Big Paws Only Dog Forums
BPO Gear Forum => Collars, crates, & other cool things => : Lena February 03, 2007, 09:24:49 AM
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Howdy. My 8-month old coonhound mix Herman is a real bundle of energy, and walking him or taking him to the dog run is not always enough exercise for him. Cesar Milan (Dog Whisperer) suggests that a weighted doggy pack-back helps to wear a hyper dog out effectively.
SO - I did purchase one of these for Herman. He wears it like a saddle, fits comfortably and securely. I pack both sides evenly... books or light weights in it - never more than 3 pounds or so (total - not on each side - my aim is not to make him sway-backed...). He doesn't seem to mind it at all, but at the same time I can't really tell if it's wearing him out any more than his usual bounding around.
MY QUESTION IS - since we have some "pulling and lunging" habits I'm trying to break him of...IS THE WEARING OF THIS EXTRA WEIGHT MAKING HIM STRONGER? My father saw him wearing it and said: "What are you trying to do? Beef him up like Schwarzenegger?"
Now, I don't make Herman wear this thing all the time. It's only for when I have limited time to take him to the park before work - say only half an hour - and I want to give him a good workout before I leave for a 6-hour day.
What are your thoughts on this? Does anyone else do this? (I will say that it sure will come in handy when we go hiking or camping!)
Peace,
Lena
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we use a backpack on axle (except i pack it with canned foods so i know the weight is exact, and HEY if i ever get lost, i always have something to eat ha ha ha) and he really likes it. ours sits on his front shoulders, and we don't use it very often b/c he has hip and joint problems that sometimes flare up, BUT i can say that it does wear him out easier on our walks, which is why we originally got it also. i was preggo at the time and couldn't walk as far, and he was BOOMING with energy. it does build their muscles up, and make them stronger, though. when we got the back pack this is also the time we started using our first halti lead. it REALLY helped us out, and the benefits were complete once we used it. i got the shorter walk i needed then, axle got his exercise and stayed healthy as could be, and axle couldn't pull me. oh, another note, axle loves having his job especially when we put diapers, wipes, and sippy cups in it. you can see the happiness in his face when he finds out he's doing something useful!
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Wow, Axle is a terrific guy, isn't he? You can tell how much you guys love eachother. He looks so wonderful with you baby. 8) (And I sure give you credit ...being pregnant and handling an energetic Axle at the same time!)
I get the feeling that Herman enjoys his pack, too - the "job" aspect. We keep a stash of plastic poop bags in one pocket - far from glamorous, but hey - handy!
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ha ha so true! sometimes (if we can make it easy to keep the weight even) we put snacks, water bottles, etc in axle's which he REALLY loves too. he gets a whole new attitude when he gets his back pack on. he turns from the excited dog ready to go for a walk to "work." ha ha. it surprises me though how many people still comment "poor dog" when he carries himself so proud when he has it on and the biggest pack we could find (the same size they "said" was supposed to fit a saint bernard which i don't see) still only goes just a little past the back of his shoulders. ours has this awesome vest that goes on separate from the pack which just velcro's onto it, with one clip in the front. it stays really secure.
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We haven't gotten them yet, but this summer we plan on doing all of our hiking with the dogs, so we are getting them each one of their own. I was going to get them mid spring and start putting them on so that they get used to them. We want to go and do some AT hiking this year and want the dogs to be useful and comfortable, not to mention, Harley needs some leash manners, so if the packs help them behave better on a leash, all the better! Also we don't have to add their weight to our packs! WIN/WIN!!!
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not sure if it would necessarily help them behave more, unless they're like axle and they LOVE to work, and get a different outlook on things once the pack comes out, but it might work! might wanna work them up and start them at the house with just a little weight b/c they'll find muscles they didn't know existed and will get awful tired at first ha ha. just a thought.
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here's axle's backpack pics.
1st is when i ask him where it is (with an "OOPS" block ha ha), 2nd is when i'm taking too long getting it ready he sits and pulls on my PJ pants, 3rd is "ready to go" and last one is when he finds out i just wanted pics ha ha.
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WOW! Axle is so gorgeous. What a face. What a dog. I LOVE him! Aww...Go take him for a walk, he looks dejected! :-*
Thanx for the warm welcome, K9! Herman thanks you for the nice compliment. He is a really pretty boy...that backpack pic doesn't really do him justice ::) Spoken like a true MOM...
We just got back from the dog run - what a beautiful day for it. My two are really a sight. Ellie (my 7-year-old Corgi/Shep mix) is a muscular little power-house who really takes charge. She gets involved in every other dog's games. Herman looks like a giraffe standing next to her, and he is sweet with the other dogs but slightly timid...when the playing gets too rough (ruff?), he tries to hide behind little Ellie, like: "Protect me!" No matter how big he gets, she will always be his "Mommy dog"...it is really too cute.
I'm attaching a pic of the two of them...I hope I do this right...anyhow, it was taken about 6 weeks ago. Needless to say, Herman is substantially larger now.
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I love them! Nala loves to carry water and my inhaler. We can't do a lot of weight with her due to hip dysplasia, but at first she acts like it is killing her until we get going. Tonka also has one, they do keep them busy. I will start adding a little more to Nala when she turns 2 and we get our 2nd round of x-rays, but for now we are limited to my keys, 2 bottles of water and my inhaler.
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i remember the "act" with axle ha ha. the first time we put it on him he rolled and acted like he couldn't stand up. then he stood up and acted like he couldn't walk ha ha. after about 30 minutes and a whole lotta treats he completely forgot about it! thanks for the reminder about that day ha ha
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Is there an certain age a pup should reach before getting them a pack? Lucy is 7 months and I was wanting to get her a pack but I know newfs can't cart or pull until they are 2ish does this apply for backpacks too? Thanks!
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Well, Herman has been wearing his for about one month (he just turned 8 months old). He's wiry, but plenty solid and strong as an ox. He does great with it.
We weigh his pack with 1-1/2 lbs. per side, along with other little odds and ends and we make sure to keep it even. I would think your dog should be able to handle it.
Good luck!
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I was curious about recommendation s about pack types? I was looking at the Ruff Wear palisades II. We are planning on taking him hiking with us. He won't be wearing it this summer because I think that he will still be too young but next year we will begin to add a little weight. Has anyone used these packs or any other recommendation s?
The one positive about the Ruff Wear pack is that it has water bladders in it, it seems like that would make it easier to balance once he can carry weight.
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Lena, backpack is a wondelful thing BUT it is not recommented to be used until dog is matures (1.5 or so)
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I was recommended this brand of backpack:
http://wolfpacks.com/
My friend did a lot of research and found these to be the most durable and comfortable. I have seen one of hers and they're great.
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I was curious about recommendation s about pack types? I was looking at the Ruff Wear palisades II. We are planning on taking him hiking with us. He won't be wearing it this summer because I think that he will still be too young but next year we will begin to add a little weight. Has anyone used these packs or any other recommendation s?
The one positive about the Ruff Wear pack is that it has water bladders in it, it seems like that would make it easier to balance once he can carry weight.
Ruff Wear is just awesome! I have a friend who has one and she said it's the best one so far. Totally worth the money! Lily got a red one for Christmas but has not used it yet...maybe in the fall
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Cirra has a purple backpack from Wolf Packs. It is a very nice pack and so are the folks who make them. Yes, "the purple factor" is a consideration when choosing things for Cirra. She is working on her Packdog Title with the Dog Scouts which requires fifty miles and a five mile "check out" hike. We have gone 32 miles so far. Cirra carries a very light weight pack. Here are some pictures.
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Cirra seems pretty happy caring it around! Nice backpack!
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She looks so good in her pack. I will definitely check out wolfpacks. He needs something durable to start doing 14ers next summer. Thanks to everyone for their help, this is my first big paw, but I already know that I will be a big paw owner for life.
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What do you put in her pack? I know working dogs can haul quite a bit but I'm such a worrywart about Rosie and trying to minimize any additional weight on her.
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We keep Cirra's pack very light due to her ACL injury last year. Since she is working towards her Pack Dog Title with the Dog Scouts so she carries the items that they require. The pack does not need to be heavy. Many of the items such as a flashlight, pocket knife, compass, etc are available in small sizes and "mini" versions. We hope to finish the fifty miles plus the five mile check out hike before it gets too warm for Cirra or we will just finish in the fall. Here is a link to the Dog Scouts.
www.dogscouts. com/backpacking.shtml