Dylan's Backpack

Dylan, like most Australian Shepherds, is very hard to wear out. He seems to have endless amounts of energy! No matter how much Dave or I run with him, we can't seem to go fast or far enough to make a dent in his energy supply. I was talking about this with a mom from Stoneybrook Stables, and she told me about their standard poodle. She had the same problem and ended up getting a backpack to put weights in when the dog goes running. I thought that sounded like a great idea, so I took Dylan to the store to find one for him. As you can see below, he looks pretty proud of himself with his backpack on.

I put a water bottle in each side so he is evenly balanced. If anyone has tried running or hiking with weight on your back, you know it is definitely more difficult than not carrying anything. Dylan actually runs closer to the same pace as me now, with a lot less bouncing around and trying to hold himself back. He even has taken naps after we run, so it seems to be doing the trick!

Of course, he is completely re energized once he naps, unlike me, but it's great to have found something that can at least temporarily slow him down! I'm sure the neighbors have no idea why he's wearing a backpack, but he sure looks cute, doesn't he?