Leave your dogs in car while climbing at Muir, cool right?

[pigsteak]

then issue resolved.

[SCIN]

I wonder how many people who voted no have let their dogs sleep in back of their pickup for the night.

[sharon9999]

If I was sleeping in the back of my pick up then so would my dog.Other wise no.If you wanna sit in the back of your pick up all day long with your dog then fine.Just don't leave him or her there alone.It's just a bull shit thing to do to a dog.

[SCIN]

I wonder how many people who voted no have ever crated their dog or took their dog to Petsmart for a grooming (caged) or to the vet (caged) for the day.

[clif]

the animal shelters around here keep the dogs in cement floored chain link fenced walled pens about half the size of a pick up bed. then kill them. just saying.

[SCIN]

So a full sized pick-up bed full of sleeping bags for 8 hours would be the Hilton.

[kafish2]

One thing I love about this site is the way that it is a percieved coolness to play's devil's advocate for things you do not support. Kipp is usually the king of this game but I am glad that Joel and Ray are stepping up to the plate. Knowing both of you guys and having seen you all interact with your dogs I honestly feel that this is something neither of you would ever do to your dogs, but if I am wrong I kind of hope what I am about to say offends you.

Leaving a dog locked in your car all day so you can go get your pitches in is plain jack-assery. I agree with what Ray posted to some extent. Sometimes in life we have to lock our dogs up or leave them unattended for things such as work, grocery shopping, life in general, or even the vet (by the way how can we even compare the necessity of locking a dog up at the vet's office to locking one up in your car all day so you can play?). But in general these are necessities, unavoidable circumstances that ultimately are good for a domestic dog that cannot fend for itself. We need a job to supply food and shelter for ourselves and by default the dog.

The difference with leaving a dog in the car all day at the red so you can go climbing is that it is not a necessity. When we get a dog we become responsible for that dog, because it is a domesticated animal that is unable to care for itself. That means we are responsible for feeding, walking, bathing, exercising, and socializing the dog. This dog owner appears to not be living up to this. First of all a truck bed is not a crate. A crate is a place where a dog spends a good amount of time, and crate training talks of the dog becomming accustomed to the crate and thinking of it as it's home. In order for the dog to view this truck this way it would mean that the truck is its home, implying not only in fair weather unless it is a climate controlled truck bed? So no, this truck is not its "home" and besides that has strangers walking by it all day. Have you ever seen a relaxed and chill dog in a car when strangers are walking by it? This dog if left in this car is not getting its exercise and walking. Do we really think a climber after spending all day at the cliff is going to come back to the car, drive to some area where he can go on a run with his dog or play fetch, and do so in the dark, because it is winter and again he had to get his pitches? Me bet is he is more concerned about his own dinner or getting home.

The fact is that this is not one of those times in our life when we need to treat our dogs worse than our ideal of care. It would have been very easy for this dog owner to go to one of the other crags in the red, housing 1000's of routes, that would allow the dog to come along, get exercise, social interaction, and not be locked in the back of a truck all day looking at strange people walking by. It would also have been a great opportunity to not break MUIR VALLEY RULES. I honestly feel like if you think it is OK to leave your dog locked up all day in your car while you play, when you could easily go to another crag that would allow both of you to play, then you seriously need to consider why you have a dog in your life in the first place.

[milspecmark]

I have never left my dog in the car at Muir but, I don't really see a problem with it if the temperature is cool and the dog is mellow. There are many happy dogs that are crate trained and are used to being locked up in a crate while owners are at work. I don't see the big deal. Now, if your dog gets disturbed by people walking, or it is hot outside and the dog is inside panting, that is cruel.

[Syphur]

I wonder how many people who voted no have ever crated their dog or took their dog to Petsmart for a grooming (caged) or to the vet (caged) for the day.

Well, you already got called out for it but I'll respond anyhow. Pets going for grooming/vet visits are caged so they can't escape or fight with other animals. Pets left in/at a vehicle are there because the owner didn't want to leave it home or take it with them. Though I respect the desire for debate you're comparing apples to oranges.

[bcombs]

I've taken my dogs to be boarded so I can go get pitches in. It costs me 32 bucks a day for the two of them, worth it IMO. I guess if you can't afford the boarding fee, that's a tough spot to be in. I don't think I would leave them in the truck, even in good temps, but it's pretty far from cruel I would say. The folks that tied their dog to the car in the heat for a whole day, now that is cruel. In any case, it's winter and we're getting pitches in, be happy!