[pct-l] Lost Coast

Wed Mar 16 15:50:08 CDT 2011

Just my two sense as a care-taker of three very love-able Labrador
Retrievers...I think it is actually very irresponsible to always have your
dog *on* a leash.  Dogs need to run.  They need to play.  My dogs need to
jump into ice cold rivers after thrown sticks (and I'll be darned if I'm
gonna lead them in there on a leash).  Dogs are God's creatures and they,
like us, deserved to be treated with respect; for dogs that means getting
them off leash and letting them enjoy their physical gifts and their natural
curiosity about nature. No city dog park can really accomplish that. There's
nothing like getting out there off-leash with your dog. It makes the world a
better place.

Of course, like people, you have your occasional bad egg dog (some breeds
have a well-deserved reputation), but that's a minority (at least in most
places, and no I can't speak for Northern California).  Owners need to know
their dogs and of course work with their dogs so that they respect the
people they meet on the trail.

River

On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 11:21 AM, Kevin Cook <hikelite at gmail.com> wrote:

> so no leash = irresponsible owner?
>
> I have to take issue with that. Mine are rarely on a leash in my backyard
> forest. Granted, I tend to hike the local trails more then the USFS ones.
> Out here, most dogs are off lead. Maybe 1 in 20 will be on a leash, and
> every time the owner says it's because the dog is not well behaved.
>
> I do consider myself a responsible dog owner. Maybe I can get away with no
> leash because of the months and months of daily training time I put in with
> my dogs. Mine actually are under voice control more often than not.
>
> Anyway, it's good to hear that norcal can stay on the list ;)  One of the
> reasons we want my wife to travel along with me in the truck is so she can
> scout for where we would like to live after my hike.
>
> I'm pretty excited that I'll have Doc with me for a lot of the trail now.
> I'm sure he would be excited too if I could help him comprehend that :p
>
> See you all on the trail! I'll be the guy hiking with the big lovable Flat
> Coat that has his own pack. :)
>
> On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 9:37 AM, John Abela <
> pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com
> > wrote:
>
> > Yeah, the vast majority of the time it is the "irresponsible dog owners"
> > fault.
> >
> > A couple days ago I was on one of the most popular trails up here
> > (Headwater Forest Trail) doing some jogging and I come around a corner
> > and some guy and his dog are also jogging, and all of a sudden his dog
> > takes off in a full run at me and 4 or 5 other guys (I was in the
> > front of the group). Thankfully I had my hiking pole in my hand, it
> > was the only thing that saved me. Others behind me are sitting there
> > yelling at the guy to put the dog on a leash, like, you know, is
> > required by law on that trail. Had the dog been a leash (like the
> > dozen or so other dogs on the trail that day) I highly doubt an issue
> > would have flared up. Around here more and more people are starting to
> > get aggressive towards irresponsible dog *owners* who fail to keep
> > their dogs on leashes - which is a nice thing to see.
> >
> > That said, of the dozen or so other dogs on the trail that were under
> > the control of responsible dog owners, it was a pleasure to be out
> > there with them and see them enjoying some running and getting out of
> > their houses/pens/kennels.
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 9:04 AM, Benjamin Grunbaum
> > <bengrunbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > Kevin
> > > I live up on the north coast and have never once had anything progress
> to
> > > the point that John has in relation to untrained dogs.  I have
> > encountered
> > > them but one way or another they have always went their own way.  I
> will
> > > admit I use to work one on one with large cats (tigers, leopards,
> bobcats
> > > and servals) at a sanctuary in southern California.  Anyways, if you
> were
> > > thinking of moving up here it is a wonderful place in its own right
> with
> > > both good and bad.  The good far outweigh the bad.  The area up here is
> > > bountiful when it comes to outdoor activities.  Anyways, for what ever
> > > reason John has the worst luck when it comes to irresponsible dog
> owners
> > and
> > > their untrained dogs.  I would take his experience lightly.  I do not
> > know
> > > anyone else who has had such luck.
> > >
> > > Ben Grunbaum
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 11:09 PM, Kevin Cook <hikelite at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > >
> > >> Wow, I'm now grateful for the canine citizens in my "backyard". Maybe
> I
> > >> don't want to move to norcal after my hike? lol
> > >>
> > >> On Tue, Mar 15, 2011 at 7:21 PM, John Abela <
> > >> pacificcresttrail2011 at gmail.com
> > >> > wrote:
> > >>
> > >> > Hey Kevin,
> > >> >
> > >> > > I don't blame you for wanting to defend yourself against an
> > aggressive
> > >> > dog,
> > >> > > but if they are still 8-12 feet away, are you really in any
> danger?
> > I
> > >> > can't
> > >> > > help but wonder how you're interpreting that they are coming at
> you
> > >> "with
> > >> > > intent to harm"?
> > >> >
> > >> > 8-14 feet for a dog is one stride for most dogs on a run ;)
> > >> >
> > >> > > I'm not saying what you did was wrong, but I agree with Ron that
> > having
> > >> > to
> > >> > > pepper spray a dog 3 times in 4 months is a lot, or you have the
> > worst
> > >> > luck
> > >> > > ever!
> > >> >
> > >> > Yeah, totally agree. It's more what Ben said.... up here, remember
> > >> > that Humboldt County is weed-capital-of-the-world, 99% of people who
> > >> > have dogs have pits to protect their 'precious goods'.
> > >> >
> > >> > Middle of last year I had 4 pit bulls come right into our yard, one
> of
> > >> > which got an entire 5 oz can of the hottest pepperspay that civis
> can
> > >> > buy and it still kept coming. That one, sadly, depending on how you
> > >> > look at it, did not make it out of my yard. The other three were put
> > >> > down by the city.
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >> > @Ron, I totally hear what you are saying. Up here, every day on the
> > >> > trail, is like breaching a house - because literally, it does not
> > >> > matter if you are in a house or out in the backwoods, pits, rots,
> and
> > >> > Presa Canario are everywhere - about the only thing not up here are
> > >> > Doberman Pinschers, for which I am very grateful - as they are the
> > >> > only dog which I actually fear.
> > >> >
> > >> > John
> > >> >
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