Love the suggestions. I am a veterinarian and an avid hiker, and we used to hike a lot with our large dog (can’t anymore due to aging and back problems unfortunately). Couple of suggestions for you : - unless you need the tweezers for yourself, there are very small and lightweight plastic hooks for tick removal - not very cost effective but much healthier and palatable than kibble, full freeze dry meals for dogs. A lot more options in California than here in Canada but Sojo is one of them. Just need to add water. Otherwise try kibble brands for sled dogs, mostly prot and fat, high calorie /kg so less to carry and more palatable for some dogs. - for the first aid kit, yunan bao powder (chinese herb formula) for hemorrhages (external or internal). Can be used topically on a wound or orally. Lightweight.
I looked into freeze-dried meals for her when I planned to thru-hike the Colorado Trail with her but they were cost prohibitive. Now that I have my own freeze-dryer, I plan to make my own meals for her. Agree that the sled dog kibble is the next best option. Thanks for the first aid powder suggestion!
I hiked the Long Trail in Vermont this year with my 45 pound mix. By western standards it would be considered very difficult lots of straight up and down climbing. I started with my dog carrying a pack but it rubbed under her legs so I sent that home and I carried everything. I ditched plastic food bowl for a DCF bowl from Groundbird gear. One thing I like is a cheap water bowl -bottle I purchased off Amazon. The water she does not drink goes back in the bottle so there is no waste. This bottle is really good especially when there is not lots of water. 😅My dog will eat pretty much everything but I feed her Purina 30/20, I also bring her lots of snacks. She also likes my cheese and precooked bacon. I do carry mushers cream and rub her feet, she seems to like it. I also carry that powder, that stops bleeding. Sorry I don’t remember they name. I hiked a bit with a man who was hiking the AT with his dog and he fed his dog salmon packs but not dehydrated he said dehydrating changed the food. I am sure your way more knowledgeable about this than I am. I plan on hiking the Colorado trial next year with Maggie and I am looking into getting a custom pack from Groundbird gear. Five extra pounds is a lot for me and if she can carry even two days of her food it’s a big help. Have you ever used Groundbird gear? It’s expensive but all custom made. I have been thinking about that safety harness too. I have had issues finding truly high quality dog gear that is up to the same standards as my own gear, but I think Groundbird may be my solution. Thanks and happy hiking.
How did the DCF food bowl hold up? That's a great idea! I pour water she doesn't drink back into her water bottle, too, so nothing goes to waste. I used to carry Mushers Cream but found that she never needed it because of the surfaces we're typically hiking on. It's supposed to be a great product. Groundbird Gear is supposed to make great thru-hiking packs for dogs. I've never purchased one because I now carry all of her gear. She was supposed to thru-hike the CT with me but I couldn't figure out how to reduce her food weight so that it was manageable. Now that I have a freeze-dryer, I'm rethinking it and hopefully hiking it with her before she's too old. I'm short 150 from finishing it.
@@backcountryfoodie The DCF bowl works great and weights nothing, it’s held up great. I do like the cheap little water bottle bowl that I purchased on Amazon. It makes giving my dog water super easy with no wasted water. I went UL this year but carrying all my dogs gear ends that. I feel so much better when my dog only carries two days of food and her treats. I carry her bed and everything else. She is super strong and can hike big miles with no problem. I switched to a quilt for colder weather. She uses her quilt and gets in with me. Hiking with a dog is great but you definitely have to hike your dogs hike. Take care
Are there particular foods that he particular loves dehydrated? I’ve never taken Ella on my long-distance hikes because I’m not strong enough to carry 8 cups of kibble per day nor is my backpack big enough. If I can figure out a freeze dried recipe that she’ll eat, I’d love for her to go with me.
Aaron, Thanks for sharing. So nice to see all the gear for your GSP. I hike and backpack with my Vizsla and we are slowly building her gear closet. You might try some of the freeze dry raw foods for her on trail. It's lighter (although bulkier) and very tasty, if you ask my girl.
