My wife and I will be moving to Rimrock, AZ, next month from Alaska with our two dogs, and having never hiked with them in the desert, are a little concerned about taking them on the trails.
It's funny, but we have no problem taking them into the Alaskan backcountry where there are all sorts of large mammals that can stomp, bite, eat or generally mess up a domestic canine. But throw rattlesnakes and scorpions into the mix and we haven't the faintest idea what to do.
Are there any tips, cautions, suggestions, or encouragement that folks can give us to either ease or affirm our fears of hiking with our lab and kelpie in our new home?
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, ankle-twisting, HAZmaster crushing ROCKS!!
Hike Arizona it is full of sharp, pointy, shin-stabbing, skin-shredding plants!
Hike Arizona it is full of striking, biting, stabbing, venomous wildlife!
@LindaAnn
That seems ridiculous? Perhaps just another example of the evolution of human laziness. You know, lights that turn on when you walk in the room, fast food delivered to your house, keyboards that predict your next keystroke, etc... Might as well just stay home and a watch a you tube video about hiking this weekend.
Sorry, probably sounds too harsh. Maybe there is a benefit or training for the dogs that I'm missing?
@ALMAL I agree with you—on all your points. My initial reaction was that it strikes me as laziness, or only partially accomplishing a difficult task. And personally, I’m not a fan of the practice. But, at the same time, I feel that as long as someone isn’t negatively affecting anyone else’s hike, then however they choose to hike is their own business. And I will say, none of the dogs seemed to be struggling with the task.
Hands-free leash/harness systems are generally intended for people who run or trail run with their dog. Being pulled by a dog actually makes hiking more difficult (even uphill).
I imagine each hiker was merely driven to repeat the same bad joke to everyone they passed because they realized how silly they looked in their failure to leash train their dogs.
I’m pretty sure I can tell the difference between a sincere comment and a joke. These hikers were quite sincere; I actually chatted with two of them for a few minutes. One referred to it as canicross (sp?), which I’d never heard of, but then again, activities with dogs aren’t really my thing. I’m not going to debate how well the dogs were leash trained, it doesn’t matter, but all four I noticed were certainly well trained (and well trained in general, none even got near me, thank goodness) for this activity. The hiker on her way up Bross was pretty much being hauled up by the dog.
@LindaAnn
If the humans were also using trekking poles, then it should be considered it "pawdic walking", though some seem to consider it canicross (probably because it sounds cooler and more official). I kind of see it as too lazy to even hold the leash.
wetbeaverlover wrote: ↑Dec 13 2006 4:45 pm
I'd worry more about meth users and drunk drivers living in the Rimrock area than i would javalinas and snakes. I haver lived here for many many years, it went from a nice quiet place to meth maker and land developers wet dream come true. You say you will be living at Montezumas well? Ranger? If you can overlook all the tweakers and thieves, its great place to live with all the whole Coconino national forest out your back door.
What a great HAZ wayback thread!! Whatever happened to @wetbeaverlover? Hiking uphill with your mushing dog pulling you seems so insignificant compared to the real problems in Rimrock. Hopefully that's been cleaned up since the op! Poor doggos!
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
Route Editor
Route Scout
