pet dog backpacks for different dogs

Nearly all healthy dogs will benefit from occasionally wearing a pet dog backpack during a walk.

The following are some examples of different types of dogs that could benefit from wearing a pack. You’ll soon notice that pretty much any pet dog could benefit!

Does your pet dog wear a backpack? I’d love to hear about it! email a photo to Lindsay@ThatMutt.com and I’ll include it at the end of this post.

Dog backpacks for high-energy dogs

Those of you with high-energy dogs are probably the most likely to consider pet dog backpacks. Anything to tire out the dog, right?

A walk just doesn’t always cut it. I’m sure you’ve also tried running with your pet dog and checking out the pet dog park.

A pet dog backpack is just another option to help your pet dog burn up some physical energy. When you have a high-energy dog, you can never run out of options!

My pet dog Ace was full of energy when I first adopted him. about a week later, he was already sportin’ a pet dog backpack on our walks.

I worked 10-hour shifts at the time, and I needed multiple ways to make sure he was getting enough exercise in the mornings. I highly, highly recommend a pet dog backpack for active dogs.

See our article: 10 reasons to get a pet dog backpack

Anxious dogs should wear pet dog backpacks

My pet dog Ace had always been a little a lot more anxious than most. I worked to keep him calm through lots of training and pet dog walking over the years, but he did tend to get very ecstatic in new places.

My pet dog cried and seemed to feel anxious if he was separated from me or whoever he thought was “his” pack at the moment. God forbid we stop at a gas station and my husband goes in without us, for example! This made Ace a bit concerned!

Order a pet dog backpack here.

Dogs with lots of emotional energy can benefit from a pet dog backpack just as much as the physically high-energy dogs.

For example, my parents had two dogs that were very different as far as energy. Their springer spaniel preferred to run all day whenever possible (no surprise there). Their golden retriever, however, would rather lounge around by the people.

While Elsie the golden did not have a lot of physical energy, she had lots of emotional energy! If someone she knew checked out the house, there was a lot of crying and shaking and overall excitement from her.

Elsie was also a pet dog that was afraid of fireworks and thunder, so during the summer she felt extra anxious. She was just an anxious, emotional girl!

A pet dog backpack can be a very useful tool for draining some of the mental and emotional energy from an anxious dog. It gives the pet dog a job to do. It gives her brain something to focus on other than her source of anxiety, and it gives her a purpose.

My black lab mix Ace wore a Ruffwear pet dog backpack on his walks and now my weimaraner Remy also has a Ruffwear pack.

Dog backpacks for aggressive dogs

Aggression in dogs is often a symptom of pent-up physical or mental energy. The pet dog doesn’t get enough exercise, so he’s frustrated he can’t get to that other pet dog you pass on the walk. He wants to play, but he can’t.

This might cause him to lunge and bark on the leash. Other dogs act aggressively because they might be afraid or they could be protecting what they believe is “theirs.”

Regardless of what is causing the aggression, a pet dog backpack will often help the situation. It’s not going to be a quick fix, but it will certainly help.

The pet dog backpack will help the pet dog focus on something other than the source of his aggression. Ideally, he will focus on the task at hand – carrying his pack.

You can help set him up for success by keeping some distance from other dogs at first and satisfying him with praise or treats for calm behavior.

Order here.

Dogs that have trouble focusing could wear a backpack

If you have a pet dog that is easily distracted by every little thing on walks, a pet dog backpack could help him stay focused.

“Oh my gosh, grass! Oh look, a bird! Wow, this smells wonderful! Oh wow, another dog! and what’s that? A used napkin? Oh my gosh!”

If that sounds like your pup, a pet dog backpack, could really help him get into a working mode on walks.

Ace

Dogs that pull can benefit from a backpack

The pet dog backpack is one of the most underrated tools for teaching a pet dog to heel.

My pet dog Ace didn’t know how to walk nicely on a leash when I first adopted him. We spent hours and hours working on the basics – sit, down, stay, heel.I used lots of different training collars, and they were all helpful in their own ways. but the backpack was also a great tool, because it slowed my pet dog down. This made the ever-so-difficult concept of “heel” much much easier for my young pet dog to grasp.Do you have a pet dog that was bred for pulling, flushing, tracking or running ahead of people in any way? I highly recommend a pet dog backpack to help keep him “reeled in.”

Small dogs can wear pet dog backpacks!

We all know a few small dogs with tons and tons of energy, right? They often have a lot more energy than the bigger guys.

Yet, it seems like small dogs are less likely to be included in activities such as hiking, running, backpacking, rollerblading and so on.

This is a shame, because lots of small dogs need a lot more exercise than they’re getting. I have fostered a few smaller dogs, and one little Pomeranian pet dog ran next to my bike for about 2 miles each day. She loved it!

Chip

A pet dog backpack can be the ideal tool for a small dog. This is actually one of the most common questions readers ask me. “Are backpacks ok for small dogs?” Of course!

You’ll undoubtedly want to find one that fits your small dog, and you may not even need to add any weight to the pack. but pet dog backpacks are absolutely a great option for the little guys.

Nearly all dogs can benefit from a pet dog backpack!

You probably get my point by now. pretty much any healthy pet dog can benefit from a pet dog backpack.

If you’re not sure whether a pack is ideal for your dog, this is always a question you can bring up with a vet. Don’t feel like you have to add much weight to the pack. just wearing the empty pack itself is enough for some dogs to feel like they have a job.

If you want to add some weight, start out with a small plastic bag of dry pet dog food on each side. Or, maybe a lightweight book.

Does your pet dog wear a pet dog backpack?

Let me know in the comments!

Please share this post if you think it will help someone who has a high-energy or anxious pet dog in need of a job.