Packing for a long multi day walk with a dog isn’t easy. Obviously the weight and comfort of your bag are big considerations and most of my backpack seems to be taken up with heavy dog food. At least it gets lighter as the week goes on. Aside from tasty treats, here are 3 items that were at the top of our packing list for both the Peddars Way and the Norfolk Coast Path.
Trailblazer Guide Book
This book is invaluable – it provides clear and easy to follow maps and things to look out for en route as well as being a comprehensive accommodation guide and filled with places to eat and drink along the way. Whilst I carried an OS map, the mapping in this book is so good that it was not needed. It highlights dog friendly establishments so is very useful as a trip planning tool. And it fits in a jacket pocket so can be easily carried during the walk. Having used Trailblazer guides in the past, I can highly recommend them for both walkers and travellers.
Double Sheet Sleeping Bag
Whether this is something you agree with or not, the fact is that my hound sleeps on my bed at home. When nature calls in the night, he doesn’t bark to be let out so the only way to avert mini disasters is to have him close enough to hear him get up. For a smooth haired pup with an almost bare underside, he’s also a surprisingly prolific moulter. Now I don’t expect him to be able to differentiate between our bed at home and a bed in a guest house (dogs don’t understand that this bed is ok to snooze on but this bed isn’t.) So to avoid leaving a trail of small brown & white hairs on all the upholstery we slip our own sheet sleeping bag into each comfy bed and snuggle up guilt-free.
Hydration Bladder
Water is essential on long walks for dogs and their people. Using a hydration bladder and a collapsible bowl, we get to share the same water source hygenically. Ours is a 2lt pack which goes in the back section of my rucksack. The tube attaches to one of the front straps so that I can drink directly through the straw or squeeze the water out into the dogs bowl. This small, skinny dog can be a bit of a diva when it comes to drinking from communal water bowls so a good supply of clean, fresh water is important on a long hike. It’s also a good idea to invest in a special cleaning kit so that your tube doesn’t go mouldy and I would advise that you air the whole pouch well after each use so the water tastes fresh on its next outing.
LongWalkswiththeShortDog 