BWCA Lifejacket and Backpack Boundary Waters Group Forum: Doggie Paddle
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Fyresparxx
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07/10/2017 11:14PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Our dog uses a lifejacket in the canoe. He knows to swim up alongside the boat if he goes over and we've practiced pulling him back in out of the water. He is also trained to wear saddlebags so he can carry his own food and gear, so all his stuff is in one place and I don't have to carry the extra weight on hikes.

This will be his first trip where he goes right from the water to a hike and back for portages, rather than a stop at camp or at the car. My question for all of you: do any of you have a portage system for dogs that wear both? Do you strap the packs on over the lifejacket? Do you change his "clothes" entirely on either end of the portage?

His backpack is a two piece system with removable velcro packs. They apparently don't make his actual pack anymore, but it looks a lot like this: http://a.co/4nyyhR6

Considering adding velcro strips to his lifejacket and just using that, tossing the packs over for portages and removing them while paddling.
 
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07/11/2017 06:54AM  
I just use the lifejacket and don't take it off for double portaging unless it's over 150 rods. Then I'll unhook it on her after the first trip across. I carry all of her food just so I'm not hassling with two packs for her all the time. Plus I don't want her stumbling on rocks with a load.

 
07/16/2017 06:54PM  
My dog doesn't use a life jacket; just the food pack. If you do both, I think your idea of adding Velcro (or snaps or something) to add the food packs over the life jacket sounds pretty good.
 
07/24/2017 03:32PM  
Just an idea: pack the food in bubble wrap and it will help the pack float should the dog go in the lake. Of course if you base camp and do day trips you won't have a life jacket for the dog.
 
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