My second platitude of the day: A leash prevents many of those problems.

My dog was never off lead when hiking/backpacking...even before I moved to grizzly country.

That's a good, if not mandatory by regulation, practice. It's good for other hikers, it's good for wildlife, it's good for other domestic animals (dogs, horses, llamas, etc., on the trail). Most of all, it's good for the dog. It keeps him/her out of harm's way.

Here, there are multiple stories every year of dogs drowning, mauled by wildlife or other dogs, or being caught in off-trail traps. While other areas may not have all these threats there are threats and risks none the less. And I, for one, didn't take that risk with my beloved companion and I won't with my new friend.

FB