Dog Packs

[+HoundGrrls]

I am interested in hearing from those out there who have pack wearing dogs.

 

I would like to know the following-

 

Do you find it catching on things (thorns, branches, etc.) alot? [i am generally a sloppy cacher who just goes and does not consult maps beforehand so I find me and my agile dogs going over and under lots of tight places.]

 

Do you find that you (all) need to carry more water to compensate for the dog's extra excersion?

 

Please reply with info about your dog's breed/mix and weight.

 

Mine are two Pharaoh/Basenji/Louisiana Catalouna Cur princesses who do not presently help lighten the load. They are each about 40 pounds and 20 inches tall.

 

Melissa

Edited November 12, 2004 by HoundGrrls

[+C&C+COMPANY]

I would like to know also. My dogs are black labs 65-95lbs

[MMACH 5]

I used to hike and play disc golf with my Vizsla. He went about 55 lbs so I never loaded more than 8 lbs in his pack, (it was usually more like 5-6 lbs). The general rule of thumb is no more than 15% of the dog's weight in the pack.

 

While hiking, he would carry his own food and water along with his booties*.

When playing disc golf, he was my caddy.

 

I didn't do a whole lot of bushwhacking, (compared to caching), but he was never even phased with the pack.

 

One adaptation I made to the pack was sewing two strips of velcro in between the pouches, (down his back). Then I put adhesive-backed velcro on the side of his Flexi-lead. This way, when I needed my hands free, I just put the lead handle on his back and it didn't bang around by his feet.

 

I haven't gotten a pack to fit Taz, (my black lab), yet. I plan on shopping for one in the next few months.

 

*I took a bit of grief for buying booties for my dog, but they came in very handy when he tore his paw open on a hiking trip. After medicating and bandaging the wound, I put a bootie on there to protect it and keep him from messing with it.

[+carleenp]

I have a 50 lb lab. I used to use a pack on her, but I ran into problems with it sliding off or catching on things when loose and rubbing her in spots when tightened. I also found that all I tended to use it for was her water and I don't mind carrying that. I couldn't imagine using the pack with her again again unless I was going on a multi-day pack trip or something.

[+HoundGrrls]

hey don't knock booties... great for emergencies yes, but also great for summer time black top and wintertime salt (that is, salt around sidewalks).

 

I finally found some that won't fling off when the doggies run free and are very easy to put on. (The model was a Vizsla.)

 

Melissa

Edited November 12, 2004 by HoundGrrls

[+2dest]

I have a hiking buddy whose dog uses a pack, so I will throw in my 2 cents worth. Yes, the pack bumps into people, rocks, and trees but rarely actually hangs up. Even after quite a bit of experience on the trail, it seems hard for the dog to compensate for the extra width of the pack – I guess he doesn’t know how to do that. He will try to go through any opening he normally could without the pack. It doesn’t seem to be a big problem though. Once he actually knocked the pack off and kept going. Fortunately we found the pack - it had several days’ worth of dog food. He also jumps up and down from a truck much as he would without the pack and I wonder if he might get hurt. The pack enables the dog to carry water, food and shelter. Overall, it works great with only a few problems.

Not sure about the H20 question, but I am pretty sure he gets thirsty more often. He is a Rottweiler and weighs about 90 lbs. The booties are a great idea. This dog had very tender feet on the first packing trip but was fine after that.

Here is a scary tale: Once we hiked out of the woods right at dark. The dog had run off and we could hear him barking every now and then. We marked our parked truck in the GPSr and took off in the dark to find the dog. By whistling we could get him to bark occasionally. Finally found him tied to a tree! His leash/lead, which of course attaches to the pack, had come off of the Velcro leash holder and wrapped around a tree as he ran. Then the carabiner on the end of the leash had clipped itself back onto the lead and he was tethered to the tree. If we had left him that night, I wonder if he would have been a bear’s meal.

[+SixDogTeam]

Will the pack catch on things? Yes, of course.

 

Do the dogs need more water with more exertion? Yes, of course.

 

Our dogs are Siberian Huskies--45-65 lbs, and Jack Russell--10lbs.

[+2dest]

On the Applachian Trail one day last summer, we stopped to eat lunch. A family of 3 and their poodle walked over to chat and eat. I was surprised to see a pack on the dog! It was a small pack but probably held enough food for several days.

