Going Backpacking for 2 years with my brother and my dog.

[a b]

Clint, as for that last part about a recommendation to replace the wool sweater I can recommend something similar to my Marmot Driclime windshirt.
I used it for the whole PCT and it was my sole insulation layer for all of California and Oregon until i bought a Patagonia down sweater (on sale Eric!) in Hood River Oregon at the Kayak Shed.
The Marmot Driclime windshirt has a micro weight fleece type of liner with a DWR nylon outer shell.
It is not water proof, though when kept clean, it sheds light rain for a time.
The reason I love this type of windshirt is that it can get soaked from rain or sweat but blunt the wind, remain somewhat warm, and dry out very quickly.
There are a lot of other similar garments out there to choose from but i can only recommend the Marmot Windshirt since i actually used it for all of the PCT and CDT.
One other cool design feature are the over length arms. The arms are long enough to pull the sleeves over your hands when your hands are cold.
Not sure what they are like these days but mine is 4 years old and has survived 2 long distance hikes and is still in perfect condition. No wear under the shoulder straps, zippers still work, DWR still sheds a bit of drizzle etc.
Of course, I have no idea if the windshirt would function any better or be lighter than your wool sweater. My Marmot is 11 ounces so it is by no means a lightweight garment by todays standards.
You might be just as well served by your sweater. (I am a huge fan of wool clothing too!)

[Kevin @ Seek Outside]

Regarding the original posters original questions:
I believe any good dog that has been prepared would be happy to go on your trip, as long as you take care of the same issues you yourself will encounter ( food, water, first aid). I think most people that do not have an ultra endurance background will have a hard time out hiking the dog. Regarding the legality, I can not condone you breaking the law, however it has been done. Perhaps a shuttle or a reroute in certain areas.

Regarding horses:
Some folks have strong feelings one way or the other, I myself do not. If you do not wish to see horses out on trails then I urge you to contact the proper officials to try and get them removed. I do, however urge caution, because it will impact many guides and outfitters, that responsibly provide a lot of free services to the forest service (maintaining trails). There may also be a time in your life, when you wish they were allowed, perhaps it is so your parents could enjoy your favorite spot, even though they are not capable of getting there on their own power. Perhaps you decide to adopt a more hunter gatherer or 100 mile type of diet, and believe eating Elk is in fact greener and more humane than supporting the commercial food system. If that is how you feel, then work with proper officials.

Regarding co-mingling of species:
As stated earlier, my youngest border collie is in fact part coyote, bought from a working ranch. I've seen almost every species (except mountain goats) that is in nearby wilderness areas near established housing and towns at certain times. If dogs, or whatever were not allowed on NF lands, there would still be co-mingling.

Regards
Kevin

[clint gorbett]

I am unable to find information on whether or not dogs are allowed in Los Glaciares National Park, does anyone know whether or not they are?

[Jane Freeman]

You might look into seeing what it takes to qualify your dog as a service dog, becareful though because there are scammers out there who will take you for a few hundred hundred dollars and it's not legitimate qualifications.

As for the all important booties. I live in Hawaii where I've been on that glass-sharp volcanic terrain and felt terrible one day and not realizing that after only an hour my dogs paws were damaged. She was unable to walk for two days. Now she wears booties, muttluks. Bring extra because they tend to loose them …. on purpose. :)

I've given some thought to food. Those real chicken strips may pack more protein vs weight option than dog food You would have to do the math for what your dog can live on. I seem to remember a 4 lb bag would last just over a week for my mid-sized dog. There is freeze-dried meat but that would be expensive.

That said. I'm leaving my dog with foster care for the newly officially opened trail that spans both islands of New Zealand. ( Te Araroa pathway) There are fragile eco-systems and a protected critter that have been known to die of fright from dogs approaching them. So sound reasons why there are no dogs allowed.

All the best. Jane

[Randy Nelson]

@mpl_35 "And you continue to ignore the damage your dogs do. They can introduce non native parasites and diseases. Not a good thing just so you can hike with a dog."

What damage are dogs doing? (Not the theoretical issues in your second sentence, since you are saying it as a statement that dogs ARE doing damage and we dog owners are ignoring it.) My dogs are on a leash, vaccinated, less impactful on a trail than my trailrunners, and their excrement buried just like mine. I've seen humans do FAR more damage in the backcountry than dogs could ever do.

As far as the theoretical ones, can you site examples? A well cared for dog doesn't have worms, fleas, mites, parvo, etc. And is more likely to catch lepto than cause it. In theory, humans could also introduce parasites and diseases. Will you stay out of the backcountry to make sure it doesn't happen? You will if you believe what you've stated above. It's not a good thing to risk the wildlife, no matter how small, just so you can go for a hike, right?

[clint gorbett]

Exactly Randy, a well trained and well cared for dog with a responsible owner will leave no more impact than most thru-hikers. As far as service dogs, you purchase at for 250.00$ from service dogs of America. You could technically have no disability(say you have a hearing issue or something) and with no special training for your dog and be a service dog under the ADA act. Under this act service dogs are allowed in any national park. Not saying that I am exploiting this because I am not, it is merely available.

[Jane Freeman]

When it comes to service dog info, have a look at sitstay.com It's much less money … however I haven't fully researched it. Hawaii with all of its aloha alive and well can also be a tough place. Even though I'm in the more invisible auntie catagory, my incredibly friendly and spoiled girl dog (always on a leash in public areas) has, I know, kept trouble at bay. (ridgeback heeler mix) According to this site (sitstay) and related links the laws regarding service dogs appears to be more broad than one might think … Including rationale being a private issue. I'm in the process of checking it out myself so it may take a more incisive look. Hawaii island is only missing two of the planets possible eco systems so it's a great place to explore but I also consider my safety.

My dog though is highly supervised. I'm in no way naive about the potential unpredictability of any dog regardless of breed or nature. To be cavalier about a dog in public areas can make things more difficult for other dog owners. There are little kids or older people that can be knocked off balance and those simply afraid of dogs. I live in a rural area miles from any town and yet there are small children and frail folks fairly nearby. There are also wild boars that pose a real threat to dogs….. All like potentialities on populated trails. I have a friend whose brother years ago had his dog in a campground. A family came by and a little boy pretended to eat out of the dogs dish. Ouch! Well needlesstosay that moment changed the entire arc of his life financially. So my take on dogs in public areas is absolute responsibility and supervision and attention to their well being and safety in the woods.

[Luke Schmidt]

I met a couple hiking the Colorado Trail with their dog. They had problems because over time the booties would chaff their dog's ankles at the top of the booty. They'd tried everything and eventually resorted to putting duck tape on the dogs paws (didn't sound good to me but they said it worked).
Also I'd make sure your dog has rabies shots before going to South Americaa.

[clint gorbett]

Yeah you cant leave booties on all day and you don't need to. I usually do 1 out of every 4 hours he wears his booties. In snow he always wears them but that's not rough on the paws or the booties when it is only snow.

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