20 Best Dogs For Running And Hiking (2023 Updated)

I’ve used a “normal” leash with my year-and-a-half old Australian Shepherd ever since we first got her, and have never had issues with it. The idea of running with her has always been interesting to me, though, so I decided to buy this leash to start training her to run.

Unexpectedly, this has become both of our new favorite leash, and we use it all the time now! I love being able to let go completely without needing to worry about losing her, and she likes the greater level of freedom that the stretchiness provides.

Having the leash flex a bit helps her understand when she’s coming up on the furthest she can get from me, since there’s no longer either “no slack” or “all the slack” with nothing in between. Additionally, since she’s often tethered at home as part of training, the hands-free leash means I don’t have to be holding the leash or have it wrapped around my thigh just to know where she is.

I can’t recommend it enough!.

I confess, I am paranoid about my 14-month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi getting away from me somehow and taking off on our walks. (We’re still working on a 100% reliable recall. ) Up until today my previous cautionary method to prevent that has been to outfit her with both a regular leather collar and leash AND a rope slip-lead so that if my leash clip failed, she slipped her collar, etc.

, the slip lead would prevent her from running off. In May I learned that NOTHING is foolproof. I stepped on a rock the wrong way and without any warning, suddenly I was on the ground, blacked out for a moment and unknowingly let go of BOTH leashes.

Luckily, my dog found something interesting to investigate and was only a few feet away before kind neighbors came to our rescue. Turns out I had broken my ankle. Now that I am mobile enough for dog walking again, yesterday I ordered the Tuff Mutt Hands-Free Leash.

It arrived today and this afternoon I used it in tandem with my regular leather leash and collar for the first time. Success! Now I have the peace of mind and security of having her on two leashes but I only have to worry about holding onto one.

You know how people say their dog is “attached to them at the hip”? Well, now mine truly IS!.

Okay, so I don’t usually review things, but I love this leash so much I’m actually going to do it. I have a 6 year old American Staffordshire Terrier/Boxer mix who I adopted about three years ago. He is high energy, high intelligence, and insanely curious.

Any time we would walk or run, he would get a bit distracted and pull to trail a scent. This isn’t really an issue as much anymore with training, but we live in a big city and there is a LOT going on at all times.

So he gets a lot of stimulation on walks. This being said, I have bad shoulders due to military service. When I adopted Bourbon, it was actually painful to train him how to walk properly on the lead.

I got there eventually but there are still hiccups. I WISH I would have found this sooner or had someone recommend it to me. This leash really helps relieve my shoulders from the jerking of a hyper dog when running or walking and actually helps me use my center of balance to keep better control.

The bungee of the leash ensures that jerking is no longer even a thought in my head! It’s adjustable so it fits my 130lbs 5’2 frame just as well as my best friends 210lbs 6’2 frame. I can finally enjoy my high energy burning activities with my pup without pain!.

TranslateShow in original languageNon lho ancora utilizzata, appena andrò a fare trekking con la mia cagnolina sicuramente la porterò con me. Comunque intanto posso dire che è un ottimo prodotto

I purchased the 5. 5′-7′ Roamer Bungee Dog Leash for my Aussie/Great Pyrenees mix, Ruby (approx. 45 lbs). She loves to run and hike, but doesn’t like bulky leashes. We have run together in neighborhoods and hiked on nature trails and this leash is awesome! Super comfortable for me (love to be hands-free), and Ruby doesn’t seem like she even notices it clipped to her harness (clip is really durable and easy to use).

I like the bungee that gives a little when she wants to roam a little more. The only “negative” about this leash is that while the leash stretches to 7′, it operates at the 5. 5′ length normally, which is a little shorter than I was expecting.

I didn’t factor this in, but a normal 6′ leash is coming from the end of your arm so when this leash is sitting on your waist you are losing about 1. 5′-2′ of additional room you normally have. If would have realized this, I would have purchased the the 7.

3′-11′ length which would have given me closer to the 6′-7′ hand-held leash length I am accustomed to. Purchasing the wrong leash length was my fault, but otherwise love this leash and will probably get the longer one soon.

We have 4 dogs, and we are very active with them. These dogs are running, hiking, and/or biking almost every day. Ruffwear leashes are used almost exclusively in our house! The Crag and the Flat-Out are the only ones I use for running- they’re lightweight, comfortable around my waist, and the Crag allows for you to adjust to your leash length of choice.

