Ruffwear Approach

I'm planning some day hikes with my 3yo toy poodle this summer. It took some digging, but I found my old Ruffwear Approach pack. It's an X-Small, sized for a girth of 17-24". (He's right at the 17" mark.) Anyway, I was reading online that the newer model XX-Small weighs 11.5oz and the X-Small weighs 14.5oz. That's an awful big chunk of his 25% body weight of 11.5#. I was curious as to what my pack weighs so I dug out my analog kitchen scale. My old Approach only weighs 8oz! I guess it's not just people packs that get heavier?

I noticed the Palisades model In Medium also getting heavier--and smaller! I was able to get a discontinued 2008 model (see my avatar). It's sort of like packs for young children!

If you look at prior threads in this topic, you'll find listings of various dog pack manufacturers and reviews of same.

I used a Wenaha Jogger over 10 years ago, for a very energetic English Setter. When she got adopted, I sold the pack and bought the Approach. At the time, it fit my BCx, but she hated it! We took her picture wearing it, and the camera flash was too much like lightning. She still hides when she sees it, and she's too fat to fit it now. It fit the miniature poodle I had before my divorce, and now we hope to use it for our little guy, Eli.

My first thought was to use it for walks in our neighborhood. If I add a bit of weight, it should help wear him out a little. But if I have the gear we could go hiking again... We haven't done much more than car camp since the divorce, and now my boys are 13. Seems like we ought to be able to manage some day hikes at least? (I know one is interested, but the other one? Not so much!)