Quote:
A dog should not carry more than 10% to 15% of their body weight.
At least a year of age, and I would exray hips and elbows before packing with a dog.
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?? For a 100 pound Rottweiler that's 10 pounds... Most packs that will fit a Rottweiler weigh 3-5 pounds
empty. My dogs pack, martingale and leash weigh just over 5 pounds.
When we were actively camping and backpacking my dogs carried about 25% of their total body weight. This was when they were in peak physical condition. I used to work for a company that manufactured dog gear (including backpacks). They gathered extensive advice from vets and the feedback was dogs in top physical condition without any health issues can easily carry 25-30% of their total body weight. I feel very comfortable with this estimate since when we were actively backpacking my pack was closer to the 35%-40% mark for my total body weight. Even my dog with HD carried a pack without any issues.
The only 'tip' I have is to make sure the pack fits properly and is snug on the dog. A poorly fitted/adjusted pack can cause serious problems.