[at-l] Dogs aren't the problem, It's their owners

[Marielle & Paul" <hikers99@yahoo.com (Marielle & Paul)]

Just want to clarify a post I made some time ago.  I posted a picture of =
a dog admiring the view in the Whites.

http://www.hikers2000.homestead.com/files/0629DOG.jpg

Even though I think it is a great picture, I should have indicated that =
I do not own a dog, it was not my dog and I do not agree with dogs doing =
a thru hike. I should also add that the dog was only out for a day hike =
with a couple of pals and their owner ( I should have taken her picture =
-- Boy was she a gorgeous, friendly, fit, young lady)

In any event, as I said, I do not think it is a good idea to bring a dog =
on a thru hike. There were a number of dogs with thru hikers in 1999 and =
quite a few did really well, making it all the way, but a number of =
others ended up with foot, joint and bone problems. In addition, the =
owners had the problems of shipping their dogs around the Smokies and a =
few were not happy with the treatment the dogs got when boarded.=20

In general I found the dogs well behaved, but the owners were sometimes =
a different story.=20

We stayed at Eckville shelter not long after LAZY (the caretaker) had to =
change all the sleeping pads after someone's dog had left fleas all over =
everything.

But the incident that remains with me occurred at Kincora.  While we =
were there, Bob Peoples offered to drive hikers 9 miles up the trail so =
that they could slack back to Kincora. We decided not to do it but a =
number of hikers did, including one hiker with a dog. As we hiked that =
day, we met all the slackpackers coming the other way carrying light =
packs. They were all in good humor glad to hike without their heavy =
packs. The dog owner was especially happy because he did not carry =
anything. His dog had all the water and snacks. I guess slack packing =
does not apply to dogs.


PA (MA &PA 99)


www.hikers99.homestead.com


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