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SGT Rock
07-21-2006, 05:44
Starting out the forum with a new topic. Lets see how this goes.

Here is your task. Hiking with your dog, what are you going to pack and why?

And then the next part, who is going to carry all that, you or your dog?

Two Speed
07-21-2006, 08:17
First, thanks for setting this up. Next, I think this thread could be the start of a good basic check list.

In Barney’s pack:
1) His food
2) Treats*
3) Two (2) 500 ml water bottles**
4) “Dog” nail clipper
I rig Barney’s leash and loop it through some D-rings on top of his pack, arranged so that all I have to do is grab the loop at the end for it to “play” out, so that I can control his little furry butt as required. Please note that Barney hikes behind me. That way he doesn't get the "alpha dog, I've got to protect the boss" syndrome going as we meet other hikers.

In my pack:
1) Barney’s sleeping pad
2) Barney’s insulated poncho
3) Any med’s Barney might need. Usually there aren’t any, but if I’m out for a couple of weeks a Heartguard tab and one dose of Frontline will find their way into my first aid kit.

* I always bring treats for Barney, but he does get about a sixth of my rations as well; that way I make sure he gets sufficient calories to keep his energy up. That, and the little monster just looks so darn happy when he gets a split of the boss’s meal. As an aside, I generally do not let Barney eat until I have finished, then I make his meal, make him sit, give me a shake and then give him an "OK" before he's allowed to eat. Reduces begging and makes him less inclined to charge unattended food.
** I don’t fill my spare 1 liter bottle or Barney’s two water bottles until mid-afternoon, which is when I start scoping out a campsite.

Amigi'sLastStand
07-21-2006, 08:25
First, thanks for setting this up. Next, I think this thread could be the start of a good basic check list.

In Barney’s pack:
1) His food
2) Treats*
3) Two (2) 500 ml water bottles**
4) “Dog” nail clipper
I rig Barney’s leash and loop it through some D-rings on top of his pack, arranged so that all I have to do is grab the loop at the end for it to “play” out, so that I can control his little furry butt as required. Please note that Barney hikes behind me. That way he doesn't get the "alpha dog, I've got to protect the boss" syndrome going as we meet other hikers.

In my pack:
1) Barney’s sleeping pad
2) Barney’s insulated poncho
3) Any med’s Barney might need. Usually there aren’t any, but if I’m out for a couple of weeks a Heartguard tab and one dose of Frontline will find their way into my first aid kit.

* I always bring treats for Barney, but he does get about a sixth of my rations as well; that way I make sure he gets sufficient calories to keep his energy up. That, and the little monster just looks so darn happy when he gets a split of the boss’s meal. As an aside, I generally do not let Barney eat until I have finished, then I make his meal, make him sit, give me a shake and then give him an "OK" before he's allowed to eat. Reduces begging and makes him less inclined to charge unattended food.
** I don’t fill my spare 1 liter bottle or Barney’s two water bottles until mid-afternoon, which is when I start scoping out a campsite.

Listen to this guy. That's how you hike with a dog. Nice to here from a responsible owner.

Two Speed
07-21-2006, 08:31
Oops, forgot that I put Barney's bowl in his pack. I use one of those Ziplock tupperware knock-off things. Lightweight and I can easily replace it if it breaks.


Listen to this guy. That's how you hike with a dog. Nice to here from a responsible owner.Aw shucks, you're gonna make me blush.

All kidding around aside, I think I do OK, but I'm looking forward to seeing what other folks do to improve how I handle things.

frieden
07-21-2006, 09:10
Ditto. Thank you so much for starting this. This is going to be great! I'm so excited!

Since I finally got Ed to wear a pack, there is hope that he will carry some stuff. Planned:

Ed's pack:

Pooh bags
Hiking bowls
SAR toy (little tug rope toy)
2 Alcohol wipes
Bandana
Gauze (1 roll)
Brush

My pack:

Cat food for 4-5 days (breakfast and dinner)
Water (we'll share from my water bladder; a K9 mSAR suggestion)
Clippers/file
Tweezers
Long line (not sure about this one, yet; depends on weight)
Sleeping pad (blue foam from Walmart)
Hiking towel (cheap one from Walmart)
Small canister w/ locking lid (for Tpaper, pooh, trash)

Bounce box:

Dremel tool (for nails)
Long line (if not in pack, but it wouldn't be needed in town, so....?)
ER kit/meds (heartworm/flea/tick)
Boots (possible)
Wool coat (possible up north)


I won't carry "treats", but will use some of the cat food for treats. He gets some of my food in his bowl, as well. He loves veggies and salad. I only give him veggies at dinner or as a snack, because I don't want his nutritional intake messed up by too much fiber at breakfast. I'm going to use cat food, because it is higher in nutrition and lighter (also a K9 mountain SAR suggestion). I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but my planning stuff isn't handy right now, and I'm running to work. We're going to try to use that paw toughening stuff that has been mentioned here before (don't remember the name), before we leave. In my planning stuff is a list of what the E. TN mountain K9 SAR unit is required to carry for their dogs. A thru hiker can't carry all that, but I'll try to get it posted later. Their dogs wear packs, when they have to hike out to base camp.

The Solemates
07-21-2006, 09:11
Starting out the forum with a new topic. Lets see how this goes.

Here is your task. Hiking with your dog, what are you going to pack and why?

And then the next part, who is going to carry all that, you or your dog?

My coonhound goes with me on approximately 50-60% of my trips. He carries all of his own stuff. He has a saddle-bag type backpack, and in it goes his food, a few treats, water bowl, and leash. If it is winter, strapped on top of the saddle-bag goes his small cotton/synthetic blend mat, wrapped in a plastic bag. He loves it and never complains unless the saddle-bag starts to rub his armpits (which occasionally will happen if we have been rained on for 24+hrs straight, at which time I take his pack off and carry it for him). He can usually out-hike me unless it is really hot; he easily does 15-20 mile days, although we have never done this together for more than 3-4 days on end. I do not typically carry water for him unless its in the dead of the summer or if we are in a particularly dry area. Otherwise, he just drinks straight from the streams. I check him for problems with the pack, ticks, etc. every time we break, and if we break for a significant amount of time, his pack always comes off.

I would never take a dog on a thru-hike though.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jcartne/detail?.dir=8792&.dnm=596a.jpg&.src=ph

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/jcartne/detail?.dir=1b9b&.dnm=5283.jpg&.src=ph

frieden
07-21-2006, 09:14
BTW, I wear Ed's leash around my waist. He has the strength to pull me down, but then I'm dead weight, and he can't go anywhere. He's never pulled me down when hiking before, but we are used to being hooked up all the time, and I feel it is safer for him that way (in case he sees a new animal, and wants to chase it - like a bear).

frieden
07-21-2006, 09:20
Beautiful dog, Solemate! You let him drink out of the streams? Isn't that dangerous? Ed gets bottled water at home and at work. He is such a water hound, and it took me forever to get him to not drink from streams/standing water. You just don't know what's in there - too much human impact on the environment; polluted water.

the goat
07-21-2006, 09:30
in moose's pack:
-one day of food.
-collapsable pvc dog bowl.

in my pack:
-all the rest of his food.
-canola or olive oil to put on his kibble for extra calories.
(another trick is to feed your dog puppy food, regardless of age, b/c it is usually higher in calories).

what i do is keep the one day of food in his pack until our last day before town, while i dwindle his rations from my pack. i like to go 5-6 days or so between town stops, so this equates to two, 2-gallon zip locks full of kibble in my pack. (he weighs 90 -100 lbs, so he eats a lot).

* my pack weighed in at just shy of 60 lbs. on that hanging scale outside the pinkham notch visitors' center. (i shouldn't have weighed it right before that climb, it played mind games on me the whole way up.)

i always feed him first when we get to camp & then give him some of my grub when i eat.
i never have him carry water, as he just camels-up when we reach a water source. if we have a waterless stretch, i give him water from my supply in his bowl, or if we're not stopping for long, he can also drink straight from my playpus. he's good at it, all i gotta do is pinch the bite valve for him.

the goat
07-21-2006, 09:32
oh yeah, i forgot bounce box:

-front line or advantix
-heart worm tablets
-cleaning solution for his ears

Two Speed
07-21-2006, 09:53
Looking at Frieden's post makes me wonder if we should specify that a particular dog is just a good ol' hiking dog or is in training for SAR? FWIW Barney is a good ol' hiking mutt.

The Solemates
07-21-2006, 10:47
BTW, I wear Ed's leash around my waist. He has the strength to pull me down, but then I'm dead weight, and he can't go anywhere. He's never pulled me down when hiking before, but we are used to being hooked up all the time, and I feel it is safer for him that way (in case he sees a new animal, and wants to chase it - like a bear).

I walk every day around my neighborhood in this same fashion with my pup.

The Solemates
07-21-2006, 10:50
Beautiful dog, Solemate! You let him drink out of the streams? Isn't that dangerous? Ed gets bottled water at home and at work. He is such a water hound, and it took me forever to get him to not drink from streams/standing water. You just don't know what's in there - too much human impact on the environment; polluted water.

Haven't ever had a problem with streams. If it's that questionable, I dont let him drink out of it, and he obeys.

You give your dog bottled water?! Kind of expensive isn't it? I dont even pay for bottled water for myself. What a pampered pooch! :)

Alligator
07-21-2006, 11:38
I had the following gear for my dog:
2 collapsible bowls
2 0.5l platypus
child's fleece blanket
foam pad
retractable leash
dog food
small dog pack
doggie treats

I had her carry the water, food, and bowls. I carried the blanket and foam pad. I had her attached to the retractable leash, the handle of which I looped through my hipbelt. With the retractable leash, I was still able to hike with my trekking poles, while the retracting cord aided in keeping the slack up.

We shared a tarp for shelter.

She ended up clawing the foam pad to shreds, as she would dig before sleeping.

We only went a couple of times and I ended up carrying the pack up steep climbs. When the vet finally settled on her age, I decided that based on past performance, she was too old to take on overnights. But we continued to take her on day hikes as she loved those. She went sans pack on these. I carried her water bowl and treats then.

I think her total pack weight was about 6-7 lbs (2-3 days food). I had only the rough guide of a human not packing over 25% of their weight. Since she was a little over 40 lbs, I estimated this to be reasonable. If there is some kind of rule of thumb here, post it.

The Solemates
07-21-2006, 12:02
I think that the rule of thumb is that your dog has to be used to it, just like humans have to be in shape. If all your dog does is snooze during the day while you are at work, then you come home and he sits beside you as you watch TV, then yes, your dog will have a hard time on the trail, and will have a hard time carrying weight. If you allow your dog free roam during the day so that he can run around somewhat in the back yard, and take him for walks/runs every day, then he will be in shape enough to hike. All of this is regardless of age. There are plenty of dogs out there that are 10 years old or older that have no problem hiking up and down mountains.

Our dog get lots of exercise each day, and he has to because he is a high energy dog. My wife takes him for a 2 mile walk every morning, and I take him for a 3-5 mile walk every night. I sometimes rollerblade instead of walk, and he runs along beside me, getting even more exercise. We have a backyard that is full of possums, raccoons, squirrels, and birds as well, and he gets exercise chasing those all day. This morning when I woke up he had a possum tree'd.

Alligator
07-21-2006, 12:14
I agree, it will be a mixed bag for older dogs. I should add that she had a heart murmur, probably caused by poor dental hygeine before we adopted her (bad valve). The vet was surprised that she lived as long as she did. While we didn't have a yard to let her run in (no fence) she did get regular walks (moderate exercise). We think this helped her heart condition to a great extent.

Phreak
07-21-2006, 14:10
My two dogs carry the following items:
Mountainsmith Dog Pack (1-medium, 1-large)
Dog leash
Dog collar
Bear bell (not for bears, but for me to hear them around camp at night)
Dog tent (Suzi carries the tent body, Maggie or I will carry the poles). During the winter, I use a tarp and they sleep underneath it with me.
Small blanket
Dog food/snacks
Collapsable dog bowls (one for food, the other for water)

I carry additional food when necessary as well as a dog-specific first aid kit.

Suzi typically carries 10-14 pounds and Maggie 8-12 pounds of food/gear.

Two Speed
07-21-2006, 14:19
Phreak and Frieden, what do you consider to be necessary items for a dog's first aid kit? Specialty items, or mostly use what's in your first aid kit?

soulrebel
07-21-2006, 14:30
steak and beer for me. he gets the scraps and the trash. I love my dog. oh yes i carry a whip so if he slows down I don't have to kick him...

Phreak
07-21-2006, 15:09
Phreak and Frieden, what do you consider to be necessary items for a dog's first aid kit? Specialty items, or mostly use what's in your first aid kit?

Some of these items can be found in your personal first-aid kit, but there are some items that I only carry for use on my dogs.