This leash is so customizable and versatile, and these leashes last forever provided that you don’t allow your dogs to gnaw through them. I will tell you the only reason I had to purchase this one is because my husband slammed the plastic buckle in our heavy garage door, caught the leash in his bike chain, and much more.

The LEASH works perfectly, but there are some sharp edges from one of the plastic pieces that I don’t like around my waist when I run. Haha. I’m kind of ashamed to admit that it feels like I’ve tried every leash, harness, collar, etc.

This gear always beats the competition. We’re a Ruffwear family for life.

This leash is so well designed! The ability for the human to wear it around their waist is very nice for jogging and being hands free. I am 5’4″, so the shorter version is okay for me, but my 6’4″ spouse would be more comfortable with the longer version, and we may get another one in the longer length for this reason.

It is super easy to adjust the length to switch between wearing it around your waist and being used hand held. The bungee is excellent for Socks to be able to wander a little but also be reminded that she’s still attached to the leash, and is great when jogging and she stops suddenly to investigate an interesting smell.

The loop near the clasp is also excellent when we need to keep Socks a little closer when passing people on the trail. I am especially excited to use it more on trail runs as it gets cooler. All in all, it is worth the $40+ price tag (the first non-recycled from climbing rope leash we’ve ever had) and I’m so glad I purchased it.

My 40lb dog loves her walks. This walking/running belt is top quality. The waist adjustment will fit from 25″ to 45″ and is easy to adjust. The large rear pocket is ideal for my cell phone but could be used for treats or other small items.

The 10oz. water bottle is handy for both human and dog and is BPA-free. There are two sliding leash clips for attaching the leash on either side. The belt stays very firmly in place when in use. The belt has reflective detailing for low light visibility.

I’ve had this pack now for about a year. The compact size makes it ideal for dog walks and runs and running errands. BUT, the water bottle is pretty awful. It always leaks; ALWAYS. No matter how full, if I’m walking or running, water is guaranteed to splash up and out the twist cap.

The design of the pack makes it hard to use different container, so no work around. On warm days when pup needs a squirt of water, I’m likely wearing whatever was in the bottle.

Easy and secure attachment to my waist and I can hook both of my dogs and go hands free. I’d like a more quick release method for the leashes in case of emergency. As it is, it’s cumbersome to remove the leashes from the belt especially if there is any tension on the leash.

The zippered pocket is a good size but it just barely holds my iPhone. I have the regular iPhone 12, it’s NOT a max size phone so people with the large sized phone cannot use the pocket for their phone.

I guess for snacks and keys. The small squeeze bottle is enough for a hour or so walk and I like I can squeeze the bottle so that my dogs can have drink on a hot day. If for anything longer than an hour, I would need to bring some other water container, but there are no other attachments on this particular belt so for longer hikes, I’m still bringing the small pack.

My boyfriend has the Nylon Reflective Journey Air Dog harness (M), which looks like this harness mixed with the Tru-fit harness kind of. I have this Journey Air Dog harness (M) for my GSD/husky mix. We have a couple of issues with this specific model of the Journey harness.

She has an athletic build with a pretty deep chest that is also narrow as heck, and due to the longer padding on the top of the chest piece, I’m unable to adjust it enough so that it fits her well. It renders the front D-ring useless, as the harness will pull to the side of her body loosely.

Unfortunately, sizing down would mean that it would not be able to fit around the deepest part of her ribcage. The other issue I have with this harness is that I’m nervous it chaffs the back of her armpit area.

It’s pretty snug up against the backs of her legs–maybe even too snug. I would size up, but then that would exacerbate the issue with the front. I’m almost certain it’s an unpleasant experience for her as she runs away when I so much as pick up the harness.

I brought up the fact that my boyfriend has this type of harness (but a different/earlier model) because I am able to adjust that one well to my dog. None of the issues present in my harness are present in the other one, likely because of the smaller chest padding.

I would go to the Tru-Fit harness for my pup, but we go hiking a bunch, and the handle on the back is a must-have. What is probably the most upsetting is that I cannot find this other model of harness in stock and in the size we need anywhere as of today.

I simply cannot recommend this harness if your pup has a narrow chest.

I have bought a number of different harnesses for my beloved rescue dog. She is my baby (six years old ) and I want her secured in the back seat of any vehicle in the event of an accident. She is not allowed to travel in a vehicle without wearing a harness which is then tethered to either a child seat stanchion or a seat belt connection.

It is essential that the tether also be high quality as well as the harness. I personally do not drive or ride without wearing a seat belt. My dog enjoys going back and forth to look out the rear windows and occasionally stands on the center console to look out the front.

