A Well Apppointed Dog on the Appalachian Trail - Charlie

Dreamer here,

Taking Charlie our dog with us on our Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike attempt is non-negotiable.  So please, hold your “I told you so” until we return from the trail.  This may be the worst decision we make with regards to our hike.  Oh well, Charlie is going with us.  And yes, there will be a serious cost!

Having Charlie along will mean there will be many places we will be unable to stay because they are not pet friendly.  And those places that are pet friendly add a pet fee for up to $40 per night!  Charlie will potentially be a hassle in and around the shelters.  Some hikers do not appreciate mans best friend, so we will have to be careful when in those situations.  More than likely, this will mean we have to stay in our tent in inclement weather when it would be easier to simply roll out our bags inside the shelter.

There are two places on the trail that simply do not allow pets of any kind: Smokey Mountain National Park and Baxter State Park in Maine.  So, in those places we have to pay transportation and kennel fees while Terri & I are hiking through those places.  Not cheap!  About $400 each depending on exactly how many days it takes us hike-through those parks.

The U.S. Mail will also like us.  All of Charlie’s meals and treats will come to us prepackaged from home, but the shipping charges are not free.  And there will also be those occasions when Terri & I would like to sit down in a restaurant and dine in when able.  Guess what, those places do not allow Charlie.  If we can’t get a spot by the window so that we can watch him, we may have to eat separately.

Last but not least, every hikers enemy, weight!  Charlie will carry his own food, treats and one jacket; but guess who will have to carry the other 3 – 4 pounds?  You got it, Dreamer!  For those of you that know Charlie, you know he is well trained (not perfect) and acts more like a human than a dog.  He is a “Feist”, a breed from the South, Mississippi or Alabama and bread to hunt varmints.  And he does it well.  However, his Achilles Heel is cold.  Being from the South, he does not tolerate the cold very well.  That explains all the insulated jackets you will see below in his equipment and clothing list.

All that being said, we cannot leave him home!  Charlie is a hiking fool and loves being in the woods.  For those of you that know us, Charlie is more than a dog to us.  He is like having another child.   In our opinion the love that he gives us will more than compensate for all the obvious issues.  We’ll see…  Like I said before, this may be one of those decisions we regret, but for now, we go with our hearts.

Charlie’s Clothing and Gear List

5.1oz - Thermo rest Z-Lite Pad

6.0oz – Boots by Ruff Wear

25oz - Back Pack (Palisades) by Ruff Wear

9.9oz – Outer Insulated Jacket by Sooters Friends

7.5oz – 3-Layer Rain Jacket by Hurta

6.1oz – Insulated Jacket (Cloud Chaser) by Ruff Wear

8.1oz – Fleece Jacket by Apache River

3.5oz – Pack Cover

3.3oz – 6’ Retractable Leash

0.7oz – Collapsible Dog Bowl

0.2oz – 12’ of Tie Out Cord

4.4oz – Trekker (Stuffed Animal)

64oz – Dog Food (4-2cup Bags) “4 Days”

0.3oz – Plastic Poop Bags

12oz – Treats “4 Days”

At this point, Charlie will carry his own: food, treats, poop bags, tie out cord, collapsible bowl, pack cover, shoes and backpack.  I will carry the rest.

As always, I would love to hear your feedback and comments,

~Dreamer

PS In our Bounce Box, we will carry Charlie’s extra items like: toothbrush and toothpaste nail clippers and Heartworm pills.