Thoughts on Climbing With Dogs?

I see a lot of photos of people climbing (some soloing) with a dog on their back, or in a portaledge. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of this, as I see it as an unneeded risk. Thoughts? If you have climbed with your dog on you, why?

Edit 1: I did not expect this thread to turn into dog roleplay.

Your post is going to trigger the Dean Potter fanbois.

soft crux wrote:

"You post is going to trigger the Dean Potter fanbois."   What sparked this question was actually a photo with Dean and Whisper, lol.

Christian Schlee wrote:

I see a lot of photos of people climbing (some soloing) with a dog on their back, or in a portaledge. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of this, as I see it as an unneeded risk. Thoughts? If you have climbed with your dog on you, why?

Would you climb with a baby on your back?

Tradiban wrote:

Would you climb with a baby on your back?

Exactly! That's why I see it as super irresponsible.

A V wrote:

Just stuff fido into the haul bag with a bowl of water, some food, and make sure to cut air holes + always lower out your bags. It's good to take the dog for walks on the larger ledges and be careful to keep it leashed at all times. 

As long as people follow these simple rules, I don't see an issue with bringing dogs on your big walls.

I'm totally fucking kidding here

I'm not sure which is more troubling - that you wrote the last sentence or that you felt the need to do so!

Bad idea. They are lousy belayers.

No opposable thumbs.

I make my dog lead the hard pitches.

Crag Dogs

Teton Climber wrote:

Crag Dogs

The only worthy thread about dogs ever on MP. Sadly deleted

s.price gone but not forgotten. This was displayed at his celebration of a life well lived a couple of years ago. So many great threads from him now lost.

As somebody that has 30+ dog years of adventure climbing experience, I am deeply disappointed in how safe climbers feel with voicing their speciesist notions of who can and can't climb. Multiple problems that I immediately see: 

• People are assuming that we all climb only by being stuffed in a backpack or hauled in a haulbag. That we don't lead.
• Others feel that we shouldn't be up there at all because we are sometimes not the best belayers.
• People assume that we're being forced into this, that our little prefrontal cortexes are exploding at the highly confusing and intensely scary stimulus from climbing exposure at the hands of our negligent owners. 

As person of mans best friend, it's hard for me not to take offense to the ignorant notions on this forum. 

Other than that time that I got into the poop bucket on Awahnee ledge, I have never been anything but an asset to my team. Like T Dz can confirm, dogs are always best when put on their lead, on lead - we are willing to take the scary, risky pitches for our owners, it's just what we're there to do. Don't put us on belay duty - that can get really boring, of course we're going to be getting distracted - especially if there's another party at the belay and they're rubbing our tummy. My point is: used correctly, a dog is always a very good boy or girl for the team. 

Trad Dog wrote:

As somebody that has 30+ dog years of adventure climbing experience, I am deeply disappointed in how safe climbers feel with voicing their speciesist notions of who can and can't climb. Multiple problems that I immediately see: 

• People are assuming that we all climb only by being stuffed in a backpack or hauled in a haulbag. That we don't lead.
• Others feel that we shouldn't be up there at all because we are sometimes not the best belayers.
• People assume that we're being forced into this, that our little prefrontal cortexes are exploding at the highly confusing and intensely scary stimulus from climbing exposure at the hands of our negligent owners. 

As person of mans best friend, it's hard for me not to take offense to the ignorant notions on this forum. 

Other than that time that I got into the poop bucket on Awahnee ledge, I have never been anything but an asset to my team. Like T Dz can confirm, dogs are always best when put on their lead, on lead - we are willing to take the scary, risky pitches for our owners, it's just what we're there to do. Don't put us on belay duty - that can get really boring, of course we're going to be getting distracted - especially if there's another party at the belay and they're rubbing our tummy. My point is: used correctly, a dog is always a very good boy or girl for the team. 

Are you the guy that pissed on my rope?

soft crux wrote:

Are you the guy that pissed on my rope?

I got nervous okay? I'm really sorry. 

Trad Dog wrote:

I got nervous okay? I'm really sorry. 

It's ok, you're a good boy!

soft crux wrote:

Are you the guy that pissed on my rope?

That's impossible, he never does that.

Tradiban wrote:

Would you climb with a baby on your back?

sure 

Trad Dog wrote:

As somebody that has 30+ dog years of adventure climbing experience, I am deeply disappointed in how safe climbers feel with voicing their speciesist notions of who can and can't climb. Multiple problems that I immediately see: 

• People are assuming that we all climb only by being stuffed in a backpack or hauled in a haulbag. That we don't lead.
• Others feel that we shouldn't be up there at all because we are sometimes not the best belayers.
• People assume that we're being forced into this, that our little prefrontal cortexes are exploding at the highly confusing and intensely scary stimulus from climbing exposure at the hands of our negligent owners. 

As person of mans best friend, it's hard for me not to take offense to the ignorant notions on this forum. 

Other than that time that I got into the poop bucket on Awahnee ledge, I have never been anything but an asset to my team. Like T Dz can confirm, dogs are always best when put on their lead, on lead - we are willing to take the scary, risky pitches for our owners, it's just what we're there to do. Don't put us on belay duty - that can get really boring, of course we're going to be getting distracted - especially if there's another party at the belay and they're rubbing our tummy. My point is: used correctly, a dog is always a very good boy or girl for the team. 

How long of a leash is needed to belay you folx?

Dave Olsen wrote:

That looks like the most uncomfortable harness design imaginable. What an unnatural body position. That fabric is doing nothing. His face tells it all.  Basically you need to put that on in reverse, ie the fabric on the belly. The fabric should basically make a U shape with the dog’s  belly in the bottom of the U (like a hammock) and adjustable leg loops for security. The top edge of the U should be two sewn sleeves that hold metal bars to spread the weight evenly along the length of the harness. Cinch the tubes together just above the dogs back with the suspension straps and he will be in there securely. 

J R wrote:

sure 

https://activenorcal.com/watch-alex-honnolds-bizarre-interview-about-climbing-el-capitan-with-a-baby/

He knows what's up. The method has been perfected.

I dunno about a dogs ability to lead, their anchor building skills are a bit suspect. Mine keeps acting like he wants to put the ballnut in the crack, then yanks it away and spins just before the crack grabs it.  Takes him forever to put his second on belay.  This isn't eve taking into account how unpleasant it is to belay the next pitch with a slobbery rope.