Mountain Project Logo

Best kind of crag dog?

Steve Sangdahl · · eldo sprngs, co · Joined Mar 2002 · Points: 735

If you have to bring your dog to the crag please make sure it’s well trained and tough. Almost to service dog level. Australian cattle dogs (blue heelers) are great dogs. Just examine your reasons for bringing said dog to the crag.

climber pat · · Las Cruces NM · Joined Feb 2006 · Points: 286

I have had 2 golden retrievers and a flat coated retriever. All have been good crag dogs.

Golden retriever are a good choice because most people already considered goldens to be friendly and not aggressive.

Nate Nate · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Sep 2014 · Points: 10

A trained dog is the best "crag dog". Not much to it. 

cragmantoo · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 175
Kurt G. wrote:

 

And please don't use this as a jump off to complain about dogs at the crag.

Thanks

and so it goes....

John Mckinley · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Nov 2017 · Points: 0
AndrewArroz wrote:

Mellow dogs. The problem with dogs at crags is that their people go up routes and the poor dogs stress out at the bottom. Hence whining and barking and howling. Not good for anyone.

I have a lab. I only take her to the crag if I'm on a trip and MUST bring her with me. She's mellow and tends to go to sleep and not bug people. That's the kind of dog you want. 

yeah. I agree with you. 

Meredith E. · · Bainbridge Island, WA · Joined Apr 2017 · Points: 5
AndrewArroz wrote:

I've had two labs who would fall into the "American" description and while both had enormous energy and drive, they were both very mellow and able to chill, also. Might actually be a gender thing you're seeing given mine were both female and that I know an "English" male lab who is hyper as hell. Can't stop humping everything in sight!

It absolutely could be gender related.  And of course there is a range of temperaments in both types.  Mostly I wanted to warn anyone thinking of getting a rescue lab and thinking of taking it to the crag,  that many of the labs, particularly young labs, that end up as rescues, end up there because they are of the more hyperactive tempermant.  They can still be great companions and buddies, and they are often wonderful for scent-work jobs (they need a job to do), but think carefully before adopting one to be your crag dog.

Lee Green · · Edmonton, Alberta · Joined Nov 2011 · Points: 51
seano wrote:

A greyhound, preferably a rescue.  Keep it leashed so it doesn't go off after a varmint, and it will be happy to curl up on a blanket and wait.  In my experience, they also seem to be mellow around strange people.

I don't own one but I have a friend who has several. He calls them "snoozehounds," which seems about right. Unless they're chasing something, they pretty much nap. Not aggressive at all, nice with other people and with kids, and never seem to bark. The leash is a necessity though. If they see a rabbit they'll go from 0 to 60 in a time that would make a drag racer green with envy.

Hmm. Harness on greyhound tied to toprope + rabbit = speed ascent worthy of Warner Bros cartoon. Could be entertaining.

Pnelson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2015 · Points: 635

My cat is the best crag dog.  He just stays at home on the couch when I go climbing.

We've got a 1 year old red heeler/corgi mix.  She's getting ok at the crag, super chill with being carried down approach ladders, climbs 5.3, smart, easily trainable, etc.  Herding dogs in general can be a mixed bag.  If you put the time in and train them, they will be excellent crag dogs.  But they are super high energy, and would rather be bombing through the woods than sitting at the base of a crag for hours.  

Also, both herders I've had (the current heeler mix and an aussie/border collie mix years ago) did NOT like seeing members of their crew get on the rock.  Their job is to keep the herd close together, and when someone gets out of reach they can get unset and whiny.  I'm hoping that my dog will grow out of this, but right now, she is a solid "B" crag dog.  She's pretty damn cute, though.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0
Kurt G · · Monticello, UT · Joined Nov 2012 · Points: 156

thanks for all the feedback so far. I suppose I should clarify for all the naysayers. this would be an on occasion thing when the dog cant be left home. if the dog comes along it would be to a crag with few or no people. its not fair to others to put up with my dog because i couldnt find another option than to bring it along. plus its just nice to have the company. if my dog cant behave around other climbers it wont be at the crag, simple as that. thats why i started this forum to have the best chance of getting a dog that wont have issues if i should need to bring it to the crag.

