View Full Version : Two part Qustion about dog packs.
Ok I know there are hikers that simply hate dogs on any trail plz understand that I know how much a bad dog can and will make a great hike an awful one. I intend to not ever let my dog be "that bad dog on the trial". but with that said I would love to know......
1. if you fall into the I hate dogpacks, camp why do you feel that way. real reasons plz :-?
2.If you use them what kind do you use /have you had to alter them and why:confused:
I have seen this sort of posted but the answers seem to be more of "I love my dog" or "she can carry her food". I am hoping for more details.:D
At the momment I and up on the air about dogpacks myself I am hoping that some of the post here will help me make up my mind.
Tipi Walter
05-01-2009, 18:03
The dogpack issue is real simple. On a short weekend trip you can carry the dog food yourself, but on a longer 8-12 day trip you wouldn't want to carry all your gear and food and the dog's food, too. Too much weight. My dog can carry a full 2 weeks of food in his pack(Adventure 16), and he's a medium sized thing at around 50-60 pounds.
karoberts
05-01-2009, 18:23
My dog weights 50 lbs and he carries a Kelty Chuckwagon size M. Completely full, his backpack is 6.5 lbs with 5 lbs of food and 1.5 lbs in pack weight plus bowl and tennis ball. I carry water because he seems uncomfortable with it.
I size the pack to the dog and then secure the extra webbing with rubberbands so they do not loosen while hiking. I also clip the pack to his harness, which is a Ruffwear Webmaster ('07 design).
He is totally comfortable with his pack and is excited to wear it because that means that it is time to hike. He is an Australian Cattle Dog and well suited to life on the trail.
Phoenixdadeadhead
05-01-2009, 18:24
I don't have a dog pack, but I am watching my parents dog the same weekend I have a short over night Hike planned. I figured I would just take him with me. I was going to let him carry his own gear. I have a bunch of the military soft sided 2qt canteens with pouch. I was just going to clip 2 to his harness put water on one side and food on the other. I have a fabric water dish I keep in my truck for when I watch him, and he hates eating out of bowls so I figured I would save him the trouble of taking the food out of the bowl just to drop it on the ground b4 eating, and drop it on the ground myself lol. Is there anything wrong with this plan?
berninbush
05-01-2009, 18:32
Clipping canteens to the dog's harness may be about as uncomfortable for him as tying canteens to your wrists would be for you. I would at least give that a "dry run" (no pun intended) before you go out like that, to see if the canteens are bumping his sides or getting caught on things.
The Leave No Trace people will probably make a fuss about dropping dog food on the ground. ;) But if your dog is like mine, he WILL leave no trace!
CrumbSnatcher
05-01-2009, 18:34
i agree some dogs like to carry a pack!
day hike,weekend hike, a week long hike ? dog pack OK! A THRUHIKE no dogpack! the trails too hot,too long and too hard on them. not many dogs finish thruhikes
NEVER load water into a dogpack! MY 2CENTS
Phoenixdadeadhead
05-01-2009, 18:40
Clipping canteens to the dog's harness may be about as uncomfortable for him as tying canteens to your wrists would be for you. I would at least give that a "dry run" (no pun intended) before you go out like that, to see if the canteens are bumping his sides or getting caught on things.
The Leave No Trace people will probably make a fuss about dropping dog food on the ground. ;) But if your dog is like mine, he WILL leave no trace!I had planned on doing that, I get the feeling I will end up with his gear in my pack lol, but the amount of food he would need is so minimal that I thought I would try him lol. Maybe I should just sew him a pair of nylon saddlebags, with 2 straps across his belly and one across hi chest. He is a 50 pound dog, but he is such a scaredy cat it isn't even funny, I am afraid to see how he will react to the woods lol. I take him to a few trails here in the area (it's all swamp), and he is so scared I am tripping over him the whole time because he tries to walk under me lol.