Book of the Month

My pick for book of the month is "A Guide to Backpacking With Your Dog" by Charlene G. LaBelle. This book is great if you're thinking about starting to backpack with your dog, but really want a little guidance. She explains how to fit different styles of dog packs and the various different things that you can add on to them. There's a chapter on conditioning your dog and yourself for the type of hiking you plan on doing. Whether it be short day hikes that you want to pack a picnic lunch on or a multiple day backpacking trip. After all, you can't just expect your dog to hit the trail carrying a pack with roughly 30% of their weight when they've never done that before!

Probably my favorite part of the book was when she talked about longer and overnight trips. The thought is really exciting, but there's a lot to plan for. You have to pack any utensils you will needs along the way such as first aid kits for humans and dogs, cooking utensils, and various camp tools. There are also the meals to think about for both you and your dog. For multiple day trips you need to not only think about the amount of calories that you and your dog(s) are going to be burning, but how do you pack it in the packs to make sure that it doesn't get ruined. All these little details and more, she discusses.

I found this book very helpful and intersting to read. I definitely recommend it for anyone interseted in trying some packing with their dog(s).