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Canine Backpacking
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Prince, the working collie
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Historically horses and dogs performed vital functions for society, ie transportation, farm work, etc, roles that could not be assumed by their human keepers or yet-to-be-devised mechanization. Today the role of the descendants of these animals is primarily that of pet or recreation/sports. While the health benefits from pet ownership and/or equestrian activities are widely recognized, it is seldom that one sees an animal working in a traditional or essential capacity.
This may be why we are intrigued and filled with awe at the sight of a police horse or guide dog working in an urban setting, performing his job despite the noise, traffic, crowds and danger of the modern world.
Perhaps this also accounts for my fascination with my collie's enthusiastic willingness to carry some light items for me in his new backpacks. It may pale by comparison with the work performed by a search and rescue dog, but it is nonetheless a great convenience to me to be able to stash large bulky letters for the mailbox, a rain jacket, or bottle of drinking water (including a plastic canine drinking cup) in "Prince's" backpacks, freeing my hands for my two dogs' leashes (enough of a challenge to keep untangled!)
Prince feels very pleased with himself now that he has an important job to do!
He and I and Tippi (my little tag-a-long sheltie) have been having a great time on our backpacking walks.
While my original and main purpose in equipping Prince with packs was for my own convenience, I have since joined AWCA (American Working Collie Association) and Prince has earned his urban backpack title. He is now "Creations Antique Eloquence, BPD." He is the first of all my dogs to ever earn a title and I'm very proud of him!
Other links to organizations which award backpacking titles to dogs are:
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(above) Backpack trivia: These little metal pack-dog banks, circa 1910-1930, appear occasionally on ebay, and of course I bid on and won one for myself!
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Creations Antique Eloquence BPD (Prince) carries letters to the mailbox in his new *Black Sheep* backpacks
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Tippi, Marci & Prince en route to the mailbox; Prince checks out a squirrel climbing a tree!
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to main AOL site (pretty snow pictures!)
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to Geocities site (no link - sorry- must copy & paste) http://www.geocities.com/spedigrees/
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