[+C&C+COMPANY]

THANKS OFF TO THE PET STORE.

[+Alan2]

On the Applachian Trail one day last summer, we stopped to eat lunch. A family of 3 and their poodle walked over to chat and eat. I was surprised to see a pack on the dog! It was a small pack but probably held enough food for several days.

Standard poodle or one of the smaller sizes?

[+gorillagal]

I have a 25lb Sheltie mix that has his own pack. It does catch occasionally in tight spots. He doesn't carry much, just some water, a collapsible bowl, and some treats. It slows him down a bit, but since he's normally a speed demon, it helps keep us at about the same pace. He doesn't seem to drink anymore water.

 

Just make sure the pack is a good fit and that you put it on correctly. On our last long hike, I didn't get one of the protective flaps down right, and Logan ended up with a sore spot under his front leg.

 

Edited November 13, 2004 by gorillagal

[+El Diablo]

I am interested in hearing from those out there who have pack wearing dogs.

 

I would like to know the following-

 

Do you find it catching on things (thorns, branches, etc.) alot? [i am generally a sloppy cacher who just goes and does not consult maps beforehand so I find me and my agile dogs going over and under lots of tight places.]

 

Do you find that you (all) need to carry more water to compensate for the dog's extra excersion?

 

Please reply with info about your dog's breed/mix and weight.

 

Mine are two Pharaoh/Basenji/Louisiana Catalouna Cur princesses who do not presently help lighten the load. They are each about 40 pounds and 20 inches tall.

 

Melissa

Unless your going for a very long hike...over 2 miles or so, I don't understand why you would need to pack up your dog. Maybe someone could explain that to me?

 

El Diablo

[+gorillagal]

Unless your going for a very long hike...over 2 miles or so, I don't understand why you would need to pack up your dog. Maybe someone could explain that to me?

 

El Diablo

No, I don't put a pack on my dog for short hikes. I don't consider a 2 mile hike very long though. Around here, that's barely getting started. Usually, if I plan to hike for more than 2 hours (>4 miles), I'll put his pack on, especially if I know there aren't any water sources along the way.

[+2dest]

On the Applachian Trail one day last summer, we stopped to eat lunch.  A family of 3 and their poodle walked over to chat and eat.  I was surprised to see a pack on the dog!  It was a small pack but probably held enough food for several days.

Standard poodle or one of the smaller sizes?

It was a regular poodle with a perpetually surprised expression! About hiking pace, yea the pack does slow my friend's dog down so that he doesn't run off nearly as much as he normally would. And about length of hike - we will normally go for several nights along the Applachian Trail. The water and food for a large dog is a significant weight for a backpacker to carry. The dog pack is more of a necessity than an option for us.

[+mtn-man]

I personally would not put a pack on the puppymonster. I can out hike him so adding more of a burden to him is not something I would want to do. I want him to have as much energy and stamina as possible for the hike. We did a long hike one time and he began to cramp up a bit. I had to call my wife to come get us part of the way through the hike. I always carry water and had it that day. It was just a lot of up and down hiking and it got to him. If we would not have been near a crossing road I would have had to carry him out for about the last 1.5 miles. Just something to think about.

[+1stimestar]

Unless your going for a very long hike...over 2 miles or so, I don't understand why you would need to pack up your dog. Maybe someone could explain that to me?

 

El Diablo

Most of my hikes are over 2 miles... Less then that and I call them a walk. No real point to this post lol, sorry.

[+SixDogTeam]

Unless your going for a very long hike...over 2 miles or so, I don't understand why you would need to pack up your dog. Maybe someone could explain that to me?

 

El Diablo

Many people that own working breeds like to use them for their original purpose, either seriously or for recreation-- hunting or herding dogs for example, or in our case we mush our huskies recreationally and in races, pulling a dogsled. Using a dog as a beast of burden harkens back to the earliest times of association of man and dog. Several breeds (for example Malamutes and Samoyeds, among others) have associations that issue certificates of accomplishment for pure bred dogs that fulfill certain requirements in terms of weight and distance, in packing--It's now a sport practiced by a growing number of people--another way share time with your pet and enjoy nature. Most dogs love hiking with their owners, and don't mind sharing the load, just for fun.

