travel and rhum

First thing is first. I (38m) own two dogs, I do not take them hiking. One is not well behaved enough, we realized after two years with this dog he is just too skittish and jumpy around strangers, he gets very defensive of my wife. We are aware of this, so he stays home when we do go hiking.

With that out of the way, dog owners are ruining hiking. My 7 year old daughter was bitten by a leashed dog at a national park.

We were walking down the lower Yosemite falls “trail” (overcrowded paved path), a young dog on a leash is coming up going the opposite way, I watch closely as it passes my wife and oldest daughter ahead of us with no reaction. The second it gets next to me and my youngest daughter, without warning it bites my daughters left leg. I lost it, I was about to start a fist fight on the trail, but I calmed myself down and made sure my daughter was ok. The bite didn’t break skin but a small bruise did form later on. The owner provided the same poor excuse “she never bites.” That’s what they all say, and it’s true, until it’s not.

This isnt even the first time this has happened, just the most recent. In an unrelated incident I had a leashed dog attempt to bite my leg with no warning but got my hydro flask instead, and dented it really bad.

I don’t know what is going on lately, are dog owners more dense nowadays? It is a constant nuisance encountering dogs and their oblivious, self centered owners on the trails. They either let their dog poop and don’t clean it up, or bag it and drop it just off the trail, or their “good/sweet/gentle dog” is off leash and aggressive.

I can’t just enjoy a hike with my family without being over vigilant every time we meet a dog on trail, every time I let my guard down and try to trust something bad happens (I also mountain bike, I have been charged or attacked several times by dogs off leash).

I am aware that my dog will not behave on the trails, so he stays home, when we go for walks around my neighborhood we carry bags and cleanup and place the waste in a trash bin or carry it home. How do other people not accept the responsibility of dog ownership.

End of rant. If you are a dog owner and you take your dog hiking, be responsible and self aware, if your dog sucks because you suck, don’t take them hiking on popular trails or any trails for that matter.

P.s. we had my daughter checked out by medics at the site, they confirmed that no skin was broken and to watch for signs of infection. In my blind rage I didn’t think to call the park rangers and file a report. The shithead dog owner walked away and blended into the throngs of people on the trail. I should have done better in the moment but it took all I had not to start a fight and set a bad example in front of my kids.