We used a saddleback for one of our dogs so he could carry his own food. It was several years ago and I'm not sure what brand it was. I can tell you to be careful that you saddle him/her up correctly so the weight is located properly... I would also keep the pack as light as possible. The bag itself should come with guidelines on how to mount it. Good luck.

 

I wish she could carry as much weight as me but she's a rat terrier and only weighs about 12 pounds. I figured I would keep an equal amount of water on each side for equal weight and two small bowls. Anything else needed to take care of her (nail clippers, toothbrush ect...) I can carry in my BOB if it's to heavy for her.

Is that mostly what they want you to do with them, equal weight distribution? I keep my pack pretty balanced so I understand how not doing it can really hurt your back.

 

You left out a few pieces of information on Gabriel. first off is Gabriel a working breed? If so, how large is Gabriel. Also do you have the necessary first aid Items for Gabriel? And how old is Gabriel.

A very large dog IE 80 to 100 lbs should not have more than 30 lbs of weight. And less would be much better.

You had better be adding some "Tuf Foot" into your supplies or booties. You carry mole skin for your feet, and the dogs feet need the same care and concern as humans. Remember dogs have soft pads not hooves. They get cut, bruised and worn.

Most of the packs for large dogs will do. it will take you some practice and experimenting to get the right fit. Generally my lab carries his own food and a protion of his water. Putting the pack on them really calms them down also. Almost keeps the lab from exploring every smell.

first aid items for dogs that I take is

as mentioned "Tuf Foot" http://www.tuffoot.com/

Blu-Kote http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e078c2-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

Dog Asprin http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/pet_supplies.cfm?c=3307+12891

Dogs like people need conditioning. So give your dog plenty of exercise and have him carry a load before you go for a week long trip.

: having a dog along is not only comforting, but they can hear and smell things that people are oblivious to.

 

I totally didn't see your post until just now, She weighs 12 pounds! I don't think she'll be able to carry much but every pound she carries (I think with training I would feel comfortable with her carrying 3-4 pounds (that would make our load to weight ration the same)) is one less pound I have to carry for her.

She is 2 1/2 years old, and is pretty active. She doesn't have any load bearing experience so I figured I would start by just walking her with the pack on and getting her used to it, then adding a little weight at a time to get her used to wearing it loaded. And every once in a while I figured I would leave it on all day for a few days so that she is used to not taking it off in case of a bug out.

She would make a great guard dog, but she is kind of an alarmist barker so stealth will be cut down. I know it sounds cruel but I was thinking about getting a muzzle for her for a bug out while we are sleeping so she doesn't alert a would be mob/looter to out location.

 

Balance is important but also the location front to back. You don't want it too far forward on their neck or too far down their back... I believe the shoulder area or right behind the shoulder area is the best load bearing location (don't take this as fact, it's been a while and I might be wrong).

Be careful loading up a dog that small. Again, there are guidelines out there on recommended weights.

Putting a pack on a rat terrier? The mental picture is cracking me up.

 

I've found a few packs for small dogs like Gabbi. I would carry her gear in my bag but it already weighs about 50 pounds. I figure she should be able to carry a three day supply of water (a liter maybe) and two small plastic cups to use for her food and water. All together that shouldn't weigh more than a few pounds.

 

a travois would allow you to pack the dogs weight,
saddlebags are limited to roughly 25% of dogs weight

 

Not a bad idea at all. Do you think I could make one with wheels to make it a little easier/ faster for her? I am thinking if we need to do any great walking it would be in the city, once we left the city I would break the wheels off.

 

Here's some pictures of her I just snapped so you all can see what we're working with here.

 

Well, I am sure you can tell by my graphic what my bias is... I would think that with such a small critter, it might not be worth the hassle bothering with a saddle bag. As for the muzzle, it will stop a full bark from being trumpeted but sounds will still emit from your dog's mouth regardless. E collar training to inhibit your dog from making noise would make more sense. Eventually, just placing that special collar on your dog will give the message.

Cheers!

 

I have a Rotti and he is pretty big....145 lbs

he has his own saddle bags that are made by a company called "outward hound".
I also have 2 clapsable bowls that are made of a tough pliable waterproof canavas for his food and water.

He has carried 6 liters of milk in his saddle bags one time from the store..

I took him hiking a few years ago and he carried his food , distributed on both sides as well as water on both sides, total weight "if I recall correctly was 12 pounds.

 

Mountainsmith makes the best dog packs available in my opinion. I have one for my 85 lb pitbull. You can load the damned thing full of bricks and I don't think she would notice. The main thing is to make sure the straps do not rub the dog raw.

http://www.sunnysports.com/prod/MTSDPMD.html?srccode=cii_18492716&cpncode=22-10802457-2

 

You can make sheepskin covers for the straps. I have some for my seatbelt shoulder straps.

 

im really a fan of these packs. My dog loves hers and i know alot of dog people who are big fans
p.s. a dog should only carry 1/3 of there weight

http://www.ruffwear.com/Approach-Pack?sc=2&category=13

this dogs looks like the size of yours, heres a vid of her and the ruffwear pack

 

What I understand you should only pack at the very most 20% of the dogs weight in a pack. So that is about 2lbs not alot of food or water. And 2lb is not alot off of your back. If it is a 1/3 it would be 4lbs still not much.

