BajaNomad - Maine Dogs in Baja

Maine Dogs in Baja

RufusTheDoofus - 11-16-2010 at 08:18 PM

My wife and I are planning to drive from northern Maine to Agua Verde (possibly Cabo Pulmo) this winter. We plan to head out just before Christmas and will be bringing our two dogs with us. We're traveling in a 1980 Toyota HJ45 Landcruiser Troop Carrier.

We plan to primarily stick to beach camping or places along the water on both coasts of Baja. We'll hopefully spend 6 - 8 weeks in Mexico before heading home.

I'm concerned about the dogs. I understand there are different vaccinations required for the southwest and Mexico that they don't get up here. Are there any helpful web sites that will give me the info I need to pass on to my vet?

How about rattlesnakes? Are rattlers prevalent in coastal areas? I think we'll do the avoidance training in San Diego. I'm considering the vaccine for one of the dogs since he's a German Shorthaired Pointer/pit bull mix. He follows his nose into trouble all the time.

Any words of wisdom for a northeastern dog owner?

I haven't been to Baja in 15 years. Last trip was to the hot springs at Guadalupe Canyon. I think we're skipping that area this trip.

[Edited on 11-17-2010 by RufusTheDoofus]

[Edited on 11-17-2010 by RufusTheDoofus]

Snakes

bajaguy - 11-16-2010 at 08:35 PM

We have 2 Yellow Labs. Put the young one through Rattlesnake avoidance training. She was a quick learner, then a year later, did a repeat. She would not go anywhere near the snakes. We also get the "pre-bite" vaccinations.....does not make them immune, but delays the reaction....still have to get them to a Vet, ASAP.

I'm sold on the avoidance training and the "vaccinations"......

mcfez - 11-16-2010 at 09:06 PM

Take clear pictures of each dog....in case they run off and get lost.
Keep em on a leash.....for their sake..keeps them from getting lost.

Read this. One of many lost dog nightmares
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=48173#pid5539...

bajaguy - 11-16-2010 at 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mcfez
Take clear pictures of each dog....in case they run off and get lost.
Keep em on a leash.....for their sake..keeps them from getting lost.

Read this. One of many lost dog nightmares
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=48173#pid5539...

And don't forget collars with ID Tags and a contact number for you!!!!!.....would also be a good idea to get ID tags in Spanish also

woody with a view - 11-16-2010 at 09:18 PM

define coastal. in oct we saw a snake 75 feet from the pacific in the central region. 1st time for us, but it happens.

RufusTheDoofus - 11-16-2010 at 09:39 PM

Coastal: camping sites as close to the high-tide line as reasonably possible.

We do plan to keep the dogs on leashes most of the time. When not on a tethered leash they are on Dogtra field training collars. They are good for up to 1 mile line of site or a half mile in the woods.

Thanks for the suggestion on photos. The pointer mix is brindle and looks a lot like many Mexican dogs I've seen over the years.

DianaT - 11-16-2010 at 10:06 PM

Where we are, our dogs run free on the beach, but it is a limited area and they do not run off. Watching them run free in the surf is one of our favorite reasons for being where we are. From the time we hit Bahia Asuncion until we leave, our dogs don't see a leash.

We would not take them to Baja without.

1. Heartworm protection---
2. Flea and tick control----some don't like it, but we use frontline
3. All shots up to date. Parvo is epidemic in some areas.
4. Our dogs had the first series of rattlesnake vacines and a booster every 6 months---we know it just means a delay in finding services, but we are at least 70 long miles from possible help for the dogs.

Have all of the shot records with you---then kick back and enjoy watching your pups running free---

Have a GREAT trip and if you head out our way, check out the Camping Page on the Bahia Asuncion Community Web Site for some ideas for camping in some beautiful areas on the central Pacific side. Some quite isolated and beautiful places.

Have a GREAT time---you and fur babies

[Edited on 11-17-2010 by DianaT]

motoged - 11-16-2010 at 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RufusTheDoofus
.... The pointer mix is brindle and looks a lot like many Mexican dogs I've seen over the years.

