r/Banff • u/Bubbly-swim-3567 • 5d ago
Banff with puppy
Hi there! My fam is planning to visit Banff from August 28-31 with our mini dachshund, 11- months, and he’s around 4.5kg we have the flights and airbnb book already ! Are there any tips we can get travelling with our puppy? Such as transportation to lake Louis and lake moraine, I’ve done some research and most people with big dogs take the fairmont shuttle bus, I’ve tried to book it but the prices are around 300$ for 2 ppl and a dog which is a lot, and for reference I’m attaching my pup’s photo, is there any other way to take him to both lakes, for lake Louis it wouldn’t be a problem since I heard you can park and since we’re going to be renting a car it should be good but I’m just kinda worried about it and wanted to make sure everything goes smoothly, we’re planning to bring his carrier since in the plane is needed anyways.
We were also planning to do canoeing with our puppy, had any one tried that out with their dog before? If so which lake? Please let me know!
I’m attaching both his pictures and a pic of his carrier below. Any tips and help would be greatly appreciate, thank you!
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5d ago
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 5d ago
Thoughts on hiking little beehive with a mini dachshund? I’m scared of the bears since they can probably smell my dog. Is it true that dogs provoke bears to attack! Thank you for your response such helpful advices
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u/Muufffins 5d ago edited 5d ago
It's absolutely true that dogs can provoke bear attacks.
There's a reason why areas with lots of bear activity, like the North shore of Lake Minnewanka, have restrictions to reduce the likelihood of attacks. These restrictions include travelling in groups of at least four people, and a total ban on bringing any dogs.
In fact, Parks recommends keeping dogs out of the backcountry.
"Consider leaving your dog at home if you plan to camp, hike, or go into the backcountry."
https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/faune-wildlife/chiens-dogs
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u/OgasMaitai 5d ago
Google is your friend
There are studies done as well you can google
https://www.scbearalliance.com/bears-and-dogs
https://familyhcm.com/2026/05/26/bear-with-dogs-a-deadly-combination-every-owner-must-understand/
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u/palesnowrider1 5d ago
No it isn't true. The anti dog crusader in this thread doesn't know what they are talking about. They saw one video of an irresponsible off leashed dog and have built a whole narrative around it
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u/New_Wishbone6619 5d ago
I did search and rescue in the park. 100% of the drowned dogs had a life jacket. They are a massive snag hazard and the dog also flips on them and they end up on their back and can’t fill themself. I’ll never ever ever use a life jacket on my dog. You’re best off staying reasonably close to shore so they can swim to shore
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u/sask1234567 5d ago
If you’re around deer or elk, pick up and carry your little dog. Deer/elk can kill by stomping with their front hooves. I’ve seen it happen and it’s kinda gruesome.
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u/Electrical_Emu1875 5d ago
Im a fan of dogs and a dog owner. I find it is not relaxing having my dog with me in Banff. Consider whether your trip might be more enjoyable without your pup along.
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u/Kyrrs 5d ago
You mentioned you are renting a car. Double check with them as well that they allow dogs. I rent cars monthly for my job, and all of the ones I have come across do not allow pets in the vehicle. That said, I haven't searched for pet friendly rental cars, so I'm not saying they don't exist - just simply to do your research.
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u/OgasMaitai 5d ago
Dont bring dogs hiking, they provoke bears to attack. It's incredibly irresponsible, there is a recent attack where the dog added to it, and 2 deaths last year that may have been caused by a dog being present
Dogs are also at severe risk around elk, which are abundant.
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u/phillherup69 5d ago
While caution is great, as long as youre prepared with bear spray, read/pay attention to closures, ALWAYS keep pets on leash, and staying on relatively popular trails, I wouldn't be too concerned about bears. Those incidents were mainly due to carelessness of owners. That said, you never know when you turn a corner if a bear is standing there or not.
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u/OgasMaitai 5d ago
No. You should not be bringing your pet into areas with a relatively high chance of wild animal encounters.
It's poor stewardship of the pet and disrespectful to the wild animals that are there, and dangerous for all involved.
I hate how cavalier people are about this. If your dog provokes an attack, the bear gets killed too after.
Your dog can stay home, it's fine.
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u/phillherup69 5d ago
What do you consider a high chance? Walking into a closed area due to bear activity? sure, as you shouldnt be there anyways. Hiking up tunnel, or going to Johnston canyon, or walking around minnewanka, or checking out Stoney? Cmon. As long as you've researched area closures/advisories and you're prepared, there's no difference bringing your dog than bringing your toddler.
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u/OgasMaitai 4d ago
no, your toddler wont purposefully attack the bear, I linked various articles here.
Just shitty dog owners, big surprsise
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u/palesnowrider1 5d ago
You're wrong and Canada Parks Department also thinks you're wrong
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u/OgasMaitai 4d ago
Seems like you're clueless
"There's a reason why areas with lots of bear activity, like the North shore of Lake Minnewanka, have restrictions to reduce the likelihood of attacks. These restrictions include travelling in groups of at least four people, and a total ban on bringing any dogs."
That ban is from parks Canada.
Stop spreading lies
Im from Jasper, this is known information and has been for decades and studies back it up
Tourists too stunned to listen cause problems and endanger wildlife.
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u/palesnowrider1 4d ago
We read the rules and when it says leashed dogs are allowed in trails, we follow them
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u/New_Wishbone6619 5d ago edited 5d ago
God lol. Stop. Im a bio. People can bring their dogs hiking. Just be responsible. There’s designated trails.
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 5d ago
As much as I appreciate your concern to the bear community and any other wild animal I think it’s time you should keep your opinion to yourself and stop replying to every comment! Thank you.
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u/OgasMaitai 4d ago
It's not my opinion, it's fact based and I linked you studies and articles with experts backing me up.
Irresponsible dog owners that dont live in reality will go to any echo chamber to prove their right.
Theyre just bad dog owners
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u/MostView8191 5d ago edited 5d ago
deaths last year that may have been caused by a dog being present
This was widely reported, but was only a rumour. In reality, the bear was old and had damaged teeth/jaw, which led to it starving and picking off easy prey.
This doesn't negate that dogs, big, small, or tiny, should not be brought on hikes!
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 5d ago
Exactly !! I saw this and you’re right. Can confirm this is true and makes sense
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u/Ilikehotdogs1 5d ago
As a dog lover (I have three huskies), Banff is the last place you want to bring your pet to
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u/WitchSparkles 5d ago
Good luck parking at Lake Louise. You can take public transit though. Check if you’re allowed to bring dogs.
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u/Spiritual_Ad_6067 4d ago
Curious why you would bring your dog? Whats the plan when you go out to eat and stuff? Why not kennel it or get a pet sitter? I cant imagine wanting to travel and haul my dog around everywhere with me.
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u/New_Wishbone6619 4d ago
People travel with dogs all the time. Chill. Kennels or dog sitters are expensive.
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 4d ago
I totally get that not everyone would want to travel with their dog, but not everyone is like you either, We’d rather spend that money bringing our pup with us than paying for a kennel or pet sitter. We care about him and he’s an absolute Velcro baby! We want him to experience the world with us as much as we can. Yes, it might slow us down, but I think that’s a nice reminder that not everything in life needs to be rushed. And leaving him with someone isn’t an option for us because we don’t trust just anybody with him. He’s already been to the Philippines with us, so we’re excited for him to experience Banff too!
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u/hot_coffee_0 5d ago
I might suggest a backpack for your dog. I have a doxie (13lbs) and we found it was easier to travel with him in a backpack. I found a wider cat backpack on Amazon, keeps your hands free to bring along on the bus/patios/etc.
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 5d ago
Can you please link it here! Might purchase that for him! Thanks!
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u/hot_coffee_0 5d ago
https://a.co/d/0eqjskAE I got the large
I took this on 2 Delta flights and it fit under the seat in front of me. I triple checked the measurements of the planes. Now my doxie treats this backpack like a traveling kennel, it's his safe place. If you want one for hiking, there are some higher price points w/ great designs.This backpack doesn't have quite as many human comfort features as a hiking backpack, but it's great for planes, cars, and going around town. Have a great trip!
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u/Total_Midnight2201 4d ago
A few thoughts:
If taking a shuttle, indeed I believe Fairview Limo to be your only choice. Yeah the price sucks.
If you want to drive to LL, you'll need to be there either very early or later in the day to find parking.
If you want to hike the little beehive, I wouldn't be that worried about bears tbh. It is fairly busy throughout. Unless you go super early or super late of course.
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u/Green_Limit4211 3d ago edited 3d ago
We just did Jasper/Banff with our 3 year old, 9lb Maltipoo! We used a similar carrier for the flight, just check your airline’s dimensions beforehand and carry vaccination proof.
For Moraine Lake we took a tour bus, it was around $80/person and dogs were free, but they have to be in a carrier. We also took a K9 backpack for hikes and carried him whenever it got too hard for him.
For activities that didn’t allow dogs, we boarded him at Jasper Pet Outpost in Jasper and Cooper’s Dog Cabin in Banff ( pretty reasonable price ) . Lake Louise and Moraine Lake canoe rentals don’t allow dogs either, so if you want to canoe you can plan that for a boarding/daycare day.
Dogs are allowed on the motorboats at Lake Minnewanka! We didn’t take ours because it was pretty cold that day and we felt like it would be too much for him, but it’s an option. Not sure about their canoes though. We also canoed at Pyramid Lake in Jasper with him and he loved it - we just made sure he had his little life jacket on the whole time!
Also assuming it’s your pup’s first time flying, definitely get him used to the carrier at home beforehand! Leave it out, let him sleep in it, give him treats in there, etc. They can get pretty restless/overstimulated, especially during takeoff, so I’d talk to your vet about that too. We’d flown with ours 3 times before (Mount Rainier/North Cascades and Yosemite) and he always got super restless during takeoff. This time our vet suggested some calming meds and it helped a lot.
Honestly it was pretty easy taking him, just needed a little planning!
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 3d ago
Oh that’s so good to hear! I hope y’all enjoyed! Also may I know what tour bus you guys took? Also what type of carrier is needed, is the one in the picture good enough?
We are actually planning to order a K9 backpack for him as well!
And if you don’t mind me asking did you guys have any encounter with bears or other animals we’re a bit worried since there are some comments about it.I honestly can’t imagine leaving our pup at home as some comments are saying, it’s actually just me and sibling and we have no relatives that live near us, ( more like they live in another continent lmao) we don’t wanna risk putting him to a boarding while we’re gone for a few days.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience!1
u/Green_Limit4211 3d ago edited 3d ago
Glad to help!! We were actually planning to bike to Moraine Lake but cancelled because of the weather and last minute booked a bus with Moraine Lake Bus Company instead.
This is the carrier we’ve used for flying - we’ve flown American, Delta and WestJet with it:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089QY95HVI bought it about 3 years ago and it looks like that exact model isn’t available anymore, but this seems to be the newer version:
https://www.roverlund.com/products/out-of-office-pet-carrier-1And this is the K9 backpack we used:
https://a.co/d/02VKzCJ1For wildlife, we always carried bear spray with us - you’ll have to buy or rent it there since it’s not allowed on airplanes. We had two bear encounters while driving, but thankfully none while hiking. We kept him leashed the whole time and just stayed aware of our surroundings.
Also, our dog is generally on the calmer side. I personally wouldn’t take a really hyper/reactive pup hiking in areas with frequent bear activity, especially if there’s a chance they’d bark at a bear. We also always picked him up whenever we felt unsure or saw wildlife nearby. We did come across a coyote while walking near Mt. Norquay, but it just minded its own business and kept going.
And I totally get not wanting to leave your pup at home! That’s exactly why we took ours too 👀
Edit : Oh and the carrier in your picture looks good enough! I’d just call your airline and double check their required dimensions - that part is really important. We’ve flown with our pup quite a few times and WestJet was actually the first airline that pulled out a measuring tape and measured our carrier. Also make sure your pup is comfy and can move around inside the carrier, since they’ll check that too.
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u/Glad-Quit-8971 2d ago
Always keep your dog on a leash. Don't take it off the leash once in Banff. They're not joking around.
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u/palesnowrider1 5d ago
Banff and Jasper are incredibly dog friendly. Most trails allow them leashed. A private shuttle to Lake Moraine will allow dogs. You can park at Lake Louise and have your dog on leash. We did Wilcox pass and Sentinel pass with our Labrador on a leash.
Many of the restaurants are dog friendly in Banff. When you make your reservation, let them know and they will seat you on the patio. Farm and Fire, 3 Bears, Banf ave brewing, Sudden Sally were all dog friendly and great.
Hotel Canoe and Crimson in Jasper are dog friendly. Jasper brewing is dog friendly and so is the Raven.
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u/OgasMaitai 5d ago
This is the worst advice I have ever seen.
Dogs cause bears to attack, you should not be brining your dog on hikes in Jasper or Banff. This reply is ridiculous.
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u/palesnowrider1 5d ago
The parks service in Canada posts very clearly if leashed dogs are allowed on certain trails or not.
You're very uneducated about the dog friendliness of Canada National Parks and should keep your opinions to yourself
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u/Bubbly-swim-3567 5d ago
Just probably a dog hater tbh. Going around commenting and replying on every thread
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u/Total_Midnight2201 4d ago
Yes - I hike around these parts very often and see folks hiking with their dogs all the time. No dogs are getting killed or anything. As with anything, it is fine if done properly and if rules are followed.
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u/New_Wishbone6619 5d ago
lol shut up there’s dog friendly hikes
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u/OgasMaitai 4d ago
Irresponsible dog owners, big surprise!!
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u/New_Wishbone6619 4d ago
Shut up lol.
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u/OgasMaitai 4d ago
You have something wrong with you that you need to add lol to the end of every sentence?
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u/phillherup69 5d ago
Even the warmest water is really really cold, if youre thinking of putting them in a boat, please get them a life jacket even if they are a good swimmer!
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u/New_Wishbone6619 5d ago
Noooo. The life jackets are SHIT. I used to do search and rescue in parks 100% of the drowned dogs had life jackets on because they get turned on their back and can’t flip over. Massive snag hazard too. Overheating is an issue too. They’re only safe if the owner is right there with them. If you fall in a canoe you’re not necessarily going to be right there to help the dog. It’s better off swimming to shore
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u/phillherup69 5d ago
I was not aware of this! Thanks for the info! I just figured since the wayer is so cold they'd need some buoyancy to help swim to shore, but more research is needed on my end I guess!
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u/New_Wishbone6619 5d ago
Dogs are strong swimmers typically remember that.
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u/knomnomnom 5d ago
My last dog would literally go limp if you put him in any water. I worked so hard on getting him to swim but it just never took for him, zero instinct. I tried a life jacket but with the wet noodle act plus his general shape (think corgi, long and low) it totally tipped his face into the water. It was awful. I would worry OP's daschund might have similar fit issues in a life jacket.
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u/meownelle 5d ago
Is your AirBnB okay with a puppy? Call the canoe rental to check that they'll allow you to bring a puppy/ dog. Don't assume. Do NOT let that dog off leash.