Most packing lists are written for every dog and every trip, which means they are written for nobody. Answer four questions and this one builds a list for the walk you are actually doing today.
Your list
This checklist is general information, not veterinary advice. Dogs differ in age, breed, health and fitness. Ask your vet what your dog is ready for, and never let a dog carry a load without checking with them first.
What each answer changes
- Your dog’s weight sets the ceiling for anything they carry themselves. Leave it blank and no pack advice appears at all.
- How long you are out adds overnight gear, a sleeping mat and a second day of food.
- The weather swaps cooling gear and a shade plan for a coat and paw protection.
- Water on the trail decides whether you carry all of it or top up along the way.
What this tool will not tell you
It deliberately does not calculate how much water your dog needs, how many calories to feed, or what temperature is too hot to walk. Those numbers depend on your individual dog, and getting them wrong can hurt one. We would rather leave them out than publish a figure we cannot stand behind.
The single figure it does give is the pack ceiling: nothing a dog carries should exceed 15% of their body weight, and that is an upper limit rather than a target. Ask your vet before your dog carries anything, particularly if they are young, elderly, or new to walking distance.
Where to go next
Once the list is packed, make a dog emergency ID card to go in the pack beside it, read what gear actually earns its place, or go back to all free tools. Nothing you type into either tool is stored or sent anywhere.
