A Backpack: A High Energy Dog’s Best Friend
During the first six months that I had my yellow lab, he was a typical, high energy, crazy puppy. Besides enrolling in obedience classes to give him a job and to bring some order to our lives, I began looking around for other solutions to burn energy.
One thing I tried worked great. It was the canine backpack. These are sold at pet stores and on the internet. To begin with, your dog needs a physical by your vet to make sure he can safely carry a backpack and for a recommendation on how much weight he can safely carry. Next, start out slowly, just like you would for yourself, when introducing new exercise. We used water bottles and started with one half filled on each side and moved up from there. The guidelines are up to 10-20% of your dog’s total weight.
Walk the normal way you usually do, in heel position with a training collar and leash, adding the backpack. I noticed right away that the walk became even more of “a job” for my dog. By his body language, position of ears, etc, I could tell he was concentrating on this activity and not sniffing around and pulling in the wrong direction so much. And yes, it accomplished the goal, he was tired when he was done. So we increased his weight over the years. Until he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia, we have since dropped the backpack.
When my second dog reached a year old, she got her backpack and I witnessed again, what a great energy drainer it was and how it fulfilled the need to “have a job”. It is an inexpensive, easy addition to your dog walk that will reap big results.
This article was written by Caroline Oldham of http://dogtrainingonlinetips.com - your online source for training tips, real life stories and advice in dealing with dogs.
We ask that you consult with a professional dog trainer, veterinarian or canine behaviorist before implementing any of the advice or opinions contained on this site. 
I’m looking into a backpack for my 2 yr old wirehaired pointer. She gets at least 2 20 min walks a day and still has so much energy. We have major issues trying to get her to focus on her walks and not pull on the leash. I’m concerned though, is it possible that the backpack lead to your older dog’s hip dysplasia?
Holly,
Thank you for commenting and I would love to see a picture of your wirehaired pointer. I understand they are very smart and energetic.
The backpack worked great on both of my labs to burn off energy and to give them a great mental workout also.
My vet assured me that nothing I had asked Beau to do in obedience training or in his daily routine had caused his hip dysplasia, that it was purely genetic and would have happened under any circumstances. Once he was diagnosed, I decided to reduce wear on the hip and not use the backpack any longer. He does still work out in obedience class and walk a mile every morning to reduce stiffness and keep morale up. My vet agrees with these decisions.
Before you decide to use a backpack, put your mind at ease and talk to your vet. That way you will not have to worry.
Thank you,
Caroline