SURVEY: Bomber Backcountry Dog Breeds / Breeders

[lecycliste]

Those things look sweet.... I wonder if they're fast.

Our 22-month old Berner is faster than our 8-year-old Sheltie, but not as maneuverable. Berners are very strong, capable of pulling carts or sleds loaded with up to 10X their body weight. They also handle cold incredibly well - they're bred for it.

But I'd get a sled dog - Malamute or Siberian Husky - for a dog that can run with you in the back country all day, day after day. Many individuals of those two breeds love to work - to pull sleds.

[screwdriver]

our two year old berner Cooper loves being in the BC. dosent get cold and won't go more than 50 feet from us.

[summit]

Dogs should not be bombing big lines. It is unethical, it is 99% about the owner, not the dog. Avalanche terrain is not for dogs, except working rescue dogs.

[BCMtnHound]

Starke was the pup of a Bernese father and Malamute mom. 90lbs during his prime. Just enough laid back berner to offset the willfulness of the maly. Silky overcoat never balled snow, but shed an undercoat enough to spin and knit a wool sweater. 25C+ was hard on him in his later years, but wouldn't blink at -30C in a blizzard. Fantastic with kids and wildlife. Dominant but not aggressive with other dogs. Haven't seen a litter of the same since (bitch Berner and Maly stud but they at the least looked far more berner). Best pack mate I've ever had, wandering the country from the Flathead to the Cassiar over all seasons. Think of and miss him everyday.

[Banh Mi]

Umm??? In pretty sure thats why there is a group called "working breeds". We didnt spend thousands of years breeding the perfect dogs for different situations, just to get all "ethical" and use those breeds for show. Mountain dogs were bred for the mountains...And when it really comes down to ethics, id rather spend half a dogs life running around in the mountains, than a full dog lifecycle stuck in the car or at home...

This way of thinking is too prissy panther. Ohh lets invest the time and money into a gsmd or bernese, and turn it into a prissy panther show dog or babysitter. GTFO of here.

[Tap]

if you like Swiss Bernese style, look at the smallest version, a Entlebucher Sennenhund or Entlebucher Mountain Dog

[screwdriver]

Umm??? In pretty sure thats why there is a group called "working breeds". We didnt spend thousands of years breeding the perfect dogs for different situations, just to get all "ethical" and use those breeds for show. Mountain dogs were bred for the mountains...And when it really comes down to ethics, id rather spend half a dogs life running around in the mountains, than a full dog lifecycle stuck in the car or at home...

This way of thinking is too prissy panther. Ohh lets invest the time and money into a gsmd or bernese, and turn it into a prissy panther show dog or babysitter. GTFO of here.

Exactly!!

[summit]

I'm all for dogs in the backcountry responsibly. I am AGAINST for dogs on big avalanche lines, unless they are working an avalanche.

[liv2ski]

Best pack mate I've ever had, wandering the country from the Flathead to the Cassiar over all seasons. Think of and miss him everyday.

Great looking guy BCMH. It never fails to amaze me how I still shed a tear when I think of my past pups. I light of this thread being bumped, if your in Canada or do not mind traveling, look into the Euraser breed. I think they would be perfect BC partners. https://www.google.com/search?q=Eura...tm%3B275%3B275

[BFD]

female Labrador mixed breed. Nine years later has never quit, still charging

[LightRanger]

I'm all for dogs in the backcountry responsibly. I am AGAINST for dogs on big avalanche lines, unless they are working an avalanche.

I concur with Summit.

See:


Amusing clip because the dog was fine, but...

Back on topic, we've been thinking small-ish Aussie Shepherd. Don't want anything bigger than 50 or so due to current living situation. We have a small miniature schnauzer who is a great lapdog/watchdog/cabindog, but she can't handle deep snow or anything much longer than 3-4 miles hiking. She has a luxating patella issue that she's had surgery on, but still gets tired/skips on that leg after a few miles. It'd be nice to have a dog that I can be active with.

[Chugachjed]

I've seen my dog tomahawk like that down a chute and over a rock band. Not fun, he got busted up pretty bad. I'm pretty gun shy of skiing with the dog since then. Plus sometimes they can't climb to the line you're after and turn you around.

[Banh Mi]

I'm all for dogs in the backcountry responsibly. I am AGAINST for dogs on big avalanche lines, unless they are working an avalanche.

Ok ok... I agree.

And to the guy talking about entlebuchers, theyre great dogs. As a doberman owner, ive learned to love black and tan breeds. Owning dobermans has made me hesitant towards other dog breeds tho. Dobermans are the total package dog if you know how to keep them happy and respectful. Too bad they suck for backcountry.

I will be adopting two new puppies this spring, and thinking of breeds. My short list is greater swiss MD and Rottweiler, but also looking into a smaller breed with more stamina. Who knows, but it will be a ton of work.

[JayPowHound]

............

[Banh Mi]

You want a dog that loves to run in the snow... seems like you should be focusing almost exclusively on dogs that have been bred to run in the snow.

www.dogbreedinfo.com/sleddogs.htm

I dont do well with that fur type... And i need something that can also handle much warmer climates. A greater swiss MD seems to be perfect, only thing is theyre big heavy dogs.