Like this one?

Or this one:

absinvestor - 11-16-2010 at 11:08 PM

I agree with Dianne T. We travel with a Golden Retriever and an Australian Sheperd. Both dogs are afraid of, and avoid, snakes and respond well to voice commands. Once in Mexico the Golden never sees a leash. If there is a yappy small dog running loose on a beach we will leash up the Australian Shepherd since she can be a little rough with a smaller dog. We travel extensively and have seen many snakes in the US but so far have yet to see a live one in Baja. (In Mexico our time out of the motorhome is spent almost exclusively on beaches vs the desert. Have a great trip. Ron

Russ - 11-17-2010 at 10:55 AM

I think Mexico requires a recent rabies vaccination. I believe not more than a year old, maybe less. Someone will chime in for a definite on rabies. My lab is a major chow hound. This morning he eat 1/2 a bag of dog food and a lot of tortillas that a poor camper left unattended. There are worse thing out there that can be scavenged. For the first rattle snake vaccine it is a double dose. The second one 2 weeks after the first and some vets say they are good for a year. I haven't come across any snakes after Nov. but that doesn't mean they all hibernate. You and the dogs will have a blast.

DianaT - 11-17-2010 at 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Russ
....I haven't come across any snakes after Nov. but that doesn't mean they all hibernate........

Since I love to hike in the mountains and in the desert, but I am deathly afraid of rattlesnakes, according to John and my oldest son, no matter what the time of year, it is either too cold, too hot, too windy, too bright, too overcast, or too something for the rattlesnakes to ever be out. So I now believe that they only live underground. :lol:

toneart - 11-17-2010 at 11:42 AM

In addition to what Diana said, an International Health Certificate is required. They are filled out by a vet and must be dated within 72 hours of crossing the border. That is not always convenient. Some vets will post date them and some won't. Mine will, but they are not supposed to. This is required by both the U.S. and Mexico for entry to each country. I always get one because I do not want my dog confiscated. Having said that, I have never been asked for it by either country.

In the U.S., Rabies shots are good for three years. Always carry the certificate with you. In Mexico, they require a new Rabies shot every year.

Around Mulege and the SOC beach areas, the Rattlesnakes seem to come out in March-April. That is not to say they are not around at other times, but that is when people really notice them. I have heard that the vaccine doesn't last very long.

My dog is mostly on a leash when walking anywhere, but I do let him run on the beach. He is very good about responding to my voice commands.

Regarding all the requirements and precautions, I have never been checked for any of them in Baja. There have been many dog threads on BajaNomad. They all pretty much say the same thing.
Still, better safe than sorry.

Have fun. Your dogs will love it.

:bounce:

RufusTheDoofus - 11-17-2010 at 12:14 PM

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm aware of the certificate of health requirement. We plan to get that taken care of around San Diego. My wife has relatives in LaJolla we'll be staying with for a few days before we cross into Mexico.

Does anyone know specifically which snakebite vaccine we should get for Mexico? I'm aware of Red Rock. There are apparently a number of different varieties for different geographic areas to deal with different snake venom. Which type of rattler is common to Baja?

BTW, our vet is currenlty researching it for us. They have never had a request for a rattlesnake vaccine up here in the woods of Maine.

Woooosh - 11-17-2010 at 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RufusTheDoofus
Coastal: camping sites as close to the high-tide line as reasonably possible.

We do plan to keep the dogs on leashes most of the time. When not on a tethered leash they are on Dogtra field training collars. They are good for up to 1 mile line of site or a half mile in the woods.

Thanks for the suggestion on photos. The pointer mix is brindle and looks a lot like many Mexican dogs I've seen over the years.

We have six labs in Rosarito. Just the normal 5 in 1 (parvo, distemper, etc) and a rabies shot are fine. Our dogs never make it off the sand, unless it's a San Diego dog park- - so no snake avoidance classes or shots yet for us. We don't do leashes (except for the 15 year old lab who is in his second puppyhood and wanders with impunity). We also use the four-dog dogtra remote collar system and the salt water and sand hasn't bothered them at all after a year of daily use on the beach. Your dogs will enjoy the trip for sure.