 

It's really not that much more water, but I do life in the desert and water is life so I would like to carry as much as possible.

I found her a pack that works pretty well, it's a little small but any larger looks like it would move the weight to her back not her shoulders. It can hold a liter of water and a few treats. It's an Outward Hound, the quality looks good but the handle to lift her by doesn't work at all.

 

Small Dog Saddlebag links

The first two link are small dog specific though you may find something in the others links

XX-Small Ruff Wea Pack II Multi-day Dog Pack

Ruff Wear Palisades Pack Hydration Dog Pack

Gun Dog Saddle bags

Service Dog Saddle Bag with Pockets

Hooligan Gear dog pack

Wolf Packs Saddle Bag

Stansport Saddle Bags For Dog

Kelty Chuckwagon - Dog Saddle Bag

You may also be interested in How To Buy A Dog Pack

 

You might need to check with your local legal system. Some countries dont allow dogs to pull or carry anything, depending on the bread. Iv known the large breeds, such as Saint Bernards etc to be allowed but Im not sure about Jack Russells.

 

Which, if true, proves how absolutely stupid some legal systems are. Every dog likes to work, provided it is fun and the dog is in good physical health and able to do the work it's given.

My dogs love to pull a wagon and having done a lot of research on dog drafting, I've seen dogs as small as JR's and poodles pulling tiny wagons. A dog pulling a wagon can pull *much* more weight than he can carry as a pack. When I harness two of my dogs together, they can pull 300 lbs. Of course, I don't have them pulling such large amounts regularly. They work out with lighter weights for a longer period of time. They have worked out as long as an hour without needing a break. Believe me, when a dog doesn't want to pull, you can't make it do so. My dogs are *happy* when they're working. I have 1 GSD and 2 GSD mixes plus a lab mix that is retired from pulling... but I still hook him up with his harness to the side of the wagon and let him think he is working because it makes him happy.

Dogs like to work. It isn't animal abuse to give them a job. It's animal abuse to make them sit outside in the yard all day and expect them to be angels when you haven't bothered to train or socialize them.

Sorry for the rant but it ticks me off when people assume that making a dog work is somehow the same as making a 5-year-old work. No, sorry... dogs are not children. They are happiest when they are involved in helping their pack leader.

 

I use the Ruffwear Palisades pack for my golden retriever he is able to carry about 20-25 lbs in the summer. Also the saddle bags are clipped on to a seperate harness so you can take them off easily when you break.

http://www.ruffwear.com/Palisades-Pack?sc=2&category=13

 

I have a 100 pound spanish alano with saddlebags that can carry supplies for all of our dogs. Sure he can carry 20 pound.

 

I have no experience with saddle bags but you might want to take in consideration the buoyancy of the pack. If you are out hiking it your dog might have to cross water with you. When I take my dog hiking he wears a life vest with some pockets on it.

Considering he'll be carrying 1/6 - 1/3 of his body weight having to swim will probably be really taxing on him. You could probably even stuff some empty bottles / canteens in the top of his pockets in the event you have to do a crossing.

Just a thought.

 

We bought ours from Amazon for our dogs and keep them loaded with food and a collapsing water bowl. I mean seriously, do you want to carry their food around with ya in your pack?? :thumb:

 

You mentioned adding 2 small bowls to Gabriella's pack, you may have already considered this, but I thought I'd throw it out there. You may be able to lighten her load by packing collapsible bowls like these instead of metal/plastic/glass/whatever.

 

I have two small plastic bowls that weight just about nothing (an ounce combined maybe) that I got specifically for her to carry, they carabiner to her saddle bags.

Which, if true, proves how absolutely stupid some legal systems are. Every dog likes to work, provided it is fun and the dog is in good physical health and able to do the work it's given.

My dogs love to pull a wagon and having done a lot of research on dog drafting, I've seen dogs as small as JR's and poodles pulling tiny wagons. A dog pulling a wagon can pull *much* more weight than he can carry as a pack. When I harness two of my dogs together, they can pull 300 lbs. Of course, I don't have them pulling such large amounts regularly. They work out with lighter weights for a longer period of time. They have worked out as long as an hour without needing a break. Believe me, when a dog doesn't want to pull, you can't make it do so. My dogs are *happy* when they're working. I have 1 GSD and 2 GSD mixes plus a lab mix that is retired from pulling... but I still hook him up with his harness to the side of the wagon and let him think he is working because it makes him happy.

Dogs like to work. It isn't animal abuse to give them a job. It's animal abuse to make them sit outside in the yard all day and expect them to be angels when you haven't bothered to train or socialize them.

Sorry for the rant but it ticks me off when people assume that making a dog work is somehow the same as making a 5-year-old work. No, sorry... dogs are not children. They are happiest when they are involved in helping their pack leader.

I agree, I havnt checked my local laws yet (I should know though I ran for office last year) but even if it's illegal I am going to do it for all the reasons that you just ranted about. Plus in a survival situation it's more about staying alive than being legal.

