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Should a Dog Attempt a Thru-Hike?
My Conclusion
The conclusion I have come to as to whether or not a dog “should” embark on a thru-hike is unsatisfying. It depends on the dog, and it depends on how responsible the owner of that dog is.
I have some anecdotal experience of how people on trails respond to and feel about dogs being out there, especially when suggesting committing them to a months-long adventure. I’ve heard stories of dogs having to drop out early due to an inability to sustain the rigorous hiking each day, and I’ve read accounts of individuals who received some criticism for making their dogs hike for six months.
I would like to bring my dog, Jupiter, on my Appalachian Trail thru-hike attempt. It is crucial however that I am not setting her up for failure. Jupiter is a one-year-old, born on Halloween, Great Pyrenees. She has been on numerous hikes and truly comes to life when she finds herself in the mountains.
Jupiter has hiked around our home state of Florida, in North Carolina on the Art Loeb Trail, and on the AT in Grayson Highlands. She recently finished puppy school and it just so happens that she does quite well in a tent at night, even when various critters visit the camp. This happened recently, and we’re not sure what shows up in pairs and makes snarling sounds. Even when in that context Jupiter did not explode into a barking frenzy. For these reasons, I feel some amount of confidence in bringing Jupiter along for the ride.
Jupiter’s Hikes
If you’re familiar, this section is still about my dog, not JupiterHikes (coincidence).
To preface, I walk a lot. Around the neighborhood, in a local park, on a hike, it doesn’t matter, I just like to walk. Jupiter was subjected to this as soon as she joined the family. She didn’t take to it quickly. It was a weeks-long process to simply get her to walk further than the end of our alley. However, over time this apprehension turned into full-blown excitement. She has become a wonderful hiking companion.
First Hike
Her first official hike was in the unfortunately named Cockroach Creek. It’s a small, not especially spectacular but certainly pretty spot in Florida where Jupiter logged her first three-mile day. That’s basically a 5k, right? A good milestone.
First Time in the Mountains
The first time she saw the mountains was on a trip to Grayson Highlands in Virginia. A, my partner (who may join me on the AT), grew up with and loves horses, I love the AT, and Jupiter was born to wander a mountaintop, so this State Park was a no-brainer. It’s also worth mentioning, Jupiter had never been camping. As a matter of fact, since moving in with us she hadn’t slept anywhere other than in a bed. As stated earlier, she ended up being a complete natural. Here’s a peek into her hike that week:
Return to Appalachia
Jupiter returned to the Appalachian Mountains in October of this year when we traveled to North Carolina to tackle the Art Loeb Trail. This trip resulted in complete disaster and failure for reasons that unfortunately must be kept top secret. Bad planning, and a lesson learned.
Here we are waiting for a shuttle at Camp Daniel Boone:
What’s Next
I wouldn’t refer to Florida as the best place to prepare for a thru-hike of the AT, or for hiking in general. But we make the best of it. There is a certain magic to the unique natural landscape of Florida, but if you want to feel the burn of a steep incline, you have to travel. We are working on scheduling a couple of trips out West for 2023. Namely, New Mexico and the PNW. Furthermore, we’re planning on moving out of state early next year. The decision of where exactly to move to is still up in the air, but one of the highest factors of consideration is proximity to good hiking. The point is, there is much to come for Jupiter’s hikes.
My Expectations
Exposing Jupiter to nature, camping, and hiking as often as possible is really the best we can do to prepare her (not to mention the general training and socializing done at home). I can understand the opposing perspective of dogs being out on trails. Though if you and your dog are capable of respecting people, nature, and the trail itself, bringing them along should be an option. The trick with all aspects of trail etiquette, I think, is just being transparent with yourself. Did I dig this cat hole far enough away from that water source? Did I secure my food properly? Is it safe to hike in this weather? Is my dog actually a ‘good dog?’ Probably a hard one to answer.
I know what to expect when taking Jupiter on a day hike or overnight. She will have the time of her life. But I don’t fully know what to expect when she’s been away from home for weeks and how her body will handle miles up and down every last mountain on the East Coast day in and day out. She’s a well-behaved dog, possesses no ability to be aggressive, and prefers to stay close to her people. She’s used to wearing her backpack and is happy to walk on a leash, but even with all of that being true, my approach is to hike Jupiter’s hike as long as she’s out there, not mine.
