Here’s a photo from a little over a week ago…it’s me with my trusty K9 companion Lucy The Dog. In this picture, we’re hiking beside a lake in the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness area in the Sierra Nevada Mountains directly East of Fresno, California. This was her first hike using a doggie backpack. She has been on several backpacking trips, but never wearing her own pack. In this photo, she is wearing a Ruff Wear Approach Pack. Her pack looks a little stuffed, but there is not much in there. I think her water bowl tilted to the side and created a bulge.
Ruff Wear Approach Dog Pack
The pack was really awesome (Ruff Wear makes the absolute best dog packs, in my opinion) and Lucy did not seem to mind wearing the pack too much. She seemed to enjoying carrying a little load, as many dogs do actually. The only problem was that I tried the small & medium sizes on her, and she seemed to be right in the middle. The small was just a little too small, and the medium was just a tad too large for her. I ended up having her try the medium, but the sizing was just not perfect on her, but it worked well enough for this one trip. Ruff Wear sizing runs a little large, so if you are shopping for a Ruff Wear approach pack, be sure to take a close look at their sizing chart. I ended up taking off the pack for our hike out, she only hiked it in. She seemed to enjoy the freedom a lot more not having the pack on, so I might just have her go packless next time. Or, if I decide to try another pack on her, I might go with something a little more simple, like the Ruff Wear Hydration Pack. The hydration pack is made for carrying water, but it is also a great pack for just carrying a small load. What about you? Does your dog hike with a pack? What kind? Leave a comment! 
todd
