Astonishment as tiny dogs with little legs are saved from treacherous peak

THE wisdom of taking certain dog breeds up Eryri's mountains has been questioned after a "mind-boggling" rescue on Tryfan. Two walkers had called for help after becoming lost on the 917-metre peak in the Glyderau range above the Ogwen Valley.

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

A rescue party was bemused to find the pair had taken a dachshund and a “pug” with them up the difficult-to-climb mountain. For the descent, Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation (OVMRO) decided the safest way down for the poor pooches was to pop them in their rucksacks and carry them down.

It was the second of two rescues involving dogs on Tryfan over the Easter period. In the other, rescue volunteers were forced to climb up through a series of freezing waterfalls to reach a person cragfast in a steep gully.

In terms of accident numbers, Tryfan is regarded as one of the UK's most dangerous mountains, and its notorious North Ridge is not suitable for most dogs due to its rugged terrain. Any dog going up the mountain should be well-trained and physically capable: the advice for owners of dogs with short legs is to leave their pets at home.

OVMRO's April 19 rescue dumbfounded regular hikers - though some noted the “pug” may in fact be a French Bulldog. As both are flat-faced breeds, the two breeds are prone to Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome.