Anyone use a pack on their dogs?

[jca21]

this is ridiculously priced but i thought it was really cool:

https://dstactical.com/product_info.php?cPath=143_147&products_id=598

my dog only ways 20lbs so i dont think she'll be needing one of these

 

[theonew]

I don't make our Doberman carry her water because she can drink from creeks, rivers, etc.

They are much less likely to get sick from bad water than we are but they can still get sick. It's pretty hard to tell a dog not to drink the water that's right in front of their nose, but I do discourage it and try to bring, filter or treat most of the water my dog drinks

this is ridiculously priced but i thought it was really cool:

Very cool and looks like it would solve the drooping and balance problems but yikes, $400

 

[jca21]

Very cool and looks like it would solve the drooping and balance problems but yikes, $400

yah it definetly looks like its purpose built for dogs to be able to pack gear. all depends on how much you need it i guess. there are always people out there with the bling bling

 

[Max_Power]

I forget the name of the pack, but we got it at REI for ~$40. Athena likes it now that she's used to it. I think she mostly likes it as she associates the pack with hiking. We don't have much trouble keeping it balanced. We usaully put in two beers or some whine for the load. Nothing like a hike, a dog, and a nice drink!

I did try using it on her when we went mountain biking, but the constant running made it very unstable. It's been fine for 3 hour moderate-paced hikes.

Here, she has it on for the 1st time (we put it on incorrectly).

 

[baldtaco-II]

 

[pitdog]

I don't use a pack I just undo Maisy here and the stuff goes inside !!!!

There are less stitches in a potato sack eh !

 

[dalefuller]

We do a good bit of hiking in the mountains in GA and WV, sometimes 10+ miles a day with our dogs and the younger ones both wear backpacks. A healthy dog that's gotten accustomed slowly to backpacking can safely carry about 1/3 of their body weight. Our guys are a 75lb Boxer, a 75lb GSD-Lab mix, and a 70lb Dobe. The GSD & the Dobe do the packing for everybody because they're younger, but Riley has backpacked and does it well.

We use Ruff-Wear. I have a Palisades pack and 2 harnesses. I put both harnesses on my Dobe and GSD mix, and then trade off the bags every couple of hours. Ruff Wear's stuff is top notch for a reasonable price. We looked at quite a few brands and construction techniques before deciding on Ruff Wear. So far, both pack systems have held up well for us.

Balancing the weight is the tricky bit. If that's gonna be a problem for us, I take the Palisades pack because of the water bladders. I can use them to keep the weight distribution pretty even all day. The Approach II packs don't have bladders so you've got to constantly shift the weight to keep it balanced.

Cabelas, REI, and The Sports Authority all handle Ruff Wear stuff and you can get them online for less than in a B&M. A word of advice would be to start slowly, maybe even with an empty pack, for a while. It's not so much getting your dog used to wearing the pack as it is getting her/him used to carrying the extra weight. You need to let them build up gradually to that.

Kidwholaughs is right about making sure that your dog is physically mature enough to handle any serious weight. And remember, water is heavy. Most of the packs I've seen have enough adjustment to allow for some growth, but I'd still want my dogs to be 12-16 months old before I put any weight on them, and prolly 18-24 months in your case before I bought an expensive rig. Your girl's most likely gonna keep filling out for some time yet. If you want to spring for a smaller inexpensive pack just to get your lady used to wearing one, there are some available for a lower price than Ruff Wear. Just realize that it's basically a throw-away, like a puppy collar.

 

[Mark Nelson]

Pitdog! What in the world happened there? Hope Maisy is ok. Thanks again for all the advice everyone. I plan on hitting REI this weekend to look at stuff...then order online next week lol. My girl is not yet 4 months old and was 45lbs this past weekend. More or less she gains about 1/2 pound a day. About 3.5-5 lbs per week. I check with the vet because I was worried about it being to much to fast, he seemed unconcerned giving her breed mix. It is crazy to watch here grow. So it will be sometime before I lay down serous money on anything. Look forward to spring with her!

 

[dalefuller]

...My girl is not yet 4 months old and was 45lbs this past weekend. More or less she gains about 1/2 pound a day. About 3.5-5 lbs per week. I check with the vet because I was worried about it being to much to fast, he seemed unconcerned giving her breed mix. It is crazy to watch here grow.

Keeping tabs on her growth with your vet is the best idea. For nutrition, I would just make sure to feed her an "All Life Stages" food rather than a specific puppy chow. Innova, Canidae, Orijen, Solid Gold, all of those are excellent and they produce foods that can be used across a wide range of ages.

The biggest concern that a lot of us have with a puppy chow for larger breeds is that it may cause too many quick growth spurts and could lead to some skeletal issues later on. This is hotly debated and manufacturers usually deny any scientific proof of this (and they're right... there isn't any smoking gun), but a lot of the other breeders we talk to and many of the more holistic/organic-oriented dog people among us still aren't convinced. We've had absolutely great reports from our own pups (or their companion humans, anyway) that have been put on the diet we recommend, so that's still the way we go when we breed and sell.

Anyway, that's my totally unsolicited advice. I know you didn't ask for it, but dogs are my passion (knives are my hobby) and nutrition is a special "field of interest" for me. You are what you eat, and so's your dog . Enjoy your lady. May y'all explore many happy trails together.

 

[Any Cal.]

I bought a pack that was $50, and literally didn't last 20 steps. It was just a lemon, but it sucked. I carried the dog's food, dish, and blanket 40 miles because of that. No, it is not a joke, it is just the way it worked out.

When I got back I got the RuffWear Palisades, and it was awesome. They tend to run big though, just so you know. My dog was 100lbs at the time, and wore a medium with plenty of room to spare, if I remember right. They are built really well.