In reply to UKC/UKH Articles:
Dogs can be very persistent following mountaineers, especially Nepali dogs. We had one follow us for days up to an 4600 m acclimatisation peak once from a lowland village near Dhaulagiri.
The most memorable encounter with a canine dogging our footsteps though was in winter in Tierra del Fuego when we were trying a new route up Cerro Bonete via a Scottish IV/V gully line. To our surprise a dog appeared and followed us for several miles across deep powder as we post-holed towards the mountain then amazingly followed us up the first 200-ft of Grade II/III-ish ground before the steep ice began. At this point the pooch began to look uncertain for the first time and clearly was reluctant to try to downclimb what it had somehow managed to scamper up with its built-in crampons.
At this point it dawned on us that we either had to abandon the climb and rope the poor mutt down – or ‘persuade’ it to retreat. As it was a very snowy gully lower down with a big powder bowl at the bottom we reckoned – perhaps a little heartlessly – that if we gave it a good shove off the belay ledge (it had continued to studiously ignored our suggestions (in Spanish and English) and arm waving to go down) - it might instinctively ‘otter slide’ back down.
So, I am afraid to say, dog lovers, we gave it a hefty shove with a Size 9 Koflach (minus crampons – we did possess some canine compassion) and watched, slightly apprehensively, as the intrepid hound careered out of control back down 200-ft of gully. It came to standstill at the bottom, picked itself up, shook its shaggy coat and sat watching us for a bit before trotting off.
We never did get up the gully – perhaps we should have sent the dog on ahead instead.