Rappeling/glacier travel/canyoneering with your dog?

[linds-o-rama]

Hey everybody,

I'm in the process of designing a strength-rated harness for dogs. Some potential uses include rappel, lowering off chairlifts, getting into/out of helicopters, glacier travel, canyoneering, etc.

Do any of you do this kind of crazy stuff with your dog? If so, I want to talk to you!

[Chugachjed]

I've lowered my dog before, he's no good at rappelling. I try to never take him on a glacier. I just used web to make a harness for him so I could lower him down a cliff. It was impromtu as I wasn't expecting to encounter a vertical scenario.

[zion zig zag]

I'm just going to warn you not to let your dog belay you. Yours may be better, but mine has a really short attention span.

[splat]

My dog used to rappel quite a bit, but his fangs frayed the rope.

You could prolly sell a shitton of dog harnesses in NYC.
Just put a pic on the wrapper of someone lowering their pooch from a burning fifth story window to a fireman and a quote that says, "Just because you will die doesn't mean Bosco has to suffer."

[SP_sam-O]

I'm just going to warn you not to let your dog belay you. Yours may be better, but mine has a really short attention span.

haha helpful

[Gilla]

I made one for my dog w/ some tubular webbing and a juki sewing machine. The first one took me the better part of an afternoon to size and mock up. The next one took me maybe 30 minutes to put together. I used some foam and fleece to pad some of the sections. Also made some dog sledding harnesses for my dog as well.

[eldereldo]

Since I don't own a dog I really don't understand. But why would you want to take your dog into a situation where you need to do this? What exactly are you accomplishing, do you have some indication that your dog is enjoying the experience, or is it just that you want to have a companion along that doesn't bitch

[linds-o-rama]

I just talked to a guy who is through-hiking the AT with his dog, and he wants a strength-rated harness for his dog for small rappels. Personally, I like to have my dog roped up on sketchy areas on ski trips. We've got a ton of ski patrollers and K9 SAR/avy people who need strength-rated harnesses for getting their dogs in and out of helis and on and off chairlifts. There are a few examples for ya.

What I don't get are people who fly (hang glide, paraglide) with their dogs. They always look miserable....