What is a good hiking pack

[shepherd513]

Does anyone have any good recommendations on a good hiking pack to use for your dog. Gideon is 8 1/2 mo. and about 75 lbs. We go hiking a lot. As spring will be coming in the next couple of months, I'd like to start thinking about a good pack to get him used to and then use this spring.

[FG167]

I like the Ruff Wear Approach packs - Madix is 65 lbs and wears a Medium - so does my 75 lb Lab and my friend's 50 lb Portie...

[shepherd513]

Thank-you, I will look into those.

[Cassidy's Mom]

Ditto on the Approach - Halo wears a small (she's around 60 pounds, 28" girth)



You might want to wait a little while to make sure he's not going to grow too much more or it won't fit by the time he can actually use it. He shouldn't really carry any weight until he's older, but he could carry it empty to get used to wearing it. I waited until Halo was 18 months old before putting anything in her pack. I bought it a couple months prior, once I could see that her growth had slowed down to the point that I was sure what size she'd need as an adult.

Keefer is 80 pounds with a 33" girth and the medium fits him perfectly. Search online for the best price, arcatapet.com and sitstay.com are significantly less than retail.

[shepherd513]

Oh absolutley, I'm not going to start him on weight until May (his one year birthday) and at that I'll go very gradually. But I thought an empty pack would be great to get him used to it.

That is a good point about possibly waiting, I have thought about that, although I want to get him used to it, I don't want to have to buy two beause of size. He's growing into a big boy.

Thanks for those websites.

[Melgrj7]

I use the RuffWear approach packs as well with my two. Lloyd (60-65lb mutt) has a small and Nash (78lb GSD) has a medium.

[jakeandrenee]

Originally Posted by Cassidy's Mom

Ditto on the Approach - Halo wears a small (she's around 60 pounds, 28" girth)



You might want to wait a little while to make sure he's not going to grow too much more or it won't fit by the time he can actually use it. He shouldn't really carry any weight until he's older, but he could carry it empty to get used to wearing it. I waited until Halo was 18 months old before putting anything in her pack. I bought it a couple months prior, once I could see that her growth had slowed down to the point that I was sure what size she'd need as an adult.

Keefer is 80 pounds with a 33" girth and the medium fits him perfectly. Search online for the best price, arcatapet.com and sitstay.com are significantly less than retail.

Really a medium? Is there a little more room for girth? Jake is 84# and almost a year old. I am also needing to get a pack soon....

[Cassidy's Mom]

Yep, Keef wears a medium! The Ruffwear size chart goes by girth, not weight, which is a much better way to determine fit, IMO. Medium is 26" to 36", so he's 3" inside the maximum. I bought his pack when he was a couple years old, so further growth was not an issue.

Halo could also wear a medium, but I have no need for the larger bags and would rather not have too much extra slack in the straps to deal with either. The large is 32" to 48", so Keef would fit that as well, but there would be a LOT of extra strap!

What is Jake's girth measurement?

[jakeandrenee]

I haven't measured him yet....I am unsure exactly how to measure him. I am with you I wouldn't want all the extra room in the straps either.
He will be a year old in less then two weeks...(I can't believe it) so I imagine he will fill in some...I'd love for him to be in a pack carrying it empty to start acclimatizing him. BUT the pack I buy I want him to be in for many years to come!

[shepherd513]

Thank-you for all of your feedback. I guess it does make sense to wait a little bit longer to get one to make sure that he does not outgrow the first. I appreciatte all of your help.