Thanks for all the great help guys!

 

Man that SHI# is expensive. Here is what Im thinking, take a dog harness and some small MOLLE packs and there you go.

http://www.dog.com/item/adjustable-nylon-harness-blue/

 

i regularly hike with my dog and she carries a pack with 10-13 lbs, doesnt slow her down much, i will have her up to 15-20 lbs this summer. It definitely wears her out., she comes home, eats, drinks and passes out... gets sore too,, i try to make her get up every hour just to walk around and stretch her muscle's. that outward bound pack looks pretty good. the biggest concern i can see with my pack and buying a new one would be making sure if fits snug and the weight is distributed equally.

 

Hopefully if I ever have to bug out i will have gotten myself another newfoundland by then so towing their own food shouldnt be much of a problem. look at approximately 52 seconds onwards

 

Best I've ever seen for an active working dog

http://www.combatk9.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BMV

 

Well since this thread's dug up already I guess I'll give my .02 cents.

I have a 110lb+ Rottie and he's been lugging around this pack for the past 2-3 years. I'd definately suggest this pack to anyone who cant afford to spend $100's on a pack for themselves let alone their dog.. BUT there are a few things I'd like to share about this pack..

All of the buckles on it are going to break, and the velcro is going to come off. Basically you're spending $30 for a dog pack template. I hand sewed all of my own buckles and straps on it and just sewed the vest into the pack itself since the "quick-release" feature is dumb anyway. I also cut up an old pair of BDU cargo pants and camoflauged that crap, the bright color was killing me!
When you're packing your dog you want to position the weight toward his shoulders, not the middle of the back. This pack kinda sucks at doing that because it just has two giant pockets. These pockets rule because of how much stuff you can fit in 'em, but you cant get the heavy items to stay toward the shoulders. To fix this I used some of that old pair of BDU pants and put the pockets inside toward the shoulders, now I put the heavy items in there and lightweight stuff toward the other end.
He carries:
Water
collapsible bowl
first-aid
Bread Mix
Headlamp and Binoculars
Trash Bags and disposable ponchos

 

Our lab loves to wear her pack, but I think it's mostly due to her understanding we're going on a long hike in the woods. Our smaller dog (terrier mix) wouldn't last with a pack and has a hip problem after walking/running too long - so she'd end up being carried after about 3 miles or so. She's an alarm system, as far as we're concerned. Good for alerting and possibly small game hunting.

When we were in Germany, some idiot American tourist (note: My wife and I are American - we were military overseas) assumed that we didn't understand them. They told all their friends that we treated our dog like a mule and that we were dip****s for doing that. I didn't hear it, but a friend did and she just went off on these poor people. They just assumed everyone they were around was German or something and didn't understand. Friends use to laugh at us for OPSEC and attempting to blend in - we even tricked the Germans once in awhile.

Anyway - back on track - a harness/MOLLE system would work, but you've really got to think about the dog. The wrong harness can end up rubbing the dog raw. We ended up accidently doing this to our lab. She didn't complain all day, but we failed to check her. After that mistake, we check her at every break. Anything not flush or anything not secured can cause more damage than you think, even if it's just a looped attachment point (which is what caused our lab's problem). It's just like a human and an ill fitting backpack...

Also, those canvas collapsable bowls are short term stuff only. Both of ours now leak water and we've only used them a few times. Not that bad when you're out on a hike, but every drop counts in an emergency. You're better off getting those plastic water bottle bowls that attach to a water bottle - easy to pour & store.

 

Wow!! I would've lost it as well! Usually people think the pack is "cute", if I EVER had anyone try to tell me off for using my dog to lug some of the gear I'd lose my mind. 1: He LOVES it, he considers it HIS pack and gets excited even if I touch it at home. 2: It gives him good exercise, he's in perfect shape and the vet says he's one of the healthiest, happiest dogs that comes in his office. and finally... 3: DOGS WERE DRAFT ANIMALS FOR CENTURIES!

Sorry for the rant, now back on topic. Thanks for bringing up chaffing and rubbing, I forgot. Yeah check the dog every break, and sew on good pads to go underneath the buckles and make sure the harness is snug so it doesn't wobble around, that will chaff the dog quick.

What brand collapsible bowls were you using? I've been using an outward hound bowl for about 2 years now and havn't had a problem.

 

My dogs pack has two water bladders, one on either side with a drinking tubs. As we are hiking I just pull the tube out a bit and she drinks straight from the tubes. Saves time and don't have to worry about a bowl. It does waste water so I don't do that when water is scarce.

 

Be extremely careful loading a dog with a backpack. Dogs' backs are not designed to hold weight pressing perpendicularly to their spine.

A typical horse weighs well over 1000 pounds and can hold a 200 pound human, or about 20% of its body weight. Based on their body structures, I would guess dogs could support much less than that, so probably closer to 10% of their body weight.

I would not load your 12 pound dog with more than 1-1.5 pounds of supplies, and I wouldn't load a big 100 pound dog with more than about 10 pounds of supplies.

 

I have a ruffwhare for my dog. He loves wearing it because he is a working dog and likes to please. I usually make him pack his water and food only, none of my stuff.