Re: Good Dog Breed for Hikers

As an owner today of a Border collie, Im biased toward that breed. But before this dog we had 2 Siberian Huskies, and I was active in a club for sledge dog owners.

There are pro and cons to every type of dog. It depends how your family situation is, how active you are in walking in the mountains, and where you want to walk.

Next weekend I will be skiing with my wife a 200 km trip in the border district of Norway and Sweden. We use our dog for pulling a pulk. He is strong and pulls 30 kg, but he weighs also 30 kilos. In the summer he carries a back-pack of about 10 kilos.

The pro side for BC is the habit of not chasing sheep or reindeer and elks. He is also easy to train, always eager to do what I want him to do. The con is that he needs a trip every day, and that he always finds something to play with. A wood-stick, a lump of ice. Only when he pulls the pulk is he not playing.

The climate in most of US is not so hard as in the mountains where I go, so any dog that is active will have enough fur to manage hiking trips. The short-legged and miniature breeds will not be able to walk long distances in stony terrain. You have to be prepared to carry the dog yourself if you have some of these breeds. The best advice is to contact the breed club of the dog you plan to get, and listen to their advice. Be sure to ask also the unpopular questions, and be realistic as to how active you will be in training and combing the fur. Most people overestimate their involvement.

Remember the dog will live for 10 to 15 years. And there is always the problem of trips abroad, friends that are allergic, shoppingcenters not allowing dogs etc.

But it is the best friend you can have on a hike. Never unvilling to go out in any weather. I think a trip in the mountains without a dog, is just half the fun as with the dog. I like dogs, and I recommend it to all if they are prepared for the work involved.