My name is Terese, Hello everybody!

[terese]

I was surfing the internet for info on the pilgrimage, when I found this forum. Hopefully I can get some good advice for my pilgrimage here. I am planning a trip within a year or two. My first question is, can I take my dog with me on the hike? Is the hike dog-friendly? What about accommodation along the route when you're traveling with your four-legged friend? Would be thankful for answers to my questions and I'm sure I'll be posting more questions in the future after I've done some more research on this site.

 

[ivar]

Hi and welcome to the forum Terese,

I did a quick search in the forum for "dog" and found the following topics:
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1107&p=4155
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=444&p=1964

Happy planning and buen camino,
Ivar

 

[Artemis]

Hi Terese,

In 2006 I there was a woman from Portugal (Olga) who walked with her dog (Edy). I think the main problem she was having was finding places to stay that would accept animals. In Santa Domingo they let her tie Edy in the garden. At O Cebreiro it was cold and rainy and she was trying to fashion some sort of place outside for her but later they allowed her to put Edy in the laundry room because someone else came with a dog and he slept out there with them. I saw her in San Bol and there were several people with dogs there. Sometimes she stayed at other places instead of the albergues if they wouldn't allow dogs. I walked with them for a couple of days and would see them off and on all the way to Finisterre. Edy was able to get a Compostella in Finisterre for walking from Santiago. She sure deserved it since she walked twice as much as us because of running ahead and then back and all the side trips she made.

Buen Camino,
Artemis

 

[MermaidLilli]

HI, My first night in an albergue (in this case a gite... I was in SJPP) I had a doggy roomie. He was very well behaved and next morning he left with his human wearing a doggy backpack!! I asked what was in it and the owner said that is his food supply. Adorable. Her is the link to this perrogrino. Hehe.
http://pix.ie/mermaidlilli/420366/in/album/317743

I saw another one later on as well.... they walked the whole camino.
Lillian

 

[Javier Martin]

It's possible, Terese, I've seen several perrogrinos in the Camino.

Mermaid Lilli, this is the first I can see with his own backpack!!

Buen Camino,

Javier Martin
Madrid, Spain.

 

[vinotinto]

My first question is, can I take my dog with me on the hike? Is the hike dog-friendly? What about accommodation along the route when you're traveling with your four-legged friend?

I saw two instances of people walking with dogs. The first was a young Euro gal who walked with her pooch - from what I heard, she had to sleep outside here and there because some albergues wouldn't accept dogs. The other was a Spanish couple, one doing the Camino on holiday. They had some trouble keep their dog apart from local perros.

There are local dogs on the Way, along with various farm animals, so there is the possibility of conflict. Finally, depending on when you go, it can be either very hot, or cold and rainy - or sometimes both, which may be a bit tough on certain breeds, especially when the terrain gets tough. All factors to consider... :arrow:

 

[oursonpolaire]

In three Caminos I have only twice seen people with their dogs. One was a retired French police inspector in Aragon, who stayed in hotels and pensions-- he told me that there had been problems with farm dogs in southern France but there had been no great damage. The dog (a small sort of Alsatian) seemed to be able to keep up with him, but he was walking slowly.

The other was an Englishman and his two sons in Rabanal. One of them was developmentally challenged, and did not want to leave without the dog, to which he was very much attached. However, almost no albergue accepted the dog (a few convents excepted) and this caused him a great deal of distress, as the dog had to be left outside.

The hospitalero in Rabanal in 2005 told me that he had seen two pilgrim dogs with damaged paws from the excessive walking and, having dealt with aggressive guard and farm dogs on routes other than the Camino Francese, I would be very reluctant indeed to take a dog with me, but some people seem to manage, somehow.

 

[Arn]

Gosh, I really don't want to be a wet blanket, but I must.

There are very few "dogs" that can still be considered wild...that you'd want to have as a pet. These domesticated dogs, while still appearing to be a tough breed, have one major failing...they love their owners, and their owners love them.