[+2dest]

One more post about the dog I hike with - he readily accepts his pack. He gets very excited as the pack is loaded and placed on him. He will quit whatever he is in to and stand there "chomping at the bit" to hit the trail. As we rest or eat or make camp, he will lay around for a few minutes and then he starts exploring.

[+YuccaPatrol]

 

Dog packs are great, especially if you have a working dog that was bred for such purposes.

 

My St. Bernards have worn packs for many years, although my current dog is now too old and has suffered an injury so he has retired as a beast of burden.

 

A couple of years ago, my dog Lucas received a K-9 hero award for his assistance in evacuating my sick nephew out of the Colorado backcountry.

 

Long story short: had Lucas not been able to carry a huge load in his backpack, we would have been unable to get my nephew out of the backcountry before his illness became potentially life threatening.

[+Mastifflover]

Good luck with the pack. I have a hard enough time keeping an orange vest on Hannibal when it is close to hunting season. Neccesary because he is the same size and color of a deer.

[+YuccaPatrol]

Forgot to add that the best made pack I have found is made by Ruff Wear.

 

www.ruffwear.com

 

The full story of Lucas the K-9 hero can be found on their feedback page

[MMACH 5]

Just slightly off topic:

 

Anyone taking their dogs out on extended hikes, (2+ miles), needs to take the dog's fitness into account, whether packing a load or not.

 

Conditioning can be as important to our canine buddies as it is for us. If your dog is overweight or simply a couch potato, you'll likely want to start out on shorter, less demanding hikes and work your way up to more challenging outings.

 

Age is also a factor. As a dog gets up in years, the desire spend time with and please his or her master does not get any weaker. However, the machinery gets a little rusty and stiff. Keep this in mind before taking your loving, white-faced companion up that class 3 trail.

 

Dogs' trust in their owners is one of their greatest attributes, but can also leave them vulnerable to injury. They won't tell you they aren't up for the challenge. They will give it everything they've got so you have to be aware of their limitations. Just use common sense when taking them along on your cache hunts.

[+Misty's Shadow]

My pup is a 4-year old, 80 pound, 26 inch at the shoulder, German Shepherd & he wears his pack on most days when we go caching. In the summer I put his water & collapsible bowl along with treats in it. In the winter I put the same & the pack has the advantage of keeping him warmer by cutting the wind. I have never seen it hinder him in any way nor has he gotten "hung up" with it. Of course, for his safety, he is always on lead when on the trail. He seems to like the pack & gets all excited when I bring it out since it represents a fun hike to him. I almost can't get him to stop wiggling long enough to put it on him! As for carrying his booties: I keep them in his pack at home so I can find them. He wears them whenever the trail is rough & rocky, snowy, icy, salty, briar stickery, or any time I feel he needs protection for his paws. A lot of the times if we are going to be scrambling I will take them off so he can grip with his claws (he loves to rock climb) since the boot leather will slide.

[MMACH 5]

...since the boot leather will slide.

Here's a trick I came up with to improve my dog's traction in booties:

 

I use the nylon with velcro but it should work with leather also. Go the the hardware store and get a can of "Tool Dip". It's made for rubberizing plyers' handles and whatnot. Dip the bottom of the booties in the liquid rubber and let it dry. After repeating this a few times, it creates a rubber sole that gives surprisingly good traction. Obviously, not as good as the traction a dog can get with his claws, but it does help.

[+SamLowrey]

I have a cat. Anyone have any experience with cat packs.

[+Worf's Pack]

Worf's around 80lbs.He's a NewF/Lab mix. I find people who see him bounching thru the woods tend to get nervious. Put his backpack on everbody assumes he must be friendly. I usually just pack about 4 pints of water and his cloth bowl.

which we wind up drinking. The dog seem to likes watever water he finds better.

[+rusty_tlc]

My first dog was a Standard Poodle, we hiked together for years. He always carried his own food and water. We lived in the desert so water was the big issue. Did the pack get hung up on occasion? Yes, so does mine. Did the dog adjust? Yes.

 

My newest Std. is still a pup, he won't get a pack until he is fully grown. By then he will be around 70# to 85# and need almost as much water as I do when hiking.

[+joefrog]

I have a cat. Anyone have any experience with cat packs.

I've found that you have to carry them most of the time. But fortunately, we have the perfect carrier for ours. Works great!