Whereas a sudden stop or collision might cause her to impact the back of a front seat, she can not be thrown into the windshield, the front passenger compartment or out a rear window. This is the most expensive and best designed harness I have bought to date.

The manufacturer boasts of a lifetime warranty and I will hold them to it only if necessary. If it continues to perform well, I will update my review later to 5 stars.

We bought this harness on a whim when our baby was about a year old. Our vet said she was about done growing and it would be a good investment. Even though they were tough to clasp we LOVED the metal fasteners.

Jokes on us. About a month and a half later we went to harness her up for training and it was snug, we maxed out the straps and left for class. We talked to her trainer, she agreed it was too snug, we got her weighed 52¼lbs and remeasured and she had put on 6lbs and some girth around chest.

She told me I could exchange it, per store policy. Unfortunately, we were about a week over the stores 30 day return policy. We have looked at new ones and are not fond of the plastic fasteners. There was a reason we bought the Kurgo harness with metal that we did.

I wish we could’ve exchanged for the larger size. Outside of that issue, we absolutely loved this harness and the seat belt clip. It is an investment for people on a limited income, but when it fit, it was worth it.

The unit itself is good (have only tested it a few times) and the collar fits well and does not bother our dog. The antenna is longer than I expected. My biggest beef is the way Garmin sell/includes maps.

To load satellite imagery you need to use Garmin Basecamp which is no longer being developed. In my case, it would simply NOT work. So after a long search I discovered that there is a known bug, and you need to disable 2D viewing (otherwise the program just stalls).

Even doing this is difficult because the program literally takes forever to load until this is disabled. So why not make that the default setting (even if there is no more development)? Further, the Birdseye imagery is very fuzzy – nothing at all like eg: Google Maps.

Worse, within Basecamp, you do not see any map at all, unless your Garmin is linked to your computer. Even if I were to buy maps, it can only be loaded in one device – so you would need to tether the device to see it on the computer.

The software needs development because the Astro will not download tracks or anything like that using Garmin Express. So the unit is good, but it is let down by the desktop software and the fuzzy satellite maps.

There aren’t a lot of alternatives for use in Canada though.

Firstly, this thing works great. I’ve used Garmin GPS units before so the interface was easy for me to deal with. I’m not a hunter. We have a dog that takes off in the woods. He’s always come back but it’s a stressful time while he’s gone.

This thing has tracked him beautifully and there’s a function to go directly towards him with a fat pink line drawn in his direction on the map. It’s easy and intuitive. The only testing I’ve done for distance is in our neighborhood at home.

With houses and small buildings in the way, it has worked from up to 1. 3 km away. In the mountains the furthest our dog has run away is 350m before coming back. I hope he never runs 1. 3 km away but, if he does then I can walk in the direction he went and hopefully be able to pick up the signal again.

The only thing I don’t like is how long it takes for the unit and collar to synchronize when I turn them on. I’ve had to learn to be patient because sometimes it happens in seconds but sometimes it takes a couple minutes.

I’ve seen complaints of how fast it goes through batteries. With alkalines it probably lasts around 12 hours. With rechargeable AAs it last about 8. I usually use rechargeables but I keep an extra set of either fresh charged ones or new alkalines.

The collar lasts a long time. I’ve never drained it, even on long days. It’s tough to say this is good value because it is expensive but I’m very happy I have it.

Not cheap, but works as it should and worth its weight in gold to know where your dog is and their direction of travel when you can’t see them. I often find myself in places with no cell service, so a GPS-based unit was a must.

Takes a little while to figure out all the menus and yeah, it looks a little dated, but not a big deal. I like that you can switch from seeing the direction and distance your dog is at to a live map of where they are in relation to you.

Both are useful in different situations. The feature to alert you when your dog gets a certain distance away from you is very helpful. The gizmo to attach the handheld to your belt or pants pocket or waistband works well once you realize what it is and how to put it together.

It clips on and you can easily swivel it towards you to glance at the screen. It also can be removed from the clip easily. I decided to buy a set of the NiMH rechargables for the handheld, since we’re using this every day, often twice a day.

I’m glad I went with the Mini size for my petite, 36 pound, 20 inch ‘pocket rocket’ Vizsla.

I have a very high energy husky shepherd mix that goes on 4 mile walks twice a day, has lots of room to run and play and still has energy. I purchased this backpack to give him a little more weight to tire him out and also to be able to carry his own bags and poop.

