One of the best ways to enjoy nature is to share it with those you love, two-footed or four-footed. We’ve been sharing the wilds with Scotia, our sheltie, for every one of her six and half years. Or maybe she’s been sharing them with us. Truth be told, she gets us out of the house in weather that might otherwise make us develop an all-consuming interest in the Kardashians’ latest antics.
Happily, Scotia is an all-season dog. Winter on the west coast, summer in the semi-desert around Cache Creek, shoulder seasons wherever – it’s all good to her. But bringing Fido into the forest entails greater risks and responsibilities, as well as offering greater rewards.
Risks in our area include cougars, and coyotes, and bears! Oh my! We carry pepper spray, keep a watchful eye, and sometimes equip Scotia with a bear bell – though we’re not sure if it’s really a dinner bell for the bears.
So far, we’ve had no dangerous encounters, though once, during a hike on China Ridge near Princeton, our spidey senses just would not stop tingling. While we could see nothing in the comparatively open forest, we were cougar-spooked. We cut that walk short.
The responsibilities include not letting your hound harass wildlife, or ruin the wilderness experience for other people. Some car campgrounds have separate sections for pet owners, and many backcountry areas ban dogs completely.
Particularly in the crowded frontcountry, scooping after your dog is vital. And not just to save others from the dreaded and disgusting “poo shoe”; canine fecal matter can wreak havoc on delicate ecologies.
The rewards? Feeding off the endless energy and inquisitiveness as that little furry advance scout trots ahead to see what’s round the next bend in the trail, then glances back with eager eyes to be sure you’re following. Marvelling at how she can backtrack a complex route she’s never seen before better than any GPS. Smiling as a tired dog beds contently down in her folding kennel, a tent-within-a-tent in the vestibule of ours. Playing the never-gets-old game of catch, with snowballs.
The other night, as I walked her for her pre-bed “business”, Scotia padded across the snow, outlined under the glow of a streetlamp. For a fleeting moment in my mind’s eye, the streetlight was transformed to moonlight and her silhouette to that of a wolfy ancestor from millennia before. Such a perfect symmetry: we bring Scotia to the wilds; she brings an echo of the wilds home to us.
Great article. I grew up with dogs, but living in an apartment have been petless for several years. I miss hearing the little clickety-clicking on the wood floors in the morning, and fondly remember my childhood dog going absolutely *batty* with joy when ever we took him to the mountains. Good memories, thanks for bringing them back
@ Elizabeth K
So many of the best moments aren’t just visual, are they? I like the gentle poke of a nose on my ankle when Scotia wants some attention or feels we’ve forgotten something. And the contented crunching of kibbles at meal times.
Love this story. My wife and I take two Labs into the back country with us. They both wear saddle bags and are very proud to carry their own supplies.
@ Brad
Our last dog before Scotia was a rescue lab. She got to recognize when we were packing not just for a walk but for a camping trip, and would whimper with excitement.
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I enjoyed reading the article, however, I was surprised to see no mentions leash use and don’t see a leash in your photos.
I do note that you wrote “responsibilities include not letting your hound harass wildlife, or ruin the wilderness experience for other people,” and hope this means via a leash.
This is a rule in many of the parks I live near and it’s one I often see dog owners neglect. Many owners believe their dog is obedient enough to not require a leash. It’s unfortunate, because without one dogs often do harass wildlife, may run back to their owners in a wildlife encounter, and may ruin the wilderness experience of other outdoor enthusiasts.
I do hope dog owners reading this article do follow the rules set by the parks, not just for other people’s wilderness experience but also for their safety.
@Marko
Good point. Many of the parks in our area are “dogs not allowed at all.” The dogs allowed parks are often sub-divided into “on leash” and “off leash” areas. All of the pictures of Scotia were taken in “off leash allowed” places.
My Scottie, Tapaidh (means clever, successful etc in Scots Gaelic) was a cartoon in the snow – he’d dive into it and do a ‘tunnel-whacking’ adventure – all we would see was his black tail, erect and wagging until he popped up and pounced around on top of the snow again.
Thought I’d share a word on foot care for dogs in snowy weather – Tapaidh’s feet needed attention before and after an outing in snow. Without it the fur on his legs and between his foot pads collected sticky snow which accumulated froze and impacted sometimes causing painful fissures which he would work on pulling with his teeth, licking, sometimes wincing over until I finally caught on I should clip the hair very closely especially between the pads and also put vaseline or margarine between them to prevent this condition from happening.
Hope it helps others prevent foot troubles for their snow babies!
A friend of mine was hiking near Lake Louise (ski area) last summer. A hiker ahead of him on the trail had an unleashed dog. The dog ran ahead, and came back with a Grizzly hot on its heels. The grizzly turned back, but I would strongly advise against taking dogs into bear country unleashed.
Nice article! I’m sure my little Schnauzer Pepper runs 4 times the distance of the trail as he runs up around the bend and then back again to make sure I’m still on my way. I’m new to the West Coast so I’ll keep an eye out for the wildlife you mention and do a bit more reading before we tackle any trails outside of the city.
While I trust the photos were taken in places where it is legal and responsible to be off-leash, I too noticed the glaring lack of any mention. It would seem relevant to me to mention that a big part of responsibly taking your dog into the backcountry is either choosing places where it is reasonable (and legal) to go off-leash, and ensuring you have full control without the leash, or ensuring to use one in places where it is required or with dogs not yet well-trained enough to ignore squirrels/bears/etc (which seems like most).
I know a number of great dogs that are an addition to a day in the mountains, but not mentioning that as a bit part really stood out.
@Rachel
I’d thought the need to have your dog under control and/or on leash was implicit in “The responsibilities include not letting your hound harass wildlife, or ruin the wilderness experience for other people.”
You’d rather have that spelled out explicitly. And so it has been.