I'm planning to freeze dry meals for her now that I have my own freeze-dryer. The commercially freeze-dried meals are so expensive for the volume that she eats. :(
Great pack list, I have been trying to come up with a list our 90lb dog that works here in the tropics. This makes for a good base to begin with, thanks for posting this up!
If you don’t have one, the emergency harness might be something prioritize for a 90 lb dog. Now that I carry one, I’m less anxious about something happening and not being able to carry her out.
For water "exercises" it's safer to replace paracord with some other material which is sure to stay on the water surface. If your leash sinks in water it may get caught in underwater junk / weed of any sort and potentially drown your dog.
Good point. When she's swimming, I keep the line taught so that very thing doesn't happen. I'm constantly pulling in and letting out the line to keep it from sinking.
Ok, but how does anyone manage the amount of water on their trips. ID like to know. I'm extreme so I tend to over load on water. If there are tips that anyone can share with there own experiences it would be appreciated. Thanx
There was no mention of how you manage taking water with you. To me that's the most important. Taking your own food and water is one thing but doing it for a dog is another.
Good point! Depends on the availability of water sources. If water's prevalent, I don't carry as much for my dog because she can drink from the stream/lake. I'll carry more for myself because I don't filter at every water crossing. If water sources are limited, I carry an equivalent amount for my dog. On hot days, I carry even more because I pour it over her cooling vet.
Good question. She's hiked with me enough that she knows what to do based on the trail. She walks ahead or bedside me when the trail is flat and easy, steps aside and waits when I need to step up or down, and falls behind me when I go downhill. I need the hands-free leash because I hike with poles.
Love the suggestions. I am a veterinarian and an avid hiker, and we used to hike a lot with our large dog (can’t anymore due to aging and back problems unfortunately). Couple of suggestions for you :
- unless you need the tweezers for yourself, there are very small and lightweight plastic hooks for tick removal
- not very cost effective but much healthier and palatable than kibble, full freeze dry meals for dogs. A lot more options in California than here in Canada but Sojo is one of them. Just need to add water. Otherwise try kibble brands for sled dogs, mostly prot and fat, high calorie /kg so less to carry and more palatable for some dogs.
- for the first aid kit, yunan bao powder (chinese herb formula) for hemorrhages (external or internal). Can be used topically on a wound or orally. Lightweight.
I looked into freeze-dried meals for her when I planned to thru-hike the Colorado Trail with her but they were cost prohibitive. Now that I have my own freeze-dryer, I plan to make my own meals for her. Agree that the sled dog kibble is the next best option. Thanks for the first aid powder suggestion!
I hiked the Long Trail in Vermont this year with my 45 pound mix. By western standards it would be considered very difficult lots of straight up and down climbing. I started with my dog carrying a pack but it rubbed under her legs so I sent that home and I carried everything. I ditched plastic food bowl for a DCF bowl from Groundbird gear. One thing I like is a cheap water bowl -bottle I purchased off Amazon. The water she does not drink goes back in the bottle so there is no waste. This bottle is really good especially when there is not lots of water. 😅My dog will eat pretty much everything but I feed her Purina 30/20, I also bring her lots of snacks. She also likes my cheese and precooked bacon. I do carry mushers cream and rub her feet, she seems to like it. I also carry that powder, that stops bleeding. Sorry I don’t remember they name. I hiked a bit with a man who was hiking the AT with his dog and he fed his dog salmon packs but not dehydrated he said dehydrating changed the food. I am sure your way more knowledgeable about this than I am. I plan on hiking the Colorado trial next year with Maggie and I am looking into getting a custom pack from Groundbird gear. Five extra pounds is a lot for me and if she can carry even two days of her food it’s a big help. Have you ever used Groundbird gear? It’s expensive but all custom made. I have been thinking about that safety harness too. I have had issues finding truly high quality dog gear that is up to the same standards as my own gear, but I think Groundbird may be my solution. Thanks and happy hiking.
How did the DCF food bowl hold up? That's a great idea! I pour water she doesn't drink back into her water bottle, too, so nothing goes to waste. I used to carry Mushers Cream but found that she never needed it because of the surfaces we're typically hiking on. It's supposed to be a great product. Groundbird Gear is supposed to make great thru-hiking packs for dogs. I've never purchased one because I now carry all of her gear. She was supposed to thru-hike the CT with me but I couldn't figure out how to reduce her food weight so that it was manageable. Now that I have a freeze-dryer, I'm rethinking it and hopefully hiking it with her before she's too old. I'm short 150 from finishing it.
@@backcountryfoodie The DCF bowl works great and weights nothing, it’s held up great. I do like the cheap little water bottle bowl that I purchased on Amazon. It makes giving my dog water super easy with no wasted water. I went UL this year but carrying all my dogs gear ends that. I feel so much better when my dog only carries two days of food and her treats. I carry her bed and everything else. She is super strong and can hike big miles with no problem. I switched to a quilt for colder weather. She uses her quilt and gets in with me. Hiking with a dog is great but you definitely have to hike your dogs hike. Take care
Thanks for all the gear tips! Definitely gave me some great ideas for our new pup when we get him out backpacking and on more camping trips.
Glad it was helpful! 🙂
Thanks for posting- I hike with my black lab a lot and I’m just beginning to backpack so your video was helpful.
Glad you enjoyed it. It’s funny how I overpack for Ella for fear of something happening when I pack only the absolute minimum for myself.
You will have s great time together.
Love these kind of videos. Thank you for posting your dog gear list.
I dehydrate my dogs food as well and he really likes it
Are there particular foods that he particular loves dehydrated? I’ve never taken Ella on my long-distance hikes because I’m not strong enough to carry 8 cups of kibble per day nor is my backpack big enough. If I can figure out a freeze dried recipe that she’ll eat, I’d love for her to go with me.
@@backcountryfoodie Ravi really loves a mix of chicken with different vegetables and sweet potato as well as a mix of salmon, brocolli and quinoa.
Aaron, Thanks for sharing. So nice to see all the gear for your GSP. I hike and backpack with my Vizsla and we are slowly building her gear closet. You might try some of the freeze dry raw foods for her on trail. It's lighter (although bulkier) and very tasty, if you ask my girl.
I'm planning to freeze dry meals for her now that I have my own freeze-dryer. The commercially freeze-dried meals are so expensive for the volume that she eats. :(
Great pack list, I have been trying to come up with a list our 90lb dog that works here in the tropics. This makes for a good base to begin with, thanks for posting this up!
If you don’t have one, the emergency harness might be something prioritize for a 90 lb dog. Now that I carry one, I’m less anxious about something happening and not being able to carry her out.
I love bringing my dog on trails and trips.
Great video!! Thanks so much 😊
You are so welcome!
For water "exercises" it's safer to replace paracord with some other material which is sure to stay on the water surface. If your leash sinks in water it may get caught in underwater junk / weed of any sort and potentially drown your dog.
Good point. When she's swimming, I keep the line taught so that very thing doesn't happen. I'm constantly pulling in and letting out the line to keep it from sinking.
Ok, but how does anyone manage the amount of water on their trips. ID like to know. I'm extreme so I tend to over load on water. If there are tips that anyone can share with there own experiences it would be appreciated. Thanx
There was no mention of how you manage taking water with you. To me that's the most important. Taking your own food and water is one thing but doing it for a dog is another.
Good point! Depends on the availability of water sources. If water's prevalent, I don't carry as much for my dog because she can drink from the stream/lake. I'll carry more for myself because I don't filter at every water crossing. If water sources are limited, I carry an equivalent amount for my dog. On hot days, I carry even more because I pour it over her cooling vet.
So you give your dog the power to pull you around by the waist ? 😳
Good question. She's hiked with me enough that she knows what to do based on the trail. She walks ahead or bedside me when the trail is flat and easy, steps aside and waits when I need to step up or down, and falls behind me when I go downhill. I need the hands-free leash because I hike with poles.