The DOGPAK Blog

Because of Thunder, I smiled far more often than I otherwise would have. And that matters. That counts. Each smile he gave me—whether from a goofy face, a well-timed fart, or the simple joy of him trotting by my side—was a small step away from the edge. A breath. A buoy. A moment of light in the dark. Sometimes a smile is all that keeps a person from slipping too far into the void. Thunder gave me thousands. Quiet, defiant miracles. Every single one of them a kind of salvation.

A pet-peeve of mine is seeing other dogs on the trail over-burdened by a large, bulky backpack. There’s no reason for those oversized dog backpacks that offer ridiculous carrying volumes. Worse, they can pose a danger to your dog, and not just because of the risk of spine and joint strain, but also because of reduced mobility, impeding a dog’s natural agility in tricky terrain or wildlife encounters.

Introduce the backpack gradually using positive reinforcement techniques. Many dogs initially find the sensation unusual and may walk awkwardly or appear uncomfortable. With patience and positive associations, most dogs adapt quickly and learn to move naturally with the pack.

Each trail we've detailed here offers its own rhythm, its own story waiting to be discovered. Some will lead you through quiet valleys where cowbells echo off limestone walls, others to high alpine meadows where ibex graze at dawn. But all of them share one truth: in this landscape of seventy-two waterfalls and timeless peaks, the bond between human and dog grows stronger with every step.

Choose your path thoughtfully, prepare with care, and let the mountains work their magic. After all, sometimes the greatest discoveries come not from the peaks we reach, but from the quiet moments shared with our four-legged companions along the way.

Perhaps this is the greatest gift our dogs offer us: the chance to rediscover parts of ourselves we've forgotten, or never knew existed. Through Thunder's eyes, I've learned to see achievement differently. Not as medals to be won or mountains to be conquered, but as moments of pure connection—with ourselves, with nature, and with these remarkable creatures who ask nothing more of us than our authentic presence.

The trail ahead is always uncertain. But maybe that's the point. Maybe true strength lies not in being perpetually battle-ready, but in having the courage to venture forth with an open heart, guided by the simple wisdom of our four-legged companions.

After all, they've known the secret all along: that love, in its purest form, requires no medals, no validation, no proof of worth. It simply is. And that, perhaps, is the toughest truth of all.

This is the gift we give them through these shared adventures: the opportunity to experience a wider world than the boundaries of a yard or the familiar loop of a neighborhood walk. We offer them a life of sensory richness that their domesticated existence would otherwise deny them.

Match your energy. Some people think that walking two miles makes them adventurers. Some others do 10 miles. If you barely walk a few miles, don’t get a dog that needs a 10-mile run to drain energy. Basically, any dog can be an adventure dog if your energy levels match.