Aiwix: Go to the beginning of this thread. Lots of information. Also see the rest of the DOGS... section of the group.
"It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss
I have read most of them. Thanks, but maybe I passed over some of the info I for which I was looking. There are a lot of postsI already carry a way to heavy pack (about 55-60 lbs) Because I have a dog, and she will not be carrying all her weight at first, I am really trying to figure out exactly what I need to bring along since I will be carrying it for a while. Dog bowl? More water bottles for her so that eventually she will be able to carry them?
I probably just need to relax a bit. I had no problem starting out on my thruhike, but being responsible for something else all of a sudden adds so much else to just going out in the woods and heading south. I wonder if she will help me speed up? Ha.
~Z
It's really important to load the two sides of the dog's pack nearly identical in weight, to keep it from pulling sideways. Although some "pack" breeds (Swiss Mtn Dogs, etc) carry 30% of their weight, I limit my dog's pack weight to 10%.
If your dog carries 3.5 lbs... It doesn't really matter whether that 3.5 lbs is yours or hers.
I carry the water. It is easier for me to get it for both of us. I have a quick connect in my bladder, pop off my bite valve, and fill her dish. I use a zip-lock bowl with a screw lid for her to drink out of. It is lighter than the fold-up nylon ones, and if the dog doesn't drink all the water, I screw the lid on and save it for later. I punched a hole in the lip around the bowl, put a string in it, and hook it to a carabiner that I attach to my pack. I also have an extra platy, but the water is "community" until it goes into her bowl.
I have a 70 lb dog that usually carries 6-6.5 lbs. It is easier to load her pack with stuff that the weight doesn't change from day to day... and stuff that compresses down and doesn't hurt to get wet: my tent and fly, a chamois towel, etc. I usually stick a few dog treats in there, too, that I give her throughout the day, so she knows she's carrying treats.
I take off her pack every time I take off mine.
The trash compactor bag made a pretty good raincoat... I trimmed it down and duct
taped it together under her belly. I did it when it was raining and COLD.
I put her daily ration of food into a ziplock. I give her half in the evening, he other half in the morning, so the only time I need to measure anything is when I'm putting it into the ziplocks.
I can't even imagine what you've got in your pack that makes it so heavy. I suspect you can trade some of the weight for dog items, and never miss what you left.
My dog related items: piece of z-rest to sleep on, piece of sleeping bag, dog food, zip-lock bowl, extra water, chamois towel, dog treats, collar, leash, dog pack, trash compactor bag, tick repellant, benadryl, and oh yeah, (since we're from the Keys and our sections aren't long enough to get a winter coat... a dog jacket she wears around camp and sleeps in) and shhh... her favorite soft squeaky toy she likes to sleep with.
My boxer, Peanut, will be sectioning with me in the spring. She's 2.5yrs old (about 50-55lbs) and is just the silliest, sweetest thing. She adores being out in the woods and hiking- I swear she was a mountain goat in a former life. Backpacking is going to be a new adventure for the both of us. I'm not worried about wearing her out- I'm overweight and out of shape and my pace is slowwwww and she's one solid little spring-loaded muscle.
I'm not too concerned about the doggy first aid kit because most of the stuff I'll be carrying for myself anyway, I'll just flush it out with a few canine-specific needs.
I'm still sorting out my own gear but do have a two-person tent that was bought specifically big enough for the both of us. And I'm most likely going to go with a sleeping pad and quilt setup for myself. I'm planning a doggie-sized pad for Peanut with a remodeled piece of sleeping bag for her (basically think of a open square-flapped envelope- if its warm she can sleep on top of the whole thing, if it's cold she can nose her way into the "envelope" and nest or do what she does at home which is curl up next to me in bed.)
I've got a Kelty Chuckwagon pack for her that she's been tolerating well when I put it on her (I just used the whole "it's your pretty girl pack, wanna put it on?" trick that I did when I first got her used to having a collar and then later her harness- she *loves* being pretty lol).
She's used to being on a 15ft lead (with her harness) in the woods hiking- so I think that's going to come with us, plus a shorter 6ft.
She likes her sweatshirt - but I sorta like this idea better - seems like it would work better under her pack than a bulky sweatshirt or coat. http://www.retrieverworld.com/articfleece.htm
Luckily for me she eats Pedigree which is readily available and does really, really well on it. Our other ancient boxer has all sorts of skin issues and allergies and we have been through every $40 a bag holistic food on the market only to, by accident, discover that Pedigree causes her no issue so we've stuck with it. Peanut will eat dry kibble but I will be bringing some of the pouches of the Pedigree "Little Champions" wet food to mix in with it for extra calories and enticement. The pouches will travel well in her or my pack and aren't horribly heavy.
She does okay drinking from my water bottles with the sports tops but I'm someone that takes fairly frequent 5-10 minute breaks while hiking so to ensure that she's getting enough water I'll just pull her bowl out of her pack and fill it from my bottle/bladder. And I'm using a couple of the Ziploc disposable bowls for her, they are light and I can find a size that works with her having a big muzzle and an underbite.
One think I have been thinking about is hunters and what I can do for Peanut in the way of blaze orange (she is a flashy fawn boxer that does prance and jump around like a clumsy gazelle and it just makes me a little nervous). I'm thinking about a blaze collar and a bandanna or two (figuring I can tie one on like a cape to her pack and the other around her neck. What do you all do in that regard? Am I just being a worry wart?
On my list is one of her knotted rope toys and a rawhide bone. No squeaks (she adores them but just doesn't stop- it would get annoying by minute 3 or 4).
Other than that I can't think of anything I'd need for her.
Thanks a lot Mercy for your info. No boots for her? Has she been fine in snow or ice without foot protection? I guess I need to find a sleeping bag for her. Peanut sounds like she has a good one like an envelope, but what was it made of? Maybe I will copy hers. I was not sure about how to hike with her on a leash, but a 15ft lead sounds good, but with that, I should get her a harness? Right now, she just has a collar.
I do not think you are being a worry wart at all about the hunters. While there is no hunting in spring that I know of, what I went through in Nov in New England was enough to make sure that I wear orange all the time. I wore bright collars, my massive backpack, tramping through the forest and still had numerous rifles trained on me. Tree stands being right on the trail. Was worry some. And at that point, it was just me.
Hunter orange
Ruffwear has a bright orange vest. http://www.ruffwear.com/Track-Jacket...4Pa38Ta38Nc3b0 which works ok without a pack.
With a pack? Maybe you could modify a bicycle vest/piece of bright nylon.
Mountain Crossings had some bright orange bandanas last fall that looked like that would be a simple solution.
My dog has worn boots, but usually doesn't. We didn't hike in snow, though.
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