| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Elizaray |
Posted - Apr 12 2007 : 08:40:58 AM
Pets in the Outback-
What are your feelings about pets in the outback? Do you take your fur buddy with you wherever you go? Do you see other people bringing their pets?
When you see other people with their pets on the trails what do you think about it?
If you do take your pet with you, what special preparations do you have to make?
Does your pet serve a practical purpose or just companionship?
How do you deal with pet waste?
Do you worry about predators and your pet?
Elizaray |
| 4 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Elizaray |
Posted - May 12 2007 : 11:03:23 AM
I personally love taking my dog with me. I keep her on leash around other people, but let her loose when I know we are the only ones around. She is extremely well behaved so I don't worry about her too much. I feel more confident having a dog with me as well. I know they are going to smell any wild animal long before I am aware they are there.
For instance- One night my dog woke me up at about 3 am - acting like she needed to go outside to potty. So I get up and let her outside, but instead of going potty like she should, she just stands there barking and growling as she looks into the dark corner of the yard. I grab a flashlight when I see some movement and shine it to the dark corner. Sure enough something was out there lurking in our yard...A Skunk!
So I assume if she will alert to a skunk in the yard, she would alert to a bear or mountain lion.
Elizaray |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 9:30:10 PM
Forgot to mention, we buried their waste, just like we buried ours!
"i believe in god, i just spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| Sarah Blue |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 9:26:13 PM
I pretty much follow the rules when it comes to pets on the trails around here. A girlfriend and I took our dogs backpacking in the back country and it was so much fun. She prefers to keep hers off leash because he is so well behaved. Personally, I get on her about this, because whether he is perfect or not, people are intimidated when they see an unleashed dog coming around the corner on a trail and they shouldn't have to worry about it. Not to mention that rangers seem to appear at the most random times in the most random places and aren't always easy going. At our actual destination, we were the only ones there so it didn't matter as long as we kept them within sight. As far as predators, well, you're taking a risk no matter what. A practical purpose? I feel safer with my dog, for sure, and on an arduous hike, he walks ahead of me and gives me a little tug that keeps my momentum going. Now that's practical, especially up hills!
"i believe in god, i just spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
| Jen |
Posted - May 11 2007 : 12:01:53 PM
I admit I am a total hypocrite. I want my dogs with me always & everywhere for companionship & safety, and I don't like to put them on leashes, but I don't want to run into anybody else who has dogs. That said, we generally only take our boys with us when we know we'll be alone someplace, and we've (almost) never taken them anywhere where dogs aren't allowed. I can't stand it when people don't have control over their dogs (and I've been that person), but some people have this whimsical idea that their dogs are people too and should be allowed to mingle as they please. I do not agree. I don't want to worry about my kids being bitten or trompled, and I could darn near shoot a dog that chases wildlife. We keep ours on a tight verbal leash unless physical restraint is necessary.
I always worried about my crippled dog Clarence - he was my first child. I worried that he'd be eaten by a bear or that he'd wobble over the edge of a cliff, neither of which happened. Otherwise, though, I feel like my dogs are in most ways more competent than me when it comes to dealing with predators & such.
And as far as pet poo goes, we scoot it off trails & occasionally bury it, but if it's way out in the sticks, I don't worry about it.
How about Jack the brindle bulldog in the Little House series? Now, there was a dog. I always wonder why they never got another dog after he died....
The View From My Boots: www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
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