Sheila's Gear

Sheila's Gear

Granite Gear Long Howl Dog Pack - This pack is great! The harness is the best one I've found so far. I love the way it wraps securely around her waist and chest. The handle on the back of the harness is great for lifting the dog over rocks or out of the water. It is very durable and highly reflective. The saddle bags are removable, which is a plus since we want her to be able to shed her load in camp while also retaining the highly reflective harness. The bags are very roomy and the design is such that most of the weight is placed on the dogs shoulders versus their back. The strap and buckle system is a little complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it makes distributing uneven loads evenly a cinch. In her pack, Sheila carries her first aid kit, a brush, a bowl, and several days worth of food. We restrict her carry weight to around 5 pounds, but this pack could hold more.

Ollydog Mt. Tam Hands-Free Dog Leash - This leash isn't the lightest or the cheapest, but it works wonderfully. It has a simple system for strapping it around your waist and a very sturdy clasp. My only complaint is that the bungee part is a little stiff, and if your not careful your dog can jerk you down a mountain a little too quickly. Sheila tends to be much better behaved off of the leash than on, but we keep this for town and for camp.

Guyot Designs Squishy Pet Bowl - We got this bowl in the 24oz size. What can I say? It's lightweight, it's durable, it's foldable! I wanted something I could just shove anywhere and not have to worry about it being wet. This fits the billet!





Therm-a-rest RidgeRest SOlite Sleeping Pad - We cut this down to size for Sheila. It offers moderate protection from the cold ground and gives her a clue about where her "spot" is in the tent. This rolls up nicely and straps to the outside of my pack.

Ruffwear Cloud Chaser Soft Shell Dog Jacket - I never thought I would be one of those people who put clothes on my dog, but the weather we are going to be encountering mandates it. This jacket is awesome. It has a wonderfully fleece-y inside and a soft, water-resistant outer, making it windproof and waterproof. The material on the underbelly is treated with something that makes dirt and mud slide off easily. The long zipper on the side makes it easer to put on and take off than other jackets. It also has a highly reflective strip on the side so you can find your pooch at night. 

First Aid Kit - I put together Sheila's first aid kit with the help of several sites around the internets, including TeamUnruly, American Hiking Society, and PetEducation.com. The items I settled on include: Vetwrap (excellent stuff that sticks to itself and creates a water-resistant covering), non-stick gauze pads, regular gauze pads, a plastic medical tape, a paper medical tape, antibiotic ointment, cotton swabs, anti-diarherral, styptic pen, buffered aspirin, Benedryl, hip and joint vitamins, gloves, and her vaccination records printed on waterproof paper. We also carry all-purpose eyedrops, a Ruffwear Grip Trex bootie in case of injury, and a Tick Key. Some of these items are dual purpose in that they can be useful to us as well.

The people at TeamUnruly give a great walkthrough on how to make a tiny first aid kit for your dog and they are the ones that inspired me to pack as much of the kit as possible into the prescription bottle. When all is said and done, it packs down into a pint-sized ziplock.