How much "dog weight" is in your pack

[CCCCAT]

Curious as to how much weight related to dog stuff that others carry in their packs.

My dog will have his own pack, but I've heard estimates of keeping his pack weight to no more than 10% to 25% of his body weight. So, he'll carry a sleep pad, some of his own water, some of his dog food, but not all of it. I'll end up carrying some of it.

For 5 days on the trail, it's looks like I'll end up carrying about 5 lbs extra for him in terms of water, dog food, dog first aid kit, booties, extra collar, leash, emergency papers, etc. He drinks more water than I do, so if we hit a dry patch with limited water, I want to be prepared for that.

Would appreciate hearing what others carry for their dog (and how much weight), and
what their dog carries (and dog's pack weight).

[kayak karl]

if you have the dog carry water make sure it is in hard containers (water bottles) rather then a bladder. the shifting of weight is not good for dog.
i carry all my dogs gear. she does not have a pack.

[canoe]

if you have the dog carry water make sure it is in hard containers (water bottles) rather then a bladder. the shifting of weight is not good for dog.
i carry all my dogs gear. she does not have a pack.

Me too. I have a small dog. She just goes for a walk with me and my wife.

[Sarcasm the elf]

I carry nearly all of my dog's gear, usually only weighs a couple of pounds.

zlite foam pad
Military surplus poncho liner as a blanket.
Food
1 liter dog water bottle
chinese takeout dish for dog food and water.
If it is cold then her fleece jacket.

She does wear a dog pack but this is primarily because it is also a well built harness and I have learned that it is wise to have her leash clipped to a harness that pulls on her body rather than a collar clipped to her neck, this prevents injury if one of us takes a fall. The dog pack contains couple of light items for easy access, usually the dog dish, one meal of food, and a tennis ball or two (even if we hike all day , she still needs to be taken off leash for a few minutes and allowed to run to stretch her legs, playing fetch works well for this).

[Sarcasm the elf]

Regarding water, i recommend carrying all of it yourself, it sloshes around too much and the dogs i've hiked with have made it clear that they don't like carrying it in their packs.

To water your dog on the trail, I have found that it works well to keep a separate bottle for them and to bring asemi-flexible dish such as a plastic takeout food container. That way you can pour the water from the bottle into the dish, let them drink what they want, and then pour the rest back into the bottle so that it doesn't go to waste, this will help lighten your load through dry stretches.

If we pass a good size river or lake, I will let my dog drink directly from that, but if the water source is a smaller brook or a small spring, then I clip her to a tree a short distance away and bring the water to her so that she doesn't muddy up the source.

[bemental]

My pup is a 19-month lab/shepherd mix and is around 90 lbs right now. We're starting our AT thru on Monday.

His loadout:
-pack and pouches: 3 lbs
-2 quarts of water: 4.4 lbs
-3 days of food: 6.9 lbs
-battery/solar: 2 lbs

Total: 16.32lbs (18% of bodyweight)

The rest is on me (extra food, earn cleaning solution, food). Depending on how well he takes to the trail we'll swap out who drops weight first (when he eats), but it'll probably be him to save his puppy paws from all that walking.

[CCCCAT]

Regarding water, i recommend carrying all of it yourself, it sloshes around too much and the dogs i've hiked with have made it clear that they don't like carrying it in their packs.

To water your dog on the trail, I have found that it works well to keep a separate bottle for them and to bring asemi-flexible dish such as a plastic takeout food container. That way you can pour the water from the bottle into the dish, let them drink what they want, and then pour the rest back into the bottle so that it doesn't go to waste, this will help lighten your load through dry stretches.

If we pass a good size river or lake, I will let my dog drink directly from that, but if the water source is a smaller brook or a small spring, then I clip her to a tree a short distance away and bring the water to her so that she doesn't muddy up the source.

Good ideas! Thanks for that.

[canoe]

My pup is a 19-month lab/shepherd mix and is around 90 lbs right now. We're starting our AT thru on Monday.

His loadout:
-pack and pouches: 3 lbs
-2 quarts of water: 4.4 lbs
-3 days of food: 6.9 lbs
-battery/solar: 2 lbs

Total: 16.32lbs (18% of bodyweight)

The rest is on me (extra food, earn cleaning solution, food). Depending on how well he takes to the trail we'll swap out who drops weight first (when he eats), but it'll probably be him to save his puppy paws from all that walking.

I am sorry , but your dog does nt look to happy.

[cbr6fs]

I am sorry , but your dog does nt look to happy.

+ 1
Really don't understand why any dog owner with a modicum of sympathy for their dog or an ounce of common sense would load it up with 16 lbs

Even without being loaded up most active dogs will struggle with Johnny pains later in life, why risk it, it's not like our dogs have long life spans as it is.

I find it extremely irresponsible to lead dogs up, they're not built for weight to be put on their backs.

[cbr6fs]

Johnny = joint btw
Lead = load

[Starchild]

If we pass a good size river or lake, I will let my dog drink directly from that, but if the water source is a smaller brook or a small spring, then I clip her to a tree a short distance away and bring the water to her so that she doesn't muddy up the source.

Thank you, thank you , thank you so much. May you and your dog have great adventures together.

Why is this so rare?

[bemental]

+ 1
Really don't understand why any dog owner with a modicum of sympathy for their dog or an ounce of common sense would load it up with 16 lbs

Even without being loaded up most active dogs will struggle with Johnny pains later in life, why risk it, it's not like our dogs have long life spans as it is.

I find it extremely irresponsible to lead dogs up, they're not built for weight to be put on their backs.

No offense taken :-P

Probably has something to do with the six-month work up we've done to get to this weight, the fact he is so young, or the two veterinarians that are supportive of, and tracking his progress.

What does your dog do all day, sit around in a climate controlled house?

Is thru hiking good for *anyone*?

[cbr6fs]

No offense taken :-P

Probably has something to do with the six-month work up we've done to get to this weight, the fact he is so young, or the two veterinarians that are supportive of, and tracking his progress.

What does your dog do all day, sit around in a climate controlled house?

Is thru hiking good for *anyone*?

My friend, you have a dog that is a mix of 2 breeds that are well known for hip dysplasia, you then load up this poor dog with 16lb and expect it to walk miles each day over rough terrain, like it's some sort of macho bragging rights.

Please tell me what the dog gains by being loaded up?

The answer is absolutely nothing.
Dogs are not built for loads to be put on their backs, they don't have the joints or build for it.

Horses and donkeys didn't used to have the build for their backs being loaded, but centuries of breeding and designs of saddles have helped.

Dogs like Huskies are breed to move loads, but the load is pulled, the dogs are breed to do this and the harnesses are specially adapted.

It's your dog, your choice and apart from reporting you to animal control there is absolutely nothing i can do to stop you.
I would ask that you think again why you are doing this ridiculous exercise, what does the dog gain by being loaded up to such extremes?

If you continue it doesn't matter what some quack vets say you the dog WILL have serious health problems and be in a considerable amount of pain in a few years if you carry on.

[bemental]

I appreciate your concern, I truly do. My dog is more than an animal to me, he's a companion and helper - and by federal law a service dog as well.

I don't feel I'm required to explain myself, but for sake of ensuring his safety I'll go into brief detail of what we're working with for his, and everyone else's sake.

Pack weight is heaviest towards his front, and lightens as you move back to allow his front legs to support the majority of the weight.

Pack fits snug and does not shift.

No more than 20% of his body weight will ever be carried. Typically will be within 10-15%.

This isn't a macho, check out my sweet dog sort of thing. It's merely a man and his dog going for a really long walk, with the dog carrying a bit of his own weight.

[cbr6fs]

I appreciate your concern, I truly do. My dog is more than an animal to me, he's a companion and helper - and by federal law a service dog as well.

I don't feel I'm required to explain myself, but for sake of ensuring his safety I'll go into brief detail of what we're working with for his, and everyone else's sake.

Pack weight is heaviest towards his front, and lightens as you move back to allow his front legs to support the majority of the weight.

Pack fits snug and does not shift.

No more than 20% of his body weight will ever be carried. Typically will be within 10-15%.

This isn't a macho, check out my sweet dog sort of thing. It's merely a man and his dog going for a really long walk, with the dog carrying a bit of his own weight.

I appreciate that.

Again though, what does the dog gain by being loaded up?

At best you are risking his health and what tends to be pretty dramatic pain in later life, at worst you are committing your dog to a early grave as the pain tends to get to the point where the only responsible thing is to put it down.

My kids struggle with 7kg for more than 10 miles and they've been hiking for many years, 16lb on a dog is both irresponsible and cruel.
There is absolutely no reason or logic in loading a dog up with THAT much weight, i can hike for 3 days with 8kg so it's ridiculous to think that the dog NEEDS to be carrying THAT much weight.

Carry your own solar panel, and if you can't be responsible enough to carry and take care of your dogs needs them it's a tough call but you need to leave the dog at home.

If you've ever seen an elderly dog suffering for hip or knee dysplasia you really wouldn't risk it, and yours is a dog that's a mixture of 2 breeds where this is a well known and well documented problem.

Do the responsible thing, carry your own kit AND your dogs kit, your dogs health and well being are worth more than showing off to strangers on a forum or on a path how tough your dog is.


One other thing.
I've hiked with every dog i've ever owned, as i've been hiking since i was around 14 that's around 30 years of hiking with dogs.
If you're doing 10+ miles a day over rough terrain even dogs with well seasoned and tough pads are going to have problem after 4 or 5 days.
Adding 16lb only causes more pain and problems to the dogs pads.

Please revisit your opinion and don't put your dog to a early grave just to impress strangers.
If you ever see a dog with joint pain later in life you'll realise it really is not worth it.

[kayak karl]

you will know by neel gap. whatever pain you are in, then X2 for the dog. i do feel bad that you will not be able to continue hike if your dog can't make it.

[bemental]

Thanks Karl, appreciate that.

CB, found an article you might be interested in: http://appalachiantrials.com/hiking-with-a-dog-part-1/

I think you're right, and I'm glad you spoke up. I've got a career as a US Marine behind me so limits don't exist, until they do.

I'm going to cut his weight back to 8-10 lbs. and keep it there until we're at least a month or two into the trail. This is below his training weight so I suspect he'll be OK with it, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks for speaking up, it's why I continue to come back to WB.

[cbr6fs]

Thanks Karl, appreciate that.

CB, found an article you might be interested in: http://appalachiantrials.com/hiking-with-a-dog-part-1/

I think you're right, and I'm glad you spoke up. I've got a career as a US Marine behind me so limits don't exist, until they do.

I'm going to cut his weight back to 8-10 lbs. and keep it there until we're at least a month or two into the trail. This is below his training weight so I suspect he'll be OK with it, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Thanks for speaking up, it's why I continue to come back to WB.

Thank you for re-evaluating your opinion both your dog and i appreciate it.

I love hiking with my dog, it really does help just as you are going through a tough time you can guarantee the dog does something goofy to break the mood, it also helps that my worrying about her really takes my mind off my aches and pains.

After saying that there are still some hikes i do not take her on, it's a tough call as she comes absolutely everywhere with me, but some hikes i have to put her interests before mine.

One example was last year just coming up to summer.
We took off on a 5 day hike in Northern Greece, we started at a low level and the plan was to hike up to a higher elevation and stay around that altitude the entire trip.
On the 1st day around 10 miles in i noticed she just didn't have the enthusiasm she usually has, so we had a lunch stop, usually she's sniffing around or waiting to see if there is a chance i'll drop any food, this time though she was just curled up in a ball, so i knew something was wrong.

I checked her out and she had burns on all 4 feet.
Must have been from a earlier section that had a black grit laid down, i felt my heat through my shoes and carried her for most of the section, but i mustn't have gotten there quick enough.

I ended up carrying her in my rucksack and we returned home.
It was a 7 hour drive to get there, i'd used up some of my vacation days for work and had committed to this hike, i thought about doing the other 4 days with her in my rucksack, but that wouldn't have been right.

Took 2 weeks for her pads to heal

It's for reasons like this i would not take my dog on a thru hike

[bemental]

Thanks for sharing your story CB, says alot about your character and love of dogs.

Oddly enough, I don't actually have intentions of completing the entire thru this year. While that's the stated goal, and where the planning has lead me, I have a feeling I'll spend about half the summer hiking, get to my family's place in PA, and give up the ghost for the rest of the summer.

Not that it changes anything with how the dog should hike, but still.

Thank you again for your evaluation, experience, and support. Truly appreciate it and I hope we bump heads again.

[cia2106]

Hey folks -

Does anyone have preferred dog packs? My pup doesn't seem to mind carrying her own food and bowl/jacket (the water point on this thread is great, and makes a lot of sense), but the pack we have right now doesn't fit her slender frame well enough. It definitely moved around a bit (doesn't help that her fur is slick and she's super excited every time we go hiking) and the front strap caused some chafing under her armpit on our last trip.

I was looking at the Mountainsmith K-9 Dog Pack because it doesn't have a strap right under the armpits and at the Granite Gear Alpha Dog Pack because the longer design seems to add more stability over the basic Mountainsmith Dog Pack we have now. Any thoughts on those?