RRC Archives

so all the dog owners are going to cry that Pigsteak is stiring up shit and needs to be banned when in fact he brings up a good topic that needs to continue to be discussed all the time. Dogs at the crags have been an issue all over the country. In my opinion more restrictions might need to be considered and discussed.

discuss it all you want, but to what end? What change are you going to bring about? What it boils down to are people issues, not dog issues at all. Dog owners who are inconsiderate are the problem here, not their dogs. You can bring up any dog issue, and I can point out how it's the owner's fault that the issue is a problem. So once again we are talking about common sense and courtesy. Good luck with that.

We go around and around on this stuff, but where do we get? I'd rather talk about gay cowboys.

LOL...i seriously wasn't trying to stir up shit...this time.

but this was my first full season at the crag with a dog, and I noticed I became paranoid about how River was perceived, and how he acted in a group of people and other dogs. When there are lots of dogs around, River goes crazy, barking running on ropes, jumping on folks, and biting tails. Alone, he is docile and quiet.

So here I am at a crag, when others appear with their pets. I then feel the need to load up and go to another crag, so my dog doesn't disturb.

I have witnessed unruly dogs at the crags and it is a pain in the butt. However, as a responsible dog owner - one who enjoys bringing his quiet , well behaved dogs with him when he climbs, I think it sucks that once again, a couple of bad apples are going to ruin things for everyone. I go out of my way to keep my dogs restrained, picked up after and quiet while climbing - why should I (and others like me) be punished because others are irresponsible. If you continue this line of thinking in regards to prohibition of cliff use because of a few people who refuse to follow the rules - all climbing areas will eventually be shut down for one reason or another. As a community we need to let it be known that any type of unacceptable behavior will not be tolerated.

Its a people problem. Dogs are dogs and some are far more crag-friendly than others. I recognize this with my dogs. I choose not to bring them to the Red because one of them would bark non-stop and drive me and everyone else crazy. I am also worried they will get bitten by a snake - especially after hearing a discussion about this on NPR or some other radio show - or run off and get lost/hurt in some other way.

Sunshine came up with a good idea to befriend a woodrat and train him to be a pet rather than a wild animal. The rat was first getting into his food until Sunshine got ahold of him and shook him -almost to death. He spent the whole day training this animal to respond to simple commands and when "Woodie" was unresponsive or obstreperous, sunshine would seize him and do the near-death shake. He now has a very docile, friendly pet who will not roll in the mud and jump on you or chew on your gear. Sunshine has great photos to share!

Let's leave the dogs at home and befriend our critters in the wild. I hope to see Woodie again at Skybridge!

I think this is a valid topic to revist, given the recent decision at Torrent..

I have 2 65 lb. dogs, sometimes I bring them both with me when I climb. Most of the time My partner and I each have one dog with us. I always tie mine up, because I don't trust them to wander, and usually they sit there and are quiet. Henry (the male) will bark at people when they come up, but he's tied to a tree, and he stops pretty soon.

However, in the poll I voted "Maybe", because I don't know how many times I'll have Maya (the female) there and the whole time she's chained to a tree and getting humped by some male dog that some other climbers are letting run loose. She tries to defend herself, but these damn male dogs won't leave her alone. She's spayed, but still, its annoying. So even if you're good about your dogs, it can still be a problem to have them there because of other people's pets.

Overall though, clifflines are such fragile places, its hard to justify taking dogs there, because dogs _are_ very destructive. One of the things you often learn in mountaineering schools is never to bring your dog into fragile places like the mountains, because they terrorize the native species, damage rare plants, etc.

For instance, a dog isn't going to think twice about digging up a patch of yellow goldenrod...

-Sam

let's not tie our dogs near patches of yellow goldenrod, hmmmm? Bring toys/greenies/whatever so your dog will have something to do other than dig holes.

Again, the fact that some dumbass is letting their dog mess with your tied up female is another people problem. I've had that happen to my dog (also tied up) and have simply told the dog's owner to keep their dog away from mine. Maybe I'm scarier than you, but seriously, try it. If you offend them, screw them. Then smack their dog next time he messes with yours.

I can't wait until my pup meets Sunshine and licks his face off.

Squirt them with water - that will deter them!

Let's say a family has their kids out climbing. One of the kids is afraid of dogs. The family doesn't own a dog, nor do they want to associate with anyone else's dog. Does the parent have the right to pepper spray a dog that is not on a leash and repeatedly disrupts the family's outdoor experience? I say yes.