I think having a pin post for gear recommendations would be a great idea. It'll help folks who our new members find the info they're looking for, then having to search through many past posts.

Good/bad experiences?

I never traveled with my dog anywhere where we couldn't drive, how is it to travel somewhere where you cant drive? ($, etc?) Thx!

Do our adorable luved ones need/use any type of booties or anything for safety or cold? I mean their paws are tender, and the heat I believe is like 10-20 degrees hotter on them than to us. & I can't imagine going barefooted in the cold. LOL ???? THANX!!

I am relatively new to doggy hikes. Me and my Pup Bruno have been staying pretty local, but i would like to branch out a bit.

Anybody Winter camp with their pups below 0 degrees F? I do a fair amount of shoulder season canoe camping and backpacking with my dog and we see temps down to low 20s overnight, he seems mostly fine with just a Z-lite pad and a thin alpaca wool blanket. He's a German Shepherd, lean and average floof.

I recently invested in a lightweight canvas tent and stove and plan to push the low temp a little more. I pull the gear on a toboggan, mostly across lakes here in MN, so not backpacking per se'. I'm just wondering what the more adventurous folks here are doing for their furry loved ones when it dips below zero. Yes, I could always fire the stove up if he gets cold, but it's a process and a PITA without getting completely out of my sleeping bag. So... this is my plan for overnight temps around 0F, is it overkill?? Half the gear I pack is for him it seems so I'd love to scrap the sleeping bag in lieu of two extra midweight wool blankets because it would pack down way better and free up space. But will 4 wool blankets be enough over the top of him? We have future plans to get out when it's -10 to -20F but I'm easing into that with him.

From bottom to top:

• Groundcover - USGI wool blanket
• Z-lite pad R1.7
• R4.6 inflatable pad (a Klymit I think?)
• Heavy 100% wool blanket over pad
• Dog
• Heavy 100% wool blanket over dog
• Medium wool blanket over dog
• 30 degree synthetic sleeping bag over dog (REI branded)

Tax payment -

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Hi everyone!

I need recommendations for winter backpacking with a large 108 lb Shepweiler in the New Mexican Winter. I'm looking to take him out to Williams Lake next weekend and the current forecast calls for day time highs in the mid 40s to mid 30s and lows near the low to mid teens at night. My girlfriend (it's her dog) wants some assurances that he'll be safe. If anyone can respond with links to articles that would be doubly appreciated because she's a data nerd.

I already have a Ruffwear Furness Jacket for the hike, plus he has his own Gossamer Gear Thinlite 1/8" pad and a sleeping pad. She also likes to bring a "snood" of sorts for his ears, although I think that's a little unnecessary. As for his paws, I'm firmly in the camp of no booties after he almost slid into me on a mountain slope last year, instead opting for Musher's Secret.

Does all of this sound reasonable or is there any adaptations I should make to make the trip safer and more comfortable for our dog? I'm willing to let him use the booties in safer terrain and then switch to the paw wax when we get to technical terrain, but as you guys know it can be a pain switching from everything in the winter.

Hello everyone! My husband and I recently got a second dog and are trying to figure out how the tent situation is going to work when out backpacking. It was already pretty cramped with one dog, so I can’t imagine it working with two.

I was considering maybe getting a separate dog tent that they could share and stay in separately? But I’d be worried about bears on the other hand (we hike in the Appalachians). We’ve considered getting a bigger tent, but cost is currently the biggest limiter. A dog tent costs $37 on amazon but a new larger backpacking tent is hundreds…

Would love to have any advice or stories of other backpackers with multiple dogs!! 🐶

Hi all! I’m looking to start doing some overnight hiking trips with my pup when she is old enough (she’s a year this week, so next summer thinking we’ll do some short in and out trips to start, then the following summer start some bigger hikes).

She’s already done some camping trips, both car and canoe and she loves it, so now my only real concern is a) not overdoing it and b) her food.

Dogs aren’t supposed to eat right before they do exercise (or right after) and my girl is a golden and they’re prone to bloat already. How do you guys manage this on longer hikes where you would get up and go if you were alone?

I figure I’ll get up, feed her right away, then break down camp, get myself breakfast, etc, but I feel like I’d need to really stretch it out to make it last an hour or two for her to have the food settle.

How do you all schedule things?

I have a 2 year old Pyrenees mix that we've had for three months. We haven't gone camping at all yet. She's got the Pyr coat, but is underweight (vet is not concerned.) She will happily sit on her dog bed out on the deck and let snow accumulate on her when it's -24C. I have to go outside and chase her down to get her in.

We're going to do a backyard shakedown trip, and then some car camping trips in the snow. If the temps are forecasted below -20C overnight, I will likely bail.

I have a double sleeping pad that's good down to -20, and a barrel sleeping bag rated to -37C. I'm planning on unzipping it and layering with some fleece blankets.

I'm hoping the dog will sleep on the foot of the bed so I can tuck her under the blankets. However:

• how do I protect the air mattress? Will a blue foam pad attached on top with yoga straps or exercise bands be enough? Should I be keeping her off the mattress?
• how do I tell if she's too cold when I check during the night?
• for those who live in similar climates (anything -25C or above is business as usual; below that, we might cancel outside activities) what is too cold for dogs? I've read resources that say -5C means it's too cold to walk your dog... which is pretty absurd advice where I live.
• what system do others use to help make sure their pup is safe in similar temps?
• I'm considering picking up a contained oil heater, as I've heard they're both touch safe and tip safe and don't have a carbon monoxide risk. Any advice here?

I backpack with a landseer (giant breed, cousin of newfoundlands), a 125 pound dog. Love the gentle giants and have only ever had newfs and landseers, but it requires me to bring a 2 person shelter. Would be nice to get the same companionship but in a smaller dog, so I could carry less food and maybe even use a 1 p tent. I’m not ditching my current hiking partner, but any suggestions for a smaller dog with the mentality of a giant + hiking stamina would be great!