Recommendations needed on a good geocaching dog

[cnh624]

we want to get a dog from a rescue but want a good one that can keep up with us when we geocache, any suggestions greatly welcomed! Most of the shelters don't have a clue what geocaching is when we ask them but we do use it as an opportunity to educate

[+sackvillesearchers]

Spanial, pointer, collie? My brother has a pointer /dalmation cross and its crazy, will run and run and is always up for more.

[+Ambrosia]

I'd look up personalities and basic traits of different dogs. You want a dog that is attentive, who will not run away on the trail (or at least stays within earshot and will come when called), and who is at least moderately easily trainable for basic commands.

 

I would think that several obvious breeds that would be good would be Labs, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Border Collies. When I was a kid, we had Poodles and gave them a very basic haircut so that their hair didn't give us very many problems. They loved the water, they loved to hike and stayed with us pretty good. People didn't even know they were poodles when they saw them.

Edited August 9, 2008 by Ambrosia

[+webscouter.]

My daughter had a boxer that absolutely loved to go caching with me, especially if I let her run.

[+root1657]

TB22AB2 is hanging on the collar of Eddie! He's a darn good geocache dog, and I'd reccomend the Jack Russel to anyone for geocaching. They were a designed breed intended to keep up with horses when people went hunting (people on horses, not hunting horses). He does a good job on the hunt, and I think he's actually more familiar with some cachers than I am, because at a couple of caches he has picked up a trail and taken me right to the cache, as if he knows to go where they went.

 

You could also probably do well with a Brittany Spaniel, or just about any kind of hunting breeds.

 

My bigger question would be, if you get a dog that can keep up with you, will you be able to keep up with him?

[twoclones]

I'm a claim staker so my days are spent roaming both mountain and desert terrain without following established trails. My dog is a boxer, pointer mix and could not be better for what we do. She's smart enough to be well trained, athletic enough to run circles around me all day and can climb rock faces which I can barely get up.

 

"Short Hair" is a great feature in any pooch destined to be in your house or car!

 

When you plan to take a dog into the forest, you should prepare by training it to be very obedient. Where I'm currently working there are bears, wolves, and cougars. A dog who would run off on their own likely would not make it back alive.

[ao318]

I had two Golden Retrievers that I Rescued from www.honewardboundgoldens.org here in the Sacramento region. I had to put down my male in March because of cancer but I still have my female. Click on my profile to see some pictures of them. They are wonderful loving family dogs, very loyal and well behaved.

 

I had them before I started geocaching and the few things I have learned about having a dog and geocaching are make sure you bring water for them, I put one of those floppy fold up bowls on their leash held on with a carabeaner. Make sure you cache when it's cool, a golden has a lot of fur but I give her a cut every summer to keep her cooler here in Sacramento. Leave a few towels in your car in case they went swimming or got muddy. Watch out for stickers, ticks, and other things that will stick to them. I have the yellow Golden retriever and it is easy to see ticks on her but it is a chore to get all of the stickers out of her fur and paws. You have to do this every time you take them to a field, if you don't get their stickers out they can burrow into the skin and it will require expensive surgery to remove. Also be aware that the stickers can get lodged in the armpits and tail area. The most dangerous is if your dog inhales one. If they start to cough or sneeze a lot after the hike you will need to take them to the vet for xrays to rule out a sticker in the lungs. I have never had any problems with stickers because I check immediately for them out in the parking lot or as soon as we get home.

 

These are just a few considerations.

Edited August 10, 2008 by ao318

[+Sandy Hams]

You want a dog with long legs, loves water, short hair (so stickers don't get entangled in long hair, loves to run, jump and walk. We geocache with a little, long haired, lhasa apso and he is not too fond of going off-trail into stickers and wading across creeks. He is too short to jump logs and hates stickers in his paws and tail.

 

He still loves to go with us whereever we go but something like a hunting dog, or a lab would be much better as a geo-mutt.

[+WatchDog2020]

Short hair is the only way to go for any dog that will be spending a lot of time in the woods. Do I dare mention my GeoPup Pit Bull ?

 

Our GeoPup at one of our Caches (He was still young and had to grow into himself then)

 

Cy out with the wife - Muggles usually stay clear - LOL [/b]

Edited August 10, 2008 by WatchDog2020

[+PJPeters]

We've got a local legend around here - Riley is a slightly overweight golden retriever. She outperforms her owner. It's a riot to see her in action. If the owner is having trouble, he just calls her over, and she spends all of about thirty seconds sniffing the cache out (as long as it's within her 'reach').

There was one where the owner spent a bit too much time looking in what he thought was the correct spot, but Riley had the scent, and was going nuts trying to get to the cache. He kept calling her over to check where he was, then used a phone a friend, and discovered that Riley was right.

 

I'm not sure there was too much training involved to begin with. She does get a lot of positive reinforcement from cachers and the owner when she does find the cache.

[+usyoopers]

We have a Shih Tzu named Dude. He is very picky about what kind of caches he will search for, city parks with the grass mowed is wonderful, a park with a well cleared path (packed dirt or gravel) is wonderful, he would love urban caching we aren't to crazy about that. Take him out where the underbrush is thick or tall, forget it. He will put the brakes on and not go another step, a Shih Tzu can be a very stubborn little thing! We probably look silly doing this but we have done it more than once...the path gets rough, weedy, overgrown...we pick the little guy up and carry him, set him down in a clearing when we get to ground zero...everyones happy!

 

We should really look into a doggie backpack for him!

[gobogey]

I heard that garmin is coming out with one based on the colorado chip. It will be the 300D (for dog). you can down load the GPX file to it directly and you just follow it where it goes.

