Trail dogs come in all sizes

People are often shocked to find a chihuahua stashed in my husbands backpack.  She lays there quietly, taking in the scenery and relishes the weekends outdoors.  Most of the time, when someone mentions taking to the trail with their canine friend, images of a large, friendly lab come to mind.  Most of the time, it is a medium size mixed breed from the local shelter.  I have even run across a bassett hound once.  It was quite a vision, as he was quite worn out with his low clearance legs!
Most dogs, with the right attention prior, can be a trail dog.  My husband and I have a 12 year old Chihuahua and a Jack Russell terrier.  The chihuahua is always carried in our pack until be get to our destination (or a well deserved break).  She is well trained and stays close to us in camp (we do realize that she resemble food to most everything around us).  Our Jack Russell takes another tactic.  She is NEVER off leash or a lead.  She is headstrong and a "ratter" so she is bred to "go to ground" if she catches the scent of vermin.  She also tends to think she is larger so she is in a always in a harness.This makes her easy to snatch up if there is any oncoming traffic, in particular, another dog.  So there is where my household stands in the dog arena.
So, the next time you are on the trail, you just might be surprised what is hiding in someone's pack!

GET OUT AND PLAY IN SOME DIRT :-)