BKCowGod
Automotive ADHD is fun!
You have Neapolitan dogs! One of each flavor...
Dogs in the back country
- Thread starter Optimistic Paranoid
- Start date
You have Neapolitan dogs! One of each flavor...
huskyfargo
Adventurer
Actually, the dark ones are both Chocolate. One is just darker than the other. They're all related though. The one looking at the camera is the oldest, Sirach. He is the uncle of the other chocolate, Baruch. And, the yellow is Baruch's son, Jonah. They're all uncut males and they love to spend time together. A lot of people find it hard to believe that three uncut male dogs can manage not to kill each other, but they all sleep in a big pile on the bed and have no problems getting along whatsoever.
K2ZJ
Explorer
Like others have said, research your breeds and be warned. Some places are not dog friendly, be it people, laws or the environment. Also each dog is very different. My lab is very smart, he is different when I am home and when I am away, so the wife tells me. He ups his alertness and protection level. Now that he is 14 my Golden is the "alert" dog and the lab reacts to her. I must say they both have great instincts. They are great camping and have not been overly excited in the night. Now I can't say whether we were under attack at any point and they ignored it, or if we have not been in that situation. But they have gotten antsy in the tent for a bit to a "danger" unheard or seen by myself.
From what I have heard, bears don't like dogs, and I am sure they smell them and may stay away. I do camp in bear country and have other forms of protection as well. I have not had a run in with a bear other than stalking one for a few minutes while hunting.
From what I have heard, bears don't like dogs, and I am sure they smell them and may stay away. I do camp in bear country and have other forms of protection as well. I have not had a run in with a bear other than stalking one for a few minutes while hunting.
007
Explorer
Dogs attack and kill way more people than bears do, so the logic doesn't pencil out.
In addition, you're more likely catching a fatal disease from your dog than getting killed by a bear. Not that either is reason for any type of concern.
Keep some bear spray in the tent and sleep like a baby.
In addition, you're more likely catching a fatal disease from your dog than getting killed by a bear. Not that either is reason for any type of concern.
Keep some bear spray in the tent and sleep like a baby.
K2ZJ
Explorer
Come On!
Your post has NO logic!
Where did you get your numbers from? Does this account for the number of dogs vs number of bears? Does it compare the number of bears kept as pets vs attacks, against number of dogs kept as pets vs attacks?
Do you expect the can of bear spray to wake him? My can has never made a sound without me moving it, however my dog barks at people coming to my front door! What if the can goes off by itself? I bet there are more instances of cans exploding than guns going off on their own!
What about mountain lions? We didn't cover them at all. Or a raccoon coming to eat your food and destroy your property? I hope that can of bear spray has been calibrated for raccoons and skunks! They have disease!
Your post has NO logic!
Where did you get your numbers from? Does this account for the number of dogs vs number of bears? Does it compare the number of bears kept as pets vs attacks, against number of dogs kept as pets vs attacks?
Do you expect the can of bear spray to wake him? My can has never made a sound without me moving it, however my dog barks at people coming to my front door! What if the can goes off by itself? I bet there are more instances of cans exploding than guns going off on their own!
What about mountain lions? We didn't cover them at all. Or a raccoon coming to eat your food and destroy your property? I hope that can of bear spray has been calibrated for raccoons and skunks! They have disease!
Tucson T4R
Expedition Leader
My Giant Schnauzer Roxy goes with me on almost every back country camping trip. She is a great watch dog and just fun to have around. She sleeps inside my trailer with me in her crate but the crate door is open so she can go in and out she pleases.
Once you get to know each other well and have a dog well trained it gives you the peace of mind to sleep soundly knowing she will get you up if the need arises.
Of course sometimes you might loose your chair. :sombrero:
Once you get to know each other well and have a dog well trained it gives you the peace of mind to sleep soundly knowing she will get you up if the need arises.
Of course sometimes you might loose your chair. :sombrero:
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huskyfargo
Adventurer
Ummmm...sorry dude, but that's some insanity that just spilled forth from the tips of your fingers rattling onto the keyboard.