It works perfectly for 100# dog. Very easy to balance. Fits over a harness well. The front strap that goes around the neck probably needs to be longer if you have a dog with a thick neck and hair. It barely makes it around mine.

The other 2 straps seem to be plenty long enough to adjust for even a larger dog. I would think this pack would be too large for any dog under 50#. My dog doesn’t seem to mind wearing it and seems comfortable in it.

Honestly so surprised at the quality of this backpack! A sign of a good quality bag is the zippers and these were smooth! Not the smoothest, sturdiest ever, but for $30, I’m happy! There are a good amount of big and small pockets to put random things and it fits well! I’m just a tad bit worried about the neck strap though It looks like it might rub and irritate after awhile but we will see! I think it’ll be an easy fix by sewing on some soft materials.

The color is super cute, true to the photo and a perfect size for my dog. The sewing job is perfect and comes in a nice plastic/fabric bag. The body strap’s range is incredible and will fit most medium to extra large dogs! The neck strap however is pretty limited and not sure if a dog over the size of 20″ could wear it comfortably.

There is a little weight to the bag, but will suit well for a working dog or to tire out the dog. Overall very happy with the purchase so far! Here’s the size of my dog for your reference: Neck = 17″ (43.

18cm) tight, 19″ (48. 26cm) loose Chest = 30″ (76. 20cm) Head to tail Length = 21″ (53. 34cm) Standing height = 27″.

I orginally bought this because of Cesar Milan’s book which said to put weight on the dog while you walk him. I put a can of beans on each side for my 46 pound mutt. It was so hot in the summer, I couldn’t bear to see him carrying it for 20 minutes with the hot weather.

Then one day, he went back to refusing to go for a long walk. He only walks for a block now. Maybe someday in the future he will go for long walks again, and I will try the backpack again. One thing I don’t like about it is it is not machine washable.

I also don’t remember that the instructions allowed hand washing it. ?!.

I was so against e collars beforehand that I condemned anyone who used them. However when I got my own dog and he absolutely exploited every loophole you could find with R+, I was against a wall. I found a balanced trainer and while he was successful in changing my dog by 75%, we talked about e collars.

He said that this would change the entire game. I could have my dream dog. I bit the bullet and decided to try it. While there were a couple tough days in the beginning, my dog finally was submissive.

Now he helps me in my job with walking dogs and being the example. We go off leash (laws permitting) and will never cross streets or doorways without my permission first. And it’s all because of this device.

I won’t go anywhere without this, even if I never have to actually use it. It’s a way for me to communicate with my dog when he’s too far away. **I just ask people to consult with your trainer and learn how to use it correctly.

This tool can be misused and abused real easy.

I have been using this collar on my pet dog for recall and place. It is a jack russell that liked to run out the door and chace groud squirrels. I used a long line with food reward for about 2 weeks before receiving this e-collar.

After about 2 weeks of wearing the e-collar with no stim, I overlayed page+stimulation with the long line and food reward after preforming the behavior. I use this e-collar at level 3 most of the time.

I could not fill the stimulation while e-collar prongs were placed in my hand till level 10. The collar appears to be very well made and should last for years. I like how the remote function is the same as my 1900S to keep thing simple and not have to re learn a controller.

I definitely recommend this e-collar for pet dog owners or those with a smaller working / hunting dog. Dogtra and Ray Allen both put out great products for both my working and pet dog.

I had several correction collars in the past with much success from PetSafe but my most recent one from this company did nothing for my dog nor me. They have cheapened the produce & I really think it was not working most of the time.

BUT SINCE PURCHASING DOGTRA, so worth the $,. I HAVE A NEW DOG!!! Immediately noticed that the product is very substantial, made with high quality. and most of all it is consist & reliable. My high energy, over reactive Black Lab responded immediately at low levels & is now UNBELIEVABLY OBEDIENT!! THANK YOU DOGTRA.

now I enjoy my daily snow shoeing, hiking, spending time in my yard!!! I live in the Great North Woods of Maine, on Moosehead Lake & LOVE not having to put my dog on a leash, which is a real challenge with this dog! I waited several weeks before submitting a review to ensure my shockingly, amazing results did not change.

& they have only gotten better! EXCELLENT PRODUCT, I CAN’T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT THIS PRODUCT!.

I purchased this to use primarily as a hands-free running leash with my 60 pound shepherd mix. It does work for that, although there is no give in the leash if she decides to make a sudden movement. Also, it is only just long enough if I have it around my waist, and I am not particularly large.

If she was shorter or I was wider, it wouldn’t work. Same with the courier setting. The hand loop is too large and bulky with the padding, and the padding slides around too much if you leave it out. So, I wouldn’t recommend this one.

I probably should have tried to find it in a store and try it out before buying. Live and learn.

This is a great utility leash with a nice back side clip providing several options for wear. I use it as a standard 6’ grab and go but often turn it into a cross body over the shoulder which is great when I need extra hands to carry groceries or kids.

In a pinch I use in belt mode for short runs. The daisy chain stitching provides plenty of comfortable fit options for me. (6’1” with 36” waist). The quality is good so far (one month in) and I have grown confident in using it as a tie off for short periods as long as I’m present such as open garage situation.

My one wish is that the reflective ribbing would go end to end, it is only on the tail half, away from the collar clip.

Overall, I like the Approach Dog Pack. It fits my dog nicely since there are several adjustment points. I like the flopper stopper for saddlebag stability. There is a major feature “wish” I have for the pack – ability to remove the saddlebags like the Ruffwear Palisades.

(My dog is too small for the Palisades. ) If I notice it’s getting pretty hot on the trail, I’ll switch out his pack and put a harness on, and I’ll carry his pack. This means that I have to carry an extra harness in my own pack.

Not the end of the world, but an inconvenience. It is sturdy pack, so I can’t complain. My dog is 25 pounds and we take long day hikes. I’m still working him up to the maximum suggested carry weight (25% of his body weight).

I increase by half a pound each week on walks and hikes to slowly acclimate him to carrying some supplies.

We got this pack for our dog for our first backpacking trip with her so she could help carry her necessities. It was great! She is a hound mix, so can be a bit tricky to fit, but this pack was adjustable enough to fit her very well.

We made sure to give her a couple walks using it before the trip so she could get used to it, and after a little initial hesitation about putting her head through this contraption, she was completely fine with it.

I definitely recommend this pack, and equally recommend making sure you give your dog time to get used to it if they haven’t used something similar in the past as I’m sure it seems a bit strange at first to them! Our dog is used to a harness, but this is a whole lot more than that.

I was concerned it might not have enough room for everything we wanted to have her carry, but we were able to fit three meals of kibble, treats, poop bags, a toy, and a small bottle of water with some room to spare!.

We bought this bag for a 55km multi-day hike in Algonquin Park. It seemed comfortable for my dog, and she was able to carry her food for 4 days. Once it was adjusted I never had to readjust for the duration of the trip- that was a big issue with every other saddle bag we’d tried (3 other ones).

The straps all have multiple tightening spots which kept everything snug. others, like the outward hound bags, only have one and would continually loosen while hiking. We’d have to stop every few minutes to adjust.

With this bag we were able to hike 20km in a day, up and down steep hills, over bridges, through swamps, and it stayed put the whole time. Definitely worth the extra money!.

We have a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and hiking is where he is living his best life! The compactness of this bowl was great but the opening once filled with water is to small for him to comfortably drink.

For reference he enjoyed drinking from a medium plastic cup to this bowl. Design would work better with an oblong or almond shaped opening and a inner lining that is more water resistant. The current bowl gets slimy after first use and stays that way for the rest of the hike, we turned it inside out and clipped it to his ruffwear harness (which he LOVES) but it didn’t help with the drying process.

Can’t wait to see future options for the larger snooted lovers of ruffwear.

I was a little surprised when I got this bowl. I am however going to give it a try. It was smaller than I expected overall. It does roll into itself and pack very small into your pocket. That being said it is also a bit flimsy.

I probably should have looked at the specifications a bit more. The opening also is almost the size of my 35 lbs. dogs’ nose. this would not be a good option for larger dogs. We are going to use this weekend and just got so I will update the review and let you know how my dog takes to it.

When I initially purchased the bowl (along with the palisades pack) it was for my dog, Turk, to use during our AT thru-hike. Due to the current pandemic, our hike was put on an indefinite hold. Nevertheless, I wanted to let Turk use his new backpacking gear (because I know how exciting it is to get to use new gear.

). Turk somehow knew the bag delivered was something for him as he began investing it before I could get it opened up fully. The size I bought is a bit on the small side compared to Turk but that didn’t seem to be an issue for him! He stuck his muzzle in the bowl lapping at the water I had just poured.

The small size doesn’t seem to create any type of hindrance. Turk was ready to go for a walk so I strapped on his new pack with the water bladders filled & his trail runner bowl tucked safely inside his pack.

After a couple miles it was time for treats & water—I was able to get to, unfold & fill the bowl incredibly easy. Turk & my smaller dog took turns drinking water before packing up to get moving again.

Overall the Trail Runner Bowl is great to have on any trail. Tiny & insanely lightweight, one would never realize they were carrying it. The first few times opening up & closing up could be an issue for someone with big hands/fingers.

However it does seem to be easier with each time used—I believe with each use the fabric will become more & more pliable. Turk tested, Turk approved!! Now if only the trails would become accessible!!!.

This leash is fabulous! After a few months of Midwest winter my pup had forgotten her training and doubled in size. Our walks were spent wrestling with her to get her to stop pulling. I had heard about the hands free leashes and figured I would give it a shot.

I’m so glad I did! Now we are back to enjoying our walks. I love that it has multiple options for handles for distractions (cars/people/animals) and allows her to roam freely when she is being good and not pulling.

I wish I would have gotten it sooner. Very happy with this leash and highly recommend:).

So it does work as a hands free leash. I will say if you’re wide at the waist just keep in mind this may not be the leash for you as it only widens so much. The bungee design is great to absorb any pulling.

I do think it’s a bit short but if you’re walking on trails with other people that’s great. The leash does slide around on the waist belt if your dog moves to your left or right which feels really strange.

Was hesitant to order this because of the lower price compared to others, lack of reviews, and no info on the waist belt length range, but I liked that this had handle loops at top and bottom (vs in middle of the leash), and it’s been great so far.

This waist belt can shorten up to 25” around, but the shorter you go the less area is available on the belt for the leash attachment to slide along. The bungee is pretty strong – our 35 lb lab mix isn’t exactly big enough to stretch it out to full length, but it does provide a good shock absorption when she tugs.

The leash is only 4’, but you could lengthen the waist belt to add length and use it has a loop handle if you wanted. Would definitely recommend this as a basic hands free leash, especially for the price.

I enjoyed walking hands-free and there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the product itself. A dog sitter actually recommended elastic leashes since the tension increases gradually. However, my puppy, who is used to walking with a looser leash, displayed a worrying amount of leash-based aggression when I switched to this.

I became scared approach other dogs for fear that he’d bite them. After consulting with a vet and switching back to the original leash, my puppy returned to his excitable, well-socialized self.

Bought this leash hoping it would work for our two chihuahua and chinese crested dogs. Sadly it’s a bit too big and bulky for them. The quality of the leash is good and feels great in hand, but the medium/large size is for dogs probably 35lbs.

& over. It’s got some weight to it. Also the connection where the two leashes meet also does not have that swivel piece that allows the dogs to move freely and not get tangled onto each other. For these reasons I would not recommend this leash.

I love this leash. Feels good in the hand. Wraps around a post and secures if necessary. Has great strength, good size clip. My dog is 11 lbs but when she pulls or resists, her strength is remarkable.

This tether is great. Highly recommended!.

We have a 90lbs Irish wolfhound/Black lab that is big and needs LOTS of food, especially when we’re on long hikes. We’re slowly getting ready for the summer season by integrating this pack on our walks with him.

At first he just sat down (no weight in it) and didn’t move. After much coaxing we got him to go on a walk with us. We’ve slowly made our way up to 500g on each side. He now associates putting the pack on with receiving treats and doesn’t seem to much mind the weight.

He eats 4-5 cups of kibbles a day and any relief we get in not having to carry his food on long back country excursions is a win in my books! I also love how it’s adjustable just about everywhere. Our pup has a big barrel chest/neck and a little waist so the micro adjustments you’re able to make mean he’s happier on the trail.

Now that I have had a chance to use this “K-9 pack” on the trail I want to mention some things I like and dislike about this useful backpack. My dog is a 70-pound shepherd mix who is rather enthusiastic both when trail-running and backpacking.

Upon receiving the Mountainsmith K-9 Pack, it took some mental work (on my part) to figure out which adjustments helped to fit the pack to my dog. I really like the locks on some of the adjustment buckles which really clamped down the straps once I got the length right.

It is not clear why these useful locks are only on some of the buckles. I really like the roominess of each pack section. I was able to fit a one-quart water bottle and a quart ziploc bag of food in each side thus creating a well-balanced load.

While at first, my dog did not seem to understand that he was supposed to walk with the pack on, once he got the hang of it, he seemed to accept it which I took to mean it was comfortable for him. My dog likes to occasionally stop and roll in the tall grass which lead to an amusing problem when he became stuck with the full pack on so that his feet stuck up in the air and he was unable to figure out how to turn back over.

One time, this lead to funny photos but another time in his effort to free himself, he was able to wiggle out of the backpack. Overall, I was happy with the construction and performance of this pack.

The service from outdoor camping direct was great: Fast and easy- no hickups. Very happy. The product itself is good. The only Reason why I am not saying great is because I find it to short. I run trails, and if I take our dog with me and have the belt arround my hip, so it is handsfree, I tumple over him.

He can’t run ahead enough – the leash itself is to short. Which is a bummer. The material is great and robust.

These leads are the best I have every used. Am in control of my dog but she also has movement without hurting her . Great leads

This lead is fantastic! Think I will be ordering another one at such a great price. It’s used everyday and is very well made.

I bought this item as I underwent a rotator cuff surgery and have two greyhounds that need walking. I never wanted to trust the thin blue strap so I used to thread the two leashes (bought a second one) through the main part of the belt.

The extendable leash goes from ~4′ to 6′ on stretch which was good to keep leashes from getting tangled in our feet. However when one of my dogs lunged to chase a squirrel the entire belt popped open and the dog was off and running and thankfully my second dog remained at my side.

For the price I would recommend buying the leash alone and then getting a standard belt that could secure with a metal buckle. It would be much more secure. I don’t anticipate needing to emergently release my dog from the belt because one of us has gone over a cliff.

I need to secure my dogs so I can be safe for running and controlling them against surprises.

This is a thoughtful running belt. I use it for both of our dogs (usually at the same time) and it’s comfortable. I especially like the pockets; the zipper one is large enough for my phone, poop bags, earbuds, and keys with room to spare.

The other pocket is nice for used poop bags, I love not having to carry it around until I find a trash bin! The belt rests nicely on my hips and the bottle holder is secure. It does slowly twist around when the bottle is full, but it’s easy to put back.

It’s a delicate balance to get the tightness right and not restrict my breathing. I would be interested in sizing for this since it’s almost cinched as tight as it goes and my waist is about 30″, so for smaller people, it might not get tight enough, FYI!.

Excellent product. I had a running leash previously but was poor quality and uncomfortable me. Bought this and very comfortable. I read another review stating the dog had got detached from the lead. I would guess due to user error and think there should be instructions for proper use as well as a few design improvements.

1. Dog end of lead should auto-lock rather than depend on user pushing forward the lock. 2. Person-end – plastic clamp feels like it could be better designed so not dependent on user closing clamp proximal to green threaded tack.

3. Bottle holder could be detachable. I do like this feature but on most runs I don’t use it.

The MEDIUM size of this pack fits my 11-month Catahoula mix to a tee. As a reference, she’s built like a Vizsla: lean and athletic with deep chest. The low profile design, which is as great for urban walks as it is for rural hikes, lets her carry her own water in a way that is efficient and ergonomically correct.

There are two 0. 6L bladders included with the pack – not a lot of water – but distributed nicely along her body. It’s perfect for us because I carry most of our water and I really don’t want the pack to be heavy for my young dog.

We found that filling the bladders with ice+water keeps her cool on the trail. The strap at the tail-end of the pack ensures her longline (leash) doesn’t fall to one side or the other or entangle her legs.

The best part (for me) is the padded belly strap, which prevents any “Houdini-inspired” escape moves and gives me a lot of confidence and added control as I work with her. I definitely spent time customizing the adjustable straps to create the best fit and she likes wearing it so much, she doesn’t like to have it taken off.

The color is beautiful; reflective safety fabric, give-points, and pads, well-placed; and the engineering is 100%. She’s my first Catahoula and I may have to buy a LARGE when she has fully filled out – but this pack is completely worth it.

I previously bought a ruffwear lifejacket for my canine and was thoroughly unimpressed. After going on a rafting trip with a friends and their dog (which had the Astral lifejacket) I will not purchase any other lifejacket for my dog.

My beagles and I regularly go hiking and I have them off leash. I had been using Amazon electric collars to beep/ vibrate them when wandering. However, those collars were not always reliable thus I searched for collars with more consistency and range power.

I looked for weeks and read many articles/reviews. Results clearly indicated Sportdog was one of the best products. I finally decided to invest my money and see where it would take us. Initially, the product was great after I read the directions and synced the collar.

I did not like that there is a small button on the back that must be pushed to adjust shock intensity. I am a 105 women so you can imagine my fingers are small. I had to carry around a toothpick in my pocket so that small button could be pushed.