I carry the following items in my dog first-aid kit:

Triple antibiotic ointment
Alcohol swabs
Ear syringe
Ace bandage
Sterile solution
Benadryl -- 25mg (1mg per pound of body weight up to twice daily)
Sterile stretch gauze bandage
Hydrogen peroxide
Kaopectate tablets
Bandage scissors
Splints
Tweezers
Muzzle
Hemostats
Rectal thermometer
Styptic powder/stick
Cotton swabs
KY Jelly or Vaseline
Disposable gloves
Bitter Apple (discourage licking)
Small towel
First aid tape
Betadine
Packets of honey
Powdered Gatorade
Sutures / surgical needles


I would recommend anyone who plans on spending a lot of time on the trail with their dog(s), to take a basic dog first-aid class. They are offered free of charge through the American Red Cross.

Two Speed
07-21-2006, 15:39
Yikes, that looks excessive. Guess I'll take that first aid course and see what I think after that.

*** This terminates the "Topic Drift Warning." You may remove your seatbelts and resume running through the aisles with scissors in your hands if you wish to do so. ***

Phreak
07-21-2006, 15:59
Yikes, that looks excessive. Guess I'll take that first aid course and see what I think after that.

It might look excessive but it isn't once you have everything in front of you. The kit weighs about a pound or so, and fits in the lid of my backpack. My current kit is still smaller than what is recommended for a standard dog first-aid kit. I do scale it down a bit when I only have one of my dogs with me. I know with only one, the chance of injury drops dramtically.

I started out with a lot smaller kit, but as different injuries have occurred, I realized it's necessary to have these items. My dogs are very energetic and playful, and spend most of the 'down time' on the trail chasing and wrestling with each other. This has led to some minor injuries such as torn pads, broken nails, scrapes and cuts, etc. My one dog loves to push her face across sand and mud, which almost always leads to sand/dirt getting underneath her third eyelid.

general
07-21-2006, 20:53
mr. bud's roughware pack
1 cut down fleece blanket
1 fleece doggie cape (he's got really short hair and needs it in the winter)
1 foldable bowl
1 quart size zip lock of puppy food for each day hiking
1 piece of climbing webbing about 10 feet long (for a leash)
1 zip lock of milk bones ( he likes the multi flavor kind)
and sometimes if i have extra beers when i leave town, i give him a couple for later (for him, not me)

i carry all the water. he drinks out of water sources unless it's a dry section, in which case he drinks from the water bladder when i do. i also carry the front line and the heart worm pills.

mr. bud keeps his own nails trimmed by walking. they have never gotten long on extended hikes, but i do trim them at home.

Chip
07-21-2006, 21:44
Our gear list:
One six foot dog leash with loop handle at the end and another loop next to the (2) collar or in our case the (3) harness.

* The dog leash will attach to a waist belt using a carabiner (for fast release if needed) and is hooked to my dogs harness not the collar. The harness will provide more control over the dog's body. If you attach the leash to the collar your dog could wiggle free, choke or still be able to get up on his hind legs. You are able to control your dogs center of gravity to some degree using a harness. Let's say your hiking on a narrow section of trail on a steep slope and somehow your dog ends up down off the trail. In this case you will be able to help get your dog back up on the trail using a harness than using the leash - collar set up and choking your dog.

* The second hand/wrist loop next to the harness gives me a "quick grab" for control and I can pull my dog right next to me when needed.

4. Dog pack, harness style (when backpacking).

5. Water/food gear : 2 collapsable bowls. One 32oz. Water bottle.

6. Home made "light weight" dog poncho.

7. Light weight dog sweater (Winter hikes)

8. Small light weight fleece blanket.

9. Small first aid kit for my dog.

10. Dog food.

My dog will carry the bowls, dog food / treats too and poncho or sweater. I will carry the water bottle the first aid kit and fleece blanket.

* Take a "Pet First Aid " course if you can. The American Red Cross and/or The Humane Society of the United States has a one day course you can take if given in your community. ** "Pet First Aid" a book by Bobbie Mammato, DVM, MPH is a good resource book and tells you what you might want to have in your dogs first aid kit.

Note to Sgt. Rock,
Sorry I didn't see the other thread in time to respond to how to hike with a dog. Anyhow I will post my rules here (again) as I have in other post. I feel if all hikers with dogs on the trail will abide by these simple rules then all hikers can have a good time on any trail.:)

1. Always keep your dog on a leash. (You need to be in control at all times and will keep your dog, other hikers and wildlife safe). You can keep the dog out of a water source too ! :) another rule!!

2. Always tent or tarp. Never stay in shelters !!!! The smell of food, the sounds of mice at night, the hiker who gets up in the middle of the night to take a trip to the privy or whatever are all things that will entice your dog to react in some way. DOGS and SHELTERS DO NOT MIX!!! Remember too that most folks don't like dogs on rainy days inside a shelter.

3. Tent or tarp 50 to 100 yards away from a shelter if possible. This gives ample space if there are others who tent next to a shelter. If there are any strange noises at night and your dog should decide to bark, well at least it won't be in somebody's ear and if your dog is not close enough to see what is going on chances are you will be able to calm your dog down with less problem.

4. LEAVE NO TRACE. Bury dog waste as you would your own. Take your dog off trail at least 10 yards to pee or take a dump.

5. Always keep your dog away from all water sources used for drinking water.

6. Always step off the trail when being passed by other hikers, at least 10 feet. Everyone will feel and do better about this. (If someone wants to pet your dog ??? let them know if it is ok or not BUT always watch your dog as that person starts to approach! Your dog's reaction will let you know before hand if it is ok or not! SOMETIMES dog's don't like certain people and their senses will kick in and you are surprised by the reaction .... EVEN IN A WELL TRAINED DOG !!!! There are NO GUARANTEES !!!


Hiking with a dog is not as difficult as some would think. Just be responsible for your dog and respect the other hikers who share the trail with you.;)

Thanks and Happy Trails,
Chip

frieden
07-22-2006, 08:51
Looking at Frieden's post makes me wonder if we should specify that a particular dog is just a good ol' hiking dog or is in training for SAR? FWIW Barney is a good ol' hiking mutt.

My sister is a SAR trainer in TN, so when we looked for a hobby, we just naturally gravitated toward that. Ed loves it. He hasn't missed a track yet, but he isn't a "trained SAR dog". It's just what we like to do for fun. It takes a lot of money and a lot of time, and we don't have either one. Ed does a lot for me, and he works all day in a bookstore, when he would rather be running around the mountains. I love to see him smile, so we play (what humans call training) as much as possible.

frieden
07-22-2006, 09:09
I carry the following items in my dog first-aid kit:

Triple antibiotic ointment
Alcohol swabs
Ear syringe
Ace bandage
Sterile solution
Benadryl -- 25mg (1mg per pound of body weight up to twice daily)
Sterile stretch gauze bandage
Hydrogen peroxide
Kaopectate tablets
Bandage scissors
Splints
Tweezers
Muzzle
Hemostats
Rectal thermometer
Styptic powder/stick
Cotton swabs
KY Jelly or Vaseline
Disposable gloves
Bitter Apple (discourage licking)
Small towel
First aid tape
Betadine
Packets of honey
Powdered Gatorade
Sutures / surgical needles

Two Speed, I would agree with Phreak's list on what you should carry, but I would cut it down for a thru hiker on the AT. Also, some of the things you would share from the general first aid kit, anyway. Carry enough to stabilize your dog, until you can get to town. I would leave out the:

Ear syringe
Ace bandage
Sterile solution
Hydrogen peroxide
Bandage scissors
Splints
Muzzle
Hemostats
Rectal thermometer
Bitter Apple (discourage licking)
Powdered Gatorade
Sutures / surgical needles

Some people say that the more you learn about dog first aid, the more you carry. Actually, you learn to make things do double duty. I second the suggestion of a first aid class. Then, you'll have a better idea on what to carry. If you learn how to propery stitch up a wound, then the sutures/surgical needles won't add much weight. Ask your vet what a good, lightweight first aid kit should contain.

the goat
07-22-2006, 10:52
my four-legged companion and i share the same first aid kit:
-one surgical needle w/ suture
-triple antibiotic cream
-duct tape

Allyson
07-27-2006, 20:08
All this talk about dog food has made me wonder if anyone has had my problem. At home, Perseus gets his dry kibble mixed with canned food. We backpacked four days in the Porcupine Mountains (in Michigan) and didn't bring cans because I didn't want to deal with the litter. He refused to touch his plain food and therefore ate most of mine because I was concerned about getting him enough. He is half-husky, though, and they're bred to eat less. Has anyone else had a finicky dog on the trail? What did you do?

Phreak
07-27-2006, 20:26
My one dog, Maggie, will eat anything and everything on the trail. My other dog, Suzi, doesn't want to eat much. So I mix a foil pack of chicken in with her dry food for dinnerand she gobbles it down with no problem. If I don't have chicken with me, I simply mix whatever food I'm eating with hers to get her to eat the dry food.

frieden
07-27-2006, 21:22
I'd have to fall back on the good 'ole "when they get hungry enough, they'll eat!"

Ed was spoiled at his first seminar, because he got water over his kibble. It ended up being bad for his teeth, though, so I stopped that. He wouldn't eat the plain dry food, until he realized that was all he was going to get. I'll mix some of my veggies and rice with his food sometimes.

Bblue
07-28-2006, 00:50
My (2) healer mutts use Ruffwear Packs (http://www.ruffwear.com/Approach-Pack-trade-II?sc=2&category=13) with the best harness sytem I've seen. They carry their bedding and our camp shoes. It's a total of about 5 lbs each for their body weight of about 40 lbs. each. Their bedding consists of Canine Top Coats (http://www.k9topcoat.com/product.asp?specific=jnnrpop0) and a child's sleeping bag I modified for them. They lay on the sleeping bag and wear the topcoats. This keeps their short haired selves warm down to about 32 degrees F.

But the best food I've found for them is Natures Variety Freeze Dried Dog Food (http://www.sitstay.com/store/edibles/food2.shtml). We carry it. But it's way lighter than regular food and especially good for them on the trail.

95% fresh meat ingredients including ground raw bones
Fresh, raw ground bone and organ meats
Cold processed Norwegian virgin salmon oil
Over 70 organic, chelated minerals & Norwegian Kelp
Wild gamebird eggs
Fresh fruits, vegetables & organic sprouts
NO synthetic vitamins or minerals
NO cereal grains
Veterinarian approved and scientifically validated

I have nothing to do with this company, but I sure like their product. Have used it for several years now. I think it cuts the weight of the dog food I carry down to about a quarter of the weight of kibble. It comes to about 4 oz per day per dog. And I know my dogs are getting excellent nutrition. Spendy though at $21 for 12 oz.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/ccorbridge/IMG_4251.jpg

Rain Man
07-28-2006, 08:24
... He refused to touch his plain food and therefore ate most of mine ...

Allyson, do you realize you just put the dog in charge, over you?

Rain:sunMan

.

frieden
07-28-2006, 08:59
Bblue, you just solved my remaining major gear issues for Ed. I don't know what to say. Thank you. I can use the freeze dried food as treats thoughout the day, and the Top Coat for extreme nights. :D <hug> BTW, nice pic!

Alligator
07-28-2006, 09:39
BBlue has also presented an interesting alternative for regular dog food. If you can find a reasonable, nutritious homemade dog food recipe, you could potentially dehydrate it quite easily and save the $28/lb cost. There should be something out there that would work.

Probably would work best with a big dehydrator.

plydem
07-28-2006, 09:52
BBlue has also presented an interesting alternative for regular dog food. If you can find a reasonable, nutritious homemade dog food recipe, you could potentially dehydrate it quite easily and save the $28/lb cost. There should be something out there that would work.

Probably would work best with a big dehydrator.

We used to feed our dogs a raw diet and made it ourselves. It takes a bit of research to determine the right amount of vitamins necessary to support the dog but other than that it is fairly easy. We bought chicken necks and various vegetables, ground up the chicken necks (you'll need a meat grinder of course) and mixed together the chicken and vegetables. We would add oils, powdered seaweed, vitamins and often yogurt and feed them this mixture. They loved it! If you search the web for the BARF (bones and raw food ) diet for dogs, you'll find several websites that describe it and I believe there are even yahoo groups to discuss it.

Alligator
07-28-2006, 10:09
We used to feed our dogs a raw diet and made it ourselves. It takes a bit of research to determine the right amount of vitamins necessary to support the dog but other than that it is fairly easy. We bought chicken necks and various vegetables, ground up the chicken necks (you'll need a meat grinder of course) and mixed together the chicken and vegetables. We would add oils, powdered seaweed, vitamins and often yogurt and feed them this mixture. They loved it! If you search the web for the BARF (bones and raw food ) diet for dogs, you'll find several websites that describe it and I believe there are even yahoo groups to discuss it.Now that you mention it, I remember seeing that. We had a diabetic cat that was hard to regulate. She was on prescription food, which was expensive, so we looked into making it ourselves. Eventually we were able to regulate her on Fancy Feast.

frieden
07-28-2006, 10:34
Allyson, do you realize you just put the dog in charge, over you?

Yes, please see the Behavioral Issues and Rehabilitation (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16401) thread.

plydem
07-28-2006, 10:39
Now that you mention it, I remember seeing that. We had a diabetic cat that was hard to regulate. She was on prescription food, which was expensive, so we looked into making it ourselves. Eventually we were able to regulate her on Fancy Feast.

Hmmm. Maybe I'll try my diabetic cat on Fancy Feast. That diabetic food is surely expensive. Anyway, regarding the dog food, we found a local wholesale meat distributor to buy our chicken necks (we also bought our marrow bones and sometimes Turkey necks there as well). This way we could buy them in bulk, typically for $15-$20 for a 40 pound box. We were also helping at a cooperative farm and regularly took their seconds to use for the dogs. The vegetables got frozen and then whirred in the food processor. We would typically do a very large batch every month or so and stored the finished product (minus vitamins and oils) in yogurt containers in the freezer for later use.

docllamacoy
07-30-2006, 12:31
Coy only wore a Ruffwear Palisades Pack on our PCT hike. After that, we got to thinking about how a dog is not built as a pack animal. For short hikes, sure, but after making her carry a pack on one thru-hike, we decided to forego the pack altogether when we hit the AT the following year. Since there were two of us, we were able to divide up all of her stuff between us. Yeah, our packs were heavier, but I think we were built to carry the weight better than her. We had to carry some of her food anyway, even when she had a pack.
This is what we carried:
Food (of course), about 1 lb. per day of puppy food was sufficient.
Dog bowl (we learned from Otto and Raven about the bottom of a 2 or 3 liter
plastic soda bottle makes a much better dog bowl than the cloth collapsible ones; Those are difficult to get really clean after a few weeks on the trail. Once the plastic one gets dirty, you toss and cut the bottom off of another bottle. It's lighter than the collapsible bowl anyway and much easier for them to drink out of. I highly recommend it.)
Leash (I would recommend the Ruffwear Quickdraw collar/leash as well)
Blaze orange vest (so doggie doesn't get shot by accident; Coy looks part deer. LOL!)
Platypus specifically for the dog so you can pour unused water from the dish back into the Platy.
Usually some sort of high calorie, healthy snack so she can keep up her energy between meals.
Amoxycillan and Rimadyl- Just in case you need them before you can get to a Vet.

jaywalke
07-31-2006, 12:59
Beautiful dog, Solemate! You let him drink out of the streams? Isn't that dangerous? Ed gets bottled water at home and at work. He is such a water hound, and it took me forever to get him to not drink from streams/standing water. You just don't know what's in there - too much human impact on the environment; polluted water.

I've had four veterinarians confirm that dogs can't easily get sick from backcountry water (at least in the U.S.) Their digestive systems are a lot simpler than ours, and lower maintenance. One of my dogs tends to think a little pond scum improves the flavor, like a slice of lime in a gin and tonic. Bottled water seems like a bit much.

My big dog wears a pack with treats, fold-up bowls, water and some food. I carry more food and their (half) pads. I add blood-stop powder and a vet-wrap bandage to my first aid kit. I made sleeping bags for cold weather by chopping a cheap synthetic bag in half, but we haven't used them yet.

They get to frolic for a hundred yards or so if no one is around, then they heel behind me. They are trained to sit if I stop walking. I carry leashes in my hand to clip on if anyone comes along the trail.

plydem
07-31-2006, 13:15
I've had four veterinarians confirm that dogs can't easily get sick from backcountry water (at least in the U.S.) Their digestive systems are a lot simpler than ours, and lower maintenance. One of my dogs tends to think a little pond scum improves the flavor, like a slice of lime in a gin and tonic. Bottled water seems like a bit much.

I'll second this. When we were feeding our dogs the raw diet, we were feeding them raw chicken. Of course, everyone immediately thinks they can get salmonella poisoning. Not so, their dgestive tracts are such that it just doesn't happen. In two years of feeding them this diet, they were not sick once and their health improved significantly while on the diet. I can say the same thing about drinking out of streams. None of our dogs has ever been sick after a hike when they drank the water out there - even some really nasty stuff from time to time (our dogs don't have very discriminating tastes).

Amigi'sLastStand
07-31-2006, 15:46
Oh, so Giardia ( on hardy azz single cell ) and salmonella ( weak and feeble ) are the same thing? Send me the names of the four vets you spoke with and I'll get them in touch with a real backcountry vet who will reeducate them.

Not speaking of raw diets and making the jump what is true for one is true for all, almost all mammals contract giardia the same. The difference arises in familiarity. LoneWolf, who doesnt treat his water, is probably infected as hell with giardia, but his body is used to it, and possible immune to it. A dog who drinks bottled water, is never going to be acclimated to stream water. Dogs digestive systems are much simpler, and whatever their aggressive immune system cant deal with, actually affects them greater than us.

http://www.priory.com/vet/giardia.htm
http://www.canismajor.com/dog/giardia.html
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex736?opendocument
http://www.vetinfo.com/dgiardia.html
http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat=1622&articleid=739
Amazing what a simple Google search can do.....

jaywalke
07-31-2006, 16:20
Amigi,

From your own links . . .

"Experts do not agree on how many species of Giardia there are and which ones affect which animals. Veterinarians do not even agree on how common Giardia infections are and when they should be treated. Generally, it is believed that infection with Giardia is common but disease is rare."

"Most infections with Giardia are asymptomatic (javascript:popupWin1('/dictionary_term.cfm?term=asymptomatic&cls=2', 50, 50, 350, 300)). In the rare cases in which disease occurs, younger animals are usually affected"

"Can Giardia of dogs infect people?
This is another unknown."

"A negative test may mean the animal is not infected. However, few, if any, laboratory tests are 100% accurate. Negative test results can also occur in some infected animals. If a negative test occurs, your veterinarian will often suggest repeating the test. What about a positive test? That should not be hard to interpret, right? Wrong. Giardia can be found in many dogs (and horses, by the way -- jaywalke) with and without diarrhea. If we find Giardia, is it the cause of the diarrhea or is it just coincidence we found it? The animal could actually have diarrhea caused by a bacterial infection, and we just happened to find the Giardia."



Not a whole lot of consensus, there. I'll stick with the opinions of my four rural vets, all of whom say, "Don't worry about it."

I'll have my dogs at the vet in a heartbeat if they ever have any symptoms (of anything!), but in this case it just seems like paranoia.

buckhead
07-31-2006, 22:59
The dog carries a 12 pack of beer, it's food, a cable and a leash. The cable is to tie it to a tree while everyone is eating. The leash is attached to it's collar for easy access should we happen upon other hikers. But, I probably wouldn't really need either because, I conrol my dog! The beers are for weary hikers.

buckhead
07-31-2006, 23:01
Make that control.

frieden
08-01-2006, 09:35
Coy only wore a Ruffwear Palisades Pack on our PCT hike. After that, we got to thinking about how a dog is not built as a pack animal. For short hikes, sure, but after making her carry a pack on one thru-hike, we decided to forego the pack altogether when we hit the AT the following year.

Could you be specific on the problems a pack caused your dog on a long-distance hike? This could really be helpful. Thanks!

As far as the streams issue, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I'm on a tight budget now, and will be on an even tighter one for the trail. I can't afford ER vet visits all down the trail. Even though I will have an ER fund, I don't want to waste it with something that could have been avoided. Also, a good point is made here. Ed is used to bottled water. He may not be able to handle drinking right out of a stream, like some other dogs might. We'll stick with the filter and Platy.

I forgot about listing the blood-stop stuff in my ER kit. Thanks!

SGT Rock
08-01-2006, 09:43
My experience:

Problems a pack caused my dog on a short-long distance hiker (105 mile hike of the Pinhoti) well it rubbed her "elbow" raw in one spot even though it had a nice fleece patch to prevent this. It also made her off balance and less agile and more prone to get stuck in places since she would not compensate for the extra width and would try to go places with the pack she shouldn't.

I trained her with the pack for about 2 years on shorter trails before and day hiking before taking her out on this one, but she never got to where she did well with it. She liked seeing the because she knew it meant hiking, but she hated letting me put it on and carrying the thing. Eventually I gave up on it and she only wore her harness and collar (for her tags and ID) while I carried all her stuff. It seemed like the right thing to do since I was brining her, she didn't ask to go long distance and need a pack. Her druthers were playing in the woods, not carry loads for long miles.

the goat
08-01-2006, 09:50
My experience:

Problems a pack caused my dog on a short-long distance hiker (105 mile hike of the Pinhoti) well it rubbed her "elbow" raw in one spot even though it had a nice fleece patch to prevent this. It also made her off balance and less agile and more prone to get stuck in places since she would not compensate for the extra width and would try to go places with the pack she shouldn't.


hey, was this a mountainsmith dogpack?

i had the same issue with a mountainsmith dog pack. i ended up cutting off that strap completely b/c it was rubbing my dog's elbows raw. and i subsequently had to reduce his payload to 1 day of food.

i ran into several hikers in '03 who had the same issue w/ the mountainsmith dogpack & they had cut off the strap. imo, it was a poorly designed pack, which especially sucks b/c it's one of the most expensive on the market. goes to show that you don't always get what you pay for.

SGT Rock
08-01-2006, 10:09
It wasn't a Mountainsmith. I don't remember the brand, but it looked like this one: http://www.wolfpacks.com/banzai.htm

I can't find it in all the old backpacking gear right this second. Who knows where it is buried.

the goat
08-01-2006, 10:16
yeah, looks like the same design type as the mountainsmith: one strap across the chest, and two parallel straps across the belly, each strap has a fleece sleeve on it.

i know many dog hikers have issues with that one strap behind the front legs, especially on the downhills. the fleece does nothing to protect the rubbing, really.

i thing the kelty has a smarter design. although i admittedly have never used it with my dog, i've passed several happy owners on the trail who report no rubbing issues all.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?AFC-google&productId=39151641&memberId=12500226

frieden
08-01-2006, 10:25
Ed has the Outward Hound pack.

Two Speed
08-01-2006, 10:34
I picked up a $20 cheapo for Barney when he was a pup and "upgraded" to a Kelty Chuck Wagon pack when he filled out. The theory was that I'd load him light with the cheapo, then replace it with a better pack. The cheapo is about as good. Have to keep an eye open for chafing either way.

Alligator
08-01-2006, 10:47
yeah, looks like the same design type as the mountainsmith: one strap across the chest, and two parallel straps across the belly, each strap has a fleece sleeve on it.

i know many dog hikers have issues with that one strap behind the front legs, especially on the downhills. the fleece does nothing to protect the rubbing, really.

i thing the kelty has a smarter design. although i admittedly have never used it with my dog, i've passed several happy owners on the trail who report no rubbing issues all.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?AFC-google&productId=39151641&memberId=12500226
One thing I noticed about dog packs is that the differences between large and small sometimes sometimes involve different strap configurations. I checked the photos for the campmor link and all the packs look the same S to L. Just something to think about if buying over the net. Might be a good idea to have the pack fit at an outfitter.

SGT Rock
08-01-2006, 10:50
For the record, it wasn't the straps that caused her to get rubbed raw, it was the panniers on the pack. The way they rode and the way she walks/runs caused her "elbow" to rub on the panniers of the pack. So the pack fit great, but it was the mechanics of her gait with the hang of the pack that caused this issue.

frieden
08-01-2006, 11:21
Ok, someone needs to design a pack that isn't square, but has the corner cut off away from the front leg, so there is more freedom of movement......:-?

Rain
08-01-2006, 13:11
Frieden, go ahead and get started on that. The first dog packs were backyard projects. I'd test it out. :D

Loki currently uses the Kelty Chuckwagon and has no rubbing problems with it. It doesn't fit as snugly as I'd like, but I doubt its a big issue. Though we will be trying the Palisades 2 pack soon.

jaywalke
08-01-2006, 13:38
I forgot about listing the blood-stop stuff in my ER kit. Thanks!

Just a note about economy. If you buy that stuff (blood-stop and vet wrap) at a dog & cat type pet store like Petco, you will pay through the nose. If you get it at a farm supply place it will cost one-third to one-half as much.

frieden
08-03-2006, 20:32
:-? As I was mowing my lawn today, and through the haze of heat stroke, I had an idea for the dog pack - make the packs insulated. When the heat gets extreme, the packs can carry ice from town stops. This would keep the dog cooler (no pun intended), and would give you water as it melted. This would be a great way to carry cheese, fruit, salad...... No, I know what you're thinking; beer is too heavy!

