What gear for your 4 legged backpackin b uddy

“Do you dog people use specific gear when taking your dogs out on the trail. We have a 9 month old German Shepherd pup ( Georgia Mae) and are trying to acclimate her to life in the woods. I was thinking about the reflective orange collars and a long tracking lead so she can wander a bit.
What do y'all use?”

“i have a 2 year old lab, she has a granite gear pack, and a couple of collapsible dog bowls. she has been collar conditioned so i just carry a 5 ft leash for crossing any roads. she does wear a 9 inch lead while we are hiking its just enough to hold on to so folks can pass.

in my opinion collar conditioning is the way to go its like a 1/2 mile long leash. its taken al the worry about her running off from me. have you done any obedience training?”

“yes, but most of it has been basic good manners training. We need to work more on walking on & off lead.”

“a set of hobbles in case the dog is injured, a muzzle for the same reason (a hurt dog WILL bite its owner) its easier to carry a hobbled and muzzled dog out if the walk is far. Think porcupine or coon. A few doses of doggy tranquilizers. A first aid kit for fido (your vet can offer good input).”

“I was gonna ask my vet about putting together a first aid kit for Georgia.”

“I use hobbles on both front and back legs at times, I also use a shock collar for long distance control, and at times a pinch collar while on lead. During the night I use a harness. He has his own tent, sleeping pad, and bag for the winter time. I try to avoid others while out hiking as most people really don't think dogs should be out. I keep mine covered with skin-so-soft during the bug season.”

“currahee, got any pics of the pup? Shepards are oh so cute as pups.”

“somewhere. I've been meaning to post some for a while now. I might make that my weekend project.”

“A leash.”

“umm... yeah, I mentioned that. Specifics...”

“

http://nationalleash.com/Trackingleash.htmI was thinking about something like this so she would still be under my control, but have lots of room to sniff around, wander ahead, lag behind. It comes in a 30' length.
last edited: 2/09/06 9:48:00 PM”

“I like to use a halter on Bessie, Great at the county fair and great on the trail. But sometimes people are surprised by the mooing.







;-P”

“groan”

“embear had a pretty cool little tent for her doggy. The pup even carried its own tent and food in her own pack.”

“currahee, i'm sure i'm gonna get hammered here but german's take training very easy and you should have no problem letting her off the leash (ducking)...my dog's pack, an outward hound, is like a lot and has a little velcro pouch on the top that you can leave the leash attached to her collar and just bundle it up and put it in the pouch, that way if you do need to grab her quickly she'll already be on a leash...if you have dollar tree or deals stores, or other $1 stores, in your area some of them carry the collapsible dog dishes...i have several, i keep one in every car and have some for packing”

“thanks thrifty. my concern is her aggravating other campers or getting spooked in the middle of the night and running after a skunk. She's 9 months old but still quite a puppy. At 80lbs, she'll prolly be quite intimidating to other hikers even though she just wants to play and jump.”

“...or getting spooked in the middle of the night and running after a skunk

will she not be sleeping in your tent?”

“When I took my Chessie camping she wandered around camp, just far enough to where she could still see me. Then when it got dark, she sat down at my feet by the fire till we got in the tent.
I would take her more...but her hips are starting to give out and she can hardly climb the two steps to the house now.”

“i think my lab mix is starting to have hip problems or arthritis too...she turns 11 this year...she's more reluctant to climb our stairs and she licks her hip sometimes...i don't think she's got too many more backpacking trips in her
last edited: 2/10/06 11:12:20 AM”

“Thrifty: My dog had her last big trip a little before she turned 11. Arthritis was the culprit (at 13, she can still climb stairs and go for a couple miles once in a while).

The basic equipment for my dog was a dog pack, aleash when needed, a frisbee for a dog bowl, and food and water in her pack (in plastic bags in case she went into water).

My new pup will turn 1 year in late May. I may start her trail training this summer. It will be hard not being able to take my older dog. She's a gem.”

“Also, I did dose her with frontline to protect her for any months I'd be taking her hiking.”

““...or getting spooked in the middle of the night and running after a skunk

will she not be sleeping in your tent?”
thriftyhiker

Sure but it gets dark around7-8pm and I usually don't rack out until 11 at the earliest and there is no way she'll stand for being locked up in a tent without her daddy.”

“i guess i'm just used to my older dog...once we get to the camp site she's sacked out :)”

“
Here she is as a little girl.”

“I've scrapped all the gear except leashes. I keep them somewhere (usually not so) handy for passing through areas where they're required, ie campgrounds.

I geared-up when SissyBelle first joined me, but soon determined that the bells and whistles were not neccessary. In fact, a pack is more of a liability than an asset. I was constantly having to help her over logs and through narrow passes where she'd sometimes get wedged betwixt rocks.

Packs are detrimental to a dogs agility, IMO.

On weekenders, I can carry everything required for me, Sarabelle, and Gizmeaux, ie, food, ponchos, and leashes.

