At What Age Can A Dog Start Wearing A Backpack?
A dog should only start wearing a backpack when his/her joints are fully developed. This is around 18 months to 2 years old. A dog should not start wearing a backpack any early than this because the additional weight will cause pressure on their underdeveloped joints which can cause injury.
Before you continue reading you should be aware that this is just a guide. You should seek professional veterinarian advice before your dog starts wearing a backpack to ensure that your dog is healthy enough and ready for the experience.
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How The Size Of A Dog Affects When They Can Start Wearing A Backpack
Medium & Large Breeds
Despite their smaller size (in comparison to giant breeds), medium and large dog breeds can start wearing their backpacks closer to the 18 months mark to 2 year mark as their joints develop faster. Before you start hiking with your dog with a backpack on you should consult your veterinarian at the 18 month mark to make sure that your dog is ready to carry weight. This is important as all dog breeds develop at different rates and have different capacities to carry a bag.
Giant Breeds
Giant dog breeds can start wearing a backpack around the 2 year age mark. Despite their larger size, giant dog breeds have to start wearing dog backpacks the latest compared to smaller breeds. This may not seem logical as larger usually means stronger however giant breeds take longer to develop than smaller breeds. Just like medium and large breeds you should consult your veterinarian just after your giant dog turns 2 years old to ensure that he/she is ready to carry weight in a bag.
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How Much Weight A Dog Can Carry Once They Are Old Enough
Once a dog is between the ages of 18 months to 2 years old (when they can start wearing a backpack), they can carry between 10 to 20% of their weight. Some dogs can carry up to 25 to 30% of their weight however this is rare and requires lots of intense training. On the other hand, a small or tiny breed dog usually can not carry any weight at all as they are too small.
How To Introduce A Backpack To A Dog Once They Are Old Enough
1. Introduce The Backpack & Get A Proper Fit
Just because your dog has hit the age where it is okay to start wearing a backpack, it doesn’t mean that you can leave straight away for a multi day hike. You need to slowly introduce the backpack instead. Some dogs will be totally fine with a dog backpack but others will be skeptical or nervous. That is why you need to train your dog with treats or toys so your dog associates the pack with a fun and positive experience.
Steps To Introduce The Dog Backpack
- Let your dog smell the pack as much as they want
- Then place the pack on top of your dog without doing up the straps. Give your dog lots of treats while it is balancing on his/her back.
- Take the pack off and then reward with a treat. Repeat this many times until your dog doesn’t mind the pack at all
- Next, put the pack back on and then do up the buckles and straps. The pack should still be empty. Remember to treat your dog!
- Now ensure that the fit is correct. Make sure that the straps are tight so the backpack doesn’t slip around but not too tight that it causes bad circulation, chaffing or other discomfort. A good guide is when you can slip one or two fingers between your dog’s body and the straps.
2. Allow Your Dog To Get A New Sense Of Space Awareness & Balance
Your dog will probably be super uncoordinated when the backpack is on for the first time. He/she will probably scrap the walls of your house up and down the hallway or through a doorframe. This is totally normal. A dog takes time to get used to the new wider edges of their body. During this time give your dog treats so he/she is not discouraged.
Train your dog to walk around the house and maybe a few times outside with an EMPTY backpack. You do not want to strain your dog. The pack already has quite enough weight it in. Once your dog is fully comfortable with the empty pack start adding a little bit of weight inside it. Remember to add the weight gradually and have it evenly distributed throughout the pack.
3. Gradually Increase The Weight & Then Go Hiking
Continue increasing the weight of your dog’s backpack during each training session. At the beginning you should be putting about 2-3% of your dog’s body weight into the pack. Build it up to no more than 20%. Ideas for what you can put into the bags while you are training includes water bladders, small bags of rice or beans or bags of kibble.
Now you should be ready to hit the hiking trail! While hiking remember to look out for signs of fatigue or uncomfortableness within your dog. This could be caused from hot weather, lack of energy or chaffing from the bag.
The Best Dog Backpacks
When your dog is old enough to start wearing backpacks these are the best ones:
1. Kurgo Baxter Backpack for Dogs, Saddlebag Back Pack Harness
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2. Pettom Dog Saddle Bag Hiking Harness Backpack for Medium Large Dogs
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3. OneTigris Dog Pack Hound Travel Camping Hiking Backpack Saddle Bag Rucksack
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