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Comments 11
Dogs definitely belong on a thru hike! You’ll find 99% of hikers love having your pup out there. Dogs just have the best happy attitude!
So glad to see your post! My Great Pyr/Anatolian, Siku, and my Lab, Tsuga, would be devastated if I left them out of any hike anywhere, any time. We plan to either head SOBO in ’23, or choose the Long Trail (we live in VT) if logistics for the whole AT prove dicey. To my shock, Siku is the best tent dog ever, let alone hiking. He’s not too happy on the hottest of days, but we’ll go early, walk late, and retreat to a siesta if needed. Best of luck and hope to see you out there!
Those Pyrenees are just something else. Good luck to you!
When I came down off Dragon’s Tooth in 2021, there is a little gas station off trail. Many hikers hit that to grab a resupply, or pizza, fuel, whatever. I met a female hiker there with her dog. She told me that all the NOBOs with dogs tend to communicate and keep up with each other while hiking. She also told me that all the hikers she knew with dogs, their dogs were OFF trail by this point. I saw almost NO dogs from Northern VA on, and none with Thruhikers, though I did get bit on the heel by one on Skyline. ?
I personally recount that the animals I saw on trail were completely worn out. I’m not saying it can’t be done. But in some areas I often wonder how the dog got up or down a particular area. But I think the odds are that your dog will wear down long before you do, so it’s probably wise to be very observant. I think many people think of their dogs as super heros instead of pets.
Just FYI… I’m in Kentucky. This past weekend two hikers took their dogs to the Red River Gorge, the Pinch’em tight area. Why??? I don’t know, but they took their dogs out on that, and both fell. Only one survived. Gut wrenching….
Good luck!!! Keeps an eye on your hiking buddy!
WD, NOBO 2021
Dogs aren’t built for long sustained treks like humans. Bipedal animals like humans are designed for long distance, leisurely paced (compared to our four legged, fast moving animal kingdom counterparts) traveling. I’ve taken my dog on the trail plenty of times but she is absolutely tuckered put after several miles and needs to rest the next day.
There are also many obstacles and dangerous places in the mountains dogs don’t think twice about barreling into headlong, dragging their human behind them with their leash. I can’t count how many times I almost had a heart attack as she barreled towards the edge of an overlook.
No matter how experienced or well behaved your dog is, there’s a lot of stimuli out there in the forest that can cause them to act out of character and against their training and it only takes once.
Thanks for the detailed comments! I completely agree with you. Luckily I have a solution in place if/when she taps out.
All decisions are ultimately up in the air until the day I leave, and since I’m SOBO I have some time to further consider/run some tests.
I hiked Ga -> Me with my GSD in 2018. She did most of the trail. Only service dogs through the Great Smoky National Park, and they don’t allow pets in Baxter State Park. Additionally, my pup rested while I slack packed the Shenandoahs.
Lots of hikers with dogs didn’t make it past Virginia. I can only recall a few after Pennsylvania, with one coming off the trail with a venomous snake bite.
Bears will be scarce with your dog around. I saw most of my bears when the dog was not around. Once when I wondered too far for a good spot to relieve myself. One bear got about 75 yards from camp in Massachusetts, the dog barked, and by the time I raised up in my hammock, all I could see was the tail end of the bear heading in the other direction.
Black flies and mosquitoes will likely be a problem for your dog on a months long hike. I didn’t have a good solution, you may start now, training your dog to use a bug net on their head.
We did primarily kibble for her food. I can give some tips depending on your diet plan.
I’m always open to tips and suggestions if you’re willing to share!
From what I’ve seen you should have plenty of water for your dog. I’ve seen them suffering on warm days. And have foot covers for the very abrasive sandstone conglomerate you will find.
A better question might be what would happen if every through hiker brought their favorite pet along?
Biggest question to answer! Do you have an evacuation plan for medical emergencies of your dog? Given the size of your GP, you are not going to carry him out. Could you leave the dog for help?
Many of us hike with our furry friends. I limit myself and pal to trails I can possibly self rescue or those in close proximity to rescue.
The daily grind can be managed. Think about the unthinkable.