You can see this as you drive/walk around many cities: formerly "tough" dogs, with bandannas around their necks, heads out of car windows...tongue going like mad, or on a cold day...curled up at the pet owners feet, without a care in the world. The dog becomes more than a pet, it becomes a part of the family. You take it everywhere and, it loves the going. But a trip to Aunt Betty's, or a two hour romp in the park...isn't the Camino!

I doubt very much if, when you were hit with the desire to walk the Milky Way, you asked your dog if they wanted to go along. Oh, you may have been excited and said something like, "Butch, how'd you like to take a 800kn walk...huh, boy! Would you like that?" And, Butch, sensing you were happy (about something) jumped and twisted around and panted...with a big doggy smile...thinking, I know if I act excited I may get a big bone.

Consider this...if you haven't practiced walking long distances and broken in your boots, you're likely to have blisters and sore feet. But you can do somethings to arrest the problem. You can buy insoles, wear special socks, etc. if you do get a blister, you dab some ointment on...add a bandage or some moleskin and trek on. If you get tired, need to use the facility, etc...you say to yourself...SELF, I need to do this...and you do! But your dog, being domesticated...only wants to please you. So, when the dog is starting to injure its pads, when it picks up a thorn, or gets something caught between its toes...it presses on, because the dog loves you.

Now, I'll assume, you really love your pooch. You bring all the things you might need to make the family member happy. You share food, or carry special dog food. Even better, you get the dog to carry its own vittles. Boy, that's something new to your dog. You may even go so far as to buy "booties" to protect the dog. Ever see a dog fight another dog, sure they bite, but they also use their paws and the nails that are attached. There are wild dogs on the Camino...real wild dogs that, when hungry, or "in heat" will attack to get what they want. OOPS...I never asked the sex of your dog. THAT, could be a problem. But, whatever, because your dog has those cute booties on, their nails are covered and they're vulnerable.

When I hiked the Appalachian Trail, there were several hikers that had a dog along. The lean-to's aren't that big, so when the dog was brought , the owner would ask if it was OK if the dog came inside...almost to a person we'd say NO! Not to be harsh, but because the dog wanted company and would walk all over our gear, track mud on sleeping bags, salivate into cooking pots and, bring in fleas and ticks.

When dogs get excited, they often urinate or defecate...right there! There can be someone else's, pack, bed roll or lap. That's not fun, and one of the reasons few albergue's allow dogs.

I love dogs, I've had many and will have one again. If you really want a superior Camino and truly love your dog, take some pictures and show them to your warm, healthy, probably fat dog (cuz folks will over feed them) when you get home.

Buen Camino

Arn

 

[Deirdre]

I saw only two dogs on my Camino. One was a happy English setter who was out with his owners a French family (parents, 4 kids, 2 sets of grandparents and their guide) for a jaunt along the Roman road in Castilla Leon. He clearly was not traveling too far...

The other was in Rabanal traveling with a young man who camped outside the albergues because his dog was not allowed inside in most of them. I believe camping is the most reasonable option for people who want to make the Camino with a dog. It also allows more flexibility in catering to the particular needs of the dog.

However, in the end, and as a long time dog owner as well, I must agree with Arn (once again the voice of reason!) I think the stress of the travel, the change in environment, etc, would be very hard on a dog. The Camino is hard on people, and they choose to do it!
Buen Camino,

 

[William Marques]

How big is your dog? Perhaps you could do as some have and cycle or ride a horse carrying your pet. Of course this would not work if you have a Newfoundland or other large dog.

The couple I am thinking of rode the Via Francigena with a dog and are now writing a guide book for it. The first one in English, it even has a little doggie logo under accommodation to show where dogs are accepted.

On the Camino the refugios are not designed for dogs and the suggestion of using a tent is probably a wise one.

Buen Camino
William

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Terese, welcome to the Forum ,
Taking your dog along is lovely idea but it does give you more things to think about and deal with above what the average pilgrim has to cope with.
I'll not go into all the difficulties since they have all been pretty well dealt with. However I did meet with one Spanish pilgrim who got his parents to take the dog home because it was beginning to suffer with sore feet :
Whatever you decide - Buen Camino
Brendan