WHAT TO PACK, DOG PACK CHECKLIST FOR ADVENTURE!
Are you a day hiker, taking off on a multi-day backpacking adventure or just urban hiking in town? This will help you decide how to pack and what pack to use. I will approach this from a multi-day backpacking hike perspective. I’ve hyperlinked the items to Amazon so that you can check for current prices.
- 8 Cups of Food. Liberty eats a cup in the AM and a cup in the PM. We use ORIJEN 6 FISH. I absolutely love it, keeps her coat fabulous, and the kibble holds up well while hiking and because it’s a high-quality food, I don’t have to increase her portion size.
- 4 Bully Sticks. I give Liberty one at lunchtime while we are taking a break and resting our footsies. They are a bit expensive, but I order them in bulk batches of 100.
- 1 Collapsible Silicone Bowl. We use it for food and water, sometimes at the same time!
- Thermarest Z Seat. A must-have! No one likes cold or numb tootsies – am I right!? I use it as a seat at camp, and liberty lays on it in my tent. She is too big for it, but it’s enough to add a barrier to her core.
- Crinkle Toy. I like the crinkle toys because they dry super fast, I couldn’t find the exact one online, but these are close, and so much fun! I just ordered the bat myself!
- Credit Card cut down to one inch, with tape wrapped around it. It weighs almost nothing, is waterproof and can be used to patch a hole in a pack or help with a hotspot.
- Water Pouch / Sawyer Filter. Water can weigh a lot of weight. I own the Sawyer filter, and it came with a water pouch! Sawyer has a LIFETIME warranty!
- Dirty Socks. I make liberty carry my dirty socks so that she can clean them for me in the river. I only wear DARN TOUGH socks. It too comes with a LIFETIME warranty; you can’t beat that! If they wear out, they replace them, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!
I know what your thinking – you fit 4 days of backpacking supplies in your dog pack!? Without water, it comes to about 2.5 pounds. That’s only 5% of Liberty’s body weight! I try to keep it under 10%. She hikes way more miles than me, and I know I wouldn’t like an excessively heavy pack!
HOW TO PROPERLY PACK YOUR DOG PACK FOR HIKING
When it comes to the life rigors of the trail, we need gear that will hold up! Half of the battle is treating it right which includes packing it properly. If you don’t, you can cause unwanted wear spots on the material or worse, cause your puppy to get hot spots where they will get rubbed raw. This means you will have to carry their gear too! If you aren’t sure which pack is right for your pupper, see the related article below.
✳ RELATED ARTICLE: 23 Dog Backpacks – Have Fido Carry their own 💩!
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE TRAIL WITH A DOG
PICTURE: ORIJEN 6 Fish Dog Food
You can expect the innards of the pack to get wet. If the pack doesn’t have micro holes from my pupper running through briars and thorns (or the fact I sewed stars to her dog pack) it will in due time. I double bag her food with Freezer quart-sized Ziploc bags. I don’t typically make her carry the water; I do that for both of us. I’m hesitant at having a bladder IN her pack, in fear she will pop it.
✳ Don’t forget; your dog pack will need to be hung with your food bags due to the kibble etc. I just run my food bag through the part of the pack where Liberty’s head would go, or if I have removable saddlebags, I run the food bar right through the middle.
PACKING – LEFT TO RIGHT, BOTTOM TO TOP, IN TOWARDS OUT
- I always place the kibble bags in first. One on the left side and one on the right side to balance. I like the kibble against her body to ensure nothing sharp will poke her in the ribs.
- I then put her bully sticks in one bag and collapsible bowl in the other. I put these items outboard of the kibble bags.
- I put the (empty) water pouch on one side and credit card on the other.
- I then use my dirty Darn Tough socks on top and stuff them around the items to help fill in the blank spaces.
- If her toy is dry, I throw that in whatever side had room. If it is wet, I’ll secure it to the top of her pack.
- I put the pack on Liberty and then the Thermarest Z seat. I used two pieces of bungee I had laying around to secure the Z seat. I keep it up front because the harness attachment point is at the back end by her butt. If the ring is by the head, then secure the pad at the rear of the pack.
- The last step, I tighten down the straps until I can only get two fingers behind them Tightly snug is what you want to prevent chafing on your pupper.
