I have been thinking about buying my dog something that he can carry some water and food or whatever in. Has anyone had any experience with dog packs or can recommend any? I think he'll enjoy lugging round his own kit!
I have been thinking about buying my dog something that he can carry some water and food or whatever in. Has anyone had any experience with dog packs or can recommend any? I think he'll enjoy lugging round his own kit!
http://www.mikkmurray.co.uk - My art and running blog! Go on.. Take a look!
Harry recommends a ruffwear panier set -> http://stolly14.blogspot.co.uk/2013/...ooing_452.html
How big is your dog? I've a Labrador sized one he could try out to see if he gets on with them.
I've used doggy backpacks quite a bit and i wasn't totally successful. I found that when the dog lies down in grass which is wet, everything in the bag gets wet. You couldn't put anything like food in there- it would be soggy, also the zips were not up to the probing of the other dogs who would chase the wearer of the backpack and raid him for food.. the poor dog wearing the pack would be mobbed but unable to reach the food he was carrying!! I can't think what you would put in there that you needed to carry but didn't mind getting wrecked.. spare waterproofs maybe?
None of that was ever an issue when Harry wore his backpack running the Pembrokeshire Coast Path last year and the Cornish Coast Path this year. He did lie down in streams with the backpack on but the food was in waterproof bags so the only thing that got wet was the small towel he was carrying (to dry him off before he came in the tent). No other dogs were remotely interested in his panniers and he wasn't bothered at all in what was in them either, not even when he had the leftovers from a carvery that a chef from a pub had kindly given him. He certainly never got chased because of them. The biggest problem was making sure they were level and comfortable for him which Stolly did by redistributing the weight every now and then, another good reason to divide the food up into polythene bags.
Originally Posted by Longdogs
'The birds are the keepers of our secrets'
Ruffwear Pallisades. The panniers come with two drinking bladders (not that the dog can sup from them, though!). He also carries his food, and bagged waste in a designated tub in the other side. Despite getting the straps snug, it still seems important to keep the panniers balanced, so I use a small stone in the lighter side. Strong wind can flip the windward pannier over, which is annoying. As has been said, everything within gets soaked if he jumps in a pool or deep puddle. He has no awareness of being wider, so gets caught in squeeze stiles and often grazes along walls as he's sniffing along.
The best thing about the Pallisades is the harness, not the actual panniers.
The harness spreads the load from a lead evenly, so he can be on the lead all day without it knotting up his neck hair, it also has a grab handle for hauling him over difficult stiles or up scrambly bits. I pop the harness on him without the panniers quite a lot.
The main problem I have come across is that the dog can't easily get his water/food out when he feels thirsty/hungry and has even more difficulty getting his waterproof out and putting it on.
Cause tramps like us, baby we were born to run
Thank you for the replies I will have a look at ruffwear.
Paul my dogs a staffy cross breed, larger than the average staff but very lean not chunky! If it's ok i wouldnt mind trying one on him to see how he takes to it anyway, what type do you have?
My incentive is that he might enjoy having a job to do such as carry some kit and thus settle him somewhat.. He is bonkers..!
http://www.mikkmurray.co.uk - My art and running blog! Go on.. Take a look!
He'll still be bonkers - backpack or no backpack. The clothes don't maketh the dog. If I tried this with my dog the backpack would have to keep him upright in the water as well.
Andy Robinson
Runfurther committee member
Helsby Running Club
Sorry for the slow reply Mick, you're welcome to borrow ours, I'll send you a text later to sort out getting it to you. Get in touch if I forget
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote