Doggy Drama

Most people think that having man’s best friend by their side is nothing but fun and games, but the reality of having a dog as a traveling companion is a little less rosy. I absolutely adore Roxy and I couldn’t imagine hiking the Appalachian Trail, or pursuing any adventure, without her. However, if anyone else is considering traveling with their dog, I would like to offer a bit of a reality check: caring for a dog in the wilderness is hard. 

Beautiful views from Gregory Bald with my pride and joy.

Although Roxy is a great dog, she is still a dog, and her natural instincts tend to kick in at times that are less than convenient. During our past few hiking trips, we have traveled with a group of people, and it has become apparent that Roxy is very much a shepherd. While on the trails she suffers from something I like to call “lost sheep syndrome.” In her little doggy mind, it is completely unacceptable for her herd to separate. She suffered quite a bit of distress to see that me and my hiking partners like to travel at different speeds and just meet up during breaks. When I allowed her to hike off leash, she would sprint back and forth along the trail from my brother (who was usually at least ¼ mile ahead), back to me, and then several hundred feet back to find my father. This continued for the entirety of our hike. 

Keeping an eye out on her sheep even when we stop to take a break.

When I placed her on the leash, Roxy would pull and tug and insist that we sprint to catch up with whoever was ahead. This was not only exhausting and stressful for me, but caused her to overexert herself as well. Luckily Roxy is a smart dog, so she learned the command “with me” within an hour of me trying to teach it to her, and now knows to stay right by my side while we are hiking. Despite staying with me, she makes her displeasure at being separated from her herd well known by constantly bumping me with her nose or testing the limits of how far ahead she can go. 

Still just a dog. After two 15 mile days, Roxy just wanted to play with a stick.

Other dog instinct that Roxy had a hard time suppressing while in the woods were her prey drive and territorial protection. Any critter that moved in the woods needed to get chased, and once we set up camp, nothing was allowed to venture into our space. This obviously makes me feel really safe as a woman alone in the wilderness, but I wish I could explain to Roxy that chipmunks don’t pose a substantial threat. Hearing a roaring chorus of angry barks and growls during dinner is a little unsettling, so it would be great if she could learn to differentiate between actual threats and unrealistic ones.

Always alert for intruders.

Lastly Roxy continues to struggle with her diet and weight. She is incredibly picky about eating on the trail, and I ended up having to spoon feed her most of her meals. The only thing she really wants to eat are her Zuke’s Power Bones, which are great treats but not a substitute for meals. Even when I try to share my meals with her, she turns her nose up at them (even Annie’s Mac and Cheese!). 

Normal dogs devour their dog food, Roxy gets spoon-fed. 

This week Roxy is staying with her grandma and trying to gain weight. After a week at Smoky Mountain National Park and a long weekend at the Daniel Boone National Forest, she weighed in at 53lbs. Her vet wanted her up to at least 75lbs before we started the AT. At her grandma’s Roxy is spoiled like an aristocrat. She will be eating a hearty diet of organic foods and spending her days lounging on leather sofas. Obviously she will still go on walks to get some exercise, but no running or hiking for one week.  Hopefully this will help her to gain back at least a few pounds. 

Roxy on her throne at my mom's house.

In all honesty, having Roxy with me on the past few hikes felt a lot like dragging along a willful toddler. She was picky at meal time, weary of strangers, and threw fits at inappropriate times. Despite all her quirks, I can’t imagine doing to Appalachian Trail without her. It will be challenging at times, but I think the experience will bring us even closer together. She is part of me, and together we will overcome all obstacles and continue to explore the world. 

Enjoying the simple things, like rolling in nice soft grass after a long day of hiking.