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Letters to the Editor

" All the freaky people make the beauty of the world. - Michael Franti "

Measuring Up ... with dog

First of all, I would like to commend you on the quality of writing in previous issues of Inside/Outside Southwest magazine. If I lived outside the area and could not get your magazine for free, I would probably subscribe. I would like to comment, however, on a recent article in the July/August 2007 issue "Hiking . . . with dog" by Alan Kesselheim that does not measure up to your usual standards.

Alan's dog is a mixed-breed (Australian Shepherd/Husky mix) rescued from an animal shelter and seems to be a very smart and relatively well-behaved and well-trained pet. For these things, I commend the owner. More folks should adopt shelter mutts that are often euthanized for lack of good homes. It is too bad that Alan is not a more enthusiastic and responsible dog owner, however.

Although, I found the article somewhat entertaining at first, in retrospect, it has some glaring problems with regards to animal health and safety. The most serious is the author admitting to giving his dog "a couple of ibuprofen" for discomfort.

Ibuprofen can be very dangerous for dogs. Depending on the dose, it can cause significant gastric irritation and even irreversible kidney damage.

Aspirin, Naproxen and Tylenol and other over-the-counter pain medications can be very dangerous for both dogs and cats. The only exception is that aspirin is sometimes given in very small dosages to dogs under the direction of a vet. It is important that pet owners never administer any medications to pets without the direction of a local veterinarian. As a responsible editor, you should have consulted a local vet before printing this information in your magazine.

Furthermore, the author, Alan Kesselheim, is not a responsible pet owner, in my opinion. He even begins his article admitting that "dogs en route are at best an interruption, at worst a pain-in-the-ass" on the trail and in the outdoors. His dog seems to be pretty smart and well-behaved, but is often poorly supervised and is allowed to chase squirrels, chipmunks and deer.

He admits that his dog "escapes and doesn't come back for half a day."

When one takes their dog into the outdoors where there are inevitable encounters with wildlife and other people, a dog needs to be kept on a leash or under voice command by a vigilant and responsible pet owner. Deer can also be very dangerous for dogs as well as elk, coyotes, bear, porcupines, not to mention skunks.

Responsible dog owners should consider what may happen and what injuries may occur to their pet, and to wild animals, when a dog runs loose unsupervised.

Dogs should not be allowed to chase wildlife!

Basically, these habitats belong to and sustain wildlife, not domesticated dogs. You and your dog are only visitors in the woods, and you should be a more responsible guest, as such.

Alan admits that dogs have "climbing and canyoneering limitations," but does little to insure the safety of his dog on an extended hike into Dark Canyon and its tributaries, until it was evident that the dog would be left behind howling at the top of a waterfall. He even says that "more than once" his dog was "committed to a move that ended in a bad fall."

Then the author complained when he had to put the dog on a leash and make a detour that the dog could negotiate.

Perhaps, Alan should have been kept his dog on a leash for most of the trip and helped him over the hard places or even better left the dog at home. The author is lucky that dog survived the trip at all, in my opinion.

As an editor, you might consider some of these safety issues before printing an article about taking dogs on the trail. I look forward to future articles on hiking with dogs that set a better example of responsible pet ownership.

- Steve Studebaker, Durango, Colorado

Kesselheim Responds:

I appreciate Mr. Studebaker's concern and heart-felt worldview. At the same time, my advice to him is to lighten up and allow a little gray in.

In the world he presents, all relationships, human and animal, are whole-hearted and uncomplicated. Life is a manicured experience where pet owners are ever vigilant and in command, children in malls are tethered, everyone checks with their doctor before they down an aspirin, and we humans "visit" nature from wherever it is that we live.

I don't live in that paradigm, and have no interest in it. My relationship with Beans continues to evolve. We accommodate each other, sometimes appreciate each other, sometimes resent each other. That's the deal. From what I can tell, he has a great life, mostly thanks to frequent walks and to my kids, who have remained steadfast in their commitment to him. Yes, he downs an occasional pain-killer when he's gimpy after a really long outing, probably once a year. Yes, he pursues squirrels and chipmunks, never successfully. And, much as I'd love to break him of his deer-chasing obsession, it's hard-wired. And no, I will not have him constantly on a leash, especially in the backcountry.

Dogs continue to be a mixed blessing, on the trail and in my life. It's not the only gray area I have to cope with, and I'm guessing, if Mr. Studebaker is honest with himself, he'll find shades of gray in his paradigm as well. - Alan Kesselheim

What's on your mind? We want to hear your thoughts, gripes, concerns, rants, rages and nearly anything else you can put into legible sentences. Write: Inside/Outside SW Magazine, Att: Editor, P.O. Drawer A, Durango, CO 81302; or letters@insideoutsidemag.com