Finding a Dog Pack

This was a really sore subject for me, and I think Chase was getting a little annoyed with me about it. The very first thing we bought when REI opened here in Jacksonville, was their REI Ultra Dog Pack. We used our opening day gift cards and barely paid anything for it, so we were happy with the purchase. Until we got it home and put it on her.

She didn’t seem to mind it being on her, but the belly strap was just a little too tight in my opinion. Chase insisted that it should be snug, but i just wasn’t comfortable with it. So I set off to the Internet to find a better option.

I immediately found the RuffWear Palisades Pack and thought that it would be a good option. There was only one problem. Sheila is an Australian Shepherd, so she has a very deep chest, a narrow waist, and a fairly long body. The instructions for fitting on RuffWear’s website are to measure around the deepest part of the chest. And of course, Sheila is 27 inches, right between medium and small. We held off on this purchase for a few months (actually until after we got back from our Nantahala Shakedown) and we ended up going with the small, based on RuffWear’s recommendation.

Sheila, again, didn’t seem phased by the pack, and it fit a lot better than the REI pack. We went for a walk around our neighborhood with just a bit of water in each side pocket. I decided after a lap and a half that this wasn’t my ideal pack either. It tended to slide to one side or another based on which side of me she was walking on. I tried tightening the chest and belly straps more, but it still tended to one side or another. The REI pack did this as well, so I’m thinking it had something to do with all of her fur.

So it was back on the Internet. I have been following along with Jill at A Trail Life for a few months now and reading about their hiking adventure with Rooney, so I decided to try out the Granite Gear Long Howl Pack.

This has so far been my favorite pack for her. The design is quite different from the Palisades and the REI, and I think it works better for her over all. It is a bit smaller (capacity wise) and it’s a bit more difficult to put on and take off, but the weight is much more evenly distributed. I think we will be able to deal with the decreased capacity, as we are only planning on her carrying two days of food at a time. Our first chance to really test it out is coming up this weekend on our overnight in the Ocala National Forest along the Florida Trail. I’ll be sure to update when we get back.

Sheila's Gear update

We’ve been doing a lot of shopping around since we decided to bring the dog along for our Appalachian Trail thru-hike. We’ve bought 3 different packs for her, multiple bowls, debated on doggie footwear, and even talked about getting her a raincoat and an insulated jacket. Well after all that, this is what we’ve decided we need for surviving this trip with the dog.

Dog Pack

I'll be making a separate post about Sheila's dog pack. Stay tuned!

Foot Protection

I knew from the beginning that keeping Sheila’s feet happy was going to be key to successfully completing this hike with her. I thought boots would be the best option at first, but the more I read about them, the more I didn’t like the idea of her wearing boots. Nevertheless, Chase insisted we at least try them out, so we purchased some Granite Gear Dog Clogs when we ordered her pack. We ordered both medium and small sizes, because again she was between sizes. The medium boots were too big, and the small boots were really difficult to get on because her foot seems too long for them. They also just didn’t seem that sturdy. I couldn’t imagine how they were supposed to help her grip on slippery rocks or help her climb up jagged edges. If anything, I felt they were more of a hazard.

I took another cue from Jill at A Trail Life and purchased some Musher’s Secret. This seems to be the perfect solution. You just rub a little wax on their paws before heading out into the snow or sand, and reportedly helps them keep their grip on slippery surfaces. The wax is meant to protect sensitive pads and there is added Vitamin E to keep them from blistering and cracking as well. I’m excited to test it out this weekend.


Bowl

At the REI in Atlanta (another side story from our Nantahala Shakedown Trip) they had these Guyot Designs Might Bowls on sale. We picked up the only one they had left (a 48oz monster!) because I really liked the idea of a squishy, silicon food and water bowl. It’s light, super bendable, and it will pack just about any where. I am hoping to pick up a smaller one to cut down on weight a little further. Amazon has the small one on sale for about $12.

We are planning on carrying regular dog food. She’s on about 2 cups of food per day now, so I’m guessing that’s going to go up to about 4-5 cups per day (2 in the morning, 3 at night) and with silicon, I don’t really see the reason to purchase a separate bowl.

Other

We are still deciding on the contents of her first aid kit and debating whether or not to bring a ball (her favorite toy in the whole world). For sure we are going to be bringing at least two of her four brushes.

This might seem absurd, but for an Australian Shepherd it is extremely important to keep their coat thoroughly brushed. I’m not planning on shaving her because her coat actually functions to keep her cool in the summer and warm in the winter. And besides, it can ruin her coat permanently if it isn’t done properly. So brushes are an essential part of her gear. She has a general comb for getting knots out and a FURminator which has been great for cutting down the amount of shedding in the house. Even though its heavy, I’m thinking it will be really useful for finding and weeding out ticks before they attach.