belay). We have always had "working dogs" (cattle dogs, hounds) as partners, because 1) they are tough, and 2) they are trainable for outdoor recreation. The dog absolutely needs to obey you at all times, or he can get hurt. So, my wife and I are the alphas, and the boys need to stay in line. One major issue that a lot of people apparently don't think about is: if a dog is injured outdoors, how do you get him out? I see people with 90 lb Labs and such on CO 14ers- and it basically would be impossible to get such a dog out if he were injured. We limit the size of dog to 60 lbs or less for this reason. Anyway, it just requires some thought and planning, and you can have a great time with dogs in the outdoors. They perceive the world in a very different way than we do, and it is a blast just being with them, having fun in the wilderness.

Mark E Dixon wrote:

@ RCLee-

you've had plenty of criticisms for non-dog owners.

What do you think about leaving a dog tied up at the base of a multi pitch climb for several hours?

Leaving aside the inconvenience imposed on other climbers due to his barking and his presence in the middle of the trail, is that really acceptable for the dog?

Personally, I have never done this. The dog wants to be with you, and most dogs get anxious when left in such a situation. I have even seen people do this on ice climbs, which is doggone (haha) dangerous for the dog unless it is a husky or something that is cold-resistant. These days I personally prefer to do activities with the dogs (hiking, canyoneering, skiing), as opposed to leaving the dogs and going to do something fun without them. So, this excludes technical climbing.

So, no- I wouldn't do it, but I'm not going to tell others not to. I wouldn't presume to tell somebody who routinely takes a well-behaved dog to the crag to not leave him at the base. All owners and dogs are different.  

Adam Block wrote:

But yeah, he ain’t friendly in 40mph gusts but same with many of us.

True, some people are the worst. The easy solution is for all the good boys to come to the crag and leave their owners at home where they belong. I'm fine with this.

Briggs Lazalde wrote:

Lvl up!  +15% frost resistance. Just carry rin tin tin in ur pack like dean potter did. 

climbing friend,

my device of nerd detection has reached maximum level volume and is beeping quite rapidly, oh my!

Nothing llike getting dog crap on the sole of your approach shoe a mile uphill from any water. I agree, leave the dog home. I'm amazed at the people that insist on taking their dog with them everywhere, and complain if the restaurant or grocery store has a no-dogs policy. I own a rental property, and the female tenant got stuck taking care of her ex-husband's "support animal" because he didn't have time to walk it, etc. That was a direct violation of her lease. This clearly showed that he just wanted a dog, but wasn't responsible enough to take care of it, sorta like his marriage.

RCLee wrote:

... a lot of people on this thread, including the OP, seem to think that it is OK to attack a dog that is barking at them...

RCLee, do you fight strawman on purpose or due to your inattentiveness?

The OP was talking about defending himself against an attacking dog on a narrow ridge where he had no easy way around.

Jerry432 wrote:

Hi MP, 

First time caller long time listener here. The story I am about to unfold truly will balance this thread and give us all the ying and yang of life when it comes to dogs at the crag. 

On a fine Easter weekend this year at the top of LCC is when and where it all took place. We had just concluded what we would regard as an "epic" climbing session that day and were parched to which required some frosty brews thus might have for thus. As we sat and cheered about discussing our sends and failures that took place that day, sucking back on grandpa's cough medicine, we were oblivious to the tragedy that would unfold in front of us. My friend's unattended and unleashed dog rushed a brush area close by and was clearly agitated and fixated on something in that brush. As we cautiously approached the area to evaluate what all the ruckus was about, we noticed that his dog had a very large "mama" wild bore and her babies hemmed up. After several minutes of my friend not retrieving his animal, the dog went in for the attack. Within a minute his dog retreated from the bush not in victory but in defeat impaled by the very large tusks of the boar. Yes ladies and gents, he had been struck perhaps in an artery (there was so much blood and chaos at the moment we were unsure). As the dog lay there gasping for air and panting in a puddle of its squirting bright red blood, which indicated it was arterial, we watched  it take it's last breaths. As the do laid there dying another friend's pooch rushed in to attack and avenge his brethren. After the dust settled this regal K-9 emerged victorious striking and injuring the wild beast. We were all safe from harm at that moment as the dog defeated the beast in front of us causing the wild bore to scurry off into the sunset. The first dog succumbed to it's injuries and as it lay there in defeat recapping what went wrong in his life, his fellow K-9 licked his gross open wound. 