Skidsteer
08-03-2006, 21:36
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/ccorbridge/IMG_4251.jpg

BBlue,

Where was this photo taken?

frieden
08-05-2006, 21:33
Does anyone here use dog boots, or do you just rely on the pad tough stuff? My sister convinced me to not use boots for Ed, because he isn't used to them, and they prevent the dog from gripping with his toes. I've read about nasty places that can tear a dog's paws up, though. Initially, I thought of tar - hey, it worked for Scottish cattle drivers' dogs! We are going to try the pad tough stuff, but I was wondering if anyone planned on putting boots in their bounce box or mail drop for certain parts of the trail.

Alligator
08-05-2006, 22:04
Does anyone here use dog boots, or do you just rely on the pad tough stuff? My sister convinced me to not use boots for Ed, because he isn't used to them, and they prevent the dog from gripping with his toes. I've read about nasty places that can tear a dog's paws up, though. Initially, I thought of tar - hey, it worked for Scottish cattle drivers' dogs! We are going to try the pad tough stuff, but I was wondering if anyone planned on putting boots in their bounce box or mail drop for certain parts of the trail.No, I never used them. I thought they might be handy for a tent but expensive to lose. They have what looks to be better fitting ones then when I first considered buying them. They occassionally turn up at www.sierratradingpost.com (http://www.sierratradingpost.com) cheap.

Bblue
08-06-2006, 02:28
Skids,

The pic was taken this spring in the Kalmiopsis Wilderness of Southern Oregon. Area was burned a couple years ago and is way under-used. We saw no one in 6 days.

Blue

Gaiter
08-09-2006, 14:58
I just finished a 2 month section on the AT! My dog was with me for her the first month. She went home because she was getting to comfortable and her paws were about to split.

she has a mountain smith med. pack
she carried in her pack:
her dog food
the shameful orange trowel
two 1 liter (usually filled up 1/2 or 3/4 of the way each)
and a dog water proof dog bowl.

In my pack i had a leash always on me ready to go for her and I didn't do any special first aid kit for her, but i added extra gauzes for her, a couple of boots for emergency (i had her to wear them for short times before we left so they weren't to wierd for her) and i added super glue for her (it ended up being used for my boots mostly but it was something i used alot while grooming dogs)

she drank straight from my bite valve so I carried a 3 liter and if it was a long day i would take out her bottles when mine ran out. also on hot days i would refilll her bottles when ever there was a nice cold water source and keep those right next to her body.

Coco was on verbal and hand commands. I started out w/ the theory that i wasn't going to let her off her leash, but eventually I let her off, it caused to much stress, she behaved better w/o it anyways. when ever there was someone on the trail she would come back to me and walk in 'stayback' or on her leash, the same thing applyed for when we were coming to roads

Nean
08-09-2006, 18:29
Does anyone here use dog boots, or do you just rely on the pad tough stuff? My sister convinced me to not use boots for Ed, because he isn't used to them, and they prevent the dog from gripping with his toes. I've read about nasty places that can tear a dog's paws up, though. Initially, I thought of tar - hey, it worked for Scottish cattle drivers' dogs! We are going to try the pad tough stuff, but I was wondering if anyone planned on putting boots in their bounce box or mail drop for certain parts of the trail.

My dog Cooler wore boots out on the PCT, on the lava and in the snow. I carried a couple w/ me on the LT and AT just in case his pads got tender, but he never had a problem and loved the trail.

frieden
08-10-2006, 16:04
Congrats, thickredhair! How much did the packs weigh? How did you do your recall training?

Two Speed
08-15-2006, 04:38
. . . I would recommend anyone who plans on spending a lot of time on the trail with their dog(s), to take a basic dog first-aid class. They are offered free of charge through the American Red Cross.Hey Phreak, can you post a link to that class? I've looked on the Red Cross website and I haven't been able to find that.

Thanks

frieden
08-15-2006, 21:47
First aid tips:

http://www.redcross.org/services/disaster/0,1082,0_10_,00.html

Our Red Cross chapter charges $30 for the Pet First Aid class, and it is 4 hours long.

Two Speed
09-07-2006, 21:29
Couple of first aid issues.

First, Frieden, thanks for the link. Still having trouble with finding a class in the Atlanta area, and would appreciate any guidance anyone can offer on that.

Next, was out on a section hike over the weekend, four hikers and two dogs. Ran into two yellow jacket nests and everyone, dogs included, took at least one hit. Unfortunately Barney reacted; puffy eyes, hives all over the place, rapid respirations, etc. Fortunately that was on the last afternoon and Tiamalle was kind enough to drop what he was doing and pick Barney, myself and my partner up early so that I could get closer to help. About 10 mg of benadryl and some fussing and the mutt's OK, but not a good scene for a while.

I've tended to be a winter packer, so I've never carried benadryl and wouldn't have known the dose if my partner hadn't had experience with a dog she'd dealt with in the past. Obviously this is something I'm going to have to discuss with Barney's vet and it may preclude him from hikng when wasps and bees are active.

This may be something the other dog hikers want to think about and take precautions for.

Gaiter
09-11-2006, 16:47
Congrats, thickredhair! How much did the packs weigh? How did you do your recall training?


Her pack weighed around 10 w/ full food and water at its heaviest.
I can't take the claim for most of her training, it was done before I got her, I adopted her fully grown and well-trained. I started taking her on my day hikes and she took to the trail. Thats when I started looking into her going w/ me, and I did a lot of research. There isn't any books out there for long term hiking w/ a dog. But one book I bought mentioned a 'stay back' command which was wonderful, she picked it up quickly, and she followed it on and off leash. I also did a 'slow' command which she learned on leash to keep her from pulling, and then I tried it one day and it worked off leash as well.

lindy
09-13-2006, 23:06
does anyone have paw and pad care tips that they would like to share? also some pad toughening ideas? Boom, my border collie, logs quite a bit of miles with me on the road and trail and her pads are looking a bit worn.

I am also concerned about my dog eating on the trail. She just does not seem interested in kibble. Perhaps it is because we have done day hiking and car camping and she knows if she holds out she will get goodies after everyone eats (hotdogs meat etc). I am thinking about bringing puppy food when we start overnight hiking and then trying to put some bullion on top of it with water. I guess she will eat if she is hungry :) She is the type that just will not eat unless she needs to. I wish I had that "problem" lol I used to offer her food all the time but I have decided only to offer it to her twice a day and if we are day hiking just to bring a bit. Then one time she was raveonus on a day hike and I felt bad lol. Mom's can't win! Always the guilt. heh

She is very low maintance and getting her to drink on trail is difficult so she has her own water bottle. I put her water back into the bottle when we are on dry sections to save it for later and if we are on a trail where there water is readily available I just have her drink out of the streams. She prefers that anyway and kinda turns her nose up at water that has been in a plastic bottle and loves to cool her pads in streams. Of course I would be a lot more cautious if these streams were also water sources for humans and she is good about waiting for permission to drink and wade :)

Rouen
09-14-2006, 09:16
this is how I keep my dogs feet tough.. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/rouenduck/bikerig.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/rouenduck/Dingprance.jpg
as for pad care, for small cuts or what have you carry booties, some type of ointment to make sure it doesn't get infected, if you're going to keep the dog moving stop to change the bootie every few hours, dogs feet do sweat(or atleast my dogs feet do) and it can get really nasty in the bootie.

Alligator
09-14-2006, 09:30
...I am thinking about bringing puppy food when we start overnight hiking and then trying to put some bullion on top of it with water. I guess she will eat if she is hungry :) ...I did this with my dog. What you want to watch though is that boullion is very salty. Try looking for something that is low sodium. Another option is watered down gravy.

Gaiter
09-14-2006, 16:26
does anyone have paw and pad care tips that they would like to share? also some pad toughening ideas? Boom, my border collie, logs quite a bit of miles with me on the road and trail and her pads are looking a bit worn.

There is stuff out there made for 'working/hunting' dogs to toughen up their pads, I forget what the kind i use is called but it has a green lid/handle and a green camo on the label. a hunting store or vet would be your best places to look for it. and like i've said on several other post, the best thing to do is check with your vet to figure out what is best for your dog. :sun

Gaiter
09-29-2006, 12:35
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20656-cat20866&rid=&indexId=cat20866&navAction=pop&masterpathid=&navCount=3&parentType=index&parentId=cat20866&id=0005402

this link has the paw stuff i was talking about in my last post.

Hanna

lindy
09-29-2006, 20:57
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...866&id=0005402 (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/horizontal-pod.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20656-cat20866&rid=&indexId=cat20866&navAction=pop&masterpathid=&navCount=3&parentType=index&parentId=cat20866&id=0005402)

this link has the paw stuff i was talking about in my last post.

Hanna

thanks :)
I am going there right now.

~L

LIhikers
10-03-2006, 08:30
I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2.

LIhikers
10-03-2006, 08:31
Not sure why the above unfinished post submitted itself, but let me try again.


I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2. Larger pack, good for multi night trip
3.

LIhikers
10-03-2006, 08:37
Dang, what's goin on?

I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2. Larger pack, good for multi night trip
3. Rain coat
4. Fleece sleeping bag
5. Ground pad, fluffy material on both sides with a center layer of the same material space blanets are made of.
6. Blaze Orange collar and vest for use during hunting season
7. A set of booties

Alligator
10-03-2006, 14:06
Dang, what's goin on?

I was doing some cleaning in our gear closet the other day and came to realize that our dog has almost as much hiking gear as me and my wife do.
1. Small backpack, good for day hikes or 1 night.
2. Larger pack, good for multi night trip
3. Rain coat
4. Fleece sleeping bag
5. Ground pad, fluffy material on both sides with a center layer of the same material space blanets are made of.
6. Blaze Orange collar and vest for use during hunting season
7. A set of bootiesIs this a complete list;) ?

The Weasel
10-05-2006, 17:06
I noticed, in reviewing this thread up to the present time, that no one listed (unless I missed it) as necessary "equipment" -

- Proof of vaccinations (carried)
- Microchip implants (embedded)
- Current license (from home location)

I think it's important to have the vaccination proof in case of accidents or illness, and carried since a bounce box may be a long way from a place where an animal needs treated. Many vets will insist on seeing vaccination proof to do any treatmeant at all.

Microchips are pretty well known. So are "lost dogs".

Current license (on collar) can also serve to help in the event your animal gets away, and has other advantages.

The Weasel

Rouen
10-06-2006, 00:52
as stated in the "hiking tags" thread..
"because there are different types of micro chips available and some areas have certain ones that they use, like here vets will only give home again chips, where as say somewhere down south they use avid, those avid scanners wont pick up the home again chips."

and some places along the AT require proof of vaccinations.

Gaiter
10-12-2006, 21:38
I noticed, in reviewing this thread up to the present time, that no one listed (unless I missed it) as necessary "equipment" -

- Proof of vaccinations (carried)
- Microchip implants (embedded)
- Current license (from home location)

I think it's important to have the vaccination proof in case of accidents or illness, and carried since a bounce box may be a long way from a place where an animal needs treated. Many vets will insist on seeing vaccination proof to do any treatmeant at all.

Microchips are pretty well known. So are "lost dogs".

Current license (on collar) can also serve to help in the event your animal gets away, and has other advantages.

The Weasel
I consider that a given, I made a sheet with both of our info, and her shot records on the back. I had one copy she had two more copies, also the copies were laminated to keep them from being damaged. I had the vet to check her microchip to make sure it was working and i was correctly registered. Also her entire medical record was w/ my parents so if she needed to go to the vet, they were ready to fax it. She had several tags, with my address and no., vets info, rabies, microchip, local dog liscence (yeah i think that was it)

Hanna

superman
02-05-2007, 19:53
"- Proof of vaccinations (carried)
- Microchip implants (embedded)
- Current license (from home location)

I think it's important to have the vaccination proof in case of accidents or illness, and carried since a bounce box may be a long way from a place where an animal needs treated. Many vets will insist on seeing vaccination proof to do any treatmeant at all.

Microchips are pretty well known. So are "lost dogs".

