Trekking with my Pit Bull

[millydog]

Does anyone know if you can bring your dog (Pit Bull) to Nepal and Trek with it. Will it be allowed in tea houses. I was in Nepal last year and want to go back. I love my Pit Bull she is very friendly and my best exercise companion. She is 6 years old though, hmmm, but I have been running her daily since she was a puppy so she is built like a tank. I don't think anything in life would be better than to disapear in the Himalayas for a couple months with Man's best friend.

[yakshaver]

You're serious??

Saw a lady trekking with a white poodle back in 1999. She was going up towards Namche, had a very low cleveage (why is this relevant??), and a white poodle on a leash. She also wore a very tight pair of "trekking pants"...Quite a sight. do you plan to dress the same? Anyway!
Have no idea about bringing dogs into Nepal, but issues such as quarantine when you go back to your home country need to be considered. Animals in Nepal carry rabies virus, and there are plenty of dogs on trek who might challenge a foreigner on their terrytory. If your dog gets bitten it and you might be in trouble.

[julia]

there is a website forum called familytravelboards.com it is a chat forum, if you scroll down the main page you will see a section on travelling with pets.

Julia

[Spaceman347]

Must be something about dogs and Namche. I saw a woman coming down the hill from Namche carrying a small dog in a bag, yep carrying the dog.

[millydog]

You better believe I am serious. That is why I am trying to get some feedback from anyone who might know about it. I was in Namche last year and "yes" there were a lot of dogs. My dog however, loves everthing and won't initiate a fight. The rabies and quartine though are something to think about. I am also worried about the Yaks too. My dog might bother them, Ughhh....Well I have to keep looking into it, but life is a journey, and I think a trek to the Himalayas with my dog would a good focal point in the book that I am writing.

Thanks

[Spaceman347]

Personally I think that the rabies and quarantine would be your biggest issues. But here's some more possible problems:

- How would you transport the dog once in Nepal? I don't know how you'd go trying to get a dog onto an internal flight or a bus, although anything's possible, this IS Nepal we're talking about.
- What would you do with the dog at night? You're going to have to spend at least a night or 2 at a hotel in Kathmandu, and out on the trail? Does Fido like sleeping outside in sub-zero temps?
- What would you do for dog food? I doubt you'd want to carry it, and the lodges don't really have anything suitable unless Fido likes Dahl Bhatt
- I'd imagine that veterinary services are extremely limited should you require any assistance.
- Depending on where you're going it might not be such a good idea to take a dog into the local environment. For example I don't think that it would be appropriate to take a dog anywhere above say Periche unless you plan on picking up every bowel motion that the dog may have.

As you can tell, I don't think that it's such a good idea, but each to their own.

[yakshaver]

Yes Spaceman347, you are right in listing all the problems... Still, I am thinking... a bloomin poodle made it. Why not a pit bull? If it's kept on a leash while on trek, at least through villages which is most of the time. And then the dog can sleep in the room with the owner, maybe even on a bed. Just pay the lodge owner enough rupees! Sometimes, especially if I remember the lodge at Dole, I think dogs have continuously slept in every bed.
As for food, if millydog can afford the transport of the animal to Nepal, and quarantine costs when returning, well there must be enough money for buying and cooking the last chicken in the village for the four legged slobering leather glove source. You just have to make sure the dog doesn't choke on the small bones. Else, take a vet with you as well.

One important thing to be aware off, is that Nepal does not have the anthropomorphic attitudes of the West - as far as animals are concerned. Unless they believe to be reincarntions or deities. And in Khumbu even that's unlikely (quite a pragmatic kind of Buddhism happens there, not Hinduism). For them an animal is an animal, there to fullfil a purpose more or less. All this fetish for pets and stuff, treating the dog like "a friend" or "part of the family" will look quite weird to them. It will reinforce their strong suspicion that filthy rich Western tourists are totally off their rocker having lost all sense of proprotion.
But... it might make a good subject for a book...

[James]

Interesting idea bringing your dog trekking - just like at home. As for internal flights I saw a couple bring a dog back on a flight from Lukla. They found the stray while trekking and decided to adopt it. The dog was not on my flight so I can't tell you how it worked out, but the dog walked on the plane.

I love dogs, I really do, but this scene was incongruous with the local values. My guide was in disbelief. While I understood their sentiment, this dog was being treated way better than many of the locals. A Hindu boy explained to me in Kathmandu, they believe that being kind to a dog was a disservice to a dog, as in this life they had to redeem themselves for a past life and the harder the life as a dog was the easier the next life would be. While this may be getting a little too deep, it is worth considering the social as well as the practical and safety issues.

[millydog]

Thanks for the replies

There is a lot of things that I have not thought of. you have brought up some good points. Well as far as the dog food issue. That's what porters are for. I don't think lodge owners will care if a dog sleeps in my bed for extra rupees.
I think the rabies, quarantine, and the local customs(something I have not thought about until now) are the biggest issues. I will ask my sherpa friend for more feedback when he gets back. When I was there he told me that he guided a women on a trek who brought her dog, a Great Dane on a trek along with a giant sleeping bag for the dog to sleep in at nite, and hired a porter to carry that and the dog food. How do you think I got the dog trek idea in the first place.

