# Dog Backpacks.



## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

I have been thinking and sometime soon I want to get Chief a doggie back pack to give him a "job". There are so many I don't know what kind to get. I want to get one that can be worn often and not hurt his back. My plan would be to take it with us on walks and let him potty and poop on a regular walk. Since his main goal is to pee like crazy and keep trying even when he has no more left. My plan is when the backpack goes on potty time is over and its time to just walk. I know that part will take some training, but my question is what backpack would be comfortable yet not hard on him.


----------



## Shade (Feb 20, 2012)

Ruffwear seems to be very popular

Ruffwear Dog Packs

Some previous threads:

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/equipment-how-use-where-find/164879-backpack.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...ere-find/181009-backpack-recommendations.html

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/miscellaneous-dog-sports/255401-dog-backpacks.html#post3336129


----------



## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

I second Ruffwear. We hike alot, not sure if it's too much for what your looking for?


----------



## frillint1 (Sep 2, 2010)

Whats the difference between the two ruffwear packs.


----------



## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Which two? There are 3 packs they sell.. If you mean Palisades vs Approach, there are several differences, one is the Palisades saddlebags are removable so you can take the pack part off and still have the harness on the dog (the base is their Webmaster harness) or sjust use the harness by itself. The Palisades also comes with water reservoirs (can be taken out) and compression straps to flatten out the load so it doesn't bulge.


----------



## coulter (Oct 13, 2012)

How adjustable are the straps on the Palisades? I want to get one for sage who is 50lbs, 23 inches tall, and 9 months old . I don't think she will grow much more maybe just mass. So should I buy one now that fits big and expect her to grow into it as I adjust it? I know I shouldn't put any weight in it till at least a year old right? But I want her to wear the harness when I go hiking and fishing. Let me know what you think, thanks! !!


----------



## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

so cute, but good idea for sure


----------



## Gilly1331 (Apr 16, 2011)

I have 2 Ruffwear Palisades. We love them and use them all the time bc we can take the packs off at anytime and still leave the harnesses on plus I can use the harnesses for other things like bike rides with the dogs as well.


----------



## katro (Feb 26, 2013)

Yes, I'll fully admit it, I went with the cheapest option I could find. So far, though, it has held up wonderfully! The pockets are deep and can each hold several bottles of water and the backside of the pockets (that are against the dog) are made of mesh so if the water is cold, they will keep the dog cool, too. The backpack has made it through a few hikes and has been covered in mud several times and been scraped up against trees and branches. Amazon.com: Dog Backpack/Harness Deluxe 2 in 1 Large Red: Pet Supplies


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

coulter said:


> How adjustable are the straps on the Palisades? I want to get one for sage who is 50lbs, 23 inches tall, and 9 months old . I don't think she will grow much more maybe just mass. So should I buy one now that fits big and expect her to grow into it as I adjust it? I know I shouldn't put any weight in it till at least a year old right? But I want her to wear the harness when I go hiking and fishing. Let me know what you think, thanks! !!


All the Ruffwear packs have quite a bit of overlap between sizes. For example, Halo could wear either a small or a medium and Keefer could wear either a medium or a large. I chose to go with the smaller sizes for both of them because I didn't want a lot of extra strap to deal with, and I also don't need a huge amount of capacity in the bags as we're just doing day hike, not backpacking for a weekend, and the bags are proportional to the pack sizes. 

What is her girth? The Ruffwear packs are sized by girth, not height or weight, and I've found their sizing to be very accurate. I measured my dogs and bought their packs online based on girth, and they both fit perfectly.


----------



## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

any pictures of your dogs in their backpacks?


----------



## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Here's Rocket's...it's a Ruffwear, the mid-size one (I didn't want the bladders) and I'm sorry, I can't quite remember if it was a Large or Medium. I posted it here on the forum when I got it, you could search....I want to say Large.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Halo in the Ruffwear Approach (same as Rocket above):










Keefer in the Ruffwear Palisades:


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Debbie... what size is that approach pack? I've been thinking about getting that one for a while now, but Lucy's in between sizes. I measured her at 32" and the medium size ends at 32" and the large starts at 32". Kind of in between here. Any advice?


----------



## Mrs.P (Nov 19, 2012)

We were gifted a rei dog pack and its not bad so far. I like that it has a compression strap to keep the bags snug on the body when empty and the straps are padded. Although, I have only had it 4 months and haven't added serious weight to it(pup is too young) so I can't comment on its longevity but we will see how it holds up!


----------



## blackshep (Aug 3, 2012)

I have a backpack, not sure of the brand though.

What age do you start adding some weight and how much do you start off with and build up to?

PS. Mrs. P, your dog looks super sweet and friendly!


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Lucy Dog said:


> Debbie... what size is that approach pack? I've been thinking about getting that one for a while now, but Lucy's in between sizes. I measured her at 32" and the medium size ends at 32" and the large starts at 32". Kind of in between here. Any advice?


Paul, I mentioned in the post above that one that Keefer wears a medium and Halo wears a small. I believe his girth was 33", and hers 28" back when I measured them for their packs. The way they used to list the sizes there were several inches of overlap, I'm not sure why they do it this way now. 

What does Lucy weigh? Keef is 80 pounds. I can't believe she'd be much bigger than him so I would think that a medium would be fine for her, but let me see if I can find one of my earlier posts where I mentioned the size range as it used to show on the Ruffwear site.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

Found it: 

Small - 21" to 30"
Medium - 26" to 36"
Large - 32" to 48"

I don't know if they changed the sizing for the newest model, but that's the sizing for the one that Halo has and also Rocket. The new ones only come in orange and a different color of blue, so if you see this color or the green that Rocket is wearing, it's the same model I have. You should be able to find it online, possibly on closeout for a good deal.


----------



## Switchblade906 (May 5, 2012)

I've been doing a lot of research on packs and it seems like Ruffwear is the best choice. Ill be getting one when Zoey is a little older and fills out some more.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Cassidy's Mom said:


> Paul, I mentioned in the post above that one that Keefer wears a medium and Halo wears a small. I believe his girth was 33", and hers 28" back when I measured them for their packs. The way they used to list the sizes there were several inches of overlap, I'm not sure why they do it this way now.
> 
> What does Lucy weigh? Keef is 80 pounds. I can't believe she'd be much bigger than him so I would think that a medium would be fine for her, but let me see if I can find one of my earlier posts where I mentioned the size range as it used to show on the Ruffwear site.





Cassidy's Mom said:


> Found it:
> 
> Small - 21" to 30"
> Medium - 26" to 36"
> ...


She's a pretty solid 75 pounds now. Pretty deep chest for a female. The mediums now, according to the ruffwear website, only go to 32". I think I'm going to go with the medium still. I'd rather have it a little snug than too loose.

I can only find the orange and light blue colors now. I guess those are the latest models of the Approach packs. Wayfair.com has them for $60 shipped which is a pretty decent price - at least the best that I could find. I think I'm going to go with an orange.


----------



## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

You might send the company an email and ask if they changed their sizing from the previous model. If not, the medium should be fine since she's an inch smaller in girth than Keef, and weighs 5 pounds less. I did see some of the older style online, but if you like the orange anyway, that's a good price.


----------



## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

I don't really care about the color as much as quality and fit. I'm not really picky when it comes to that stuff. I'll send the company an email and see what they say. Thanks for the tips.


----------

