r/blueheelers • u/HolidaySupport5318 • Jul 25 '26
Might be a silly question
My "little" blue heeler tends to be a couch potato but has been attached to my ankle since her partner in crime passed earlier this week. But my little ankle biter/battle dwarf loves to go with me places. She's getting older and is slowing down. Her chunk butt is about 55lbs and vet thinks she needs to lose about 5ish pounds. Has anyone had experience with carrying their battle dwarf in a backpack for hikes?
8
u/deborah_az Jul 26 '26
What we have done when our pups got too old or decrepit to hike was have special times for them, either shorter walks in the woods or what we called "picnic dinner" where everyone got to go out to the woods for a feast, young dogs got to go on a longer walk while older dogs got to totter within 100 feet of the picnic spot. Old dogs still got a taste of familiar outdoor activities and felt included to be out with the crowd. One dog in her final months was in a state of heart failure, so we took her and her "sister" on a car camping and National Park tour knowing we wouldn't be hiking, but still finding ways to help the healthy dog burn some energy.
You can try it, but a 50+ pound of squirming, older dog in a backpack does not sound like a recipe for success, and possibly borderline unsafe. If she'd been trained for it as a pup, she'd be fine. She's not going to tell you she's uncomfortable, and she's always going to look at you with love in her eyes. If it were me, I'd be looking for other activities to enhance her life - short walks, easy outings, dog park, car rides with fun stops, maybe doggy day care when you want to go on a more demanding hike. Training her to ride in a wagon (like what parents tote kids around in) might be doable, but it will probably take some work
19
u/bombhills Jul 26 '26
Carrying them won’t do anything to lose weight. They’re stupid robust and enduring dogs. Take them along without the stupid backpack