Best kind of crag dog?

Yoda Jedi Knightwrote:

This is flat out wrong. Technology is far superior. Best invention? How about antibiotics, alternating current electricity, or democratic government? Leave your feelings at home with your canine slave.

Your last sentence is why many of us have an affinity for animals. None of your tech replaces human touch....but dogs fill a void.

Also? Are you a vegan?

If so, how do you keep up soil fertility long term with no animals as part of the agricultural picture? Or eat at all, on marginal lands?

You do you, for sure (and "you" is generalized at this point), but don't assume that is the correct answer for everyone, or even the only answer. 

Do you climb on public lands, especially in the western U.S.? Without grazing, climbers are way, way, down the list of users. And without those "slaves" guarding the flocks? Those wild dogs, cats, and raptors who inhabit those lands get shot, poisoned, or trapped to extinction.

Best, Helen

Dow Williamswrote:

Russ, you must have been one of those who recommended a blue healer.  And you say you have no children.  And you take that blue healer to a crag (what this thread is about correct?), and children could exist at said crag.  That would be foolish and any homeowners policy would consider that negligent and not cover any incident.  I want you to all think about this for a second.  Compare, say cats for example.  Notice the range in behavior and features between domesticated cat breeds and their cousins?  Now examine the range in dogs, pugs vs pit bulls vs wolfs. Notice the range difference?  Dogs are one of the most manipulated mammal species on earth via select breeding for purpose.  Sure, as everyone says, their pit bull is the sweetest creature they ever knew.  That is considered anecdotal.  Something Trump would say about any dog he owned:  "The very best, the greatest....etc."  Then there is science.  Certain dogs were bred specifically for certain traits.  The Blue Healer is a working breed, bred for a specific working purpose.  Extremely loyal and obedient to their master(s), to a fault.  Hyperactive, full of energy and quite brave when it comes to wrangling with a 2000lb bull.  And in your case, a dog not use to children or say wild burros/big horns in the desert.    Not a good "crag dog" (if there is such a thing) by any stretch.

Beat it Kook

Yoda Jedi Knightwrote:

This is flat out wrong. Technology is far superior. Best invention? How about antibiotics, alternating current electricity, or democratic government? Leave your feelings at home with your canine slave.

I gave you specific examples where technology can't come close to a dog. 

Without dogs, agriculture, and domestic meats we would never have had the time to invent those modern inventions you like. 

Dogs were a major part of getting humans out of hunter/gatherer where we weren't inventing shit for millions of years. 

I stand on my notion that dogs were human's most important invention.

My dog is not my slave. I don't have a fence, she doesn't ever wear a leash. She's here because she wants to be. It must be the way I through that frisbee.

I say any dog, it's all in how you train them. I'd get a rescue but spend some time at the shelter with the dogs, bring friends see how they respond to males/females ask them how they do with other dogs. If they're aggressive dont like males/females not a good fit...

My crag dog. As you can see, she’s a disruptive maniac and will certainly ruin your day climbing with her aggressive behavior. It’s hard to see in the bottom photo, but she’s actually crapping at the base of all the 4 star climbs and pissing on your lunch. She’s also blasting Sean Paul on a portable speaker....

She’s also smarter than 98% of MP

If you need a durable dog with thick foot pads for long approaches, big lungs that can ski jour or can carry gear, isn’t afraid to rappel, chases bears, burros, lions and marmots out of camp, is pleasant to pet, you might like a coonhound. Just don’t let them off lease until you have them trained in perfect recall or you may be hunting for them.

Chili dogs 

Cat 

Noah Rawlingswrote:

Cat 

Big cats. Bobcats, mountain lions, lynx

Steph Evanswrote:

I say any dog, it's all in how you train them. I'd get a rescue but spend some time at the shelter with the dogs, bring friends see how they respond to males/females ask them how they do with other dogs. If they're aggressive dont like males/females not a good fit...

If you are looking at rescues, have a ball cap and helmet with you. Dunno why, but some dogs are just totally freaked by people wearing hats or helmets.

chris pwrote:

Big cats. Bobcats, mountain lions, lynx

I'm too old to cougar for anyone. Smilodon maybe? 

Old lady Hwrote:

I'm too old to cougar for anyone. Smilodon maybe? 

Too old to be a cougar? I believe that makes you a snow leopard, but I'm not 100% sure...

Mike Lofgrenwrote:

My crag dog. As you can see, she’s a disruptive maniac and will certainly ruin your day climbing with her aggressive behavior. It’s hard to see in the bottom photo, but she’s actually crapping at the base of all the 4 star climbs and pissing on your lunch. She’s also blasting Sean Paul on a portable speaker....

She’s also smarter than 98% of MP

Wait wait hang on...

Did you get a professional photographer to take portraits of your dog...?

Demetri Vwrote:

Wait wait hang on...

Did you get a professional photographer to take portraits of your dog...?

Looks to be from an obedience school graduation, not that there's anything wrong with your suggestion though. 

Just to add a data point, this summer I had a minor altercation with a husky at a local crag. The dog was calmly laying in the approach trail while the owner belayed. Assuming (foolishly) that the dog was friendly I just walked around it giving a 2-3 foot berth, and it jumped up from laying down and snapped at my face. I was able to push it away enough as it was jumping to not get bit.

As the dog continued to growl at me, the owner began to quickly explain that, “I can’t believe he did that! It’s only happened like three times before!”

FWIW I love dogs more than I love most humans. But I definitely don’t make the “innocent until proven guilty” assumptions any more.

Demetri Vwrote:

Wait wait hang on...

Did you get a professional photographer to take portraits of your dog...?

Oh, I will not run from this question!

We take our dog to doggy daycare to supplement her activity beyond regular walks/runs/training. Highly recommend as it promotes other-dog-friendly behavior in public spaces, like climbing areas. I digress. Anyways, doggy daycare sends an email asking if we wanted our dog to get Bark to School photos”. Wife asks “do we want the dog to get Bark to School photos?”, to which I replied “F&@$ yeah I want Bark to School photos. Sign her up!”

So yeah, you’re god damn right and that’s absolutely a professional, well-staged, and classy photo of my dog.

Mike Lofgrenwrote:

Oh, I will not run from this question!

We take our dog to doggy daycare to supplement her activity beyond regular walks/runs/training. Highly recommend as it promotes other-dog-friendly behavior in public spaces, like climbing areas. I digress. Anyways, doggy daycare sends an email asking if we wanted our dog to get Bark to School photos”. Wife asks “do we want the dog to get Bark to School photos?”, to which I replied “F&@$ yeah I want Bark to School photos. Sign her up!”

So yeah, you’re god damn right and that’s absolutely a professional, well-staged, and classy photo of my dog.

The phrase “Bark to School photos” has to be the best marketing campaign I’ve ever heard!

Demetri Vwrote:

The phrase “Bark to School photos” has to be the best marketing campaign I’ve ever heard!

I was defenseless.