hiking with small jack Russell..

[saltysack]

Recently did springer to woody with my shorty jack. He did great but we froze at night! It dropped into 30's and my old 30 deg synthetic bag was miserable even with reactor liner. I recently bought a marmot helium down bag but need to figure out a way to keep dog warm at night. Thinking about making small bag out of old down vest?? Any input would be great!

[Train Wreck]

Recently did springer to woody with my shorty jack. He did great but we froze at night! It dropped into 30's and my old 30 deg synthetic bag was miserable even with reactor liner. I recently bought a marmot helium down bag but need to figure out a way to keep dog warm at night. Thinking about fmaking small bag out of old down vest?? Any input would be great!

Good idea - you can zip the old down jacket and let him crawl inside. But he's little enough to get in your own bag isn't he? It would provide some extra warmth for you as well. Also think about getting him a nice warm dog jacket. You want to make sure your little buddy is comfortable the whole time you're out. Short haired dogs do feel the cold!

[yellowsirocco]

It would be great to throw him in the bag, but then you get the issues of 1 a Helium is not a generous cut bag and 2 he needs air which shouldn't be happening when you are tucked into a mummy bag so it works well. I like the down jacket or vest idea, it makes it dual purpose.

[Wise Old Owl]

lots of issues here - yes a down jacket for camp and a fleece velcro jacket while hiking... Donate the sythetic to the scouts... now that you have a helium - you will never go back

[slow mind]

As a russell owner And only knowing how mine behaves... How about a small down quilt? One the little bugger can lay down on, get comfy and relax... then fold the xtra over the top of him or her.

[slow mind]

P.S. : never seen a Jack get cold while I was moving.

[Wise Old Owl]

As a russell owner And only knowing how mine behaves... How about a small down quilt? One the little bugger can lay down on, get comfy and relax... then fold the xtra over the top of him or her.

Uh wait there has to be something underneath. Down won't cut it.

P.S. : never seen a Jack get cold while I was moving.

that's easy in 20 degree temps you either hole up underground Jacks are always interested in holes... or you travel distances - by using muscle - you burn energy... therefore you are warmer by keeping moving. Once you stop you are an iceberg.

[slow mind]

[QUOTE=Wise Old Owl;1369893]Uh wait there has to be something underneath. Down won't cut it.


Yup exactly... a small quilt the dog lays down ON TOP of and then you fold it over the top .... like a taco.

Boy they do love a good hole don't they, and when they tire of that a hole in the ground will do just as well.

[saltysack]

Thx for all the input. He did sleep in the synthetic with me last trip but he got mad as I would wake him when I rolled as I turn a lot. I had a hard time sleeping with him in the bag needless to say a mummy is tight enough alone. While hiking he didn't seem cold only while stopped at camp. I'm looking into the ruff wear dog jackets but they are a little pricey. I'm going to cut a small section off my zlite sol sleep pad for a pad for him and thought an old down vest would be cheap and could sew arms and bottom shut to keep warmer. The quilt idea is good but would prob be more $$. Where can I get a small quilt? He weighs around 15lbs. If I were a gram weenie I could let him sleep in my jacket but prefer not to smell like a dog although he prob smells better than a hiker!! Thanks again for the input..

[Train Wreck]

Thx for all the input. He did sleep in the synthetic with me last trip but he got mad as I would wake him when I rolled as I turn a lot. I had a hard time sleeping with him in the bag needless to say a mummy is tight enough alone. While hiking he didn't seem cold only while stopped at camp. I'm looking into the ruff wear dog jackets but they are a little pricey. I'm going to cut a small section off my zlite sol sleep pad for a pad for him and thought an old down vest would be cheap and could sew arms and bottom shut to keep warmer. The quilt idea is good but would prob be more $$. Where can I get a small quilt? He weighs around 15lbs. If I were a gram weenie I could let him sleep in my jacket but prefer not to smell like a dog although he prob smells better than a hiker!! Thanks again for the input..

.

Keep looking in thrift stores for an XXL down or synthetic jacket- one big enough to cut & sew to make a small pocket type quilt.

[Wise Old Owl]

So let me get this straight.... we are suggesting a Jack Russel Pocket Pita Sleep System?

[saltysack]

It's tough to find any decent down jackets in Fl, been looking but prob go to eBay

[Wise Old Owl]

We discussed Walmart & LLBean last month having a lost leader for $70 order whatever is left and pick up at the store.

