Thinking of having your dog carry their own pack for upcoming hiking trips? Here is what you need to know to get ready! Having your dog carry some of their own gear on adventures can be helpful for both space saving and organization on a hiking or backpacking trip.

But, before you fill your dog’s pack up, here are some things to consider. Like humans, dogs should be physically prepared for both the hike and carrying weight in a backpack. If your dog isn’t already an avid hiker, start building mileage before adding their backpack.

Dogs should carry no more than 5–15% of their body weight in their pack. How much they can carry depends on physical fitness, breed, age, and health concerns. While some very experienced dogs may carry more than this amount of weight, for the average hiking dog 5–15% is the general rule of thumb. When you are starting to train your dog to carry weight, start light and work up to 5–15% of their body weight.

How you pack their backpack matters! The backpack should have the weight your dog is carrying evenly distributed on each side. The pack should be adjusted comfortably and not roll from side to side. Expect that you may have to make fit adjustments on the trail as the contents shift and change.