DianaT - 11-17-2010 at 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RufusTheDoofus
Thanks for all the replies.

I'm aware of the certificate of health requirement. We plan to get that taken care of around San Diego. My wife has relatives in LaJolla we'll be staying with for a few days before we cross into Mexico.

Does anyone know specifically which snakebite vaccine we should get for Mexico? I'm aware of Red Rock. There are apparently a number of different varieties for different geographic areas to deal with different snake venom. Which type of rattler is common to Baja?

BTW, our vet is currenlty researching it for us. They have never had a request for a rattlesnake vaccine up here in the woods of Maine.

Maybe your vet can just check with any San Diego Vet and see what they use----

Now, for those woods in Maine, what they really need is a Black Fly vaccine for humans----boy, did we time our trip back there at the wrong time! Beautiful, beautiful country, and I want to go back again at a better time of the year because those black flies are VICIOUS. :biggrin:

Woooosh - 11-17-2010 at 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DianaT

Quote:

and the green heads and the no-see-ums. Eaten alive for sure.

RufusTheDoofus - 11-17-2010 at 01:04 PM

We live in the Western Mountains area not too far from the Canadian border. The black flies are horrible around here. I tend to shower less frequently during black fly season, it really helps.

Woooosh - 11-17-2010 at 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RufusTheDoofus
We live in the Western Mountains area not too far from the Canadian border. The black flies are horrible around here. I tend to shower less frequently during black fly season, it really helps.

Not showering will help keep pests away here too... lol

BajaGringo - 11-18-2010 at 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
We don't do leashes (except for the 15 year old lab who is in his second puppyhood and wanders with impunity).

You really made me laugh with that one. Our yellow lab Dakota at 14 years is going through exactly the same thing...

:lol:

Woooosh - 11-18-2010 at 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
We don't do leashes (except for the 15 year old lab who is in his second puppyhood and wanders with impunity).

You really made me laugh with that one. Our yellow lab Dakota at 14 years is going through exactly the same thing...

:lol:

Doggie Alzheimer's. He is a very happy camper though. He's part blind and limps a lot, and is a little incontinent (but nothing we can't handle). He does love to follow that lab nose of his all over the beach. Once in a while I'll still give him a newspaper or a smaller piece of firewood to carry and he really perks up. We're just making sure he has no bad days until his last one comes around. We're not in a hurry and he isn't either apparently...

absinvestor - 11-18-2010 at 05:14 PM

This is as close as our Golden Retriever gets to a leash!! Have fun. Ron

HENRY IN BAHIA DE LOS ANGELES.JPG - 49kB

BajaGringo - 11-18-2010 at 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaGringo

Quote:

Originally posted by Woooosh
We don't do leashes (except for the 15 year old lab who is in his second puppyhood and wanders with impunity).

You really made me laugh with that one. Our yellow lab Dakota at 14 years is going through exactly the same thing...

:lol:

Ain't that the truth. Even with her limp Dakota still loves to play fetch so I will fake the other dogs out like I am throwing it to go long and they all take off down the beach. I then toss it out just 10 feet so Dakota can get to it first. She just loves to snatch it away from the others and then trot around playing keep away.

Don't even want to think about her last day although we all know it is inevitable...

absinvestor - 11-19-2010 at 07:20 AM

We got our Golden from the Boulder County Humane Society.He was 8 months old. We had him 7 months when a large growth appeared on the roof of his mouth. The growth was cancerous. We had him operated on to the tune of 4k. They removed the growth but due to the proximity to his brain they couldn't get it all. (They also had to remove several teeth etc.) The vet said the cancer would come back within 6 months and gave our Golden no chance to live more than a year. He said we could do chemo but we didn't want to put the Golden through that experience. That operation was 8 years ago!! I'm attaching a recent pic of our incredibly healthy Golden.

henry in pactola reservoir.JPG - 47kB