The weekend was essentially ruined and my heart broken buddy was out of a unattended and unleashed dog, but alas we were safe from harm due to the heroic and fearless act of yet another unattended unleashed  K-9. Where would we all be this day had that not happened? Would we be dead, happy or simply unscathed? Circle of life my friends. A dog that shouldn't have been there at the crag and a dog that should have been there equaled out this equation of life. 

So I ask to the OP, do we leave dogs at the home??? 

Regards, 

Me

TL;DR the intervening fifty pages, did anyone correct "bore" to "boar"? And point out that "boar" is a male javelina/peccary/pig/other critters I'm not remembering?

While I am sure some "mamas" are certainly bores at times, and perhaps even boorish, it is newsworthy if one is indeed a boar.

More importantly, what tie in knot were the unleashed dogs not tied up with?

Best, not quite time to start the piecrust*, OLH

*"Pumpkin", for those who need to know. Butternut squash is best, dark, dark molasses, white whole wheat flour crust. Details are what keep us safe!

Happy Thanksgiving, y'all!

I think some folks on here have had a bit of holiday cheer today...

we should start a pool on how many "dogs at the crag" threads will be started in 2018

trailridge wrote:

Dogs have a good sense of character.  Maybe all these bad occurrences with dogs are clues that you have emotional issues. It may take many years of therapy, but there is hope that you can change the disturbing emotional issues going on inside of you.  Then you should get a dog and be happy like the rest of us

dogs do not have a sense of character that is more strong than their emulation of their humans' lack of character. maybe you and your dog should stay home, getting your personalities all melded, and leave the base trail to the climbers (and, of course, the unruly children). 

Jon? Oh, Jon? Just another troll. 

Remember everyone, next time you go to the crag. Leave your Jon at home, or I might have to take "appropriate action" to defend myself. 

cragmantoo wrote:

I think some folks on here have had a bit of holiday cheer today...

we should start a pool on how many "dogs at the crag" threads will be started in 2018

I hear ya, like beating a dead horse.  But it does feel like this one got somewhere in the end.  Dog's owner came on, apologized, explained why he brought his dog and noted it was a mistake.  Even included a cute pic.  Seems like, maybe, some actual progress was made.  So hopefully there will be at least one less of the this thread than there was in '17.

JonasMR wrote:

I hear ya, like beating a dead horse.  But it does feel like this one got somewhere in the end.  Dog's owner came on, apologized, explained why he brought his dog and noted it was a mistake.  Even included a cute pic.  Seems like, maybe, some actual progress was made.  So hopefully there will be at least one less of the this thread than there was in '17.

Hmmm apologies?

I noticed a lot of excuses in his post and one pro-forma sentense at the end that he believed was an apology.

dogs are aid.

Yury wrote:I noticed a lot of excuses in his post and one pro-forma sentense at the end that he believed was an apology.

I have to half disagree with you.  Looks like a fairly standard "Schrodinger's apology".  Sorry enough sounding that he claim he apologized if everyone thinks he needed too, snarky enough to say he never apologized if the thread goes that way.  

My vote is we all acknowledge the apology so he can ret-con what he meant and stop bringing Noodle to the crag till he has trained her.

mbrd wrote:

dogs do not have a sense of character that is more strong than their emulation of their humans' lack of character. maybe you and your dog should stay home, getting your personalities all melded, and leave the base trail to the climbers (and, of course, the unruly children). 

Dogs don't really ever like you, do they? You seem like a real stick in the mud 

Adam Block wrote:

I made some choices not totally in the best interest of everyone around but chose my dog’s comfort on a stupid windy way instead. It happens. 

I simply can't understand why some people have problems with unsupervised, poorly behaved dogs at the crags.

My local crag has a sweet little spring fed creek that flows year round. Last time I was up there I walked past 4/5 bags of shit in the creek. I want to fist/foot those people so bad! Stay out of my Crag Lebowski! Though judging by the amount of clothes that were floating around I don’t think they were climbers. Most likely west coast southerners. Why must you bag your shit then fling the bag?! Is it that fun to do?