As far as control on the trail, it's all voice commands. They will both heel on command and/or come to me as I step off trail to allow others to pass, even horses (I usually pick Gizmeaux up).

Spying wildlife is a favorite passtime, especially deer. Yet they "stay!" as well as if they're on leashes.

They know they'll get the what fer if they step out of line, ie, get "beet by a rold up nuse payper". :)”

“True is dat!
If me and my hubsand Gissmaeioux rund oft to get a ded deer my daddy will BEET US VERRY MUCH PROLLY DED! O! THE PAAAAAANE!

The mane theeng is to make sure Georgy gots plenny of suppers and snaks and can lay down on yer sleppy bag in the tent when yall go to bed.

Do not for get to let her pee verry good tho be for yall go to bed in less yall want a wet sleepy bag with pee - BOL!”

“BWT - Not warin a pakpak is verry a libber 8.

I can hop verry good and walk around verry good and what never if I do not ware my pakpak.


Kno what?
The lats time we was walkin in the woods and sleepin in the woods ther was them nother buddys. I do not member ther names.

We was walkin verry care full on the slippy wet roks and me and Gissmaeioux done ok but them nothers was warin pakpaks and FALD DOWN THE ROKS and was DROWND AND DED in til me and my hubsand and my daddy rets cude them and they was ok.

Ther mama sayed "o my goodys my baybes are drownd and ded!"

I theenk they wold be ok if they did not ware ther pakpaks. IOM.
(o:3”

“I have the Adventure Kit from Free Spirit Outfitters. It's a pretty minimalist pack setup. The harness and pack are separate pieces and the pack can be easily removed without pulling him out of the harness. It doesn't have any extra compression straps or any of that trash. This pack is much better than the mountainsmith my dog used to wear.

A well-fitting pack really doesn't affect my dog's agility that much. He's been doing agility obstacles since he was old enough to go to obedience training, so he's never had a problem with trail obstacles with or without a pack. In fact, he much prefers to climb on top of downed trees than to go around them.

My dog also has a couple of cheapie collapsable bowls, and I usually bring a tennis ball for fetch. He usually finds a good chewing stick somewhere on the trail, anyway. I also carry his regular 6' lead.

OB training is essential. At 2 years old, my dog is going to be taking his CGC test on March 3. His recall is excellent, so I have never had a problem with him getting into things he shouldn't, chasing wildlife, or getting away from me.

I started teaching him trail/forest etiquette when he was pretty young. I taught him to keep to the trail when walking (keeps the leash from getting wrapped around trees, keeps him from stumbling across most of the nasty wildlife like skunks, rattlers, and stuff), and I taught him to do his business in the woods. Funny thing he did on our first backpacking trip...he covered his poo with leaves.”

“so i get the fact that most of you have big dogs as hiking buddies. anyone have little hiking buddies?
my little girl is about 12 lbs. she is 5 years old.”

“very cute puppy Currahee!
i wouldn't worry about her in camp. just walk her around the parimeter on the lead a couple times and keep up with your verbal commands. she'll probably spend all the evening trying to sit in your lap anyways.
our (1 yr old) GS spends daylight freetime checking out all the smells around camp but as soon as the sun sets, she turns into a big chicken. i never have to worry where she's at cuz she's right under my feet until i head to bed. she's great in the tent, but i don't think she'd like to sleep alone under my hammock...too many monsters hiding in the woods. you might want to stick to tents until your's is familiar with the routine.


hey mapes - check your biggest chain-petstore. i saw those upfront 'baby' carrier packs in petsmart. i wonder if you could use something like that to give her a ride when she's pooped.
even a little doggie can go all day on the trail. just take extra breaks and have a good pad for her to sleep on.”

“I no longer even bring the fabric bowl. They can drink from my pot if neccessary (creeks abound, eh?). As for food, I lay a stuff sack across a small depression (natural or stomped out by my boot heel) and pour the food onto the sack - a bowl is born.”

“good idea about the bootheel/stuff sack combo”

“Pack the food in one-day portions in a heavy duty ziploc, and just place it on the ground when its time to eat.

Make sure that your dog pack does not have any of YOUR essentials in it. I learned the hard way, when my dog bolted off after some animal and returned 10 minutes later sans pack (that had my stove in it).

Get your dog booties. If you are doing long distances over harsh terrain (even if your dog has been on conditioning hikes), it will shred his paws up good. I learned this the hard way, when I had to carry my 85 lb dog 5 miles because he could no longer walk.”

“so i get the fact that most of you have big dogs as hiking buddies. anyone have little hiking buddies?
my little girl is about 12 lbs. she is 5 years old.”
mapleleaf

I don't know why not, I have some friends that have a toy poodle that is a fantastic trail dog. Doesn't know what going under a log means if it is under 2 feet high. Even named her outfitter store after her-Zoe's moutain sports.”