Current license (on collar) can also serve to help in the event your animal gets away, and has other advantages. "


-----Oh Yeah, Winter's vet gave me a folder with Winter's complete medical history including all shots. It had a place in the front for her picture. Winter has a chip in her back. She has her dog tag license on her collar. There is also a tag which has all her vet's information. Winter has hiked and traveled all over the country and none of it was needed but it's damn good to have it. The only time any of it was needed was when I was working on my son's house in Somerville, MA. Winter got bored waiting for me to finish after three days so she went for a walk. She walked across a super busy city intersection and went into a Mexican restaurant. The owner gave her some chicken and rice and kept her over night. He called the vet's number on the tag and the local police. I picked her up the next day and she had learned how to bark in Spanish. Now she's multi-lingual.

mweinstone
02-05-2007, 20:59
sup sup? how you b? good im hopin! i will add to your totaly good post, skunk off. soap for if a skunk gets near. it will be the most important thing if your animal gets sprayed.

the goat
02-14-2007, 13:29
sup sup? how you b? good im hopin! i will add to your totaly good post, skunk off. soap for if a skunk gets near. it will be the most important thing if your animal gets sprayed.

yeah, my dog almost got sprayed in '03. in the town of hanover of all places.....i can't imagine what i'd have done if that's skunk's a$$ was a little more accurate!

superman
02-16-2007, 17:50
"My dog almost got sprayed in "03"

My dog almost got sprayed in "00". Early in our AT hike I accidentally camped next to a skunk. It was one of those polka dotted skunks. I looked over and the skunk was next to my tent and Winter was about nose to nose with the skunk. I couldn't breathe...I was afraid to speak. After a pregnant pause they just turned away from each other and walked away. I couldn't believe my eyes. Even though I had intentionally made every effort to socialize Winter to all kinds of animals and people I didn't expect the many dividends it's paid over the years. Without exaggeration Winter was about nose to nose with skunk, porcupine, deer, bear and birds. She also walked right over rattle snakes, copper heads, black snakes sunning themselves in the trail. Apparently the animals and Winter didn't see each other as a threat. If I could encourage people to do one thing it would be to socialize their dog before going to the AT.

MikeG
02-20-2007, 01:24
heres my buddy currahee, he carries his food, some water, and containers for his food. sometimes i pack in extra fuel or other odds and ends in his pack.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v83/t4mike/Photo-0037.jpg

superman
02-20-2007, 08:48
Rule of thumb...dog can carry 3 days food and light weight food and water dish. I use the 1 liter zip lock bags that open on the bottom so they stand up. Anything else the person who holds the leash carries. As the food is consumed it can be replaced from your pack. I used to put our trash in Winter's pack as our pack weight dropped so that it was easier to get rid of it if we came to a trash can at a road crossing or what ever.

FrOeKk
03-25-2007, 19:30
What do you guys recommend for sleeping arrangements for your pup? My mutt is about 50 lbs, and I was thinking of carrying one of those small dog tents for him. I didn't want a dirty dog inside of the tent on my sleeping bag, but I also didn't want to leave him outside and run the risk of a run-in with an animal. What do you suggest?

Rouen
03-25-2007, 20:19
What do you guys recommend for sleeping arrangements for your pup? My mutt is about 50 lbs, and I was thinking of carrying one of those small dog tents for him

I know Phreak carries a small tent for one of his dogs, and Frieden(I think?) has her dog trained to go straight to his bed, if you're lucky and your dog is single coated and short haired then it shouldn't be any trouble to run a brush through his coat and/or towel him off before going in the tent, if you go the dog tent route make sure you get him use to the idea of sleeping alone in it outside.

frieden
03-25-2007, 21:09
What do you guys recommend for sleeping arrangements for your pup? My mutt is about 50 lbs, and I was thinking of carrying one of those small dog tents for him. I didn't want a dirty dog inside of the tent on my sleeping bag, but I also didn't want to leave him outside and run the risk of a run-in with an animal. What do you suggest?

Ed is around 60 lbs, so maybe what we do will work for you guys as well.

I brush him in the morning, and then when we stop. Brushing keeps him from getting stinky better than washing (unless he gets into something). When we camp, Ed waits until I get the tent and everything set up. Putting a mat down in front of the tent allows me to wash his feet. When he goes in, he goes straight to his side of the tent, and lays down. This prevents the possibility of wet or dirty dog all over everything. I was worried about his nails going through the tent, so I put down 2 of the blue Walmart pads, and then a square sleeping bag laid out flat over those (with a sheet or bag cover). Ed typically doesn't like a blanket, so I just use one for me. On the last third of the tent, I place all the gear, so there isn't an open space that looks inviting to him. In the morning, I shake everything out, and pack it away. Just remember to put everything down the exact same way, so the doggie side is always the doggie side. Anyway, it works for us.

FrOeKk
03-25-2007, 22:05
I haven't had any problems with his nails in the tent any other time we've been camping, so that's not an issue. He's great about sleeping in a tent, but we sleep in a huge palace of a tent when we camp. Obviously for this trip the tent will be alot smaller. He's good about sleeping on a pad if I put it down for him, so I'll definitely be looking into the Wal-mart deal. I hadn't thought about brushing him, so I'll see how that works out.

Has anyone ever used the Outward Hound pack for a long hike? Is it durable, or should I look into something a little more expensive? He's been using the OH pack for day hiking as we've been training to get in shape, but he has this bad habit of jumping into water with it on and also running around like a maniac!! I haven't filled the pack to it's full weight yet because he is just starting to get used to it. I just want to make sure that the pack will be able to withstand his energy plus holding the weight. Anyone know or have any suggestions?

peanuts
03-26-2007, 09:34
froekk, how much weight are you making him carry??

fonsie
03-26-2007, 09:55
As an aside, I generally do not let Barney eat until I have finished, then I make his meal, make him sit, give me a shake and then give him an "OK" before he's allowed to eat. Reduces begging and makes him less inclined to charge unattended food.
** I don’t fill my spare 1 liter bottle or Barney’s two water bottles until mid-afternoon, which is when I start scoping out a campsite.

Well I treat my dogs when I had them like a regular person. They would eat there food the same time I would eat. It made them feel like they where part of the family, and they would never beg. I guess some people raise there dogs differant. Personaly I could'nt eat and make my pet wait to eat, just not right in my opinion.:(

frieden
03-26-2007, 10:52
Has anyone ever used the Outward Hound pack for a long hike? Is it durable, or should I look into something a little more expensive? He's been using the OH pack for day hiking as we've been training to get in shape, but he has this bad habit of jumping into water with it on and also running around like a maniac!! I haven't filled the pack to it's full weight yet because he is just starting to get used to it. I just want to make sure that the pack will be able to withstand his energy plus holding the weight. Anyone know or have any suggestions?

Ed uses an OH pack. He refused to wear it for the longest time ..... then I went and got him one that fit. The other one was too big. He loves his service vest, so anything else is probably just weird for him. It'll just take more practice. I've never heard of another thru hiker using an OH. The main concern I've read is rubbing. You may want to ask some SAR groups for tips, although they are not long distance hikers. Just like packs and hikers, I would think that the right pack depends on the individual dog. Since dogs shouldn't carry much weight, fit/design is important. If the pack rubs the dog raw, he won't be able to wear it until he heals.

frieden
03-26-2007, 11:30
I just remembered the idea of using the bottom half of a 1 ltr. soda bottle for a lightweight dog bowl. Has anyone tried this? What do you do about sharp edges?

FrOeKk
03-26-2007, 12:18
Well Tango is going to be carrying about 10 or 12 lbs. On our short trips I haven't noticed any rubbing, but I do like the padded straps that I have seen on other packs. I guess we'll have to continue working it out and see!!

frieden
03-26-2007, 14:19
Well Tango is going to be carrying about 10 or 12 lbs. On our short trips I haven't noticed any rubbing

Wow, 10-12 lbs? What has your longest trip been? How often do you guys hike?

FrOeKk
03-26-2007, 14:41
We've done a few overnight trips in the Everglades and some all day trips down here too. I'm not sure of the distances though, because I really haven't kept track of them. Tango is like a horse and never stops, and acts like he doesn't even notice the pack on his back. He's been training with about 7 or 8 pounds in his pack right now, and I'm planning on slowly increasing the weight as we go along with the training.



I started looking at some of the Ruff Wear Packs that have a built in harness to use for lifting, and the straps are also wrapped for comfort. They also look a little more durable than the Outward Hound Pack that he's using now.

peanuts
03-26-2007, 14:45
how much does your dog weigh?? if your dog is going to carry a pack, you only put 10 to maybe 15% of its weight.

FrOeKk
03-26-2007, 14:56
He's 50 some odd pounds, and he's a husky little thing. I'm thinking that with what he needs the total weight is going to be about 10 lbs and nothing more. Obviously it will lighten up as the trip goes on and he eats his food!

Trail Yeti
03-26-2007, 15:20
I've tried the 2 L coke bottle bottom for a dog bowl....it works great, is cheap and you get a coke! I put some duct tape around the rim at first, but on one I made on the fly I didn't....it didnt' bother Savannah at all....and it eventually wore down from rubbing in the pack. The other great thing about it is it makes a fantastic dipping cup/bowl for you to filter out of!

FrOeKk
03-26-2007, 15:31
I usually carry the Outward Hound portable bowls. They collapse down easily and are great for drinking on the trail. It holds the water, and then I poor the leftovers back into a bottle so the water isn't wasted! These would take up less space then a plastic bowl! Just a thought!

Rouen
03-26-2007, 16:27
I usually carry the Outward Hound portable bowls. They collapse down easily and are great for drinking on the trail. It holds the water, and then I poor the leftovers back into a bottle so the water isn't wasted! These would take up less space then a plastic bowl! Just a thought!

I think the with this it's weight vs size(and maybe cost), the collapsable nylon bowl is heavier than the bottom of a coke bottle, but the collapsable bowl wont break if bent and can fit into tight places, a 2L bottle of coke will cost you 3 bucks at most, a collapsable bowl can get you for as much as 25 bucks.
I use a small no name brand nylon bowl for my mutts, I paid a dollar for it.

Trail Yeti
03-26-2007, 19:04
I'll admit I use the fancy collapsible bowls usually....but if I can't find them and I've got an empty 2L...its a great quick fix. But it is a lot easier to pour from a collapsible bowl into the doggie water bottle!

Rouen
04-10-2007, 03:41
anyone every bring along rawhides or other chews for their dogs?
if you do, do you keep them out of the tent while they are chewing?:-?

superman
04-10-2007, 06:08
Winter doesn't carry a pack any more. She's getting old and we stick to the easier trails now. We just did the Springer to neels Gap section. The only problem Winter had was from the heat. It had been near zero when we left NH and the temps were near 80 or 90 as we hiked. Pat from Maine and I were also bothered by the heat. Pat and I were using our G4 packs which holds our thermarests against our backs. Winter still had her winter coat on. For Winter's water and food bowls I use 1 liter plastic bags that open flat on the bottom so they stand up on there own. They are very light and I can even zip lock the food or water into the bags if needed.
When Winter carried her own stuff I only put three days food and her leash in her pack. As the hike progressed and she consumed her food I put our trash in her pack so if we came to a trash can at a road crossing I could easily get rid of it. Winter never had any paw problems. Winter's traveled all over the country and done all kinds of things and made it all look easy. It's easier for me to hitch a ride with Winter than it is by myself. She also got us a room in a "no pets allowed" motel by doing tricks for the owner. Winter has been about nose to nose with bear, deer, skunk, porcupine and none of them bothered her and she didn't bother them. She has walked right over snakes in the trail and they never moved and she didn't bother them. We have fox that live under my barn some times and Winter and the fox will just sit and look at each other. One of the best things I did with Winter when she was very young was to socialize her to all kinds of animals and people. The repitition of the trail quickly trains any intelligent dog what to do and what not to do. I used hiking the Long Trail in 99 as a shake down/training hike before doing the AT.

frieden
04-10-2007, 14:15
anyone every bring along rawhides or other chews for their dogs?
if you do, do you keep them out of the tent while they are chewing?:-?

I carry non-smelly biscuit treats in my pocket, but we stay away from rawhide chews on the trail. They are too messy, and I don't want his tummy messed up. He carries a lightweight, stuffed toy that he chews on and sleeps with. In towns, I can just throw it in the washer.

Ed gets bothered by the heat, too. I'm still working on getting his winter coat out. The birds around here who are making their nests really like it, though. ;)

superman
04-10-2007, 15:20
When Winter and I did our serious hiking she was just as happy to chew on a stick. She always wanted to play fetch at the end of the day. Some times it was hard to get a campsite with enough time left to play. Winter never had any trouble doing the hiking miles so part of my job was to get her some play time. When ever I camped near other hikers they most often wanted to play with Winter. I had to watch how other hikers played with my dog because some people just don't know how to play with a dog. They don't mean any harm but they should be watched. Winter and I always tried to stealth camp away from shelters and group camps...the sticks are better their.:)

Lumber
04-10-2007, 16:02
What to bring,, dog food, dog treats, dog pack, super glue, 32oz. gatorade bottle, small dish,,, cut off bottom of 32oz bottle, 2.5ft section of old ground pad,,, doubles as guitar case and dog ground pad. The beast carried a granite gear pack,,, along with 5lbs of puppy chow,, higher in fat and protein. He also carried a dog brush and dish for water. I carried water for him, 32oz, extra food, and all treats. It doesn't hurt to have a few extra plastic grocery bags for badly located poops, and for extra water proofing of his food. The super glue works well for keeping cuts in pads from getting worse,,.. It is also a good thing to have extra doses of advantage for protection against tics,,, after removing with fingernails,, it is preferable to burn them until they pop,,, they don't deserve a quick death. Lumber

The Mayor
06-13-2007, 09:09
I've got a broder collie, 5yo, with about 300 trail miles on her and two bear encounters. So far, so goot.