[James]

It is a great idea and if it were in a remote undeveloped area I think it would be a no brainer. However, I agree there are a lot of things to consider and not all people will come to the same conclusion. Not sure there is an absolute right decision, but I'm sure you'll come up with the answer that is right for you and your dog!

[mieke]

LOL This one is for "millydog" and her pitbull in particular... :)

85-Year-Old Has Sights Set On Mount Everest

February 8, 2006 3:00 p.m. EST
Ayinde O. Chase - All Headline News Staff Writer

London, England (AHN) - Octogenarian has hopes of climbing Mount Everest along with her pet pooch.

Mary Woodbridge, an 85-year-old from the UK intends to climb Mount Everest with her dachshund Daisy. Woodbridge is well underway in planning for the arduous task.

Instead of climbing the usual route from camp to camp, a new climb will be chosen: a single push from the base camp to the summit; this is Mary's decision.

Woodbridge is further pushing the limits by embarking on this trek without the use of sherpas. When asked why is she taking on such a challenge at her age, she says, “You always have to set yourselves new challenges.”


Source & © allheadlinenews.com (http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002313724)

To give some of you an idea, this is what your average Dachshund looks like:

http://www.nextdaypets.com/directory/breeds/images/1100088.jpg

Probably quite appropriate to publish such news on a site called allheadlinenews ;)

Milly, please get in touch with the old lady because the report doesn't say just whén she plans on being there, the Kumbu. Seems to me that the least you should try is protect the feelings of the many Sherpas and porters and guides out there by not showing up with pet dogs (and what kind of dogs!) the two of you and around the same time...

It's not April 1st yet, or is it?

[mieke]

that should've said "Khumbu", but my edit-button doesn't save the correction

[Oli]

{Mary Woodbridge (http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7002313724)}

It's not April 1st yet, or is it?

Possibly the most ridiculous thing I've read in ages. I trust that nobody here believed that, even if some gullible news editors were fool enough to consider it plausible. Have a look a Mary's website (http://www.mary-woodbridge.co.uk/)....

Folks, please take this as a good example of why you should not believe everything that you read on the internet.

[mieke]

Have a look a Mary's website....


That, yes, ánd the Guestbook there (http://www.mary-woodbridge.co.uk/guestbook/gb.php) :cool: - RFLMAO!!!!

.

[Escher]

Oli and Mieke,

You are both far too cynical. Mary is well known in mountaineering circles and although her website is a bit "jokey" she is actually going to do what she says. She and her dog already have a successful ascent of Rum Doodle under their belts and have the background experience to do more, a new route on Everest is not out of the question for Mary and her pooch.

Watch this space, I think you be hearing a lot more about Mary.

Escher

[mieke]

Cynical? No, I thought it was just an awesome joke! But you mean you believe it's true, Escher? Well, seeing how she says she and her Daisy are so very busy preparing for their trip to Nepal and they don't have much time for interviews, perhaps we could all send a postcard to Hampshire (http://www.dnsstuff.com/tools/whois.ch?ip=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mary-woodbridge.co.uk%2Fframeset_mw.html) for a change, to wish them the best of luck and a successful Everest ascent?

I still can't find just whén exactly she's planning on going to do this.
I hope nobody will tell her about the Everest Marathon down to Namche Bazaar in May, or she might decide to take part in that run herself - with Daisy - as well!


Nice camerawork on her website! :) http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/2416/botleyhillclimb7ev.gif

.

[Oli]

Reading some of the mountaineering blogs she is indeed widely known already. And if she has been up Rumdoodle then I'm convinced she'll have no problems with Everest. Do you know if she got to the 'real' summit, or the other one?

She makes Sherman Bull look like Chris Harris. I hereby retract my previous scornful post. Go Mary!

[millydog]

What kind of a pathetuc joke is this. This Mary can't be serious. It is very funny and it tops trekking with your Pit Bull for sure. I don't think her or the dog will make it past Namache. What's next climbing Everest with your infant kid strapped to your back.

[Oli]

It was a good sensible thread until it got made silly.

For what its worth - there was a dog hanging out at the top of Thorung La (5400m) when I crossed a few years ago. I'm don't know which side he came up from but I doubt he lived up there. He seemed quite OK with the altitude, but that is no indication as to if/how your dog will acclimatise.

http://static.flickr.com/43/87111269_b612810f9e_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oliphant/87111269/in/set-72057594048881433)

[Escher]

It is quite common for dogs to follow you around on the trails (in fact you normally follow them)! In 2000 we had a dog walk with us for 3 days on the way to Gorak Shep. He would wander off ahead of us and at each fork in the trail would lie down and wait for us. As we caught up with him he trot off again. I love dogs and he was very friendly and there was no chance of getting lost.