 

sorry, could not resist a little humor

[+Bergie Bunch]

We have a shepard/husky mix who is an awesome GEO dog. If you can't find the cache, trust your dog. He is a great cacher. Also due to his size, he makes my wife feel safe.

[+smrasilva]

Big dog person here!!! Most good tips already given to you. I wouldn't want you to think you could walk out of the rescue with a dog that will geocache first day out. Dont' worry about the breed exactly. Think short hair (our long haired Bernese loves to geo cache but gets hot and tired fast) our GSD/Husky loves it and can go forever. I think the most important aspect is go for obedience training on any dog! You can't have your dog running off and a leash is no fun to try to hang onto for those difficult bushwacking when the dog goes under a tree and you have to go over. Most retrievers/labs have high prey drive and may very well run off after the first bunny they see! Ask the shelter for a dog that has good skills in behavior and no prey drive (won't chase a cat or bird). Then again - obedience training can help with prey drive - but that takes time. Don't ask about geo caching - ask about the skills you will need. Outdoor endurance, well behaved, loyal, low prey drive, lots of energy for long walks or days. An energetic Jack Russel might be fun in the woods - but may drive you nuts at home if you are couch potatoes all winter and in the house. Look at the breeds - some are a little hard headed or stubborn - but very loyal and obedient once trained. Good luck!! Love that you are looking to rescue!! Remember to spay/neuter!

[jimbud]

Find the dog that feels right to you, that's you're attracted to and who is attracted to you as well. Go to obedience training and learn how to train it then work work work with them to the point you can trust them to listen if they're off lead. Take em everywhere with you, talk to them a lot (it's amazing the vocabulary a dog can learn just from you talking and interacting with them!). Most of all make everything positive and fun! Trust me, if you set down a good learning foundation you'll have a great friend for life! ;-)

[ao318]

I agree with the training. My male golden retriever would run after any live animal if I didn't see it first. If I saw the animal before he did I would give the command to stay and he wouldn't go after them. It was kind of a game for him to see who could find the animals first. My female is very well behaved, she rarely leaves my side unleashed and will respond immediately to my commands.

 

I did experience something the other day while I was out with her for the first time though. We went out to the river to play and walk around. I was letting her jump and swim in the river because she was getting really hot in the 100 degree weather here in Sacramento. On our way back to the car we took the long way from the river to the tree line. She started to wiggle one of her feet like she had a rock stuck in it. I was about to stop her and check her paw out when she started to do the happy dance and I realized that her little paws were getting hot from the sand. So I ran up the embankment with her to get her out of the sun and the hot sand until we reached the grassy park. I felt so bad.

 

I usually do not take her out in the middle of the afternoon when it is hottest. I take her out in the mornings or evenings only. If I do take them out in the late morning, I always make sure we are near a body of water for her to jump in and cool off from. As another poster stated, the best dog is the right dog for you and your family. My golden retriever's are the best dogs for my family and I would never trade them for another breed. But for other families a big dog doesn't work. How big is your home, how big is your yard, how often are you going to take them out to play and walk? These are some of the more important questions you need to answer to find the best geocaching dog.

[+Guinness70]

we have 2 jack russels... they love the walks, they go mad when they see me reach for the GPSr, but couldnt care less for finding a cache.

 

one of em digs fake holes when im hiding a cache -.-

 

as prev^ mentioned short haired is a bonus, easier to clean, dont soak up water like long furr, easier to check for ticks.

[jimbud]

And I forgot to mention that training DOESN'T have to seem like work! Me and my dogs have always had fun training new stupid tricks as well as useful things. A couple of 10-15 minute sessions a day on a particular couple of things will do wonders in no time. The most important thing (in my opinion) is to get a good solid recall on your dog (as in "Maggie, Come!"). Like ao318, Maggie will bolt the second she spots an animal or another dog or people just to say hellp. And this particular command has literally saved the life (or at least serious injury) for both of my guys. Not to mention it can save a lot of embarassment/hassle/issues should they suddenly see another animal or dog while on the trail. Just be patient, have fun with it and make it a positive experience for both of you. It pays off for the life of the dog. ;-)

Edited August 18, 2008 by jimbud

[+AckerAce]

Please pick a dog that works well with your entire life, not just the geocaching aspect of it.

 

Good for you for getting a dog from a rescue!!

[+Proud Soccer Mom]

we want to get a dog from a rescue but want a good one that can keep up with us when we geocache, any suggestions greatly welcomed! Most of the shelters don't have a clue what geocaching is when we ask them but we do use it as an opportunity to educate

 

We've got a golden retriever but he's not a rescue. We got him from a reputable breeder from a puppy. But Indy is a geocacher and a waymarker:

 

 

 

- Elle

[+therealwesty]

I take Pippen my Jack-apoo caching with me all the time. That's a cross between a Jack Russel Terrior and a Poodle. He stands about 14" to the shoulder and weighs about 18lbs. Pippen is very attentive, and loves just to be involved in whatever it is I am doing. He loves walk, even some pretty good distance. He is fast and agile allowing him to fallow easily through even dense underbrush. He's a true companion so when he's allowed off the leash he never strays to far from me. My girlfriend often says he's more concerned about losing me that I am of losing him. All in all he's a great caching companion!

 

Make sure you get a dog that fits the rest of your lifestyle though. Pippen doesn't minds sleeping 14-16 hours, so he's OK home during the day. My family works at scattered times anyway so he's not often left for more than three or four hours. When he's not sleeping he's active though. Without appropriate outlets, like chew toys and tug of war games the extra energy will drive him to mischief. He needs about a 30 minute walk every day as well, just to use up energy. You are much better to keep him active and tire him out than leave him to come up with his own trouble. But if you spend the time with him, he'll reward you by curling up beside you on the couch in the evenings.

 

----Pippen my Geodog----

Edited August 21, 2008 by therealwesty