I'll be using my spare book laces for my dog leash.
Need to get a new dog pack.
I usually share bowls with my dog for eating/drinking. I eat first, she cleans the dishes.

I'm looking for a saddle and a little monkey. http://www.plaincrazy.net/images/dog_monkey.jpg

rev_sunshine
07-08-2007, 15:46
I've heard dogs can't make the entire AT trip due to some parks rules about dogs.

Is this true?

Thanks

shelterbuilder
07-08-2007, 16:33
I understand that, because of the bears, dogs are not allowed to hike through the Smokies. I also understand that there are - or at least used to be - some local kennels that would board your dog until YOU got through that section. As for the rest of the trail, I don't believe that there are any restrictions on dogs - but keep Rover on a leash anyway, for his own safety and out of consideration for other hikers who may not love Rover as much as you do!!

rev_sunshine
07-08-2007, 16:43
I understand that, because of the bears, dogs are not allowed to hike through the Smokies. I also understand that there are - or at least used to be - some local kennels that would board your dog until YOU got through that section. As for the rest of the trail, I don't believe that there are any restrictions on dogs - but keep Rover on a leash anyway, for his own safety and out of consideration for other hikers who may not love Rover as much as you do!!

Thanks for the info

I was hoping to not have to worry about kenneling him somewhere, but I guess I'll have to look into that

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it

And, yes, he's always leashed. He's a fantastic dog, and we always get out of the way of others and all that, but he's a chaser, and I haven't been able to train it out of him yet (we're still working on it, but it's such an instinct with him, I doubt it'll ever be gone).

Thanks again,
Rev

shelterbuilder
07-08-2007, 16:59
Come to think of it, the leash may be a requirement in Vermont because of some regs in the Green Mtn. region. I had one of my dogs up there years ago - during a break, he ROLLED in some porcupine quills! Had to pull out half a dozen - thankfully, they were not deeply imbedded, but I used the pliers anyway. I always keep my dogs on a leash, because you never know what trouble they could get into. I remember the time when one of my dogs found a little brown, papered pile to roll in....

Rouen
07-09-2007, 03:45
according to this site; http://www.appalachiantrail.org dogs are not allowed in;

Baxter State Park, Maine

Bear Mountain State Park Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center, New York—alternate road walk is available

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina

CherrypieScout
07-09-2007, 09:30
I use the little black bowls that my microwave dinner comes in. Sturdy, light weight, can handle boiling water to be cleaned, flexible. It works better when I cut the rim off of it.

Adam B
09-13-2007, 17:22
My guy, Timber, always carries his base gear whenever he is outside of the house.
Mobility Service Harness- Kangaroo leather, titanium handle, and brass buckles- this doubles as a climbing, tracking and aggitation
6' schutzhund adjustable leash- Kangaroo, polyester, and brass buckles
HK Quick release prong
Slip collar- Kangaroo, polyester and brass
Rabies and City Liences Tags with small pouch to stop the jingling
Service Dog Identification
Reusable poop bags
Treat Bag with toy
He carries my wallet, medication, ID and money.

After that it is gear for tasks.
He carry a 20' length of paracord for lashing which acts as his long line.
6lt Bladder with us much water as he needs between refill spots.
He eats from the pot when I am done eating from the pot that I carry.
He shares my hammock and sleeping gear that I carry.
Meds as needed
Boots with removeable fleece liner
Fleece vest that forms one of the saddle bag
Nylon vest that forms the other saddle bag
Chew bone
Pup light and batteries as needed
Food as needed
Razor comb for grooming
Towel that wraps up his water bladder to protect and insulate it.
Passport + international health certificate if travelling internationally.
Reward if found tag if travelling internationally.
Embassy return tag if travelling internationally.

Thats about it, though if we are backpacking I sometime stuff his saddle bags with my rain gear, survival gear etc but only if he is in't carrying much food or water. He carries 3lbs regularly, his extended gear is another 4-5lb and I never add more then 2lbs to his gear. So before food and water he carries about 10lbs or about 11% of his body weight. He is conditioned to be able to carry up to 50% of his body weight or 45lbs. Besides training sessions he doesn't go past 30% of his body weight or about 30lbs.

Adam B
09-13-2007, 18:23
I noticed some of you allow your dogs to drink from natural water sources and some from bottled water. I just give the same filter and purified water that I am using. It isn't a big deal to ensure I make enough for him. I don't care what the docs say about this, I have had a dog with gardia and never want it again. To add insult to injury it can be zoogentic because several of my family members who never hike/camp got it after she did. My family and I were sick and it was awful.

As for the pack most dog pack designers don't have a clue how to create an effective harness design, either go to a pro and have one fitted or make it yourself. Off the shelf design might fit but it will almost never be the best fit. Never use nylon or other synthetics because it will wear the dogs coat and then their skin. Only use leather and you won't have a problem. Fake fleece doesn't work, only use sheep skin to pad. All good working dog harnesses are leather. The handler who has a dog in a harness all day knows that nylon doesn't belong on a dog.

I made my latest harness because I wanted something truly unique from the things I had seen. First important part was a solid chest plate fitted to that dog. Then run your shoulder straps straight up from the plate to the back strap. The only place those straps should go is up and over; never horizontally accross the shoulders like the "H" design. Then you have a chest strap that runs around the barrel behind the armpit but never touching the armpit. The chest strap attachs to both the back strap and bottom on the chest plate. Then you have a belly strap that attaches to the back strap.

Basically this is an aggitation style harness with a third belly strap to stablise the load. Web master makes a harness like this but missing the chest plate and made from nylon. http://www.backcountrygear.com/catalog/accessdetail.cfm?PRODUCTS__productID=RW183
You can buy a harness from your local pet store that looks like this http://leerburg.com/799.htm and have a shoe repair store add a third belly strap. I can send photos of Timber's harness if anyone is interested.

I used kangaroo leather with a nylon core and brass buckles but kangaroo leather is expensive. I used 3 hides for a total of 250 dollars worth of leather, I got it nearly for free though but it is not cheap to buy. It is also the strongest leather. You can use other hides just make sure you size the width of the straps properly and use the right strength for your dog.

I added a couple of "D" rings to the chest, back and belly strap to be able to lash a couple of saddle bags on with some paracord that can double as a long line. For those who also climb with their dogs you can add "D" rings on the back strap to attach leg straps for a climbing harness. Hope that helps and sorry to those people who have discovered how painful a bad harness design can be. Btw an "H" harness is the same design outward hound uses as seen here http://www.petguys.com/-700603005840.html

superman
09-13-2007, 18:28
Winter always had her medical history, license and contact information. She also has a chip in her back and a dog license and vet tag with contact information. I carried some superglue to Harper's Ferry...Winter never needed it. Not to worry...every place that doesn't allow dogs has kennels that will shuttle your dog to you on the other side. If I were to do it again I'd just go around any place that doesn't allow dogs.
All the gear stuff works itself out along the way. If your dog is trained for the trail both you and your dog will have a better hike. Avoid shelter! People that stay in shelters are funny looking and eat dogs.:banana

jbone
05-27-2008, 13:23
Took my dog on his first overnight backpacking trip this past weekend. It was his first long hike with a pack. A Kelty Chuckwagon: he is a smaller dog, so the pack was a small as well. Not a ton of space. The pack wore well, but I think he got a little hotter than normal


in it was
* 2 days of food
* 2 days of treats
* my spare batteries
* spare collar
* xtra poop bags

I carried his water + he drank from streams (not many on Blood mtn though, as we all know) I always carry a gulpy for long walks or day hikes. http://www.amazon.com/Angle-Gulpy-Pet-Water-Dispenser/dp/B000N35MC0

it is small and easy to carry. I usually only fill it 1/3 to 1/2, and refill from my bladder as needed.

Now for my questions:
What is this wal-mart pad you are referring to, and what concerns are there for having the dog sleep outside the tent in warmer weather(tethered though)?

thanks in advance- J

NorthCountryWoods
05-27-2008, 14:32
Jr. is getting old and he still loves to go, but he doesn't carry anything anymore.

In his prime he would carry a couple days worth of food, his pad, his bowl, a tennis ball and 2 small water bottles (partially full) to even his pack out.

Aphrodite
06-05-2008, 06:46
I heard that there is this food that you can take with you while hiking. It's easy to prepare and light to carry. Addiction raw dehydrated food - visit their website www.addictionfoods.com (http://www.addictionfoods.com) for more information. Its very healthy for your dog as well. Go read up on this!

Wise Old Owl
06-05-2008, 12:28
Beautiful dog, Solemate! You let him drink out of the streams? Isn't that dangerous? Ed gets bottled water at home and at work. He is such a water hound, and it took me forever to get him to not drink from streams/standing water. You just don't know what's in there - too much human impact on the environment; polluted water.

No its not dangerous, I try and teach them to avoid standing water but streams are ok, just be understanding if the dog gets occasional diarrhea.

frieden
06-27-2008, 11:07
Now for my questions:
What is this wal-mart pad you are referring to, and what concerns are there for having the dog sleep outside the tent in warmer weather(tethered though)? - J

1. Without straps, though:
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9856753

2. Bear bait.

--Frieden

trouthunter
07-20-2008, 01:46
I let my dog carry all his own things, he uses a Mountainsmith pack cause it's his favorite (he has three)
I have a gear list around here, I'll dig it up, maybe scan it to file and post it. I supplement his diet with fresh fish, mine too!

Sprocket - Matt
10-13-2008, 14:00
according to this site; http://www.appalachiantrail.org dogs are not allowed in;

Baxter State Park, Maine

Bear Mountain State Park Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center, New York—alternate road walk is available

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina


Ok, so how about alternative trails... you know, work arounds...
I read that the Bear Mountain State Park in NY has a route on pavement to get around this section of the trail without having to leave poochie behind, or in a kennel... (BTW - I'll NEVER leave my dog in a kennel that he or she isn't familiar with, especially in another state away from family... aka: me, the wife, or the other dogs, I had a dog with a condition who ended up getting extremely ill due to being in a kennel for a long weekend. She didn't die as a result but she's not with me anymore.) SO, what are the alternates to the GSMNP and Baxter???

I'm sure that somewhere around Franklin, NC. to the NOC in Wesser, NC you could find trail thru Pisgah national heading north east up to Hot Springs, NC.. that MIGHT eliminate the GSM section...

And I have family in central NH. so the last couple weeks would be spent at my mom's farm. Not a shabby way to spend the end of the trek, and that should avoid Baxter as well... And Why is it that Baxter won't do dogs? Black bear threat? That exists over most of N.E.???

Anyone done this? Got any suggestions????

anie77
10-21-2008, 22:31
This thread is tremendously useful, thank you. I'm pretty new to hiking, but would like to try bringing my dog on a hike some time in the near future when I feel ready. We've brought him on weekend driving trips where I found it useful to pack dehydrated dog food instead of kibble/canned. Even though neither the dog nor I am carrying anything for long periods, it's just a lot more compact. There are lots of brands, but I've tried Addiction raw dehydrated and that worked out great for my dog.

Sprocket - Matt
10-27-2008, 13:35
BUMP...
Anyone???


Ok, so how about alternative trails... you know, work arounds...
I read that the Bear Mountain State Park in NY has a route on pavement to get around this section of the trail without having to leave poochie behind, or in a kennel... (BTW - I'll NEVER leave my dog in a kennel that he or she isn't familiar with, especially in another state away from family... aka: me, the wife, or the other dogs, I had a dog with a condition who ended up getting extremely ill due to being in a kennel for a long weekend. She didn't die as a result but she's not with me anymore.) SO, what are the alternates to the GSMNP and Baxter???

I'm sure that somewhere around Franklin, NC. to the NOC in Wesser, NC you could find trail thru Pisgah national heading north east up to Hot Springs, NC.. that MIGHT eliminate the GSM section...

And I have family in central NH. so the last couple weeks would be spent at my mom's farm. Not a shabby way to spend the end of the trek, and that should avoid Baxter as well... And Why is it that Baxter won't do dogs? Black bear threat? That exists over most of N.E.???

Anyone done this? Got any suggestions????

Roguey
12-15-2008, 18:54
I wanted to know if anyone has experienced a need for any other medication. I plan on continuing to bring the heartworm pills but is there something else I'm not thinking about?

I also bought my dog the ruffwear Grip Tex boots to use every couple days to take some stress off her pads. I hear mostly good reviews, does anyone have any bad experiences?

Jack Tarlin
12-15-2008, 19:00
First time I saw this thread.

At some point will examine it in depth; don't have time right now, so will make one quick comment, which has probably already been made:

As a dog owner, one carries any extra clothes or gear (sweater, fleece, sleeping pad, booties, etc). that the dog might need in cold weather or on rough terrain. One also carries any medications, vitamins, clippers, flea/tick powder, etc., tho some folks keep these in a bounce box that they retrieve periodically.

