ChicagoCanineCrew

The best dog for caching would be any dog that is able to go on long walks and one that fits into your family well. If you go caching a LOT an active dog would probably be good. Personally though I think the best dog for geocaching is a SHELTER DOG! (or from a rescue group) Shelters and rescues have many, many medium to large young adult dogs dying for homes. Many people get a puppy and then when they realize it's not going to stay a small, cute, puppy and it actually needs EXERCISE they dump it in a shelter. Shelters are full of these dogs who just need a good home with exercise and some training. Just wanted to mention that this is not really true about Greyhounds... Greyhound are often couch potatoes. They don't need tons of exercise daily, they are happy to lounge around most of the time. Think about it-- they historically would sprint for short amounts of times to chase prey, they aren't made for going out and hunting all day long. That said, there are many breeds that DO need a lot of exercise, such as Labs, Goldens, and Border Collies. These dogs were originally bred to work in the field all day. You do get laid back dogs of these breeds of course, but this is the case in general.

As other people have mentioned, there are already a lot of places with webcams set up in public areas. Just do a search on a webcam directory site and you can find a LOT of these. If you're that worried about being filmed you might want to look all these up and make a list so you can avoid all these areas where you may possibly be recorded. Better stay away from stores, too, as many have security camera, even pointing out the windows/doors sometimes. I don't understand why cheaters would be such a big problem-- if someone wants to go to all the trouble of carefully watching a webcam to figure out exactly where the cache is hidden, let them! It doesn't hurt anyone else for them to find one more cache.

It does look like a domestic rabbit. The color/pattern is called Harlequin Magpie. I wouldn't be surprised if they mix with wild rabbits... I know of at least two places near my neighborhood with a bunch of domestic-type rabbits living in the 'wild' (wild in quotations because one is next to a parking lot, the other outside a high school!) A friend of mine caught an albino rabbit near the parking lot which was obviously NOT a wild breed, and I know people who have seen black and white patched and other colors of rabbits near the high school.

I just posted that link yesterday under "Dangerous cache devices." Also this one: http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarchive/Sa...er~20041221.php This has happened more than a few times, with utility boxes as well as lampposts. Another person died in a similar way in Las Vegas: http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/.../515492258.html (no dog involved in that one!)

Very good point there... And in some places these could actually benefit from cachers practicing CITO... If you really want to see a sad lack of respect try Bachelor's Grove... http://www.graveyards.com/bachelors/ I went there once a few years ago and aside from the understandable overgrowth and wear (since it is no longer being used or kept up) I also saw broken up and knocked over gravestones, shallow holes dug over graves, tons of beer cans/bottle strewn around, etc...

I haven't found very many caches at all yet but so far the longest I've gone is 5 weeks because I traded in my GPS, so I didn't have one until they sent the new one to me...

Exactly... When it says 'WAAS' none of the screens tell the EPE. I guess I'll have to go through the manual and figure out how to change one of the screens so I can see the EPE even with WAAS... Thanks!

Not exactly a sign, and apparently these are fairly common in many places but this is the first (only) time I'd seem one and I found it pretty funny:

I'd definitely be concerned about utility boxes/posts/similar being used as cache containers because real ones have been known to malfunction, causing there to be live electricity: http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarchive/Sa...er~20041221.php and: http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_86083...u=news.quirkies

Just wondering about this. I did a search and people mentioned that the EPE was better with WAAS enabled/working on their gpsr. My gpsr (Magellan Gold) doesn't give an EPE when it says that WAAS is "on". Is this unusual? Someone told me it was because with WAAS there really is no error (it is accurate so doesn't have an EPE number). Is that correct? Thanks!

Sorry to get a little off-topic but just wanted to respond to this bit In many places it is illegal to have your dog off-leash on trails, but it seems a lot of people either don't know this or don't care In places where it ISN'T illegal it still really comes down to training-- if the owner can't keep the dog within a safe, visible distance from themselves and can't call the dog back immediately when another hiker or an animal comes into view, they shouldn't be off-leash. I just wish people would think about this before letting their dogs off-leash (or letting them run amok on a retractable long leash even) and perhaps then more area would consider becoming dog-friendly.

Hey, I was just wondering if anyone can please tell me what happens to the bookmark lists you've saved if your premium membership is over? I would really like to move the stuff from my watchlist to the bookmark list since I am recieving way too many emails to keep track of them all currently, but I don't want to do that if the bookmarks I saved would all be deleted after my membership runs out!

