Adventure Summary - Backpacking with a 16lb dog

Robin, at 16 pounds, can carry up to four pounds. Because he has a lean rather than muscular body type, we keep it under three pounds to be safe, generally far under since most of his stuff is bulky rather than heavy. His Ruffwear Approach weighs 11.2oz according to Ruffwear, which leaves about 2.3 pounds for gear.

Here's his backpacking packing list:

Lightweight paracord leash (0.71 oz)
Small stainless bowl (? oz- we seem to have lost it on the trip)
Larger silicone collapsible bowl (2.2 oz)
Ripstop rain jacket (1.77 oz)
Survival bandana (0.69 oz)
LED blinking light (.6 oz - this was heavy and pretty much useless)
Double his normal serving of kibble for 2 days (4 cups, about 16 oz)
Supplemental Blue Buffalo Trail Toppers (2 at 3 oz each = 6 oz)
Chicken jerky treats (2 oz)
Climate Changer fleece jacket for nighttime (3.5 oz)
LED collar (1.16 oz)
Sleeping pad (11oz)

Total weight including crossed out items: 39.63 oz / 3.3lb

Addison surveying the view while Robin keeps an eye on me -
Sunset Ridge Trail

Unfortunately, not all of this fits in Robin's pack volume-wise.  4 cups of kibble is .94L all by itself- one entire side of his 2L pack.  With that, his Climate Changer, collar and his raincoat, he'd be packed full (and very unbalanced).  For a longer trip, he probably wouldn't be able to carry enough kibble, let alone everything else.  We ended up packing his food and treats in our food bag, leaving him with 15.63 oz or 1.3 pounds including his 11 oz sleeping pad.

Robin oblivious to the added weight- Sunset Ridge Trail

I had planned to strap his sleeping pad to the top of his pack, but its 11 oz compared to the 1.5lb or so of his pack filled with the remaining items made it hilariously top heavy. We ended up strapping it to Addison's pack instead along with his frisbee and the houndstooth fleece cover for his pad (about 8 oz altogether). He carried about 2lb on the way in and danced circles around us.

On the way out, I loaded him up a little more heavily and was surprised how quickly he tired out. The total weight was definitely still under 3 lb, but since he didn't perk up much even after we took most of his load,  it became obvious that the heat is hard on him.

What worked:

Robin in a total state of exhaustion on the return trip

The silicone bowl ended up being a favorite since it clips to the outside of his pack and shakes dry.

The Climate Changer kept him warm outside my sleeping bag (for more information, see my Climate Changer review).

The paracord leash,  made from a 6' strand of paracord and a lightweight carabiner,  was fantastic.  Unlike his nylon leash,  it isn't slippery,  so I could easily fasten it around my waist with a larkshead knot whenever it wasn't attached to Robin and it was essentially weightless.

His LED collar didn't seem as bright in the deep dark of the back woods as it does at the dog park,  but it still helped me keep track of him at night.   The LED clip light,  however,  was useless for its weight.


Changes for next time: His kibble, Zignature Duck formula, comprises one of his three meals a day at home (the others are usually raw chicken / rabbit and organs). At home, he is bouncing off the walls after a kibble meal. On the trail, however, he remained lethargic after eating, which made it clear that the bulk to nutrition ratio is off for high intensity activity. Even after eating his fill he didn't have enough calories to feel rejuvenated. Since we have always struggled to get him enough calories before he gets full, this should not have been a surprise. I am looking into other options and hope to have a better solution for the next trip.