What your dog should carry between towns or re-supply stops is it's food, it's water, and it's water dish, period.

A hiking dog is not a pack animal, and too many folks make the dog carry too mcuh stuff, including, on many occasions, some of the owner's personal gear, which is unconscionable, and constitutes pet abuse.

sticks&stones
12-15-2008, 19:23
900 cubic inch pack (fits nicely even large dogs)
string (leash)
collar
Dogfood (amount depends on distance)

my pack
6 sections of z rest

that's all I've ever used besides the occasional mis item like flea collar, and powerbones

photomankc
03-11-2009, 13:38
What your dog can carry is going to depend on breed, build, and size. I would tend to stay on the conservative side at 15-20% of their weight but working breeds can carry more from my reading. If my dog carries all his own gear, water and food that is about 8.5lbs total. That's about 17% of his 50lb weight. I'd consider his max to be 10lbs or 20%. With that said if I had him carry an extra can of stove fuel and the multitool you'd be hard pressed to convince me he's being abused.

I would say the idea is for everyone to have a fun trip and loading your dog down with 30% or more of it's body weight is not likely to be very enjoyable for the dog.

We are going to make a go at some Ozarks backpacking with my bud Smokey in a few weeks. He'll have:
-Ruff Wear Approach Pack
~1.2L Water and containers.
-2 Days of Food.
-Small Bag of Treats.
-Extra cord.
-Biner
-Spare Leash.
-Some plastic baggies.
-Small Toy.
-Bedroll.

He was fine on an overnight trip to settle down next to my hammock and keep watch. So I just setup his bedroll under my tarp and he seems fine with it. He flat out LOVED hiking he had a blast all day.

bendecida
03-15-2009, 00:07
Wow, lots of great info in this thread! I especially love the suggestion of taking a child's fleece blanket for sleeping. I'm sure my dog would just love that. I've tried sleeping pads, but she'd rather be on top of my sleeping bag (or when it's particularly cold, inside it) but I don't complain because the extra body heat is nice.

I only recently started doing overnight/weekend hikes with my dog, about a year ago. She's always done day-hiking and loved it. She is an older dog (almost 13) but she's very active and in wonderful shape with no health problems. She out-hikes me most days, and I'm usually not in a hurry to cover too many miles anyway.

She has her own pack and carries:


Zip-up food bowl filled with food (it fits 2 days of food... if we'll be gone longer I carry the rest)
Treats
Mini water bottle (250mL) which I refill from my platypus or a stream
Small ultralight aluminum water dish
Her comb (good for getting rid of ticks and loose hair before she climbs into the tent with me)
Waste pickup baggies

She weighs 26lbs, and her pack weighs about 2.5lbs at the beginning of a trip. Because of her age I wouldn't put any more weight on her, and if she gets tired I carry it for her. But in general, she doesn't mind at all and gets very excited when I put it on her.

I keep her leash hooked to my waist belt most of the time, or I'll put it on one wrist while I have my trekking pole in the other hand (I only use one pole anyway). She is mostly well-behaved, but I think selective hearing has come with age (the vet says her actual hearing is fine), and she doesn't obey voice commands quite as well as she used to so the leash is almost always on, unless she's just sitting by the campfire with me.

wrongway_08
03-15-2009, 10:10
My dog weighs 45-50 pounds, he could carry more but hes out here cause of me so:
Ruff Wear pack.
- that days food
- chew toys
- snacks
- ruff wear wind proof/water proof "half jacket" for cold weather.
I keep him under 6 pounds.

What I carry
- rest of his food
- z-rest sleeping pad
- water/food bowl

Mercy
03-16-2009, 12:59
My dog weighs 70-ish.

She wears a Ruff Wear Palisades Pack (since they fixed the padding on the chest) and carries our Big Agnes Emerald Mtn SL2 tent, fly, and tent stakes; clean up bags, glucose tabs, and a snacks for the day. Wt. about 6lb 8 oz


I carry for her:
a leash,
a cut down z-rest,
a cut-down down throw (puffy enough she can get under without assistance when she gets up and turns around at night... couldn't do with the fleece blanket)
her food (1lb/day)
extra water,
a zip-lock screw top bowl for water with a string loop to attach to a carabiner (lighter than a collapsible bowl, and don't have to dump the water she doesn't drink each offer)
a jacket for camp/sleep when its cold (she lives in the Keys, so has a light coat)
more snacks,
and a toy.

fly
04-06-2009, 17:24
I hiked with my shepherd. She is very low-key and obedient - never runs around like an idiot in the woods, etc., so I didn't have to keep her restrained. She wore a Palisades pack, too. I loved the clips because I could remove the backpack part and leave the harness on her.
Additionally, most people have trepidations around German Shepherds, so when we encountered the rare hiker approaching us on the trail, we moved to the side and I held the handle provided on the harness. This was reassuring to the hiker(s) passing on the trail.






In her pack, she carried

a collapsible combo water dish/food dish
water in the pack bladders - always keep balanced
a small, dog-nosed sized cup for when she required just a few laps of water (I cut down a lightweight dollar store food-storage container)
her leash looped around her pack and attached with a caribiner on the handle
her food in baggies - day-rationed and balanced in her pack pockets
her glow-in-the-dark ball (for those fun times)
a toenail clipper
and her Promeris dog (tick/flea/mange) meds
I my pack, I carried copies of all of her dog papers - just in case of an emergency kennel stay if something happened to me).

Also, before we left I had the vet put a chip into her scruff - again, in the event that something happened to me.

I bought a fleece dog pad at Target for $10 and cut it to make extra padding covers for the front pieces of the Palisades pack harness. I added velcro to each piece and wrapped the fleece around the harness straps. After all, she was going to be wearing this harness for hours and days on end. I made sure there was NO chance for sores or skin irritations by straps rubbing. The pack came with padding, but it didn't look padded enough. My fleece additions are also washable and removable (the joy of velcro!).

For her bedding at night, I purchased a different rubber-backed fleece pad at the feed store on which she slept. The rubber prevented the wet ground from seeping up and chilling her. It was freezing cold in the mountains when we started, so I put this pad on top of a folded up tin-foil-looking emergency blanket which served to radiate her heat back on her (emergency blankets fold up very small, are lightweight, and cost about $2 at WalMart). If it got truly cold, I used another one with which I could cover her.

What I learned hiking with my hound:


any inconvenience my dog posed was far, far surpassed by the joy of having her companionship and protection
she ate less than normal, just as I did
her food seemed unappealing to her so I added people gravy (made from those McCormick dry gravy packs in the grocery store - just add warm water)
The Palisades pack was a lifesaver when hiking in Pennsylvania. The boulders one had to traverse were far beyond the ability of a dog to climb since dogs can't jump up or down vertically with a pack on. I literally had to carry her like luggage or assist her/steady her by the handle on her pack harness. I don't know what I would've done without this particular pack design with the reinforced handle.
I never used the booties I bought her with the rubber soles (even in Pennsylvania). She hated them anyway.

kettish
04-07-2009, 22:38
One thing I saw in another thread was that it's an excellent idea to keep Fido leashed when they're fresh on the trail anyway, because otherwise they run around like morons back and forth and wear themselves out. I've seen my corgi Callie do this repeatedly on 3 hour hikes-can't imagine what she'd do if we had to keep going the rest of the day! So she'll be leashed for sure.

The Outward Hound pack she has doesn't fit very well. Harrumph. But I'm trying to find a better pack for her anyway, something that fits a little closer to her front legs-corgis have long backs in the first place so you can't load 'em with very much at all or risk back problems, but I'm willing to bet you could put a pound extra in if the bags were situated more over the shoulders than the middle of the back.

No one's mentioned a muzzle on here. If your dog gets hurt it'll probably bite, regardless of how much it loves you; always have a muzzle (or an extra sock, tied gently around) so as to avoid unnecessary injuries.

thelowend
01-23-2010, 18:26
Oops, forgot that I put Barney's bowl in his pack. I use one of those Ziplock tupperware knock-off things. Lightweight and I can easily replace it if it breaks.

Aw shucks, you're gonna make me blush.

All kidding around aside, I think I do OK, but I'm looking forward to seeing what other folks do to improve how I handle things.

That's about as good as you can do. Luckily the pup I plan on bringin isn't too alpha with humans or protecting me because it would be hell getting her to walk behind me. I plan on going to rei and making a 15ft lead out of thin nylon rope to be her leash so that she can get over obstacles and me do the s ame without us encumbering each other. this shouldn't be a problem should it? i am going to try and rig a loop in the middle of the leash too or some sort of method to quickly shorten it when we run into people. she's the sweetest pup but too sweet for some folks.. hooray for responsible dog owners; an unfortunate rarity.

drifters quest
01-30-2010, 22:16
For the person who was wondering about boarding kennels in the GSMNP I'm going with "Loving Care Kennels" for $250 they'll pick your dog up in Fontana, board them, and drop them off when your out. The lady there also said that she can resupply for you as well.
As for water, i'm really not concerned about treating my dogs water. For the first year of her life (before I got her) her water source consisted mainly of irrigation ditches and she has a habit of finding the nastiest things she can to eat here on the ranch (frozen manure chips and roadkill are among her favorites). She has never gotten sick. I'm also not concerned about her paws, they are very tough but i will likely carry some boots anyways just in case. I've also never had to clip her nails, she runs around enough to not have any problems with that. The only times I have problems with her feet is when there is a lot of snow on the ground and the temps are cold enough to freeze them between her toes. I have vaseline with me for that.

I've been debating on whether or not to bring a chew toy for her, she LOVES sticks to chew, run after, and play with but it might be nice to have something else since she chews them to pieces rather quick.

My biggest concern for her is the heat, I haven't had her in the Summer so I am not sure how she will handle it; I may end up carrying her pack on real hot days. She is a 40lb border collie. As for the other things she will have with her:

Her pack:
Mountain Smith Pack (I really liked ruffwear but the straps on the small wouldnt tighten enough and the x small was too small)
A couple of days worth of food
Her snacks (I'm a vegetarian but she still enjoys her teriyaki beef nuggets :)
Her fleece blanket
Water bowl
Bandana (may switch for a small hiking towel-for wiping down wet paws)
toy

My pack:
Rest of food
Water
Sleeping pad
Vaccination certificates
leash (I plan on keeping her leashed most of the time on the AT, on the trail here, rarely, she knows the word "wait" means stay closely behind me until I tell her to "go play" but I hook it to the front of me for easy and quick access)
Any first aid or medications she may need
Anything else I may have forgotten

I have a vet appt. for her on March 1st and she will be getting a couple more vaccinations, microchip, and anything else the vet reccomends.

trail_widow
03-26-2010, 15:50
Has anyone used booties to protect their dog's foot pads? My mutts are "country" dogs, but I dont' know how their paws will fare in Pisgah. I'm planning on staying up there for a week in May. Car camping and day hikes. Maybe one overnight hike.
How will their little paws hold up?

singingpilgrim
03-26-2010, 17:54
Sophie's only 18 pounds, so she's not going to wear a pack. She does, however, get cold easily so I plan on starting out with her wearing a sweater I will put pockets on either side of. In one side she can carry her collapsible food bowl, and on the other a copy of her vet record stuff you're supposed to carry with a dog when travelling.

As far as the stuff I'll be carrying for her:
her dogfood
her water
booties in case she needs them
a rain gear outfit that can double as a wind breaker for chilly, windy days (b/c she gets so cold so easily)
And in my first aid kit, I'll have some stuff I can use on her (neosporin for sure, which I'd also have for me, and probably will ask the vet about it)

I am planning on using mail drops, and will have doses of flea meds and heartworm meds be sent to me a few days in advance of needing them (so that I don't have to worry about getting there late).

And as far as sleeping goes, she'll sleep in or on my sleeping bag so she doesn't need her own sleeping area.

valkyrie
03-29-2010, 19:17
what is a good brand of dog packs for my 60lb dog?

Rick500
03-29-2010, 23:18
I've been looking at a Granite Gear Ruff Rider pack (http://granitegear.com/products/doggear/ruffrider.html) for my dog.

valkyrie
03-30-2010, 01:42
The ruff rider looked cool, so i bought one. I'll wright a review later.

Keith and Jack
03-30-2010, 10:17
Not sure if anyone mentioned this yet but I carry a children's sleeping bag for my dog for early sping and late fall hiking. He has a very light coat.

yari
08-29-2010, 12:44
This thread was PACKED with excellent information on hiking with a dog. I am sure I will be re-reading it several times as I prepare for my thru hike.

Thank you so much!

Ironbelly
08-30-2010, 11:38
My dog has a Ruff Wear Pallisades pack.

She is a Siberian Husky.

