Dog Packs

Backpacks, that is. I haven’t looked recently, but nothing I’ve seen previously ever changed my conviction that the only dog packs worth having are made by Wolf Packs. I like their Banzai pack because it has straps that let you cinch the bags down if they’re not full. Otherwise the pack becomes wobbly.

So that’s out of the way. There are only a few more points.

  1. Don’t get a pack too big for your dog. Side to side, it should be almost flat across the back, like a lightly peaked roof, not hang down the sides like panniers. It should not hang below the chest or belly anywhere. The right size is very likely smaller than you think.

  2. Don’t set it too far forward. There should be quite a bit of space between the harness and collar line. The dog’s elbows should not touch the pack when running or climbing.

  3. The girth should go around the belly, near the tuck, not anywhere where it will put pressure on the rib cage. (Or male genitalia. I shouldn’t have to say that.) It should be tight. No, tighter than that. Really tight. You shouldn’t be able to slip a finger inside it, or not easily. The dog will not mind. This is the only thing that keeps the pack stable, and keeps it from slipping forward.

    • If the pack slips forward, the harness will dive into the dog’s fur and irritate.

    • Some packs use multiple straps, rather than a single piece, across the back. This only concentrates the load over a smaller area.

    • Some packs have the kind of perforated padding on the back that people like, because it lets sweat escape. This is insane. Dogs don’t sweat. Every individual perforation will grab and pull on hairs.

  4. The chest strap, if there is one, should be cut off and thrown away, with prejudice.

  5. The only function of the breast strap is to keep the pack from slipping back. It need not be very tight. A Y-shaped breast strap should disqualify the pack from consideration. The strap must be low enough to ride on the breastbone, not the throat, but a Y strap is not the answer.

A dog is not a load-carrying animal. A fully mature dog should not be asked to carry more than 10–15% of its own weight. A younger dog should not carry any significant weight at all. The chance of joint or cartilage damage is too high. Maybe some popcorn, just to fill the bags and give it experience with the pack.

On that subject, I have another suggestion. Large breeds and very active breeds should not be fed puppy food. There are many joint problems caused by uneven bone growth. You want the bones, and the whole dog, to grow slowly.