Dogs Allowed ?

[+Tarot]

I have only been caching for a few months, but love to take my dog with me. On the cache page under "Attributes" I always take note of the "Dogs Allowed" icon. But on a few occasions I have had to abort the search because the route in not accessible with a dog (usually because the stile in not dog friendly, with no other route). I'm sure you could lift small dogs over, but my geodog does not fall into this category. I think it would be a good idea to have an icon for dog assessable. Does anyone else have the same problems ?

 

Tarot

Edited April 13, 2007 by Tarot

[Bill Seiko]

I have not had that problem yet, but a couple of caches near me give a warning about stiles which are not dog friendly so maybe others could put a warning in there cache listings.

My dog is a German Shepherd weighing 40KGs so I would not try lifting him over.

 

Bill Seiko

[+LollyBob]

We take our dog everywhere and she has learned how to get over a stile with ease now, if she does have problems we lift her over them, but she is only a small dog. We had never realised that stiles can be a problem for some dogs either. We tend to think in people accesability mode not dog friendly mode. Now there is something else to think about when out placing caches.

 

Lolly and Bob

[+perth pathfinders]

Think you have made a valid point here.

 

I tend to notice if a caching area is child friendly or not, but never having owned or looked after a dog I wouldn't even consider if it was dog friendly.

 

Thanks for pointing this one out, will be checking if the stiles have gaps underneath, or next to an opening gate in future.

[+FollowMeChaps]

I agree, let's have a dog obstructions attribute.

 

My wee beastie is no minature (about labrador size) and he hates being picked up. However, he's quickly learned that this is a must for some styles and farm gates so he'll get in position for a lift without asking now - and you should see his far from dainty landing!

 

FMC

[+Dorsetgal & GeoDog]

I must admit, I have only come across this problem a few times as if the dog can't get through somewhere, then I definitely can't by wheelchair!

 

However, there are times when I am caching with friends and we take a gung ho aspproach to stiles, Caesar squeezes through sometimes, but we have lifted him more than once ... no mean feat, you try lifting a 34 kilo Golden Retriever from a w/c! He's ended up in my lap more than once!

[+also_cute_and_fluffy]

We've trained Jess to jump up and over every stile we encounter,

even if there's a doggy gap.

 

She's so smart! lol.

[+SidAndBob]

We've had this problem too. Sid is getting on a bit and not built for jumping stiles (he doesn't come caching much these days), but Bob can jump buildings in a single leap so although the problem doesn't affect all dogs I very much agree that this is a good idea.

I remember doing Pauline's Peak where the stiles where incredibly high too.

There seems to be a plethora of icons for things that seem totally pointless, but this would really make sense.

[+Tarot]

Thanks for the replies and positive support on this. Please keep posting your thoughts, perhaps we could ask for a change in the icons.

 

Kind Regards Tarot

[+Stuey]

Ozzy is a flat coated retriever weighing in at 35kg, and he doesn't jump gates/stiles (good job, as if he did, he'd be out of the garden and exploring the street outside).

 

I can't stand it when I find a dog unfriendly stile. I have been known to lift him over stiles, and he doesn't mind be picked up either, but if there is an alternative to turning round and going home, I'll find it.

 

Thanks for raising this issue in the forums. Much appreciated!

[+arock&ahardplace]

We've had a few run ins here and there with getting the dog over stiles and fences (and a couple of walls!), but I just see that as a part of geocaching. I, as a human, sometimes have problems clambering over such obstacles as well. In fact, there are times when I'm trying to deal with a burn or climb a hill, and the dog is running circles around me.

Our black Lab has figured out stiles. Occasionally, when we run into a fence or a wall, I have to grab her back legs and hoist her up. She has learned that when I do this, then she should leap up and over at the same time. It works most of the time. But when it goes wrong, it goes comically wrong (and I end up looking around to see if anyone saw what happened).

I can see how people with less agile dogs would have a problem. A new attribute could be of use to them. But I think that there will still be problems now and then. There are a few caches where dogs are either not allowed or need to be on leads for at least a part of the way, but this is not mentioned in the description. Some cache setters simply don't realise that this will be a problem for some people.

That's just the way that life (and caching) goes sometimes.

[+SidAndBob]

Occasionally, when we run into a fence or a wall, I have to grab her back legs and hoist her up. She has learned that when I do this, then she should leap up and over at the same time. It works most of the time. But when it goes wrong, it goes comically wrong (and I end up looking around to see if anyone saw what happened).

I can see how people with less agile dogs would have a problem. A new attribute could be of use to them. But I think that there will still be problems now and then. There are a few caches where dogs are either not allowed or need to be on leads for at least a part of the way, but this is not mentioned in the description.

I've had one or two hairy moments (not necessarily whilst caching) liftling Sid over stiles. I try never to do it now as he could get badly injured at his time in life. Lifting is never pleasant when they're covered in mud (which he always is as a water loving breed) and for many it's just not possible.

Living in sheep country (so there are stiles everywhere) I would not have a large dog again as we've had to turn back/detour so many times.

On the lead front (I rarely carry one as we don't do urban), my GPS is on a lanyard and I use this as a lead to keep the farmers happy when there are lambs about, though Bob doesn't need to be on the lead as he is very well behaved.

[+Us 4 and Jess]

We had an incident just yesterday with Jess a farmer had locked a gate that was a public footpath so we climbed the fence to get into the woods

Graham lifted Jess (which she does not mind) and put her over the fence, I can lift her but I would not be able to lift her high enough to get her over a five foot fence as we did yesterday and we found what were were looking for and did what geocachers do

But on the way back Jess did what Jess always does she found water and she was in it and then through mud to come back to us, and her white socks and belly are no more when we got back to the fence no one fancied lifting her over and getting all wet and muddy, so we walked around trying to find somewhere for her to get through, but there wasn;t any where, we were just going to lift her over when she surprised us all by jumping over the fence her self, thats OK for us she is a collie pretty young and agile, but what about older cachers or disabled cachers who can't lift their dogs or cachers who have large dogs that can't be lifted or clear five foot fences.

We have the dog attribute, but when the setter set the cache did they have a dog? or did they think can dogs really get all the way to the cache and back with a disabled or elderly cacher?

 

In the end Jess is part of our team if she is with us and we can't get where we want to go with her then we won't go.

 

I thought ages ago about trying to set a dog walkers cache in each county, something like the motorway mayhems or the Big Uk they are trying to set up.

 

Something like:

 

Dog Walkers Cache - Durham (Jess)

Dog Walkers Cache - Dorset (Caesar)

 

Wouldn't that be fab

 

Mandy

 

Sorry I see Jennie has suggested the same below

Edited April 15, 2007 by Us 4 and Jess

[+jennie.m]

I've been thinking for a while how nice it would be to start a series of caches (in the same way as motorway mayhem) that are not just dogs allowed, but a really good place to walk the dog. I mean, totally dog accessable, and where the dog can be off lead (no livestock). We live in rural Wales, and people tend to think that means we've got tons of good walking country around, but in reality it's often harder to walk the dog in the countryside than in suburbia. Also, if you're away from home, maybe on a long journey, it's great to know somewhere you can let the dogs have a good run. Just think, if it took off, we could have a network of dog walks all over the country!

Any thoughts?

[+mongoose39uk]

I've been thinking for a while how nice it would be to start a series of caches (in the same way as motorway mayhem) that are not just dogs allowed, but a really good place to walk the dog. I mean, totally dog accessable, and where the dog can be off lead (no livestock). We live in rural Wales, and people tend to think that means we've got tons of good walking country around, but in reality it's often harder to walk the dog in the countryside than in suburbia. Also, if you're away from home, maybe on a long journey, it's great to know somewhere you can let the dogs have a good run. Just think, if it took off, we could have a network of dog walks all over the country!

Any thoughts?

 

Not this one then Tortoise Head

[+martlakes]

We were all up on Crinkle Crags the other day. You may know that there is an 8ft climb known as the Bad Step on the southern end. As I was lifting Safie up above my head so she could get her front paws on the ledge I did wonder why we had a 30kg Lab and not a small terrier or something!

Apart from rock climbing, she is very agile. When we first got her last year she had to be lifted over stiles. She soon got the idea and now jumps over all sorts of things (gates, hedges, cattle grids, walls, stiles etc) without any bother.

While I can see that not all dogs are this bouncy, I think having an icon probably wouldn't help very much as it would be too dependent on personal views about what a dog can or can't do. What's an average dog like? What's an average dog able to do? Is YOUR dog average?

I've become much more aware of having a dog while caching since we got Safie. I use the dog icon where I would be happy taking Safie. This doesn't mean no stiles or no livestock. Around here if you excluded both you'd never get out of the town. Many places are fine for Safie to run off the lead, but at times will have livestock. Safie has been trained to leave sheep alone, but at this time of year we use the lead much more often when sheep are present. Older ewes later in the year wouldn't have much truck with Safie even if she did run after them!

I like the idea of 'dog walking' caches but I don't think there will be many places that you could guarantee that you could let you dog run free. Even where livestock isn't there will usually be people, and lots of kids dislike bouncy dogs running at them (I did). You still have to be responsible and keep your dog under control where ever you are, including interacting with other dogs of course!

So I think the icon we have at the moment is ok and likely to be the best that can be done. If cache setters are aware of tricky stiles (squeeze ones are hard for Safie) or other problems they could mention them.

My 10p

[+Team Sieni]

GCT5MH is a multi near Coulsdon (South-ish from Croydon, inside the M25) called "Doggie Heaven" which is set with a dog-walk in mind.

 

I've not done it , yet ...

[Edgemaster]

GCT5MH is a multi near Coulsdon (South-ish from Croydon, inside the M25) called "Doggie Heaven" which is set with a dog-walk in mind.

 

I've not done it , yet ...

Its a great walk (but I did it by bike with a friend, as I dont have a dog)

[+Chris n Maria]

Both Boysie and Smudge have Ruffware harnesses which I believe are also used by search and rescue dogs.

 

They feature a handle on the back and allow you to pick the dogs up and carry them like a suitcase., which is great for styles. The spaniel-suitcase cross is a great caching accessory

[+purple_pineapple]

GCT5MH is a multi near Coulsdon (South-ish from Croydon, inside the M25) called "Doggie Heaven" which is set with a dog-walk in mind.

 

I've not done it , yet ...

Its a great walk (but I did it by bike with a friend, as I dont have a dog)

 

i was already thinking of this cache. I can confirm that its a glorious place and has masses and masses of open dog friendly space!

 

Mary and I had been planning on getting a nice alsation or retriever/lab type dog, but i think i might go for a chihuahua (spelling??! ) after the thoughts above!

[+SidAndBob]

Here's Bob demonstrating how to negotiate a particularly high stile after 9hrs of running on a caching trip yesterday. Edited April 22, 2007 by SidAndBob

[+Al & Tracy Smith]

If I'm caching then my main caching companion, the Bobbie (a 2 year old collie x flat coated retriever) is nearly always with me, so it would be nice to know in advance that no lifting is required. He doesn’t mind but as he likes water, any water but the muddier the better I tend to get rather wet & messy! Then when we've crossed the obstacle he runs around excitedly and I either get more muddy paw prints on me or a wet tail in the face .

 

So I think a dog accessible attribute could be useful (but it wouldn't stop me taking the dog if the cache was one that I wanted to do), however, could there be the risk of it getting confused with the 'No Dogs' attribute. As I’d hate to get near a cache only to turn around because the dog isn’t allowed.

[+thekennelat79]

If you are near Havant(Hants), then a few of the caches where dogs can run free(at least for most of the time) are

 

Sea Dog

Dog Training

Bosham Border

Dog Wood

Muddy Paws

Border Collie Path

One Man and His Dogs

Collie's Climb

Sheepdogs at Stansted

Dog Tracks

Dog's Home

Dog Collar

Canine Conundrum

West Stoke Walkies

Prickly Paws

Dog Paddle

 

They are all set by some bloke called........ er........

thekennelat79

[+SidAndBob]

Our area in the Wye Valley is very dog friendly. The Brecon Beacons nearby is brill for dogs (provided they are trained to leave sheep alone). We've only once had a stile problem with Sid (as he's a big dog and getting on a bit), but we once had to turn back on Where Eagles Dare as he couldn't get up the last few of the 365 rocky steps.

There is another route to this cache however, so we did return to complete it.

[+Donmoore]

Never had any problems with the dogs before. But then yesterday i went out to a cache which had the dog icon. My wife asked if you could bring the dogs in the trailor which we did as the cache also had parking information. Got to the cache parking location which turned out to be a lay-by which is not really ideal and worth pointing out i would have thought. So got all the dogs out. Varying sizes and styles. my own 2 a 8st mastiff and little block of muscle staffie and a pain in the backside springer which we are looking after long-term. Went the walk down towards the cache. but the cache itself is within a field with fences and no stiles or the likes. now i'm no little guy but the thought of trying to carrying the dogs and 2 small children and baby on my backpack just did not go down to well.

 

My point....oh yes. dogs may be allowed but in this instance defintely not worth the taking. plus a guy who lives on the path to the cache has a dog which kept following ours and he had stop what he was doing and run after is dog. which is not really fair on him.

 

so i am in favour of a dog rating system not just dogs allowed.

[sneaky meerkat]

Our flat coat retriever Chester is getting on a bit and at 14 is not able to jump up and over like he once could. Mr.Meerkat often has to lift him over stiles in Yorkshire, especially those ones that have two big stones that you have to squeeze through. His front is usually muddy with pawprints! It would be a real help to know if there is a dog unfriendly stile along the route to a cache.

Edited April 25, 2007 by sneaky meerkat