It was annoying, but not a deal breaker for the product. I continued to use Sportdog on a few other hikes and all wad relatively well. I noticed my beagle only responded to level 7 shocks which I thought was odd.

Also, the beep was pretty faint sounding which wasn’t great, but again not a deal breaker. One day I went to use Sportdog for a longer hike and made sure it was charged. I decided to use the provided lanyard, but noticed there was NO clip to hook them together.

There happened to be an elastic tie at the end so I TRIPLE tied a knot to secure it together. Again, it was inconvenient but I managed. On our hike, my dog was responding well to the collar until he suddenly took off.

I had to find my toothpick to switch gears as quick as I could to reign him in. Usually when he gets shocked at a higher level he will yelp/cry. I knew the collar could not be working as I never heard him.

I waited and waited and he thankfully returned. The first thing I did was check his collar to make sure it was tight and it still was. I watched the green light flick so I knew it was still on. I turned it off and then back on to be sure.

I tried a vibration feature and noticed it wasn’t working. I worked up through all seven levels of shock stimulates and my beagle NEVER flinched (he was standing 5-10 feet away). I knew the collar had stopped working and there was no explanation why.

I was walking back to the parking lot and decided I would return the product. I looked down on the lanyard Sportdog provided and noticed the remote wasn’t there. I knew it had to been within the last 50 feet of my walk.

I searched and never found it. I feel I did my best to use this product despite the frustrations. My largest concern was having to push the smallest button on the back of the remote to switch static levels.

It is very inconvenient in a moment of fear and carrying around a toothpick to push that tiny button was quite ridiculous. The lanyard needs a clip such as connecting a leash to a dog collar. It was a great idea, but it was poorly designed and caused me to lose the remote.

I am now out $200 bucks and can’t return the product because the remote slipped off a poorly designed lanyard. I had thought I was investing in a product that would last me years, not two months. I am going back to my $30 dollar Amazon brand because it was just as reliable (if not better) than Sportdog and it was easier to adjust levels at a quicker pace especially when I need it the most.

I’m very disappointed overall.

The 435 X series is really nice and has a small remote control that fits into my hand (I am only 5’4). The XS series is stronger (for large dogs that can be stubborn) and was too much for my need. that’s why I really wanted the X series.

The 825 X is the same as the 425 X except is has a longer distance reach (1/2 mile) but the remote is a little big bigger. Works great. make sure you read the manual for the different settings and understand that this is not a training tool per say but a corrective tool (meaning your dog has to know and understand commands BEFORE using it).

Do NOT use as a punitive tool. The nice thing is this item allows you to choose either tone, vibration, or static mode. 99% of the time I only need to use vibration for my dog to get his attention (he cN get sobfocused on a scent that he doesn’t pay attention to my commands).

He sometimes takes off after a rabbit/wild pig etc. and that’s when I have to use the static mode to quickly get his attention away from his chase. I really like that it is waterproof (my dog swims into ponds and rivers).

some other brands claim to be waterproof but really mean to say water resistant! If it doesn’t show water depth then it is not waterproof. Quality product worth the money.

I was looking for a collar for safety and as a training tool. One year old Bully that occasionally pushes boundaries on our property. For her safety because of other dogs in the area, we do not want her within 4 ft of the property line.

It only took a couple times in different areas on a very low frequency (2) for her to understand the concept. However at times I leave it on her, and this is where my disappointment comes in. The battery in the collar only stays charged foraybe 48 hours.

And that is only activating it 2 or 3 times in that timeframe. I bought this, knowing I was spending a good bit more money then other products expecting an overall better product, both in distance, features and battery life is very important.

This collar fell very short for me. I’m not sure about my exchange options, but I definitely cannot count on this at home much less in the mountains or the beach.

I was really excited when I thought that I had finally found a bag that I could use while taking my dog on walks. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. The pouch seems to be well-made but I don’t know how it would hold up with use because I haven’t tested it.

I realized it wasn’t as expected right after removing it from the packaging. While the material seems durable, I’m concerned about staining over time from treats and it’s not washable. I think it’d be helpful to make it in darker colors.

The water bottle holder is way too small to be useable and that was the deal breaker for me. I’d have to take a separate pack to hold water for my dog and me. So no need for this bag if I have to take another bag anyway.

The Petco Running bag is a great concept that needs more work to make it a useable bag. I do not recommend the bag at this time and I will return it.