What do you all think about dogs in the backcountry? (Terrifying experience today)

[summit]

And what about those who only take their dogs on days where avy danger is low and the terrain is moderate. I realize they may be the exception rather than the rule, but they do exist.

They are too few unfortunately.

I believe there are at LEAST three or four well known maggots who have had THEIR animals involved/buried in a slide.

And then the dozens and dozens who have had negative or dangerous experiences with their ski partners animals.

And then the countless many who have negative or dangerous experiences from stranger's animals.

... oh but the dog owners are virtually always positive about their BC experience.

It's not that all dog owners are irresponsible with their dogs in the BC, just the vast majority who frequent the terrain that maggots do.

[gimpy]

it all depends on the dog and how it's been trained to ski. personally one of the reasons why i bc ski 99% of the time is so i can take my dog w/ me. when he was younger i'd leave him behind when skiing steep couloirs, but as he's progressed and listens better i hardly ever leave him at home anymore. he's skied the crescent a couple times and others that would have you folks calling me an irresponsible dog owner many times over. he's had some scary moments but i think he's learned from them all and he now exercises better judgement then i do sometimes. i tell him to stay back and he does and he never skiis in front of other ski partners. the most obvious aspect of a good ski dog is one that you hardly even notice he's there. i agree that untrained dogs are a royal pain in the ass to ski w/ but the good ones are just such a joy to a ski w/ that i'd choose my dog over a partner that doesn't want to ski w/ a dog anyday. and yeah, i don't ever pack his shit out though i will sometimes flip it off the skintrack. and if you don't own a dog or have never skied w/ a well trained one, well you just wouldn't understand.