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June 13, 2013

The Essential Pet Adventurer Packing List

It’s summertime and that means adventure season is in full bloom.  Trips to the park, the beach and the woods are just a few of the adventures I have planned for the next few months.  Anyone who has seen Indiana Jones knows that every adventurer needs a trusty adventure bag.

It’s summertime and that means adventure season is in full bloom.  Trips to the park, the beach and the woods are just a few of the adventures I have planned for the next few months.  Anyone who has seen Indiana Jones knows that every adventurer needs a trusty adventure bag.  After many pet-friendly adventures, my motto when I pack my bag is to be as prepared as possible while carrying as little as possible.  With that in mind, here is what I carry whenever I head out for an adventure with Eko. Marking our territory, dog blog, pet adventure, pet gear, pet blog

You don’t think Eko would let me leave the house without treats do you?  They always come in handy to reward good behavior with some tasty encouragement. And of course, bags are a must.  The rule of thumb is that your dog will ALWAYS go to the bathroom the one time you don’t bring a bag

Marking our territory, dog blog, pet adventure, pet gear, pet blog

A lightweight, collapsible bowl helps keep Eko hydrated on the go.  He is happy to drink out of my hands, but that wastes a lot of water.  The bowl makes it easy for us to share the water I bring

Marking our territory, dog blog, pet adventure, pet gear, pet blog

This is my mini-first aid kit.  I have a full kit in the car, but when I’m on the go I just pack the bare essentials.  The spray cleans/protects Eko’s paws, the small towel is always useful and the benadryl (diphenhydramine) is in case of an allergic/inflammation emergency.  Luckily I have never needed to use the pills, but benadryl can be a life saver for dogs.  A couple precautions: first, make sure you buy plain benadryl, meaning the ONLY ingredient is diphenhydramine.  The recommended canine dosage is 10 mg per each 10 pounds of weight.  And of course, you should always talk with your vet to establish a course of action in case of emergency

Marking our territory, dog blog, pet adventure, pet gear, pet blog

Last but certainly not least, you have to bring a camera to record all the action!  My GoPro and Canon are both light, compact and great on the go

Marking our territory, dog blog, pet adventure, pet gear, pet blog

It may look like a lot of stuff, but I can throw it all in my little draw bag with room to spare and it only weighs in around five pounds

Now, this brings me to two questions.  First, maybe I’m missing something – does anyone have any must-carry items when they head out with their pup?  I’m always looking to improve my gear.  Second, why I am the one carrying all this stuff!?  Eko is a healthy young lad, I think it might be time to share the load.  Does anyone have any recommendations for dog backpacks?

Comments for The Essential Pet Adventurer Packing List

  1. For me Ruffwear has the best backpacks for dogs – maybe you will find some equipment for adventurers there too? Oh and Indiana Jones had always his whip :o)

  2. Shary Hover says:

    I love that you put the treats in an old prescription bottle. Much more practical than a ziploc bag! And thanks for the tips about Benadryl. I’ve never needed it, but it does seem smart to bring it on a hike. I like to take tweezers with me in case she gets a thorn or cactus spine in her paw, but you might not have to worry about that in Chicago.

    Lola has a backpack made by Outward Hound that she’s worn a few times and she seems comfortable in it. She doesn’t try to rub it off and that’s a good sign. I like that it has padding for each of the plastic clips so they don’t rub on her and I don’t catch her fur in them when I’m snapping it on. And the bag part attaches to the harness part with Velcro so I can pull it off quickly without unhooking the whole thing. There are two side pouches and I always try to balance the load, but I never put anything too heavy in it because Lola only weighs 40 pounds.

  3. Do you read the blog http://talesandtails.com/ ? She takes her dogs (she has a few dogs!) on major adventures nearly every weekend. She has them wear backpacks on hikes and all. You should check her out and when you do, tell her that Dakota sent you!!! She recently posted something about everything she puts in the dog’s backpacks!

  4. Steven/Buddy says:

    tweezers is a must ! Good for ticks, deer ticks and other things ,

  5. Emmadog says:

    How about the leash? Don’t forget that as it is one of the most important things and also one of the most forgotten since us dogs hop in the car and then when it is time to get out we realize the leash is at home! We have spare ones in the car just in case 🙂

  6. Victoria says:

    what is the spray that protects Eko’s paws – i haven’t ever heard of that.

  7. kdkh says:

    My mastiffs did grat when we had packs for them. We bought them through Recreational Equipment (whatever). Www .REI.com . Here in Colorado, everyone takes their dogs boating, hiking, camping, etc. REI has great equipment. Durable and high tech.

  8. We have this ruffwear pack in large for Kaya (who is about 120lbs):http://www.ruffwear.com/Approach-Pack-Dog-Pack?sc=2&category=13
    and this REI pack in medium for Merle who is probably closer to Eko’s size (100bls):http://www.rei.com/product/832677/rei-ultra-dog-pack
    I also just found a really great treat pouch that I will post about that might be good for you! Will send the link when its up. We usually travel with a life-vest for the dogs as well. http://thestubbornhound.wordpress.com/2013/01/25/product-review-ruffwear-k9-float-coat/?preview=true&preview_id=183&preview_nonce=443f2edc94
    Did I mention we buy a lot of stuff for our ridgies? They probably travel better than we do.

  9. taylorjen says:

    You now have a variety of backpacks to look at. This one will match Eko’s hiking boots:-)
    http://mountainsmith.com/index.php/dog-pack-large.html

  10. I see someone already mentioned tweezers but we carry a leatherman tool because it has so many things on it including pliers that will pull out cactus which is a must here in the desert.

  11. You’ll make a wonderful dad one day.

  12. Zena says:

    Gee….. I feel a wimp. I just make sure we have loads of bags and a mobile phone!

  13. Misaki says:

    Hahaha mummy carries all my stuff too!

  14. raisingdaisy says:

    Ooo looks like Eko has a LOT of fun in store this season! 😀

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