There are so many styles of packs to choose from, and your adventures will dictate what you will need to pack. This was a basic setup for a pupper who loves the water and loves to be out on the trails for days at a time. As you use the items inside the pack, you will have to keep it balanced. A cup of food from one side, then a cup of food from the other, etc. sometimes as we get closer to home, I put some of my smaller items in her bag. Sometimes I’ll move the trash we are packing out or leftover snacks.
DOG PACK CHECK – EVERY 60 MINUTES
When you first begin using a pack use these steps of progression to get your pupper acclimated.
- When you receive the pack, and it’s brand new, hide a high-value teat in the bag for your dog to find. You can put one on each side for added measures.
- The next day do the same thing, but only reward 1 of the treats. Put the pack on, don’t adjust it too much just yet, there isn’t any weight in it. Go for a quick walk, maybe potty or get the mail. When you come back, take the pack off and praise your pupper (insert your excited 16-year-old old sleepover voice here). Finally, reward the other treat in the pack. Make sure your pupper gets the treat out of the bag or sees you take it out of the pack. This solidifies how awesome this new pack is going to be!
- At this point, its time to add a little weight! I start with a few tennis balls on each side. Tighten down the pack by following the manufacturer instructions. Liberty wore her pack as I drove to the park, we walked around a bit, then rewarded her with tennis ball playtime. Liberty loves to fetch and luckily for me; this is an active high reward for her (even though we do it all the time!)
- Increase the weigh. Add some more massive toys or practice bags of food
- Keep adding weight until you have hit the desired capacity. Congrats on the newest addition to your hiking gear loadout, The Doggo Pack Mule accessory!
While on the trail you should check your pupper pack every hour. If it isn’t sitting right, your dog will start to show signs of hot spots and will begin to rub that area raw. It can become excruciating for your dog and even cause you to have to carry their gear or end the adventure early. Typically you will see hot spots behind the front legs in the armpit area. I use this opportunity to take a few minutes break, and I’ll give Liberty a once over for ticks too. On days that it’s wet out, or the pack itself is wet, you may want to check more frequently because the pack can be more prone to slippage.
✳ If it’s playtime for two dogs, make sure you take off the pack and harness. You don’t want to lose your newest gear investment.
CAN I USE MY DOG COAT UNDER THE DOG PACK – IT’S COLD/WET/WINDY ON THE TRAIL!
Absolutely! You will have to adjust the straps to ensure a snug fit. I use the Ruffwear Cloud Chaser and Sun Shower all the time. That gets us through 3 seasons and the 4th if we keep moving. With the jackets and some Mushers Secret Liberty keeps warm and doesn’t have snow pill build up.
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BACKPACKING DOG PACK
Check with the manufacturer instructions. I typically use Dawn dish soap and warm water in the bathtub. I’ll scrub it lightly with a brush let it hang dry. I NEVER put them in a washer and dryer.
If you get a hole in your doggo pack, you can use a piece of duct tape while on the trail, inside and out. When you get home, you can make a more permanent solution.
PICTURE: Stick-on Sequin Patches
The fabric patches for jeans at your local fabric store work wonders. You can also have a little fun with it and add some 3-inch patch style! You can order them here. Whichever patch you go with, make sure to get the stick on and not the iron on. If they start to come undone, a coat of 3M spray glue will do the trick – you’ll be back on the trail in no time!
USING YOUR DOG PACK TO KEEP THE BUGS AWAY
PICTURE: Sawyer Permetherin Spray
I like to use permethrin on my clothes and on Liberty’s Dog Pack. Permethrin is a synthetic material that simulates the Chrysanthemum flower. Once you spray it on material and it dries, it becomes bonded to the fibers. Normally, a single application will last 6 weeks or 6 washings, whichever comes first. It’s said you can put it on a dog’s fur as well, but that’s not something I do. I’ve used Sawyers Permetherin for years and I love it! You can find it here on Amazon. It comes in many different forms, I’m sure you can find one right for you! If you are looking for more facts on Permetherin, here is a link to the National Pesticide Information Center. In short, Permetherin is an insect-killing repellent that affects the nervous systems of Skeeters, Chiggers, Ticks, and Mites. This stuff is as good as 100% DEET!
If this guide was helpful, please share it. If we missed something, add it to the comments, and I’ll be sure to update the article.🐕🚶♂️🐾👣
Dont’t Forget ✳ RELATED ARTICLE: 23 Dog Backpacks – Have Fido Carry their own 💩!✳
