Making your dog "carry their weight"

     Well, I recently purchased a doggie backpack for Rage my GSD and yesterday we tried it out for the first time.  I put it on her for the first time and she didn't even seem to notice that she was wearing it. I only put a few light items in each side pocket to give her a little wieght.  At first I did not have the underbody straps tightened enough and the pack slid to one side slightly.  Once those were tightened up we were off and hiking.
     Rage managed to go through the woods just fine.  She did get slightly snagged a few times, but it barely slowed her stride.  This first adventure did have some learning curve to it.  The dog and I kicked up a turkey and she charged for about 10 yards at it, right into a flooded swamp.  Leason learned:  Rage's backpack is not waterproof.  I had my camera in there, but it did not stay submerged for more than a few seconds so just the surface was wet.  It dried out nicely within a few minutes and works just like normal.  Next time, anything that I need to stay dry will go into a ziploc before being put in her pack.
     I originally purchased the packs for her because my husband and daughters take her on day long walks sometimes and she could carry the water supply for them all.  So far, so good.  On the next walk I take her on I will add a little more weight and gradually continue to increase it.  From all of the research that I had done prior to purchasing the backpack, everyone suggested starting with small amounts of weight and slowly adding to it as the dog adjusts.
     Another reason that I purchased the backpack for Rage, was that it gives her a job when we are out.  Research has shown that providing a dog with a job can prove to be rewarding not only to your dog, but to you also.  The benefits to me are obvious in that she can carry items for me.  I am looking forward to benefitting from this when the kids and I take her geocaching with us.  The benefits to the dog is that you are fullfilling a need the dog has for a job, thus positively impacting their all around behavior.  Don't forget the exercise value to your pal.  Having a doggie backpack can prove to be beneficial in many ways.