August 2008 Newsletter
Hiking and Backpacking with your DogBy Cathrine Reck
Any dog can carry 1/3 of his body weight. There is also a book available: A Guide to Backpacking with your Dog, by Charlene LaBelle that is very good. The book is put out by Alpine Publications (or Press). Charlene (a backpacking friend of ours) put the first Pack Dog titles on her Malamutes. She has good advice on packs, what to carry and how to pack.
Summarized from a compilation by Sue Barnes who solicited advice on hiking with dogs in July 1993:
- Get your dog checked out by the vet first. Dogs with dysplasia or other joint problems should not pack. She should also be at least a year old to carry a pack. Younger dogs will enjoy the hike but should not carry anything while their joints are still growing. Puppies under six months old probably should not go on hikes except maybe short day trips (and be prepared to carry the dog back if you mis-estimate!)
- When choosing a pack look for : 1) easy to put on and take off - look at the positioning and types of the buckles; mine has one that snaps in front of the shoulders and another that wraps under the chest and snaps on the dog's side; 2) stays in position - without a good strapping system the packs can tend to shift from side to side; take the dog to the store with you, put one on, load it up, and take her for a short walk/jog; 3) drain holes in the bottom: dog + backpack + water = heavy pack if it doesn't drain quickly; double-bag the food in zip-locks to keep it dry; 4) cool - preferably with an open back.
- A well-conditioned dog can carry up to 1/3 of its weight in a pack. But start out with about a third of that weight and work your way up as your dog becomes more accustomed to carrying the pack. You will find that with this extra size the dog will have a hard time doing their business. Hence the importance to train your dog to the pack before trying it out "for real." When you do get the pack, make sure you allow some time for your dog to get used to the idea. Put the pack on the dog when you take her for walks. Start off with nothing in the pack and gradually add more and more weight on subsequent outings.
- Always pack weight evenly. For example, if your dog is carrying water, put it in small containers that you can distribute evenly.
- Make sure everything you put in the pack is waterproof (ie. don't put your jacket in the pack only to have the dog go lie down in a stream).
- One tip from a pack-user: "I added a large zipper pocket right on top of the pack, over the dog's back. I kept small items that I frequently needed there, and could access them without having to take my own pack off. Like having a caddy!
- When using the pack, stay close to your dog. The added weight and size will require you to give some help to get over that fallen- tree etc. If your dog rolls over on his back, he may be stuck until you can help him out!
- Each night and when you get back, check your dog over thoroughly for ticks, burrs, foxtails and other things in his coat. Check the pads of his feet thoroughly -- if your dog gets sore feet, you'll have to carry his pack, or even him! So make sure he's in good condition and that he doesn't pick anything up while camping.
- Suggested things to take:
- Current shots & heartworm up to date
- Leash and collar with name/address on tag
- Something to collect & bury or pack out waste
- Extra water, food
- Brush if dog is long-coated
- 1st aid stuff
- flea/tick powder plus tweezers for removal of ticks, thorns, or foxtails
- Ball
- dish (a frisbee is often good for food/water/play!)
- Rope or cord as a tie-out at night, with a large screw-in tie-out stake
- an extra pad to protect tent bottom if dog will be in tent with you
- Expect your dog to eat about the same amount of food, maybe just a little more, but to consume much more water than normal, and possibly more than you will (they're not as good heat-shedders as humans are). Be sure you know how far apart your water sources are going to be when you're hiking. If you're hiking in areas prone to giardia, try not to let your dog drink the water -- they can get it and it's just as bad in dogs as it is in humans.
- If there is poison ivy where you are going and you are sensitive to it, be very careful about where your dog goes and how you touch her after. Dogs can pick up the oils from these plants on their fur and you can be exposed to it just by petting, brushing or even touching the dog.
- You need to worry about the types of animals you'll see. Deer are perhaps the biggest worry. Your dog will chase them--leash or not. If there are bears, don't take the dog. Raccoons, skunks, and porcupines present their own set of problems--some of which are a real pain in the you-know-what. Be sure and check with rangers etc. before going. Some areas do not allow dogs at all. Best to know in advance. You'll minimize problems by keeping your dog on leash at all times.
- Don't underestimate other campers' disapproval of even friendly, well-behaved dogs... Keeping the dog on the leash when on the trail and near your tent when in camp is a must. You should probably have them leashed at all times to minimize problems with wildlife (in many areas, dogs can be legally shot for chasing a variety of animals, from sheep to deer).
- If your dog is prone to barking a lot, you may want to leave him at home if you can't stop him from doing so. Continued and frequent barking will bother the wildlife and irritate other campers and hikers.
