Crag: Slang for “climbing area”; a steep rugged cliff or rock face.

Dog: Slang for “best friend”; a domesticated canid, Canis familiaris, bred in many varieties. All of them, cute.

CragDog: Slang for “best friend at a climbing area”; A cute four-legged friend hanging out while you climb.

There are many types of CragDogs: big, small, young, old, loud, quiet, sleepy, energetic The list goes on and on. Heck, there are even crag cats. Knowing when and where to bring your CragDog is important.

  1. Are dogs allowed at the climbing area? Know where you are climbing, many National Park lands have restrictions on dogs in the backcountry. Almost all climbing locations require your dog to be on a leash.
  2. Is your dog a people person? Some dogs just don’t like people. If your dog is actively aggressive towards people, it may be best to leave them at home. Other dogs only react when people bother them. Know your dog and where you are climbing. If you feel uncomfortable, leave them behind,
  3. Is your dog dog-friendly? Some dogs do not like other dogs, plain and simple. If there are a lot of dogs running around, you know the drill.
  4. Are you prepared for a dog fight? Some people don’t leash their dogs no matter the rules. Fights will happen. If your dog getting into a fight ruins your day of climbing, you may want to skip the headache.
  5. Are you willing to break your best friend’s heart by leaving them at home?

If you take anything from this article, don’t let your dog ruin climbing for others. Don’t let climbing ruin your dog’s day by leaving them behind.

Our advice, go bouldering, bring two crashpads. One for climbing, and one for cragdog naps.

CragDog