Sounds like you must be a cat person, so maybe you should be at home knitting some booties, or a holder for your bear-spray instead of out camping.
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007
Explorer
I didn't give you any numbers, but its common sense that dogs kill way more people than bears do. I'm sure you can google it if you want to confirm it for yourself.
As far as having a dog wake you up so you're ready for the bear? Maybe if you train the dog to be awake while you sleep but thats a little ridiculous don't you think? You really need to think about the likelihood of a bear ripping you out of your tent without any warning. If it is truly a concern there are better and more sure fire ways of preventing it, like a portable electric fence. Besides, the dog is much more likely to turn a curious encounter into a full fledged assault. Staying asleep (aka playing dead is a better defense than stumbling out of your tent to see why your dog is going crazy.
Hate cats, they were obsoleted with the invention of decon and the mouse trap as far as I'm concerned. Dogs are a much better pet, and they are great for hunting. If you expect a dog to save you from a bear, thats not likely to happen unless it has been trained to do so. But again, bear attacks are so extremely rare it isn't worth the trouble unless you were constantly pestering bears.
But if you have a dog you will be around it all the time and maybe never encounter a bear so what is your point? The fact remains that getting a dog to save your life doesn't pencil out. The dog is more likely to cause a bear attack than prevent it. I live in a place that has bears everywhere, not the bears that are well fed from Salmon and accustomed to tourists like in Alaska. These bears are malnourished and way more likely to consider your calorie content verses ability to harm them. Putting a dog into the situation forces them to fight because they realize if they run the dog will attack.
I'm all for people taking dogs into the woods, even bear country. Bears are NOT a legitimate risk to be concerned about. Its people that have no experience with bears that are the most afraid. You have a hundred other things to worry about before you start worrying about bears attacking you in your vehicle/tent.
There are many considerations to getting a dog, preventing a bear from killing you in your sleep is not one of them.
PirateMcGee
Expedition Leader
^ agreed....its been my experience
K2ZJ
Explorer
What does your common sense tell you about the number of bear encounters a person has in their life vs the number of dog encounters?
Mosquitoes kill upwards of 3 million people a year. Well, the parasites and bacteria they carry does it, after being stung by a mosquito. But how many mosquitoes are in the world and and what are the number of people exposed? So yes, while death by a bear is rare, it happens. The op is asking "if a dog would have alerted her in time to take action?". Your answer "a can bear spray".
What does your common sense tell you about a dogs ability to hear and smell vs a human?
Do bears announce they are coming? Common sense tells me no.
So you are saying a bear that hears a dog going crazy in a tent is likely to stay to fight the dog? Then when you open your tent and shine a light on it, it will now know where to go fight?
Common sense tells me a dog is better at alerting me of any danger, including bears, than a can of bear spray.
K2ZJ
Explorer
While bow hunting this weekend I saw a dog chase away a bear!
There was a heard of goats were moving down a small ridge across from us and we heard the dogs start barking like crazy! We heard something moving below us and we standing so we could see into the valley. I looked over to see a black shape move up toward the goats, it popped into sight again and it was a black bear. This Maremma sheepdog jumps out from behind a bush and the bear took off with the dog in hot pursuit and out of sight!
After things settled down we started to move on, knowing there were sheep, dogs and bears here, we guessed the elk were not too close. My buddy snapped a branch and the dogs went crazy! They came down the ridge, across the valley and started up at him. I spotted him and he ran straight over to me, the dog was coming for him. As soon as the dog saw us he stopped, looked at us for another second, turned and headed back to the heard like nothing happened.
So we were not attacked by a bear, and the dog that mistook us for the bear, didn't attack us either. So the score was dog 1, bear 0, human 0, we didn't get an elk (or a bear or a dog).
There was a heard of goats were moving down a small ridge across from us and we heard the dogs start barking like crazy! We heard something moving below us and we standing so we could see into the valley. I looked over to see a black shape move up toward the goats, it popped into sight again and it was a black bear. This Maremma sheepdog jumps out from behind a bush and the bear took off with the dog in hot pursuit and out of sight!
