• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Our website uses cookies. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our use of cookies. To see what cookies we serve and set your own preferences, please review our Cookie Policy. Learn More.

The Dog People by Rover.com

Powered by Rover.com

Tips, stories, and reviews for people who love dogs, powered by Rover.com, the world's largest network of 5-star pet sitters and dog walkers.

  • The Dog People by Rover.com
  • Dog Breeds
    • Golden Retriever
    • Australian Shepherd
    • German Shepherd
    • Pomeranian
    • Shih Tzu
    • Border Collie
    • Labrador Retriever
    • Boxer
    • Beagle
    • Dachshund
    • Chihuahua
    • Poodle
    • Yorkshire Terrier
  • Dog Love
    • Cute
    • Funny
    • Heartwarming
    • Quizzes
    • Trending
    • True Stories
  • Dog Names
    • Best Girl Dog Names
    • Top Boy Dog Names
    • Unique Dog Names
    • Cute Dog Names
    • Best Puppy Names
    • Dog Name Generator
    • Tough Dog Names
    • Food Dog Names
    • Romantic Dog Names
    • Literary Dog Names
    • Country Dog Names
  • Dog Videos
  • Life with Dogs
    • Dog Safety
    • Dog Behavior
    • Dog Psychology
    • Dog Nutrition
    • Dog Training
    • Health and Wellness
    • Recipes
    • Can My Dog Eat…?
  • PuppyHQ
    • Dog Adoption
    • Puppy Essentials
    • Puppy Names
    • Puppy Training
  • Shopping
    • Shop Rover Goods
    • All Dog Product Guides
    • Dog Gift Guides
    • Safety and Training
    • Toys and Chews
  • Cats!
    • Cat Breeds
    • Cat Names
    • Cat Psychology
  • Dog Training
  • Get Rover
    • Dog Boarding
    • Pet Sitting
    • Dog Walking
    • Doggy Day Care
    • House Sitting
    • Search Pet Sitters & Dog Walkers
    • Shop Rover Goods
    • Sitter Resources
  • Languages
    • en-CA
    • en-GB
    • fr-FR
    • es-ES
    • de-DE
    • it-IT
    • nl-NL
    • nb-NO
    • sv-SE
    • fr-CA

Can Puppies Ride in Dog Backpacks? A Review of the K9 Sport Sack

Share51Pin It0
Man walks through forest with puppy in backpack
Image courtesy of Nia Martin

Can Puppies Ride in Dog Backpacks? A Review of the K9 Sport Sack

Bonding with Your Dog
By Nia Martin

Share51Tweet0Pin It0
  • This post contains affiliate links. Read more here.
  • Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

There are a lot of reasons you might want to carry your dog with you on the go, and dog backpack carriers can help get the job done. They’re popular for pups with mobility issues, commuting with your dog, and hitting the trails. But can they help a puppy get used to the outdoor world? That’s the project my husband and I undertook with our new Mini Aussie, Betty. Our tool of choice was the K9 Sport Sack—and with Betty’s help, we put its through its paces.

As hiking and camping enthusiasts, we were, in part, excited to get a dog as an outdoor adventure companion. But since Betty is a 14-week-old puppy, there’s only so much she can do right now. We’re always looking for ways to keep her protected (she’s midway through her puppy shots) and comfortable while also safely introducing her to favorite spots, meeting people outside our home, and getting used to new sights and sounds.

Betty is a brave pup who always wants to try new things, but she’s also a wiggle monster. The following is what we found out when we attempted to put a puppy in a backpack carrier.

Reviewing the K9 Sport Sack Plus 2

There are quite a few different types of dog backpack carriers on the market. One of the main distinctions between these products is how the dog is carried.

Some backpacks are front-facing, with your dog tucked in and looking over your shoulder at where you’re going. