My husband & I just got home from a 40 mile backpack with Mr. Dog. The biggest concern was packing enough dog food. He's a small Aussie & ended up eating 2 cups of food a day plus bones.

We would never consider a dog any protection in bear country & we live in Bear Country, Alaska USA. If anything, a dog can be a liability. We did run into a bear this trip, & the dog did alert us by his sniffing & body language that the bear was still traveling in front of us. But we sure have him on a leash when there are willows, bear sign, or lack of wide-open visibility. We may let him run in the tundra but not in the willows. It's a constant vigilance with a dog: we had to train him not to chase marmots. The morning on our way out he treed a porcupine & I am glad we were right with him.

We always pack a leatherman tool in case of quills, which we have had to pull. And a doggie anti-inflammatory (Etogesic).