She carries:
Kibble-up to 1wk supply
High kcal treats(usually freeze dried duck hearts, and a soft treat by a grain free company like Wellness, taste of the wild etc)
2 liters water
First Aid kit: Cloth water resistant athletic tape, gauze pads, alcohol wipes, bacitracin ointment, aspirin, SAM splint. (if she needs anything else I can use it out of my first aid kit. The main thing for her is the tape and the aspirin)
Ruffwear Booties
2 collapsible bowls
20ft tie out
tent pawprint

Her pack weight is 11lbs or less, depending on the length of trip. I also don't always have her carry the full 2L of water, she just has the capability incase water sources are looking dry. General rule of thumb is the pack weight should not be more than 30% of their body weight, same with us.

kanga
08-30-2010, 11:46
no, rule of thumb is 10% with a dog.

Gray Blazer
08-30-2010, 11:51
what is a good brand of dog packs for my 60lb dog?
Don't you already have Blaze's pack?

Ironbelly
08-30-2010, 17:04
Kanga, 10% is for a dog under a year old. After they are fully developed, and out of the puppy stage they can carry 25-30% of their body weight, 30% being the absolute max. Of course this can not be achieved if your dog is not conditioned appropiately. If your dog is not used to carrying a pack then stick with the 10% and work your way up. Your dog should not carry any weight before 6 months of age.

kanga
08-30-2010, 22:31
I would never put 20 lbs on my dog. Ever. That would be 30%. Cruel advice.

Forever North
08-31-2010, 01:10
As it was told to me by a vet; a dog shouldn't be carring no more then a third of the dogs weight. I have in the passed made Woody carry a little more. On the PCT Woody needed more water and there have been times when we first started hiking when he carried more food. However, remember it's not just the weight of the dogs pack: how far do you expect to push your dog with a full pack. Fresh out of town Woody and I took it easy because we were both fully loaded. As our food bags got lighter the faster and futher we hiked. Small dogs do better on the trail then big ones. I know. I have hiked with a German Shepreds as well as English Springers (Woody) however, this is no to say big dogs can't hike the AT. I have hiked with a Shepred on the PCT and the AT. I have seen the diffrences of both breeds on both trails. Take care and listen too and watch your dogs while hiking. Dogs will hike themself's into the ground to be with you and please you. This has been a great thread with a Lot's of helpful information.

Ironbelly
08-31-2010, 16:28
I would never put 20 lbs on my dog. Ever. That would be 30%. Cruel advice.


I can't see a dog ever needing to carry 20lbs for one even though if that is indeed 30% of the body weight they could do it if properly conditioned.

A little personal judgement should go into one's decision making obviously, just because a dog can handle up to 30% of it's body weight doesn't mean you have to fill it up to the max. That would be like saying just because a 225lbs human can make do with a 70lbs pack that you should carry that all the time.

kanga
08-31-2010, 16:33
I can't see a dog ever needing to carry 20lbs for one even though if that is indeed 30% of the body weight they could do it if properly conditioned.

A little personal judgement should go into one's decision making obviously, just because a dog can handle up to 30% of it's body weight doesn't mean you have to fill it up to the max. That would be like saying just because a 225lbs human can make do with a 70lbs pack that you should carry that all the time.


there are too many dog owners out there that don't know how to treat their dogs humanely and they do not need to be told that 30% is okay. common sense is not common. and 30% as a rec is not okay.

yari
08-31-2010, 18:50
My vet has recommended 25% for my dog which is just about 25lbs. Doubt he would need to carry that much though. That is if his hips are ok, we are going to x-ray him before I go. If they aren't, he is staying home, doing a thru hike would be too much wear and tear on his joints.

I am curious as to why people feel it is harder on a big dog than a small one? I know my guy prefers to sleep all day if it is hot but, I don't think that is insurmountable. What have you seen that make you feel it is harder?

Forever North
09-01-2010, 02:15
For starters a larger dog has more mass to push down the trail then a smaller one, just like you and me. However it has been my experance that I my self have seen in the past where heat and stress has taken it tole on the larger bread of dog. In one case because of heat the dog died on the trail south of Harpers Ferry, WV. I know this for fact because I was there and seen the dog before he died. Another time at a shelter there was a yellow lab who just wasn't acting right. He was running all around the outside of the shelter in a confused state. When I looked into the dogs eyes you could see that this dog was freeking out and needed to get off the trail for some R and R. I spoke to it owner who was fooling around with her boyfrind in the shelter. What I latter learned was that they took their dog off the trail the next day for about 4 or 5 days of rest and then contuined hiking north. I know these are are only two cases but there are more and remember my wife and I took a large breed on the At as well as the PCT. I know what it's like to hike with one of the larger breeds of dogs. My Shepred never did make it all of the way on the PCT. We couldn't contuine pushing her through that heat it was just too much for her. Instead we got off of the trail and hiked up the Lost Coast Trail which was cooler then the PCT. Let me just say this; do I believe the larger breeds of dog can hike the AT. Sure, why not. They are doing it all of the time. It just has been my personal experance that a hunting breed or smaller dog fares better hiking then the larger breeds.

realdusi
11-17-2010, 02:05
I hike with a 15lb mix breed dog. He carries his own pack, but thanks to the convenience of his size, we can share a few things.

He carries:
-Ruff Wear Pack
-Puppy Food (Higher energy & Protein, ground up in a coffee grinder to be mixed with water and a portion of my food)
-Booties (hand made since his feet are too small for commercial booties)
-Fleece/water repellent combo coat
-Rimadyl & Benadryl
-1 Roll 2" gauze, 1 roll of waterproof tape, 1 roll of VetWrap (aka. self-stick bandage)
-Cheap collapsible disposable plastic dog bowl from Petsmart
-6' leash, collar, and tag
-ID card in his pack printed with emergency info, hike plans, and vaccine records just in case

We share:
-sleeping bag (I have a 6' bag and I'm only 5'3" and he prefers the foot :D)
-water & my water cup
-my home made beef jerky
-parts from my 1st aid kit (triple antibiotic)

We've done 200 miles on the FT and I used to carry a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide for sterilization & emergency in case he ate something deadly. I may reconsider this for future hikes since he doesn't eat trail surprises and I use iodine as water treatment which could double as an antiseptic.

Two things I'm excited about trying on a March hike in Georgia:
-New rough wear cloud chaser to replace his old coat
-Dehydrated dog food from Peak Waggers (One bag should last my little guy a week!)

superman
11-17-2010, 07:40
My vet has recommended 25% for my dog which is just about 25lbs. Doubt he would need to carry that much though. That is if his hips are ok, we are going to x-ray him before I go. If they aren't, he is staying home, doing a thru hike would be too much wear and tear on his joints.

I am curious as to why people feel it is harder on a big dog than a small one? I know my guy prefers to sleep all day if it is hot but, I don't think that is insurmountable. What have you seen that make you feel it is harder?

My German Shepherd made hiking the trail look easy. She never, ever carried water. She carried three days dry food and I carried the rest. When we got our miles in it was play time, then rest and then time to eat for Winter. We resupplied often rather than carry heavy packs. It wasd a lot easier hitching with Winter that it is now without her. Winter could always out hike me. People who aren't in tune with their dog will be going home after a bad situation. Never use your dog as a pack animal.

Nizhoni
12-13-2010, 14:30
Hello everyone! Thanks for all the useful info on this forum!! I'm new to the site and not sure if this is the right forum for this question but here goes:

I have 2 boxers both 55lbs. I'm going hiking on the AT in Ga and part of NC at the end of December. Do I need to get boots and some kind of jacket for my doggies? I think the temperture will be around 45F during the day and in the 20s at night. I have mat and fleece for them to use at night (they sleep in the tent with me) but was not sure if a jacket is really necessary. If they are could ya'll please recommend some for me.

Thanks :-)

kanga
12-13-2010, 15:59
i have a fleece jacket/vest for both of my girls. i put them on first thing as soon as we get to camp. i would recommend them highly!

Nizhoni
12-13-2010, 16:08
i have a fleece jacket/vest for both of my girls. i put them on first thing as soon as we get to camp. i would recommend them highly!

Thanks Kanga :sun Can you recommend any?

kanga
12-13-2010, 16:13
well...um, no. i went to walmart and spent $2 on some fleece extras and sewed my own. everything i found on the internet was waaay to expensive. they're not pretty but they work. i used the same seam you would use on spandex / bathing suits so that it would give a little while i was trying to wrestle them into it!

sheepdog
12-13-2010, 16:31
i have a fleece jacket/vest for both of my girls. i put them on first thing as soon as we get to camp. i would recommend them highly!
ummmmmm........never mind

kanga
12-13-2010, 16:32
you shut up!

sheepdog
12-13-2010, 16:33
me?????????????

kanga
12-13-2010, 16:34
yes you. bad dog.

sheepdog
12-13-2010, 16:35
yes you. bad dog.
i'll just go sit inna corner now

wrongway_08
12-13-2010, 17:27
http://www.ruffwear.com/Approach-Pack?sc=2&category=13

This is the model I have - mine is the older model but same thing. Really nice quality and you can carry the dog up cliffs/ladders without worry that he/she will fall.

Tumble Weed
12-13-2010, 21:36
I'm planning a weekend backpacking trip on the AT in Maryland this weekend with my dog. I've never taken him hiking in the winter and I'm wondering what you all would recommend doing to keep him warm at night or any additional measures I should take to protect him during the day in the cold? He's a cockapoo... so not made for winter camping, but he loves hiking so I won't leave him behind.

Bucherm
12-16-2010, 06:14
Bundle him up when you set up camp. I don't know how your dog sleeps, but mine likes to burrow down into the feet portion of the sleeping bag(which is what she does at home in bed anyway), so I don't need to carry an extra sleeping bag.

Dirty Nails
12-16-2010, 23:29
My dog has a very thick, heavy coat, but may still get chilled if she is wet in camp.
She sleeps in the tent,on a pad, but not in my bag. I will towel her down and brush her if necessary to get her as dry as possible.
The last thing I do is turn my rain jacket inside-out and cover her with it. Even if she is damp, it will trap her body heat. I find it to help a lot.

CrumbSnatcher
12-17-2010, 00:05
My dog has a very thick, heavy coat, but may still get chilled if she is wet in camp.
She sleeps in the tent,on a pad, but not in my bag. I will towel her down and brush her if necessary to get her as dry as possible.
The last thing I do is turn my rain jacket inside-out and cover her with it. Even if she is damp, it will trap her body heat. I find it to help a lot.
my dog was a chow lab mix, the vet said he doubted if her basecoat ever got wet!,but she still could get a chill. over the years i left my sleeping bag unzipped and covered us both. she had a thermarest and i had a z-rest
she was like a furnace:sun and she kept herself cleaner than most hikers:D

Country Roads
12-18-2010, 17:01
Very nice thread! Lots of good stuff.
In Ivy's pack (Ruffwear approach pack, size small):
1 collapsible bowl
2 Platypus little nippers bottles (not made anymore :() only fill up if we need to.
10 foot tie out
10 inch nail peg for a stake
3 cups of food per day
6 small biscuits per day
2 small pieces of rag to wipe her off
her "smoking vest" for cool but not cold weather (this is a converted reversible hunting vest, works very well)
A few small zip lock bags for "stuff"
There is also a slip of paper with my name and address and stuff, just in case.
I try to limit her to 10% or less of her body weight, so that would be 5 pounds or less.

My pack:
her dog parka if the temps below 40 and we leave the vest home.
her cut down Z-rest pad (I use this for the backpad of my GG Mariposa)
any food weight that would put her over the 10% limit.
For long trips, I transfer weight to her pack as we go and at the end of the hike, she is the trash carrier.

She wears a martingale collar (she is Hudini at slipping regular collars) with her vital info attached.
We use the head halter for control (she likes to pull a bit) and a 5 foot leash
I slip the leash through the rings on top of her pack, so that it does not slip under one side of the packbag and put her off balance.
I also carry an extra bandana to use for a muzzle if she gets hurt.
For first aid, I use pretty much the same stuff for her as for me with the exception that I carry some eye stuff from the vet and a few Dog aspirin

kanga
12-18-2010, 17:26
There is also a slip of paper with my name and address and stuff, just in case.


this is a fantastic idea! i think i'm going to finally get to use one of my waterproof luggage tags that have been sitting there forever! good job and THANK YOU!

CrumbSnatcher
12-18-2010, 17:53
my dogs backpack had info in it, attached inside in a ziplock(BEARdog) didn't wear the pack very often
she was also microchipped & her collar had her vacc. dates and name on them and all needed info. (dogs need to be current in thier shots to be boarded, like for the smokies and such)
but she also had a 2 tags that indicated she was hiking the appalachian trail and my trailname,real name, and a # back home. i think i tape them all(4) togeather to stop the jingle. in 15 years i never lost her. i think she actually enjoyed my company? she never did run off :)for long:rolleyes: