Hi there everyone!

I hope I have the right section to post this in, I'm looking at getting Kilo and Loki backpacks for during their walks, I've read that can help with pulling to put them in a more working mindset, I am just wondering what type of backpack do you use, what made you choose that specific backpack, where did you order from, and what do you use inside to add more weight? I'd really appreciate the feedback because I'm having a hard time deciding what the perfect backpack would be since there is so much to choose from!

Thanks in advance,
JAM

Ruffwear if you plan to do more then walking around the block.

Ditto the Ruffwear comment. Just check out there website to see which version suits your needs.

I third the Ruffwear suggestion!

We have Ruffwear here as well. Great stuff!

Yup Ruffwear for us too! They hold up great.

I'm going to break away from the pack (no pun intended) and say that I have an Outward Hound pack and have no complaints about it at all. I mainly use it for weight. I use it for water and to carry my keys and wallet and such, but when I was getting Kenzi used to it I was using marbles since that was an easy way to add and get rid of weight symmetrically. It isn't as sturdy as the Ruffwear packs so if you are going to do mountain hiking and it might be getting caught on briars and branches the Ruffwear will hold up much better, but if you are just wanting something to add weight to in order to help wear them out on a normal walk then the Outward Hound is a fine pack and costs way less.

I 6th Ruffwear packs.

I think Ruffwear are the main ones that come up as very good and probably for good reason

To throw another couple into the mix that are lesser known due to them coming from smaller more specialised companies; have a look at the Julius K9 saddle bags, obviously you need one of their harnesses. They are not as big as the others mentioned but their newer types are big enough for most things you would want to carry.

Another one is made by Non-Stop Dogwear, they make very good gear as do Julius K9.

Thanks everyone! I was looking and I do like the Ruffwear, I was able to find a pack that seems suitable- so here is hoping! is it possible to purchase it in stores? We will mainly be using it for just regular walking, but we will probably start looking at hiking with the dogs as well.

I'm going to advocate against using a backpack style harness for regular, everyday walking, especially something like Ruffwear that only clips at the back.  

Harnesses are for pulling and your dog is going to find it very easy and encouraging to do precisely the  opposite of what you'd want, which is not pulling/heeling/being polite.  

I'm not saying it is impossible to walk a Husky politely on one of these harnesses, but your dog better be a rock solid heeler and be air tight in tune with you.  It is a natural reaction to respond to tension pulling them back with pushing forward even harder than that tension.  

The Ruffwear pack/harness, which I am an enthusiastic advocate for and user of with--hiking, swimming, camping, long line work, free form romps--have very awkward ergonomic for a controlled walk.   That's not a critique of the harness, just an acknowledgment that they are not made for a tight knit walk where you can effectively communicate with your dog on leash.  

Link is like a tank in is Ruffwear harness and you can feel it the split second the leash tightens, he pushes harder.  The ergonomics for me keeping him back and in tune are just awkward.  

That said though, I do expect heeling on walks and he heels like a champ on a prong collar or regular flat buckle collar, and less so on a front clip walking "no pull" harness (I see people dragged around like a sack of potatoes all the time on "no pull" harnesses) but still better than the more utility, working oriented Ruffwear harness.  

Hope that helps.

Thanks for that! I appreciate the input- I'm definitely looking at using a Prong collar, I have no intention of actually hooking my leash up to the Ruffwear/Harness, but still putting some weight, and allowing the dogs to wear it during our walks..or at the very least some sort of dog backpack.

But I agree- would you happen to be able to suggest a backpack that is suitable for a regular everyday walk? Currently the dogs use Haltis, and those seem to be decent- but since I walk both of them at times by myself- lets just say it doesn't exactly do the trick all the time especially during the beginning of the walk. Loki sees another dog and he is jumping up, and pretty much freaks out and it can be extremely hard to control sometimes.

Well any backpack style harness will have the same ergonomic issues and the same inability to administer corrections, which it sounds like your dogs need.

I would also go with outward hound if your just wanting to use it for walks, more cost effective. I do like ruffwear packs but if I were to go with one for any hiking or backpacking trip in the woods I would probably use Wenaha Dog Packs or Wolfpacks dog packs. Depends on what you are expecting to use the pack for. Ruffwear i think is good for all around but I prefer the design of Wenaha and Wolfpacks if I were to do some serious hiking with my dogs. We use outward hound at the moment for just normal walks.

seattlesibe wrote:

Well any backpack style harness will have the same ergonomic issues and the same inability to administer corrections, which it sounds like your dogs need.

That makes sense entirely! Thank you.

I appreciate all the feedback I'll hold of on the purchase of a backpack for now, at the moment I think I'll be giving a Prong collar a shot with one of our dogs and go from there.