Bigfoot's Bright Idea.

How many members out there that hike with four legged companions would be interested in an ultra-lite (10 oz. for a large dog--70 lbs.) dog quilt specifically designed for backpacking? Made of sil-nylon and Climashield Combat. I found a (unique)way to solve the "lop-sidedness" of packing it in the dog pack, too! I just want a general show of hands to see if it's worth producing for members. Sources for labor and materials are all set to go, but if there is no demand, i won't pursue it. Details and pictures will follow if there is enough interest.

BF

I would be interested in the pattern. My wife is very handy at making this kind of stuff. My puppie actually wont be ready for it for a while, but I want to prepare ahead of time. Thank you for sharing with us bigfoot2.

Howie

I will be getting a dog soon, just in that stage of finding the right one/scrounging cash up for one...but when I do I will be considering a dog pack.

I would be interested.

I have the Uhlr gear sleeping bag for my dog, it works very well because the velcro strips keep him from wiggling out of it during the night. My concern with a quilt would be that he could do just that. I will remain open minded until I see the design...

Not for mine; a thin sweater (actually an old polypro base layer top of mine, cut and sewn to fit) keeps him warm well below freezing. If it's above freezing, his double fur coat keeps him plenty warm enough.

I would think that for less hairy dogs than mine, a jacket would be better than a quilt--he won't knock it off when he stirs in the night and then turns around three times before lying down again. Plus it can be used in the daytime if needed.

OM:

"a jacket would be better than a quilt--he won't knock it off when he stirs in the night and then turns around three times before lying down again. Plus it can be used in the daytime if needed."

Can I get it in a human "M?"

My dog does really well in the Uhlr gear sleeping bag. He tends to burrow into it.

I've found that he doesn't really need much while he's on the move, but he definitely needs to be covered at night. As you can see, he does not have much of a coat...

Keep in mind that dogs shouldn't be carrying pack weight until they are well past a year old, perhaps until they're close to two. And then the pack shouldn't exceed 15-20% of the dog's weight.

FB

I take my Beagle "Oreo" with me on a lot of trips in the back country and have really developed an intimate relationship with her. She carries a quilt in her little pack and I have watched her at night moving around inside the tent to try and get comfortable. Many times she has shed this quilt in all her moving around but I have learned that she can get it back on top of her just as fast as she can shake it off. It's actually amazing that she can do this so easily. This thing is only a few ounces and it has become very obvious to me that she does want to be under it because she continuously "gets back under it" while she is in the tent. Something else that I have noticed with her is that at home she will sleep for hours in the morning, but on the trail as soon as I move she is ready to get on with it. I think that being out in the woods actually excites her to the point that she shows it. When we do get ready to start walking, she starts to get all excited like she knows exactly what is going on. She's is older now and does not move as well as she used to, but take her in the back country and she seems revived. Sort of the same thing that it does to me I guess. Isn't that why we go into the back country????Hope this encourages every one to take their dog if the dog wants to go and I think that they do want to go...sabre110044...

The first step that you take will be one of those that get you there !!!!!!!!!

I have Wednesday off and will work on getting pictures of the quilt up. It has a full length zipper directly up the middle with a full draft tube, that evenly splits the quilt for packing. No way to pack the quilt unevenly It also has a drawstring at each end to cinch the quilt around the dog in cooler weather. Two snaps at each end also secure it around the dog if they are "movers" at night (kind of like a jacket or cape). I am toying with a velcro attatchment at the corners (this assumes the dog would be using a small foam sleeping pad), but have not settled on just how, yet.

BF

As promised (a little late), here are the photos of my ground-breaking new dog quilt:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31164103@N05/show/

BF