[at-l] dogs on the trail

[Phil.Heffington@xxxxxx (Phil Heffington)]

I've said it more than once, "The proportion of truly responsible owners of=
 dogs on the trail is about the same as those who carry cell phones on the =
trail and only use them for emergencies."

I, too, am a dog lover.  I have a beautiful and loving Dalmatian that would=
 love to accompany me to the trail.  I am also a very responsible dog owner=
.  That is why I leave her at home.  I've seen too many dogs with cut foot =
pads, emaciated bodies, etc., to take my dog on the trail.  Dogs accompanyi=
ng you on a short hike is very different than one who is trying to thru-hik=
e with you.  They are naturally loyal to you, and will succumb to almost an=
y abuse of their health to remain loyal.  They have no say in what you put =
them through, and are not well suited by nature to hike 12-20 miles a day o=
ver rocky terrain.

I won't even get into my experiences with dogs in shelters.  My normal resp=
onse now, when dog owners ask if it is OK to let their dog into the shelter=
 is, "Fine.  Just make sure they stay between you and the far wall."