I find myself in agreement with bigb. Where I hike is a lot of dead fall. Trying to negotiate fallen trees with a leashed dog is a pain. Therefore off leash works best in some of these areas. I rarely meet up with other people anyway. I am concerned about cliffs though. Hiking is a bit of a learning curve for me and my dog and I try to use common sense. Recently I came across a sign that read “Caution cougar in the area, be aware”. Maybe I shouldn’t have even gone there? I had visions of some cougar eating my puppy for lunch. Hiking can be a hazardous sport for sure.


Howie