Brook, my female Australian Shepard, is 4 years old and has been backpacking with me for 3 seasons. The problem relates to how Brook will totally sacrifice her own comfort to ensure that I am protected. This translates to her only sleeping outside and typically finding a strategic vantage point from which to keep watch through the night. Frankly, I would rather she slept in the tent to help keep me warm, but I do appreciate her concern. Brook would rather not backpack anymore which I am sure is due to her dislike of riding in a car and her discomfort while in the wilderness.

So last year I left her at home for about 2 months and she developed an anxiety situation where she got a rash from constantly liking her feet. My Blog Post in Adventure Continues explains more about the problem and hopefully our solution.