Bilbo it's the same behind my house... I always thought if we ever got a garage the construction people would probably freak out... No dogs back there but many many hamsters, large fish, mice, amphibians, reptiles, and a kitten. This topic also reminds me of the time I was a kid, was walking in this woodsy area near my house (very narrow swatch of trees along a canal but stretches about 2 miles) when I came across a bag with what looked like a dead crow and possibly some small skinned animals inside it. I was too scared to report it to anyone (partly because technically I wasn't allowed to be in the trees there )

I have a small container I want to TURN into a cache but I can't decide whether or not to cover it, and can't find enough small items to fit in it... Plus I am waiting until I've found a few more. But not many, because I want to complete certain requirements for this geocaching badge for my dog and one is to actually place a cache

I always have my Golden with me when I'm caching, hiking, walking, etc... Never had a problem. She is a friendly dog but if she sees someone "suspicious" she will bark, and she is large so she can be intimidating... I also carry mace/pepper spray combo pretty often, but that's mostly in case of aggressive strays...

I sent you another message...

I was just going to ask if anyone had set one up for their dog when I saw that someone already said they had... I was thinking of doing this but not sure if it's acceptable or not. For one thing it'd be a good way to keep track of how many/which caches my dog has "found" (come along on) so I can later plug them into her geocaching badge form...

It depends if the dog 'doesn't like' it because they're carsick or some other reason... If they're carsick, as someone else mentioned give them ginger snaps-- or ginger tea, or ginger ale if it contains real ginger, or a ginger supplement. They even make ginger supplements specifically for dogs... If they're scared of the car just take them on a lot of short rides to fun places at first. If they're overexcited give them something to do such as practice obedience/tricks in the car or give them a chew toy or chew bone.

So, kind of like the opposite of what happens when you do the same in stores, then? I usually walk purposefully through stores because I know what I'm looking for, and I end up with people assuming I work there and asking me where to find things! This especially happens in grocery stores... I thought before it might be my clothes or something but finally noticed it didn't happen when I wandered more slowly, only when I am striding along purposefully. (Well, that and when I wear my old t-shirt from the boarding kennel that says "STAFF" on the back! That one really confuses people!) I'll have to remember to act this way when looking for a cache as well. although I think the dogs will be good enough.

Hey, I had a GPS2000 I got for a gift but most of the time it wouldn't even get a fix... So I traded it in- Magellan has a trade-in program for older GPSr's so I was able to get a Meridian Gold for about $150 by trading in the GPS 2000...

So far I've mostly gone caching with my dog, and no one has bothered me. I think having a dog with you is a GREAT cover up. First there is the reason in the next paragraph here. Second, you can always say you are looking for a tennis ball/dog toys or a tag that fell off your dog's collar. There's also a great way to get rid of people fast-- hold a baggie and if someone asks, tell them you're trying to find out where your dog 'went' so you can clean up after them! As I've said in a few other posts, most people completely ignore you if you're walking a dog, unless they want to pet the dog. I think you could walk around with a body-sized garbage bag and as long as you were walking your dog no one would bother you! I often act 'suspicious' when I'm out with my dog because I am the type of person who will stop to examine something that looks interesting, or will stop to admire some architecture, etc... I sometimes walk the dogs late at night (with other people) and I've had many cops pass by and they never take a second look, except maybe to wave hello! When I was young enough to be under curfew law, I was never bothered by cops who passed by while walking a dog at night.

Just wanted to point out that there are many fans of Harry Potter who are adults... In fact most of the people I know that are fans are actually 30 or over. Also wanted to say that I had to look up the word "naff." Never heard that one before...

Thank you. I was desperately searching my brain for the proper Xanthian reference. Oooh, mundanes... I like that. Anything Xanthian is good to me! I just might have to start using that term. I have to admit though I thought the term muggles was kind of cute. And just wanted to point out that Harry Potter is NOT chewable. Believe me, I've tried... (just kidding)

Hey this is Ginger the traildog, I'd say I'm sneaking into mom's account but I guess it belongs to all of us since I *AM* part of the canine crew! I just wanted to ask if you've tried eating some ginger before a car ride? No, not me Ginger, but the root Ginger? It is supposed to be good for us dogs to help settle our stomachs and prevent carsickness. You can either eat some gingersnaps (make sure they have real ginger in them!) or you can take a ginger capsule or even drink some ginger tea if you like the taste. They also make ginger supplements specifically for dogs. It can work really well!! Also wanted to post this nice photo of me, since someone mentioned their dog (also a Golden too I think!) wears a red backpack when out hiking. I also wear a red backpack, and I am working on getting a geocaching badge so I carry specific items in my pack too... This is a photo from a past vacation, in the Smoky Mountains.

My dogs were all strays, including all my foster dogs. They have GREAT personalities, came already housetrained, and were over the chewing phase! They did not know any obedience when I got them but were very fast learners.