I take the bait.

This thread brings to mind some of my experiences.

Once I was taking a nap in my tent while taking shelter from an afternoon thunder storm. A dog peed on my tent and I yelled, but by the time I could unzip and exit the tent I got just a quick glimpse of the offender. Never did see the owner.

One time I was at an overlook and saw two dogs chasing a herd of deer over a ridge. When I met the owners I told them their dogs had been chasing deer. They told me that their dogs are under voice command and that they had them in sight the whole time. Denial is not a river in Africa.

After an over night storm a small stream was very cloudy. I found a pool that was clear and started to carefully filter water so as not to disturb the silt on the bottom. Two black labs bounded down the stream bank and proceeded to take a swim. Dog hair and spit was everywhere and the mud gushed up from the bottom. The owners were happy to see the dogs enjoying the water.

Early one morning I was passing a camp near the trail. A dog blocked my path and appeared to be ready to defend his masters. The normal techniques for passing were not working so I yelled for the owner. The owner called the dog and he ran off. I think the dog was as relieved as I was. Never did see the owner.

I like dogs, but some dog owners allow their pets to become a problem.

Dogs are an imported predator and I am sure the indigenous predators notice that dog mark territory. I think a tamarisk is a beautiful tree , but it competes with the indigenous trees and is considered a weed. The presence of an imported predator is a potential problem for the indigenous predators.