[Train Wreck]

[QUOTE=saltysack;1370034]It's tough to find any decent down jackets in Fl, been looking but prob go to eBay[/QUOTE
Maybe you can hook up with someone on WB who lives in a colder area. Goodwill sells them for about $5 or so- the shipping wouldn't be much because down is so lite weight.
We also have a little dog who sleeps in our bed and gets very grouchy if you bump or disturb her

[Alligator]

Thx for all the input. He did sleep in the synthetic with me last trip but he got mad as I would wake him when I rolled as I turn a lot. I had a hard time sleeping with him in the bag needless to say a mummy is tight enough alone. While hiking he didn't seem cold only while stopped at camp. I'm looking into the ruff wear dog jackets but they are a little pricey. I'm going to cut a small section off my zlite sol sleep pad for a pad for him and thought an old down vest would be cheap and could sew arms and bottom shut to keep warmer. The quilt idea is good but would prob be more $$. Where can I get a small quilt? He weighs around 15lbs. If I were a gram weenie I could let him sleep in my jacket but prefer not to smell like a dog although he prob smells better than a hiker!! Thanks again for the input..

Put up a wanted to buy in the gear buying forum and explain it is for the dog. Maybe someone has something old that would not be wanted by a hiker but might suit a dog.

[saltysack]

Thx will do

[Hairbear]

i hike with a boston terrier.when i hang my hammock,i take a piece of 1.25 zing it ,run it through the body opening then out a sleeze of my down jacket..2-bunch up a little of the coat at the top ,and tie a piece of 1 foot line to the coat at the top of the body opening.3-now tie the 1.25 to your tarp line with a tot line hitch,running back toward your hammock.you now have a triangle,with a coat that looks lika a tent/bivy.4.put a piece of pad /sit pad on the floor.5- pile leaves up in the door.you now have a tent for your buddy with only adding the weight of the line addition to what you already are carrying.i have a walmart doggie jacket for camp.i never have noticed her cold while hiking.good luck.you can adjust the sliding knot up or down to get a tight pitch on your coat.

[saltysack]

Nice.. I'm not a hanger. He sleeps in tent with me

[solobip]

Hey Saltysack, I ran into you guys on that trip, I had the lab mix. Glad to hear you got a new bag! I started looking for a new one after we spoke about it too. When it is really cold, I bring a closed form sit pad and a polar fleece bag for my dog. If I can get her on the pad with the liner on top (She always seems to find my pad and bag as soon as she enters the tent), I fold it over her. Sometimes I open it, let her in the fleece and zip it around her and tuck her in. Of course when it gets really cold around 4 or five am she will want to crawl in with me! Sounds like the Walmart jacket for camp would be good too, and Orange or bright color would make sense too. Hope to see you both on the trail again.

[Dogwood]

I'm looking into the ruff wear dog jackets but they are a little pricey... - Saltysack

Not up to date on Ruff Wear dog jacket prices, but without doing a search I would guess for a small dog such as yours one would go for about $50-$60. I've seen SMALL dog coats, obviously not made of down, suitable for trail use on a dog, at Pet Smart, PetCo, etc in the $30-40 range and a few pricier models. I think it fair to assume a less costly usable dog jacket can be had at places like Wally World, Kmart, etc for about half that price. What do you think a down vest or jacket even at a thrift store is going to cost you? I would guess a similiar price(about $30) perhaps a bit less if you are lucky. And, what value, if any, do you place on your time to accomplish finding a used or cheap down jacket/vest and constructing a dog coat out of it, whiich may entail additional costs with additional needed materials? Why not go with something like that sold at PetCo, PetSmart, WallyWorld, KMart, etc and a short section of scrap CCF from a old sleep pad to make a doggie sleep pad out of? DONE. If money is a chief concern try Ebay first but I don't think you'll get a dog coat for much under $ 20, which is what a brand new will probably cost you at Wally World. I know you are trying to minimize doggie-on-trail costs, BUT HEY, it's going to cost you something to bring your dog out hiking with you on overnight treks!

If I were a gram weenie I could let him sleep in my jacket but prefer not to smell like a dog although he prob smells better than a hiker!! Thanks again for the input. - Saltysack

What happens if your dog gets wet and/or muddy/dirty, which I think is likely with a highly energetic highly inquisitive breed such as the JRT, and/or carries or picks up fleas or ticks? Are you going to sacrifice your own clothing and possible health for the dog?

I'll also pose the same questions here on this thread, which I posed on your other Jack Russell Terrier thread but which have not yet been answered. How has your dog/human relationships been while on the trail? Does you dog respond in a timely manner to commands? Knowing that JRT's were bred instinctively to hunt foxes and small game how has that played out on the trail with other people and dogs using the trail or with wildlife that others may be out there to enjoy? These may be some things to consider IF you and your dog, AND OTHERS, are going to fully enjoy the trail.