Got me a geopup

[+OKH]

Well, that's between she and I - to the rest of the family, she's "Fred" (we let my 3 year old daughter name her and thats what we got.)

 

She's a Springer Spaniel so I know she's sturdy enough for hiking, etc but for those of you who do take your dogs caching/on the trail, what's an appropriate age and/or training level to start?

 

Thanks!

[+bittsen]

Well, that's between she and I - to the rest of the family, she's "Fred" (we let my 3 year old daughter name her and thats what we got.)

 

She's a Springer Spaniel so I know she's sturdy enough for hiking, etc but for those of you who do take your dogs caching/on the trail, what's an appropriate age and/or training level to start?

 

Thanks!

 

As a former dog trainer...

As soon as a dog obeys verbal commands 100%, they are ready for trails. Before that, they will not be good on trails unless on a very restrictive leash. Some dogs are never ready.

[+tzipora]

My lhasa apso isn't 100% responsive to verbal commands, but she does well on a leash. She loves geocaching, although she seems to think that it's just another word for walking.

 

I didn't really do much training for her to get her ready, though. We just started doing walks, then added in finding a geocache or two, and now we can geocache all day.

[+bittsen]

My lhasa apso isn't 100% responsive to verbal commands, but she does well on a leash. She loves geocaching, although she seems to think that it's just another word for walking.

 

I didn't really do much training for her to get her ready, though. We just started doing walks, then added in finding a geocache or two, and now we can geocache all day.

 

The problem with trail walking a dog that isn't 100% command trained is that sometimes a dog will catch you off guard and yank the leash when they see a chipmonk or something. Next thing you know, your dog has lost itself in the woods (assuming its a wooded area) and has a leash attached to it. Not a good combo.

A "Halt-E" type collar helps a lot.

[+Team Four Paw]

My lhasa apso isn't 100% responsive to verbal commands, but she does well on a leash. She loves geocaching, although she seems to think that it's just another word for walking.

 

I didn't really do much training for her to get her ready, though. We just started doing walks, then added in finding a geocache or two, and now we can geocache all day.

 

The problem with trail walking a dog that isn't 100% command trained is that sometimes a dog will catch you off guard and yank the leash when they see a chipmonk or something. Next thing you know, your dog has lost itself in the woods (assuming its a wooded area) and has a leash attached to it. Not a good combo.

A "Halt-E" type collar helps a lot.

 

Never assume your dog is 100% and research the pros/cons of using a "halt-e" before considering it's use.

[+bittsen]

My lhasa apso isn't 100% responsive to verbal commands, but she does well on a leash. She loves geocaching, although she seems to think that it's just another word for walking.

 

I didn't really do much training for her to get her ready, though. We just started doing walks, then added in finding a geocache or two, and now we can geocache all day.

 

The problem with trail walking a dog that isn't 100% command trained is that sometimes a dog will catch you off guard and yank the leash when they see a chipmonk or something. Next thing you know, your dog has lost itself in the woods (assuming its a wooded area) and has a leash attached to it. Not a good combo.

A "Halt-E" type collar helps a lot.

 

Never assume your dog is 100% and research the pros/cons of using a "halt-e" before considering it's use.

both good points

 

Shall we say 99%?

not many cons with a Halt_E though.

[+Chuy!]

Ginger!, our golden retriever, was about 6 months old she accompanied me to my first cache in 2004. From the beginning she has been abled to handle every hike I throw at her.

 

Mocha! is an Australian shepherd mix we got last year at age 6 weeks from a rescue shelter. She hit the trails right away. Occasionally, I had to carry her in my backpack after a mile or two, but a year later, she has turned out to have incredible trail endurance. We had done several 10-15 mile hikes and she looks as fresh at the end as at the beginning.

 

Both have their own dog packs to carry their own water, and both have attended rattlesnake avoidance courses which have payed off several times over. We hike/cache in open preservers which have no leash restrictions and for the most part, they hit the trail off the leash. I give them permethrin-based tick treatments, but carry my own tick-removal tweezers because the treatments will only keep ticks off the main body. The treatments are not very effective for the head and leg area, which is where I tend to find them. I use the green Ticktwister which have turned out to serve well on both dogs and humans.

[+zoltig]

We started Jessie early hiking the trails and finding caches.

 

She always likes to go caching and being outdoors...