After things settled down we started to move on, knowing there were sheep, dogs and bears here, we guessed the elk were not too close. My buddy snapped a branch and the dogs went crazy! They came down the ridge, across the valley and started up at him. I spotted him and he ran straight over to me, the dog was coming for him. As soon as the dog saw us he stopped, looked at us for another second, turned and headed back to the heard like nothing happened.
So we were not attacked by a bear, and the dog that mistook us for the bear, didn't attack us either. So the score was dog 1, bear 0, human 0, we didn't get an elk (or a bear or a dog).
UNI
Adventurer
We also have a dog and she goes camping, canoeing, hiking & backpacking with us. She is a small (15 lb) long haired Border Terrier. Great dog & well trained. She always sleeps in a pet carrier at night, even at home. So when camping its no different, she sleeps in the carrier, under the trailer. She only growls/barks at night, if an animal comes into her area, like a raccoon or coyote. I like the early warning "Good Dog".
matt s
Explorer
Interesting thread. Bears are really not that big a deal. I have spent quite a bit of time with them, both the supposedly tame "salmon" bears and their malnourished inland cousins. (007, while ribbing you a bit, I do agree with your point about the likely hood of anyone having a bear problem)
I was about 3 feet away from this one
Do we take precautions, absolutely. Do we get worked up about it? No. What method you use is up to you. I won't enter the gun/spray/fence debate. Biggest is just being bear smart.
As to dogs, I take them everywhere (2 goldens) they have run off several bears for us over the years, and my friends labs do the same. As to the dog being asleep, I can tell that you that when a bear comes near camp our dogs wake up and get really weird, pawing the ground, whining, rolling, etc. It's really a freaky experience. Once they see the bear they have then chased it off. I have never had a bear stick around once the dogs go off (barking etc) or the people start shouting and making a fuss, most peoples bear encounters involve watching the south end of the north bound bear as it takes off scared like hell of you. (salmon bears putting up with fisherman being the exception).
Many of the lodges up here have dogs that help serve the purpose of keeping the bears out of camp.
ALL OF THAT said, I don't know anyone that owns a dog just to be a bear dog, or as even one of their top 5 reasons. Get a dog because you want one, not for bears, they are great camp company.
I was about 3 feet away from this one
Do we take precautions, absolutely. Do we get worked up about it? No. What method you use is up to you. I won't enter the gun/spray/fence debate. Biggest is just being bear smart.
As to dogs, I take them everywhere (2 goldens) they have run off several bears for us over the years, and my friends labs do the same. As to the dog being asleep, I can tell that you that when a bear comes near camp our dogs wake up and get really weird, pawing the ground, whining, rolling, etc. It's really a freaky experience. Once they see the bear they have then chased it off. I have never had a bear stick around once the dogs go off (barking etc) or the people start shouting and making a fuss, most peoples bear encounters involve watching the south end of the north bound bear as it takes off scared like hell of you. (salmon bears putting up with fisherman being the exception).
Many of the lodges up here have dogs that help serve the purpose of keeping the bears out of camp.
ALL OF THAT said, I don't know anyone that owns a dog just to be a bear dog, or as even one of their top 5 reasons. Get a dog because you want one, not for bears, they are great camp company.
rotti
Adventurer
Dogs in the woods is a mixed bag, the good, the bad and the ugly.
The ugly is trying remove porcupine quills from the mouth of a pissed off Rottweiler. The bad is when said Rot and my GSD decided to tangle with a skunk (no, bloody mary mix does not work). The good is everything else: devotion, protection, companionship, love and as a bonus you'll live longer (read that somewhere).
As far as bears I've been lucky and haven't had to deal with that, but if it's skunks or porkies my babies have got my back!
The ugly is trying remove porcupine quills from the mouth of a pissed off Rottweiler. The bad is when said Rot and my GSD decided to tangle with a skunk (no, bloody mary mix does not work). The good is everything else: devotion, protection, companionship, love and as a bonus you'll live longer (read that somewhere).
As far as bears I've been lucky and haven't had to deal with that, but if it's skunks or porkies my babies have got my back!