Wag Kind
Dogs and the outdoors are a pairing as good as peanut butter & jelly, burgers & fries, or biscuits & gravy. Having man's best friend with you on your outing feels more than right. It feels necessary, almost primal. Just you and your pup, setting off for the river, a summit, a mountain-bike loop, or, in the fall, some tail—pheasant tail, that is.
But just because your dog is more closely related to the rest of the animal kingdom doesn't mean it should be considered part of nature. Your dog, just like you, is a visitor to the wild lands in our big back yard, and therefore subject the same restraints. And it's up to you to be the steward of your four-legged companion when you both wander off into the woods.
Dog food is a unique, specialized blend of substances that aren't naturally found out in the wild, and dog poop carries bacteria and potential viruses & parasites.
The messiest topic regarding dogs in the backcountry seems to be, well, poop. When should we pick it up, and when, if ever, is it okay to leave it behind? Ask 10 different people, you'll probably get 10 different answers. Even though you may not have asked, here's my take. I pick up my dog's poop every single time, whether I'm at an in-town park, up on the Painted Hills trail, or yes, even bushwhacking way back in the remote backcountry. Okay, honestly, maybe that's a bit of a stretch. Admittedly, maybe I'm guilty of turning a blind eye on occasion. But I do think that's a good high bar to set and strive for, for a few important reasons.
My dog's food is a unique, specialized blend of substances that aren't naturally found out in the wild, and dog poop carries bacteria and potential viruses and parasites. If a wild animal ingests that, it can get pretty sick, and out there, sick often means a real struggle between life and death. Not to mention that all that bacteria has to go somewhere, and much of it ends up back in our watersheds, including our own here in Bozeman.
Okay, rant over. Now I'll admit that being a good dog owner while out & about isn't all rules and regulations. It should be fun, too. After all, our pals are here to enhance our lives. A puppy party on Peets Hill or over at Lindley Park is full of enough joy and zoomies to leave you laughing for days.
Still, all that fun is made possible by following a set of norms, once mostly unspoken, until Outside Kind put them down in nice, clean-cut language we can all agree on. And poop is just the start of it. There's plenty more to consider, like how to handle community off-leash areas without stepping on any toes or paws, what to do when horses are in the mix, how to navigate other multi-use trails, and yeah, maybe a little more potty language.
Here's a partial list of Wag Kind tenets:
Wag Aware: Obeying applicable leash laws is our responsibility—know the leash requirements of your area's parks and trails.
Wag Responsible: Off-leash doesn't mean "responsibility-free." Basic obedience training allows you to call your dog away from conflicts with wildlife, other trail users, and other dogs.
Wag No Trace: Don't get caught empty-handed—always bring dog-waste bags with you.
Wag Kind: When you see an on-leash dog in an off-leash area, assume that its owner doesn't feel confident about interactions with other dogs or people. Steer your own dog clear.
Wag Safe: Keep your dog close when on popular biking trails, ski trails, and horse trails. Accidents can happen when dogs run in front of other trail users.
Wag Prepared: Know the trail conditions and if there is water for your dogs or not. Carry supplemental water to keep your pup hydrated, if needed.