 

with a great sense of balance

 

to the point of getting tuckered out.

 

Start your dog early.

"We don't need no stinkin leash, do we girl?"

[knowschad]

Beautiful animal there, Zoltig!

 

Here's my dog, Chili, caching with me in the Black Hills two years ago. He was 11 years old then, and got pretty tuckered out climbing those hills! (as though I didn't! hahah!!) He's a goldie/yellow lab mix. Best $10 I've ever spent!

 

[+Team Four Paw]

Speaking of packs I have to recommend the Palisades Pack from Ruff Wear. It's a great pack and pretty darn tough with some nice design features.

 

The packs can be had for around $90. Don't pay the MSRP of $125 should you decide on going with a pack.

 

I'm assuming your pup is young and I wouldn't recommend her carrying a load until she is around 1.5-2 yrs of age so her body can fully develop. For training purposes you can keep it lite and the time short like 10-20 minutes.

Edited July 18, 2009 by Team Four Paw

[+Bubbles&Bonkers]

Cinnamon, the GeoBeagle, likes to come along sometimes. She's kind of a pain though, she wants to keep walking where sometimes we need to stop and look for the cache! She doesn't understand that when I try to explain it. Beagles need to be on a leash, for the most part, so we can take her with no problems.

[knowschad]

This might be a good spot to (yeah, shamelessly) point out a new thread in the Off Topics forum for those with a dog as an avatar. The Dog Park needs you.

[+Team Gryarvold]

We have three cache hounds that like to with us. Although one is getting a little too old for his long outings he liked so his nephews and nieces and have taken up the baton. It wouldn't be near as much fun with out them as they add so much fun to it. They have such a joy about them as they play in the woods. But sometimes it's not an easy thing to get a wore out mastiff back to the vehicle when they are tired.

Edited July 18, 2009 by Team Gryarvold

[+tzipora]

My lhasa apso isn't 100% responsive to verbal commands, but she does well on a leash. She loves geocaching, although she seems to think that it's just another word for walking.

 

I didn't really do much training for her to get her ready, though. We just started doing walks, then added in finding a geocache or two, and now we can geocache all day.

 

The problem with trail walking a dog that isn't 100% command trained is that sometimes a dog will catch you off guard and yank the leash when they see a chipmonk or something. Next thing you know, your dog has lost itself in the woods (assuming its a wooded area) and has a leash attached to it. Not a good combo.

A "Halt-E" type collar helps a lot.

 

She knows better than that now. While we were working on it, I used a carabiner to attach the leash to my backpack so she couldn't pull it away from me.

 

The Haltie collars don't work so well on lhasa apsos and other dogs with small snouts. I do like the Illusion collar, which is more of a slip collar style. She does not misbehave when that one's on!

[+tzipora]

Speaking of packs I have to recommend the Palisades Pack from Ruff Wear. It's a great pack and pretty darn tough with some nice design features.

 

The packs can be had for around $90. Don't pay the MSRP of $125 should you decide on going with a pack.

 

I'm assuming your pup is young and I wouldn't recommend her carrying a load until she is around 1.5-2 yrs of age so her body can fully develop. For training purposes you can keep it lite and the time short like 10-20 minutes.

 

REI also makes decent, cheaper ones. Their small is also smaller than the smallest Ruff Wear small, which is what I needed with my little dog. I highly recommend having a pack on a highly energetic dog. When Juneau wears hers, she is much more obedient and gets better exercise. Just do make sure that they aren't carrying too much; Juneau is 15 pounds, so she only carries a small waterbottle, poo bags, and puppytreats.

[+OKH]

[Just do make sure that they aren't carrying too much; Juneau is 15 pounds, so she only carries a small waterbottle, poo bags, and puppytreats.

 

That's like making me tug around a 6-pack and a cheeseburger and not letting me have any

Edited July 18, 2009 by OKH

[+Bubbles&Bonkers]

But sometimes it's not an easy thing to get a wore out mastiff back to the vehicle when they are tired.

 

Yes, I would think a wore out mastiff could be a tricky situation. A heavy situation! Love dem dawgs!

[+Team Gryarvold]

Two of boys are draft dogs so they are willing and able to pull wagons and carts. However, I guess when we're out in the woods I love to see them run and have fun rather than pack something. They are obedience trained have their CGC's and TDI's so mind really well. Maybe we'll try a pack one of these days and see how it goes.