I went camping last week with my Boston. We were on a hike about 2 miles from the camper in a SW Idaho desert near Zeno Falls. The area is covered with waist high sage brush. She is very good and always sticks close to me. But I went out on a very narrow ledge to try to take a pic of the Falls. I left her standing at the top of a rock slide about 300 ft away.When I returned she was gone. I could not find her anywhere. I hollered and searched and hollered and searched. I virtually ran back up the canyon and back to the camper to see if she went there.Nope, not there. I returned to the Falls. I was frantic. It's been 2 hours now and I still can't find her. This area is lousy with rattlesnakes, birds of prey and coyotes. Then I catch a glimpse of her about 100 yds down into the canyon. I called to her but my voice echoed off the opposite canyon wall and she headed in that direction.After I got to where I last seen her it took another hour to find her again. She was almost in heat stroke. Very warm day and there was no way she could get to the creek for a drink, steep canyon walls.I got water down her and poured on her and she laid in the shade of a bush until rested up.Anyway, I had finally found her within 50 yards of when I first lost her. I shopped around town for a GPS dog tracker, all way too big for an 18# dog. A friend suggested a bear bell. I'm pretty sure I could have located her fairly fast had she been wearing one.But my main concern here is that could it also attract predators? Maybe faster then I could have found her?Here is the terrain I was in. I went up and down that canyon 4 times searching for her. I still feel like I have climbed a million stairs!!! But I am more thankful to have her home safe and sound.I would appreciate any thoughts on the bell. Thanks......DJ

Glad you found her safe and got her home. Leashes are not just for PEOPLES protection, especially in the back country.

skipnchar wrote:Glad you found her safe and got her home. Leashes are not just for PEOPLES protection, especially in the back country.Exactly...Skip, you took the words right out of my mouth.

Thank God she's safe DJ. I would've been sick. I know you are asking about a bell, but I don't understand why not the GPS device. Other's mentioned a leash. Maybe one that is retractable and attaches to your waist. I know they are a hassle but it's for their protection. We keep leashes on our dogs. My little Maltese would disappear in a second without it. Once while hiking to hot springs beyond Boiling Springs, we had to hike over ledges. My thought was that if my Maltese slipped, that leash would be her life line, literally. My fear would be that one of my three take off after something they see and never come back. That nightmare was almost realized with you, but you were both very fortunate.

Glad your story had a happy ending!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Bears, and many other critters, do NOT like surprises. Most will leave IF they hear you coming. Bear bells are mostly used to avoid surprising bears. My dog wears a bear bell when we go walking. It is ALSO helpful for me to keep track of him, though he never gets very far away. As I recall it is from Silverfoot.IMHO the kind that look like sleigh bells are useless, you want the kind that looks like a small cow bell.

There are smaller bells available, too. They are used on bird hunting dogs - they have a loop to slip on the collar, or a snap. Even though they are small, they are loud.But, I know I would not have the courage to take my dogs into a wilderness area unleashed. It is for their safety and yours, like others said. There are all kinds of leashes and harnesses available that are designed to be "hands-free" for people who run with their dogs. They are worth looking in to.

Bear bell for dog? | Good Sam Community

18 Replies

bka0721
Explorer II
May 14, 2013
Hey Buddy. Sorry for what happened.

I have had a couple of scares with my buddy too. But that is life. Those that don't live out in the open spaces of the west, don't really understand this issue as well. My buddy has lost his ability to hear and at night, he stays really close, no doubt his own concern with Coyotes, bears and other things. I have always used bells, way back to the 60s with my bird dogs, and use one of my Bear Bells all the time, now. As old and slow as he is, I can be looking at the stars and he just stumbles away. One of the things I started using, a number of years ago, in conjunction with the Bear Bell, is one of those flashing lights. I first got two of them (at REI) to put on my pack and jacket when I was was out walking in the snow, late at night. As you know, I have been hit by cars before, and am trying to cut down it happening again. It works great at night, on the dog. I have had a few people talk to me about it, when all they saw is this blinking red light moving around in the distance, not knowing it was my dog.

To be honest, one of the reasons I have the Bear Bell, on the pup too, is if a wild animal does grab him, I know which way he was taken and for me to go the opposite way. Now you know why people don't go hiking with me, in bear country! :-)

b
ReneeG
Explorer
May 14, 2013
I have one of those too - a baby carrier for a dog - use it for my Maltese because she tires easily now that she's 15.
_DJ_1
Explorer II
May 13, 2013
Thanks all for the kind words and advice!!! I know it was a stupid stupid thing to do. I usually have her leashed while out like that mainly because of rattlesnakes. Or if we get to a ledge too tall or steep for her I can reach down and pick her up. I even had the darn leash in my pocket!!!

But the sage brush made it near impossible to use. I think I may also invest in a baby carrier!!!
Eurocamper
Explorer
May 13, 2013
First, as a dog owner I'm glad you dog is all right; second, I don't see this as a leashing issue. If your dog knows its name and has good recall just keep it within hollering range.

I know bird hunters use bells to keep track of their dogs, I don't see why you shouldn't. In fact, it's such a good idea I think I'll get a couple for for my dogs to wear in the back country.

I don't see a down side. In all likelihood predators will see/smell/hear you pet regardless of the bell; there's no reason I know that a predator would associate a bell with food; its a good aid for you to keep track of your dog in the brush; and it may well scare predators away.
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
May 13, 2013
I can only imagine your terror....

Re bear bells attracting predators? I would think a dog frantically running, trying to find its owner, would be the bigger enticement....please don't scare your dog like that again?!
CA_POPPY
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Reminds me, a few years ago we were taking a nature hike at a preserve near here. The ranger told us that weekend hikers go out there with their dogs all the time, and very often the dog runs off chasing a rabbit, and is never seen again. :E
azgundog
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Most tracking collars use satellite driven. The dog wears the collar that bounces the signal back to a hand held device the person carries. The long range devices can be up to 9 miles but that is open spaces. When you start to get into heavier foliage it is anywhere between 4-7 miles. The newer ones can also alert you to a dog in trouble and you can set a boundary for your dog and if they go out of that area it will alert you. If you have a multiple dog pack you can get ones that will track that and you are still only carrying one hand held device.
Code2High
Explorer
May 13, 2013
I don't think the issue was "unleashed" here. The issue was "hey, I'm going over here, you stay there." Bad idea, basically. Don't do it again. If you want to go get a shot and can't take the dog to that spot, don't take the dog, or take another person with so they can wait with the dog.

Basic rule in the wilderness is "don't split up."

Now, as for "what if some other thing happens and my dog is separated from me," that's a different subject and you'd need to look at whether technology would function back there (does it operate on cell or satellite signal?) as far as the tracking collars. The bell would work over short distances, but if something goes really sideways and the dog is out of earshot, then it's useless. And in canyons and hills, it can be a little tough to figure out where sound is and how to get to it, because of the way things bounce around.
chrisnpat
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Thank God you found your little dog before a predator did. My advice, as others said a Lease to me is the best protection your pup can have. Bells and whistles are great but if your 18 pd. dog is grabbed by a coyote or bear, no noise maker is going to help her.

You were very lucky and I'm glad the Man Above was watching out for your little guy.
Kidsgone
Explorer
May 13, 2013
Living in FLa most of my life, I gotta admit I've never heard of a bear bell...shark bells maybe, but not bear bells. I have a question regarding these...does it damage the hearing of the dog? Dogs have sensitive ears as we all know and this has got to be annoying to them to some degree...right? I fully understand the safety importance, but what about the damage to their ears? And does this prevent them from hearing things that they should hear in the wild???
Just thinking....

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Bear bell for dog?

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