SummitPost.org

Tazz knows dogs!

well this dog made it over 22,000 feet....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Yb-gwwlo4[/youtube]

No experience at altitude, but I once had a great dog (Rainier - named after the mtn., not the beer), who at 7-8 months was a stellar companion on a 100-mile backpacking trip along the Maine Applachian Trail. Tough stuff and not for the faint of heart. Took her out gradually as a pup for increasing hikes and runs up to 8-10 miles. By the time we got to the 7-day trip she had absolutely no problems beyond being hoisted up through some boulders that she could not scramble up on her own.

Watch out, if you take them out too long too early, it could damage their hips.

Florida Frank wrote:... I once had a great dog (Rainier - named after the mtn., not the beer)..

Thank you, Frank! I'm so glad you made that distinction !!!

I take my two kids all over and they have been all the way to 14K (White Mtn).

They both kick ass at altitude as they live at 7200'.

Like the others have said, at this age lots of small, easy walks that don't stress him out are the key. At his age, he's susceptable to something called "fear imprint". If something tramatic happens, like falling in a stream or tumbling down a snow field, he might carry that phobia for the rest of his life. My dog fell down a laundry chute at 10 weeks, and although unhurt, it was several years before he would walk down stairs or steep hills.

Depending on who you ask, fear imprinting lasts about 3-5 months.

tommarchall wrote:well this dog made it over 22,000 feet....

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-Yb-gwwlo4[/youtube]

I had always heard the rumour of a dog climbing Aconcagua. Thanks for that.