I have family members who were fairly recently stationed in Fairbanks, Alaska.

They camped out several times, and each time took their two dogs with them. The dogs, both large, are family pets that were never allowed to run loose under normal circumstances.

They chose to allow the dogs to have free reign during these trips, especially at night. The dogs were also allowed to go back to the tents to sleep. The main reason the dogs were on the trip were to be early warning systems in case a bear (or 20) wandered up to the camp.

I'm really wondering about this. Even though I can understand the practical use of a barking dog, I wonder if "city" dogs, running loose might not be inviting trouble.

Question: Does anyone here routinely take dogs on camping trips. If so, what are the guidelines?

I am not a big fan of letting dogs loose in the wilds.

One year while hunting alone in and around the Nicolet State Forest in Wisconsin, I was going back to my car with a flashlight at dusk when the sounds of a lot (anything more than one is a lot under those circumstances.) of dogs starting barking and yelping in what I considered too close for comfort.

My bow was unstrung, but I had a small game permit and an unloaded Beretta Jaguar .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol with me. The pistol, magazine inserted, and round racked home came to my hand very quickly after the noise started, and my fixed blade hunting knife went from my belt to my lower outside coat pocket. The spare magazine went into my upper outside coat pocket, and my butt tightened up as if you had just put lemon juice in it.

So now I am walking back to the car, with a flashlight, and a loaded handgun in my hand, totally illegal, and in violation of all sorts of laws, twisting back and forth like Chubby Checker to CMA. If I had seen even one dog alone, coming at me or not, I would have shot it. in the most painful place on its body (not because I am sadistic, but because I know that a wounded feral dog yelping in pain would have scared away the other dogs.).

To avoid a friendly, family dog from being shot under those circustances, my personal suggestion is, do not let them roam free at night because feral dogs cannot be recognized by their breed.

Bountyhunter

Even pet dogs can become quite vicious and feral when allowed to roam free. My brother lived on an acreage outside of a major Canadian city and owned two fairly large dogs. Unfortunately, although he tried to keep them penned up, they got loose on occasion. After the third or fourth occasion, one of his neighbours hinted strongly that two dogs that "looked a lot like" my brother's pets had been part of a gang of dogs that had killed some of his livestock.

My brother took the hint and had both dogs put down.

Dogs can be both help and hindrance in the wild. If you do take them, sets of booties as used by sled dogs can avoid nasty pad wounds. A Leatherman may be used if a porcupine mixes it up with Spot's nose. A species specific first aid kit is a good idea. I knew an extraordinary Alaskan Husky in Kodiak who owned a bushpilot's family. Blackie would recognise my footsteps somehow and meet me at the edge of his turf. One day a pack of stray city dogs came tearing towards us. Blackie backed against me and made a ALPHA display no Jack London scene could duplicate. Within minutes they were gone and my friend's toddler was pulling on poor Blackie's tail. That is the dog our ancient ancestors domesticated from his near relative, the wolf. All that city breeding wound up being shot or killed by a grouchy brownie in the area.

Dogs should always be under control - in sight on voice control or leashed. Ours have usually accompanied us on recreational jaunts and on a few more extraordinary trips. They sleep in the same shelter(s) as we do.

Some folks feel that an energetic yappy dog is more likely to return to camp, tail 'twixt legs, with a hot and bothered bear close behind. I think it depends on the dog. For certain, some of ours would have stood ground (and died) to buy us some time - but then, they were disciplined and not exactly little yappy dogs. The present 2 dogs are unknown in that regard and they stay leashed. I suspect one would cower silently in place and the other would stand ground, but would as soon not find out.

Guess it depends on the dog(s) and the circumstances. And being considerate of other folks out in the area. There are places in Alaska one can readily get to that you will not encounter anyone else on a weekend or longer trip, so things can be a little looser with disciplined and obediant dogs.

Regards,

Tom

We have two dogs - 6yr old German Shepherd [censored] and one of her sons, year and a half. Originally purchased for security reasons, Skye, and now Arran are both part of our family providing security AND companionship. Both dogs need lots of exercise, and it takes a 40 minute drive to take them out into the desert where they can run and roam freely (there is nowhere in the city we could do this).
I'm starting to ramble a bit, but what the heck - We take them on regular camping trips, in fact we are off again this coming Thursday for 3 nights, and in the beginning, I used to secure Skye to a 60mm piece of re-bar driven into the sand. Any time a bit of wildlife came by she would bark and howl, waking us up several times a night. Nowadays, we leave them loose and they lie on a groundsheet spread beside the tent and will chase anything coming by, then return to their positions. I would say that they recognise their duties, and they are on guard. This usually does lead to difficulties the next day if we want to go off wandering, as they are normally too knackered to walk far as they've both been up all night !! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
On other occasions, we have been hiking up and down the wadis when a pack (10 and upwards) of wild dogs have come over the hill, and our two have seen them off, although I must say it has taken me up to half an hour to get them back again.
My two are not by any means "trained", although they are as obedient as any 10yr-old child !! <img src="images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" /> However their instincts are "To protect and to Serve" and I wouldn't be without them.
During daylight hours I have to be pretty alert (your country needs them <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />), and if their are any people about (highly unlikely, but does happen) call them to heel.
One small item I would add is water. When out walking, say for an hour, my wife and I carry a litre each for ourselves, and three each for them as they cover so much more ground as us and don't have they same biological systems for dispersing heat. You could say that WE share THEIR water !?!!
My last thought on the original post - they're a great addition to your PSK under the right conditions.