[Shredhead]

12" new @ 15f for three hours.
We don't need no stinkin sweater and booties.

Having a dog is a 365 days/year proposition.

[jmedslc]

I'm a fan of the mutt approach, as it worked great w us the first time around. Gizmo is a border collie/heeler mix, loves the snow, used to shred 20mi mtb rides in her prime and still flies thru the air for frisbees at 11yo. Her fur does not attract snow and she is a svelte 35.5lbs, which allows her to float thru pow and accelerate extremely quickly. Her obedience is unwavering and she will still put in a solid 3h outside in the winter and all day backpacking in the summer. Her only detriment in summer is her black coat, which holds heat in the desert. Heck, she even learned to swim at 8y, after watching one of her lab friends in the lake!! We could only be so lucky to get another one like her.

[userA]

I dont do well with that fur type... And i need something that can also handle much warmer climates. A greater swiss MD seems to be perfect, only thing is theyre big heavy dogs.

labrador retrievers, most versatile breed year round.
North Bend Retriever Kennels, first class breeding in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains.
b

[skiJ]

I've thought a bit about this lately, and other than the breeds that have already been mentioned, Elkhounds, huskies, labs, etc, the one I keep coming back to is the Chesapeake Bay Retriever http://dogbreedinfo.com/chesapeakebay.htm

Seems that if you're not gonna get some sort of Artic dog, that a water dog would be the next best choice. A dog that can take the cold and stay dry underneath. I remember duck hunting in winter as a kid and the Chesapeakes and black labs would hit icy, icy rivers like it was nothing, swim out, shake off, and turn white because the water drops would freeze near instantaneously.
They'd do that all day if they could.

I ' ll Second the nomination for Chesapeakes --

My 'Blue' is now Ten years of age ;

She is,,, one of the Great Gifts of my Life --

Completely Dedicated. there is Nothing this dog could not have done --

She is my almost constant companion - Always Ready for any adventure .


assess The parentage -- Watch temperament and hips and eyes - and Temperment .

Chesapeakes are known to be One-person dogs - though 'Blue' is beautiful with other People .
... she can be,,, testy with other dogs
( as a young dog, she was dominant simply by her Energy . )


. . . I ' ll have another.

good luck ... skiJ

[Chugachjed]

My dog tomahawked down this steep hard snow ie spring skiing is super dangerous, dogs don't have edges.

[Orangutan Grabber]

http://www.courageouscaucasians.com/

Big, burly, and warm. In emergency - they could carry you back out to the truck!

[GoBig1776]

Best ski dog ever!
I got Nesta when a friend went into the Peace Corps and asked me to look after his mutt for two years. That was over a decade ago. Her mom was a white German shepherd and dad was allegedly from the neighbor's sled dog team. Good combo-very, very gentle toward humans, obedient enough, always very healthy and a natural talent for pulling. I bought her a harness when I got her at about 2 years old. My sled dog running friends say she is a "wheel" dog- not real good at leading, but pulls at a constant pace all day. At 65lb, she helps out a ton on the skin track. Her coat never balls up and is thick enough for brutal cold temps. She has always run down the slopes behind skiers, seldom getting in the way.
She will be 14 this coming February. We don't ski much powder together anymore, but we go cross-country skiing a couple times a week. My wife and I plan on getting two Husky/German Shepherd mutts somewhere down the line. Having a pulling dog for ski touring is great- it surprises me to see how many folks ski with their huskies un-harnessed. If anyone wants, Adanac Sleds in Montana still makes their x-back harness for around $20 and you can build a sweet lightweight leash from stuff you have in your junk drawer- bungee, some p-cord and a key chain biner.

[DoWork]

Thin Cover's Plotthound is a freakin' absolute beast and sends it with no hesitation. I'm always blown away at how little the cold effects him for being short haired. He also never stops moving though, so that probably helps.



I'd say there's many good choices out there. Mostly sporting breeds would be your best bet, lighter and more athletic is almost always better unless you're buying a Grand St. Bernard or a Burmese or something. I'd probably lean towards Samoyed, Elkhound, or if you're open to adopting any mutt that is mid-sized and has a middle of the road or thicker coat that is athletically built, attentive and alert would probably be a good place to start with.

[plugboots]

I'm a fan of the mutt approach, as it worked great w us the first time around. Gizmo is a border collie/heeler mix, loves the snow, used to shred 20mi mtb rides in her prime and still flies thru the air for frisbees at 11yo. Her fur does not attract snow and she is a svelte 35.5lbs

I agree with this. We did Goldens and Labs, and except for fur between the toes on the Goldens both were fine. In other words, lots of breeds work well.
We now like 35 pound lanky mutts, because that size would be easier to carry if you had to, and the lankyness helps for snow and speed.. Here's 2 short vids, (yes I know the camera is held wrong):
Notice he gets out of the way:

It's nice to have a dog to eat the goat poop out of the icy boot pack:

[summit]

Not to belabor the point, but there was an avalanche yesterday where a dog was buried 6 feet deep. Luckily it was saved because the person caught in the slide with it could hear it barking through the snow.