FTFC's "Lone Canine"

[Waumbek]

Who is the "lone canine"? Anybody we know? (All you wags out there, down-stay, leash your "going to the dogs" comments. )

Here's the relevant excerpt from Mike Dickerman's hiking column in today's Littleton Courier:

[start quote]Here's a footnote to last week's column regarding action taken recently by the AMC Four Thousand Footer Committee (FTFC). Besides speaking out on several issues related to ongoing controversies surrounding Owl's Head Mountain in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, the FTFC reaffirmed its longstanding tradition of honoring any dogs that have managed to successfully climb all 48 for New Hampshire 4,000-foot peaks.

Though dogs are not allowed inside the Stratham school where the FTFC holds its annual dinner and awards ceremony, canines who'd finished the New Hampshire peakbagging list the previous year were honored in a separate ceremony held outside the school building. This compromise seemed to work well, so a similar ceremony will be held at the April 2006 meeting, and presumably well beyond next year.

While dogs that have completed the list during the traditional three-season hiking year will continue to be honored by the FTFC, no such honors, however, will be accorded dogs that completed the winter 4,000-footer list. This action is a direct result of concerns expressed by a number of hikers, mainly over safety issues for both the dogs and their human companions. To date, only one dog is known to have successfully completed the winter 4,000-footer list. His award will not be "taken back" by the committee, thus it appears he will be the lone canine recipient of the FTFC winter award.

For the record, the FTFC also refuses to recognize dogs that have completed either the New England 4,000 Footer or New England 100 Highest lists. That's because dogs are not allowed inside Maine's Baxter State Park, where a number of eligible peaks are situated…[end quote'

 

[poison ivy]

I would bet that's Brutus.

- Ivy

 

[sardog1]

That would be Kevin Rooney's "Brutus," who is a role model for canine hikers everywhere, in every sense of the phrase.

 

[Dugan]

While dogs that have completed the list during the traditional three-season hiking year will continue to be honored by the FTFC, no such honors, however, will be accorded dogs that completed the winter 4,000-footer list. This action is a direct result of concerns expressed by a number of hikers, mainly over safety issues for both the dogs and their human companions.

The safety is a matter that should be left to the dog and handler, not to a committee. Brutus, a Newfoundland, and many other breeds are especially well suited to hiking in the winter.

I wouldn't think the increased risk for canines in the winter is any greater than the increased risks for humans. For some canines, the greater risk is hiking in summer. In other words, all seasons should be treated equally - if one is not awarded, then none should be.

 

[spider solo]

Yes, I would say Brutus, a ledgend in his own time !

 

[dug]

Dugan, great points!

My black lab did "OK" in the summer. I had to be very careful to keep an eye on the sun, water locations, and trail conditions. With her thick coat, the winter was actually better for her. She eventually did them all, but probably 60-70% of them ended up being in the winter.

My coonhound has a much thinner coat. She is more suited to summer hiking, but I have a hard time even getting her outside to pee in the winter. She'll never go with me in the winter.

Newfoundland's are obviously perfectly suited for the winter months (ah, I guess that's why they're named Newfoundland's and not Florida's)

 

[Umsaskis]

The safety is a matter that should be left to the dog and handler, not to a committee. Brutus, a Newfoundland, and many other breeds are especially well suited to hiking in the winter.

I wouldn't think the increased risk for canines in the winter is any greater than the increased risks for humans. For some canines, the greater risk is hiking in summer. In other words, all seasons should be treated equally - if one is not awarded, then none should be.

I agree that the safety of when and where to hike should be determined by the handler. Unfortunately, there are just as many poor dog owners out there as there are poorly equipped hikers. Granted, there are many, many hikers who are very considerate of their dogs (probably more so among the winter hiking crowd), but there are definitely a significant number of people who aren't considerate of their best friends.

Although we are talking about winter here, I've seen far too many poorly tended dogs in the mountains in summer, and I think that attitude can spill over into winter for some people, especially with the rapid increase in winter hiking that we are seeing. For example, I've seen way too many hikers who summit with their panting dogs, start chugging from a bottle of water themselves and never offer their dogs a drink before starting back down the mountain, and I remember occasions like the time I was halfway down the Great Gulf in the late afternoon and came upon a couple who were physically pushing two exhausted, panting, overweight labs up the steep rocks; it was very clear that the dogs did not want to continue. For every careful dog-owning hiker out there, there is a careless one.

How does this translate to giving awards? I guess the question is, how many people are so goal-oriented for both themselves and their dogs that they will go for the prize without thinking about the risks or comfort of the dog? Hiking, hiking in winter, and hiking with dogs, are the new up-and-coming things to do for many people, and a large number of them are even less informed about dog care in the mountains than they are about appropriate equipment for themselves. As Dugan says, one season isn't more appropriate for canine awards than another - rather, whether or not to give canine awards at all is dependent on how responsible the owners of the canines are willing to be.

Kevin and Brutus do it right, but all the others? So how do we educate the inconsiderate dog owner?....

 

[HockeyPuck]

How do dogs write an essay on their final ascent?

Personally, I don't think dogs should be given this award because some careless owners will drag a dog (and I've heard stories of careless parents dragging their kids) along just for a sheet of paper, a shoulder patch, and to brag to their friends.

The dogs don't care about an award or how many mountains the have summited. They are there because of their owner. I can only hope that all dogs are as well cared for as Brutus, Dugan and some of the other pups who post on this board..

I hope my black lab enjoys hiking with me as much as I enjoy hiking with him.

 

[Dugan]

Personally, I don't think dogs should be given this award because some careless owners will drag a dog (and I've heard stories of careless parents dragging their kids) along just for a sheet of paper, a shoulder patch, and to brag to their friends.

The dogs don't care about an award or how many mountains the have summited. They are there because of their owner. I can only hope that all dogs are as well cared for as Brutus, Dugan and some of the other pups who post on this board.

My point exactly. In the main, dogs do not care about reaching a summit. Maybe a high point where the air scenting is good - but as far as touching the actual summit point???? Not unless there's a yummy dead thing to roll on!

I'm keeping track of Dugan four-leg's hikes and summits, but we'll (okay, I'll) never apply for recognition of his accomplishments. I haven't for me either, but that's a topic for another thread.

 

[dug]

Dugan,

Again right on! I did the first half of the NH 4k's before I got my dog. Once I completed them -and she was with me on the last half- I decided to do the originals all over again.

She completed them, but in her mnd it was just a bunch of long walks in the woods. If I did a Pemi through hike or Mt. Hale, it didn't matter to her. It was just walking in the woods sniffing stuff.

I never put in for her patch (or mine for that matter). One of her old booties still goes with me on every hike.

 

[ken]

Personally, I don't think dogs should be given this award because some careless owners will drag a dog (and I've heard stories of careless parents dragging their kids) along just for a sheet of paper, a shoulder patch, and to brag to their friends.

I think most people love their dogs and would not intentionally or carelessly put them in harm's way.

it's not just dogs and kids that get dragged along because they are "loved" i have seen many girlfriends not far from a summit crying that it is getting tough and the "boyfriend' is telling them "it's just a little further" - yea right guy - once you get to that summit that is "just a little further" the trip is only half over...
i wouldn't take my black lab (i have seen too many bleeding claws on hikers dogs to put my dog through that).
i also agree about the awards, but not for the same reason (safety) - the FTFC already has quite a few humans applying for awards, they shouldn't have to worry about animals too (which don't care about summits anyway) but someone started it and now everyone else will feel that thier pet deserves it too (even though the pet won't know if it got the award anyway) - by the way, 46ers, 35ers 111ers haven't given any "climbing numbers" to dogs (but one adirondack climber "shares" his number with his rabbit).

 

[sardog1]

The only weather-related concern I have with Brutus is above treeline in windy conditions when there's ice pellets blowing about. These sting his eyes, and on a few occasions I've walked on the windward side of him using my mitten to shield that eye.

Ray Allen Professional K9 Equipment sells
Doggles in a variety of lenses. (Julbo, are you listening?) If a Malinut will sit still for a catalog photo while wearing them, they can't be too bothersome for a dog.

I think I'm going to buy a pair. Wind-driven ice pellets have been a problem for my dogs also, as well as helicopter rotor wash. And I would imagine they might be useful for protection from that California dust, non? "Can you say, 'Katabatic wind'?"

 

[cbcbd]

Many good points being brought up here, but I want to comment on the view of saying that a dog doesn't deserve or care for the recognition.
It's obvious that humans are the ones that really enjoy the recognition, but I don't think it's all selfish.

Our best friends are just that, best friends, that follow us up and down mountains and we like to point them out and their supportive accomplishments - Although it seems that most times the human is just very thankfull for the dog's company and likes to have that immense loyalty recognized.

Reading about this makes me think of K-9 cop dogs that get recognized for their service. They too are just doing their job as trained dogs (using their breed's strenghts). I don't think many would argue against giving cop dogs recognition.

In the end I think dog owners just want to showcase their canine friends, who are really like their children.

If they could, I'm sure they'd put "My dog is an honor role student at the Canine Academy" bumperstickers on their car... or better "The dog inside this car climbed Mt Washington"

 

[Rivet]

by the way, 46ers, 35ers 111ers haven't given any "climbing numbers" to dogs

Nope, they (46ers) have...

60 Chrissie (dog) Wendell
205 Terry (dog) Kazlowski
679 Bobo (dog) M. Vivitsky
830 Dara (dog) Wachmann
954 Tigger (dog) Loud
1151 Schuss (dog) Robens

But, don't anymore.

 

[ken]

Nope, they (46ers) have...
60 Chrissie (dog) Wendell
205 Terry (dog) Kazlowski
679 Bobo (dog) M. Vivitsky
830 Dara (dog) Wachmann
954 Tigger (dog) Loud
1151 Schuss (dog) Robens
But, don't anymore.

hmmm... i never heard of a dog finishing in any years of all the 46er award dinners that i attended

Though dogs are not allowed inside the Stratham school where the FTFC holds its annual dinner and awards ceremony,

i was there for the "brutus winter award" and he was in the school.


i wonder what made the 46ers stop doing it when they already did 6?

 

[spider solo]

Farley Mowat

Farley Mowat and his famous dog MUTT as well as the rest of the family wore their aviation goggles as the crossed through Canada in an open air Model A... I think it was.
But I suppose that's a bit off topic ...still the dog appreciated it and learned to push them up or down as needed.

 

[jjo]

Idle Thoughts..

A dog is a treasured companion accompanying you on your hikes. They are even better than humans because they never talk back or question a decision. They simply obey and follow your direction. I can understand the rationale of the organization on their policies. there has to be some sort of policy or discipline esp at the dinners. But when I go to the wilds, I like my dog At my side. He is my constant and loyal trekking buddy and is part of the experience. My humble 2 cents worth...

 

[Mark Schaefer]

hmmm... i never heard of a dog finishing in any years of all the 46er award dinners that i attended
....
i wonder what made the 46ers stop doing it when they already did 6?

The last canine 46er completed 10/20/74. About that time Adirondack Mountain Reserve closed their property to dogs. The AMR owned many of the 46er peaks in the St. Hubert's area making it impossible for a dog to become a 46er. The 46ers stopped recognizing dogs shortly after the AMR was closed to dogs.

All of the AMR 4K summits and upper elevations were subsequently purchased by NYS in 1978. It is now possible by avoiding the AMR approaches for dogs to legally reach all 46er peaks. However, the 46ers have never reversed their policy.

 

[MichaelJ]

How do those folks who take their dogs along on midwinter hikes keep their pups from postholing all the way up the trail? I wonder if there are other, quieter reasons than just safety (especially in the ADK's, where snowshoes or skis are mandatory)?

 

[sardog1]

How do those folks who take their dogs along on midwinter hikes keep their pups from postholing all the way up the trail? I wonder if there are other, quieter reasons than just safety (especially in the ADK's, where snowshoes or skis are mandatory)?

If it's so deep that they get tired pushing it, I break the trail on snowshoes. (In the days before snowmachines groomed the trail, that's what Iditarod mushers had to do. Trappers and others working with a dog team still do it.)

Deep snow really limits the usefulness of SAR dogs, because they can't range freely. I worked a search in WA once after 30" of new snow -- the dogs were pretty much useless except for checking out suspected burial locations. This doesn't come up on the avalanche searches, because an avalanche leaves a highly consolidated, sometimes jumbled, debris field that the dogs can easily walk over (easier than the humans in many cases.) On the approaches to avalanches, the handlers and others will often have to break trail for the dogs.