And thanks to all who have given positive feedback and the info has helped me a lot.

Kyle Taylor · · Broomfield CO · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 0

I have 2 rescue dogs currently - a German Shepard and a Pit mix. If you get a rescue dog and please do :) just know they come with a mixed bag of issues all unique to the dog, not the breed. My pit is a good social crag type dog. My German Shepard is insecure, anxious and hates being not in control. He's good with me or my wife- but around others, not so much- we socialize him a lot to break this bad habit, but not at the crag- but the dog park, etc. In his past life, he was chained to a tree for 3 years straight. As you could imagine, he hates the leash now. So no crag for him- although I tried once but it sucked. 

good luck! Dogs are the best.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0
Kyle Taylor · · Broomfield CO · Joined Sep 2017 · Points: 0
Kyle Taylor wrote:

I have 2 rescue dogs currently - a German Shepard and a Pit mix. If you get a rescue dog and please do :) just know they come with a mixed bag of issues all unique to the dog, not the breed. My pit is a good social crag type dog. My German Shepard is insecure, anxious and hates being not in control. He's good with me or my wife- but around others, not so much- we socialize him a lot to break this bad habit, but not at the crag- but the dog park, etc. In his past life, he was chained to a tree for 3 years straight. As you could imagine, he hates the leash now. So no crag for him- although I tried once but it sucked. 

good luck! Dogs are the best.

Actually- I'm going to go against my own comment. Golden retrievers are probably the dumbest and sweetest dogs ever. They are pretty vanilla in the American dream stereotypebut good crag dogs imo.

Hank Caylor · · Livin' in the Junk! · Joined Dec 2003 · Points: 643

Pugs obviously!

LindsayH · · Kingston, NY · Joined Jun 2014 · Points: 55
Kurt G. wrote:

...if my dog cant behave around other climbers it wont be at the crag, simple as that. 

Just want to point out that this should say, "If my dog can't behave around other climbers, other dogs that I have no control over, and wild animals, it won't be at the crag."

My dog is super lazy and LOVES people, but he's got a pretty strong prey drive to chase squirrels and rabbits, and he does NOT like other dogs. So he never goes to the crag with me. I can keep him on-leash and control his behavior when he sees another dog and starts to get aggressive, but I've learned to never trust other owners to be able to control their dogs. I can't tell you how many times I've had off-leash dogs run up to me, with their owner behind them, yelling at them to stop. I used to take my dog camping with me and I ended up having to keep a spray bottle with us to spray other dogs running into our campsite. He just stays home now. Fortunately, my parents are always willing to dog-sit for overnight trips. 

A lot of people think that aggression is aggression, but temperament towards people and temperament towards other dogs are two very different things. Make sure you know how your dog is going to behave not just around other climbers, but around other crag dogs as well. 

Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

The best crag dogs are the ones that are given the opportunity to be crag dogs.  You have to trust them, take them to places, let them live and learn.  Lots of off leash time.   Soon you will have the greatest dog in the world.

sean o · · Northern, NM · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 48
Russ Keane wrote:

The best crag dogs are the ones that are given the opportunity to be crag dogs.  You have to trust them, take them to places, let them live and learn.  Lots of off leash time.   Soon you will have the greatest dog in the world.

Do you pay the people training them?  No?  Then please let me know where you crag, so I can bring my bear spray.

Jared Moore · · Truckee, CA · Joined Aug 2013 · Points: 130
Jon Po wrote:

The best crag dog is no crag dog.. Leave Fido at home...

It's that black and white, folks! 

Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

"Do you pay the people training them? "

Obviously not.  Do you have kids by any chance?  It's the same thing.  You bring children around to places, and your fellow humans help raise them by being tolerant and kind.  It's called community.   Enjoy your bear spray as you go through alone without warmth and companionship.  Karma is real and dogs are living loving animals, often just as important to someone as a child.

sean o · · Northern, NM · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 48

They are domesticated animals, not "fur babies," and they're not "loving" so much as "really good at begging for food."  Don't expect others to share your delusions.  (I don't appreciate you bringing your wailing spawn on airplanes, either, though I wouldn't bear spray them. ;-)

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

General Climbing
Post a Reply to "Best kind of crag dog?"

Log In to Reply

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

Get Started.