Dog Pack

[lostinfflood]

I am getting a dog pack for my 43pound Border Collie. She is classic BC very thin, lithe and active. I'm not looking for something that can carry a lot of stuff but I think once she has the pack on she will realize she "has a job" and will concentrate on the hike. I'm seriously thinking of the Ruff Wear Approach Pack. To me the fit is most important. Does anyone have exprience with this pack on this body type of dog? Any positive input would be appreciated.

[SouthMark]

I had the Approach Pack for my 46 lb mixed breed. She is a little fuller body than your Border Collie. She is Golden Retriever and Basset mix. I did not like the Approach Pack. I could never get it adjusted to carry right. I gave it to a friend for her Golden Retriever. She did not like it either. She bought the Ruff Wear Palisades and likes it better but it is more expensive. I found a Kelty pack on ebay that works so much better but it is no longer made. It is removable without taking off the harness, a wonderful feature like the Palisades.

[Thirsty DPD]

Over the years some of my dogs have carried packs. Angus, 9 mo., Border Collie, like yours is very active. Although very smart, I'm not certain he will associate a pack with needing additional concentration during a hike. He finds plenty of "work" to do. Because his coat long but thin, we may be faced with treating hot spots. His pack would not be as secure on him as mine is on me. The shifting weight could effect his balance & movement, compromising is ability to Hike His Own Hike. He may not enjoy his pack anymore then I do mine. The potential problems outweigh his need to carry 25% of his weight. Sometimes less is more, especially backpacking, in this case his less is my more.

[Rockie]

I have the Ruff Wear Pallisades for my 44 pound Border Collie. He has had a pack before and tolerated it better than he does this one. Although I got a size small for him, it is very bulky and he does not like it at all. While the part that goes around him fits well, the bags are extremely large. It seems to me that it would be better suited for a larger dog. It is a great (wonderful, really) pack with all kinds of bells and whistles but I think I'm going to trade it in for something more stream-lined before hitting the trial.

[rockerZ71]

My 60lb lab/pit has the palisades pack and she seems to love wearing it. It fits great and people always comment what a nice pack it is. Only problem is Sadie can't figure out why she can't fit through openings that are only as wide as her body when the pack is on

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[Jim Adams]

Put the dog pack on top of your pack and let the dog walk free...way more humane.

geek

[ScottP]

Put the dog pack on top of your pack and let the dog walk free...way more humane.

geek

I like having my dog carry some weight so he can't chase down deer.

[rockerZ71]

Why don't you ask my dog if its inhumane to have her carry her stuff

what a joke

[lostinfflood]

That's a first hearing that it is inhumane for a working dog to carry a light pack. I am the LAST person to do anything to be inhumane to ANY animal. When I put the dog pack on my other dog his whole demeanor changes and he becomes very serious. That's why in my post I asked for POSITIVE input. I wanted to avoid comments from people who didn't have anything constructive to say.

[Thirsty DPD]

Put the dog pack on top of your pack and let the dog walk free...way more humane.

geek

Jim,
I want to participate on White Blaze, share constuctive information, not defend myself or others, or police ignorance. Let me repeat, the purpose of this forum is stated in the "Sticky", and requests everyone to "Read this before posting". Opinions are like.......everyone has one, they all stink. Based on our posts, we both now have opinions of one another. In just one day, two threads on this forum, you have implied all but four backpackers you've met on the trail are abusive, and now less than humane. I'm requesting a refund for my membership to your fan club. Did someone have a thought,....something stinks....."Angus was that you?"

[Ginger Snap]

I have the RuffWear approach pack for my 20lb B.C. mix (size XXS) and for my 45lb Pit Bull (size XS). I originally bought the XS for the 20lb dog, but the bags were far too large for her, and their carrying capacity exceeded what she should reasonably carry weight-wise. So she got the XXS and the XS went to my pit. The bag size is perfect for her but the chest straps are a wee bit too small. I made extension straps with the same quick release clips and it fits great!

I do wish I'd sprung for the Palisades pack, as then I would have a harness underneath the pack that could just stay on. In the event that i needed to take the pack off while hiking, at least i would still have a handle for assisting. I was concerned though that the pack was too large in relation to the dog size. oh well. Other than size issues, both dogs love their packs, and "work" better while wearing them!

[Nick&Bruce]

Here's another vote for the Palisades.

I got one recently for my 60 lb pup and it's holding up great through our local hikes in prep for our thru this year. It has a well designed harness that spreads the pack's weight where it should be (the shoulders) and doesn't create hot spots or pressure points where the straps dig in when its properly fitted.

I especially like that with this pack you can detach the packs from the harness. It's nice to be abl

[Nick&Bruce]

e to take off you're dog's pack when he wants to swim, you're taking a break, it's too hot out, etc...

[Kookork]

Put the dog pack on top of your pack and let the dog walk free...way more humane.

geek

I have come to conclusion that you Jim don't help dogs but certainly know how to piss off dog owners and real dog lovers. I just don't like your over the boards comments. They are just negative and destructive. Damn

[rockerZ71]

That's a good point I forgot to mention -- the ability to unclip the pack from the harness is great if your dog likes to swim. Come across water, unclip it, and you're good to go in seconds. I still take care to pack her food water tight for the times she manages to get in the water before I get to her though

Also its pretty important to balance the pack including the water bladders to keep it from pulling in either direction..

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[CrumbSnatcher]

That's why in my post I asked for POSITIVE input. I wanted to avoid comments from people who didn't have anything constructive to say.

i love hiking with dogs
its not pretty important to balance the saddle bags, its very important!
it doesn't hurt to carry the dogs pack the first and last mile of the day to let them stretch out
i don't believe in putting water in a dogs pack
keep the dogs pack weight to about 10-15 pct of his body weight
make sure your dogs first aid kit is 10 times better than yours(bug,tick,flea preventatives,doggie asperin,neosporin for dry foot pads,etc...)
let the dog settle down in camp for a little bit before feeding, so they don't get sick or have trouble digesting

[CrumbSnatcher]

get the dog a check up at the vet before heading out,keep up on the tick and flea preventatives along with a tick collar, never once did i ever find a tick attached to my dog,
multiple times throughout the day check for pack rub and check the pads.
alot of breeds would be better off not hiking in the heat of the day, try hiking very early in the morning and late afternoons
best thing about staying out of shelters with the dog is the dog will get a better nights rest! :-)

[rockerZ71]

My dog carries all of her stuff and only her stuff, although the loops for strapping stuff on top of her pack make it tempting to see well she carries a 12 pack ;-)

Typically she does carry a small amount of water, occasionally full bladders. She drinks from streams so rarely needs it of course, but we have run into situations where I was low on water with no sources nearby and she needed a drink. So if I'm worried about it I think its best that she carry some water.

Good call on the first aid kit -- I've given my dog zero consideration in that respect besides bringing benadryl for bee stings (her face blows up like a balloon). I'll take care of that soon.

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