In 2002 on the Annapurna Circuit another dog tagged along with us at Chame and came with us all the way to Throung Phedi High Camp. In fact he looked very much like the dog in your picture Oli. Being a bit of a sucker I let him sleep on the foot of my bed each evening. This made me a bit unpopular as he would scratch at the door to get out early in the morning, to be let out and I would never hear him as I had earplugs in!

Just above Letdar he ran up the hillside to the right of the trail and teamed up with another hound. They ran at considerable speed upwards (considering the altitude) and the pair of them took down a deer. I was amazed at what efficient hunters they were. That night he was as friendly as ever and slept on my bed again to shelter from the fresh snow (with a full belly I guess).

Dogs are very pragmatic creatures and generally not popular with the locals. Trekkers are much more friendly to them and I think quite a few make a good living accompanying dog loving trekkers, relishing the opportunity to snaffle half mars bars and plates of dal bhat.

Oli: I think Mary and Daisy actually made the first traverse of both summits of Rum Doodle. Ever the mountaineering partnership Mary lead to the first summit and Daisy lead to the second. That had a bit of an epic on the descent though. They only just made it down alive as they had run out of bonio.

[millydog]

Yes Spaceman347, you are right in listing all the problems... Still, I am thinking... a bloomin poodle made it. Why not a pit bull? If it's kept on a leash while on trek, at least through villages which is most of the time. And then the dog can sleep in the room with the owner, maybe even on a bed. Just pay the lodge owner enough rupees! Sometimes, especially if I remember the lodge at Dole, I think dogs have continuously slept in every bed.
As for food, if millydog can afford the transport of the animal to Nepal, and quarantine costs when returning, well there must be enough money for buying and cooking the last chicken in the village for the four legged slobering leather glove source. You just have to make sure the dog doesn't choke on the small bones. Else, take a vet with you as well.

One important thing to be aware off, is that Nepal does not have the anthropomorphic attitudes of the West - as far as animals are concerned. Unless they believe to be reincarntions or deities. And in Khumbu even that's unlikely (quite a pragmatic kind of Buddhism happens there, not Hinduism). For them an animal is an animal, there to fullfil a purpose more or less. All this fetish for pets and stuff, treating the dog like "a friend" or "part of the family" will look quite weird to them. It will reinforce their strong suspicion that filthy rich Western tourists are totally off their rocker having lost all sense of proprotion.
But... it might make a good subject for a book...

Hey Yakshaver,

I just read in your post that you called my dog " a four legged slobering leather glove source."

Care to expand on this with me!

[Weka]

In late March 2005 I met an American chap with a black lab at Thorung La high camp. Chap said he had no issues bringing dog in and out of Nepal.

Dog, prior to our meeting, had had a bladder infection (note), returned to Manang for treatment, recovered, and the pair continued.

They passed me the next day at the summit (5,400) at a great rate of knots.

Dog looked OK to me. I checked out its foot pads and could see no issues though we were in deep snow.

Yes, Yak's right, the locals thought him (the chap) very odd indeed!

[webmaster]

Think about this
231

[yakshaver]

Hey Yakshaver,

I just read in your post that you called my dog " a four legged slobering leather glove source."

Care to expand on this with me!

Millydog, I am was really surprised when I read again my post from two years ago...
Man, am I nasty when I get "inspired". But I did not call you dog any such thing. I was talking in general terms.
"four legged slobbering leather glove source" probably takes the cake. I appologise unreservedly, even though I was not referring to your dog. My expression was just too nasty, and I am sure even though your dog was not the intended target, it should feel appropriately aggrieved. Can't really assure you that I may never slip again.
But I did check my leather gloves and I breathed a sigh of relief when I positively verified that they are made of rabbit leather.
I did posses a lovely dachshund called Elle (after Elle MacPhearson, and because of her long legs...). Fantastic temperament, and bloomin intelligent. I will get a dog as soon as I return to Australia from my rather long trip. I like small dogs, rather than big ones. As penance for my grave insult I will invite you to chose a breed of small dog for me. Which should it be?
Bichon Frise?

And if you think I was nasty towards dogs, you should see what I can say about cats. I can't stand cats, with rare exceptions, and am capable of waxing lirical in terms of insults I can muster.

[julia]

Is this one small enough for you Yakshaver, she will fit in your pocket, and she doesnt cry either!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/356981886_499dac5900_o.jpg

[yakshaver]

[QUOTE=julia]Is this one small enough for you Yakshaver, she will fit in your pocket, and she doesnt cry either!

Is this a little Jack Russel Foxy?? Love them! My last dog was a JackR x Maltese. Really cute, intelligent and awefully crazily energetic. Exactly like the owner in the crazy/energy sense (not size!!).

As I travel a lot around Terrra, I don't have a dog these days... I really miss them.

[julia]

Yes she is a little Jack Russell, the cutest one ever! Her name is Pickle, she is supposed to be long haired but is somewhere in the middle, her legs are shorter than average, but she can run fast and keep up with anyone or any dog. She is also very intelligent, understands everything you say to her and any mood you might be in. To be honest I cant go on enough about her, I know where you are coming from when you say you miss them around. She is about 9 weeks in this photo, I will try and find one of her as an adult, as she is just as cute grown up! :)