Hiking etiquette with dogs

[chumley]

There was a recent thread about rabid foxes and the threat to unleashed pets which got me to thinking about hiking with my dog. I have a yellow lab, who is by nature, a people-loving dog. His greatest threat to anybody is the ability to possibly lick you to the point of illness due to his bad breath. He's getting old and has always been a little bit lazy, so chasing rabbits, squirrels, skunks, and porcupines only lasts for a few yards before he comes back to me. He is always fascinated (but scared) of larger animals such as elk or cattle.

As a result, I frequently hike with him off-leash. This allows him to stop and sniff things while I continue my pace uninterrupted. I am cognizant of other people however and realize that not everybody loves dogs. If I encounter others, I always try to either put him on his leash or at least give him a "sit" command while people pass. I will always restrain him when we encounter other dogs (especially off-leash) until I've had a chance to talk to the owner and determine the demeanor of the dog.

I love to go somewhere that there's nobody else around for miles and miles ... but its nice to share that solitude with my dog. Often it is impractical to have him restrained, especially on trails that involve climbing or scrambling over obstacles.

So, what do you all think of dogs on the trail? I think part of my responsibility as a dog-owner is to try to understand the feelings of others, and while I have some ideas, it can't hurt to get more input.

[Alston_Neal]

@big_load
I think you're giving dogs way to much credit, sniffing butts is their pinnacle of social media.

[big_load]

@big_load
I think you're giving dogs way to much credit, sniffing butts is their pinnacle of social media.

I think they're so hilarious! I like how the bottom dogs are so much braver when the leader is busy chastising the middle dogs, but they run away as soon as he detects them barking. They run away from me, too. Only the leader is brave enough to stand his ground when I pass. I tried to make friends with him once, but he suddenly remembered his job and nipped me at the last moment.

Another funny thing they do is watch quietly until I reach the magical proximity threshold before going off. However, if I unexpectedly turn around and go the other way before getting close enough, they'll bark anyway. They're celebrating successfully intimidating the guy once again.