Who’s backpacked with a young dog?

[menhaden_man]

Looking to do an overnight hike/scout trip with my 10 month old setter… probably 15-20 miles in elevations from 2,000-3,500’. Just me and the dog. Lots of black bears, may be a few snakes. He’s pretty well trained. Thinking small tent or maybe hammock. Any tips appreciated. Seems simple in my mind but was sure guys here do it often.

 

[Dos Perros]

I did the same with my young setter. Considering he was a hunting dog and I didn't want him to think we were hunting I put him on a long (15' or so) lead rope and let him walk ahead of me on the trail. He also had pack with cute little doggie panniers and all he carried was his food. I remember reading guidelines on how much weight a dog could carry and it wasn't that much and he couldn't even carry all his food, although the kibble kind of cubed out the panniers anyway.

We slept together in a 2 man tent along with my buddy. I suppose it was cramped but I didn't really know any better at the time.

He liked to dig up human poop and eat it, so I'd watch for that. Maybe a good teaching moment with an e-collar.

A fresh tick treatment never hurts.

Have fun, and take pictures!

 

[mcr-85]

I went on a shorter trip than that when my dog was a about 5 months old. We only went around 6 miles. She slept on my feet in the tent. We glassed a couple bears up on that trip but saw nothing close to us. There was sign all over. I was more concerned she'd get into the porcupines we saw but she was young and stayed close at the time.

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[menhaden_man]

I did the same with my young setter. Considering he was a hunting dog and I didn't want him to think we were hunting I put him on a long (15' or so) lead rope and let him walk ahead of me on the trail. He also had pack with cute little doggie panniers and all he carried was his food. I remember reading guidelines on how much weight a dog could carry and it wasn't that much and he couldn't even carry all his food, although the kibble kind of cubed out the panniers anyway.

We slept together in a 2 man tent along with my buddy. I suppose it was cramped but I didn't really know any better at the time.

He liked to dig up human poop and eat it, so I'd watch for that. Maybe a good teaching moment with an e-collar.

A fresh tick treatment never hurts.

Have fun, and take pictures!

Good points... we use that Trifexis and it seems to work well. Find ticks occasionally but just climbing around. And yeah, my dog will eat a piece of shit like a snickers bar. I think he's getting over it, though he likes sneaking in to the chicken run to lap up some of that goodness. We have some grouse - sparse but there. Like having him in the habit of finding birds but you're right I don't want to confuse him.

 

[menhaden_man]

I went on a shorter trip than that when my dog was a about 5 months old. We only went around 6 miles. She slept on my feet in the tent. We glassed a couple bears up on that trip but saw nothing close to us. There was sign all over. I was more concerned she'd get into the porcupines we saw but she was young and stayed close at the time.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

Awesome pics - and yeah, hoping no porcupines, skunks, or poisonous snakes. I could pack him out but would prefer not to! We run the trails often so he's pretty well adapted.

 

[menhaden_man]

 

[Westernduck]

The rechargeable lighted collars are really nice to keep an eye on the pups at night.

 

[saskhunter]

Good advices! I'm looking at doing a 40k round trip with my younger lab at the end of the month!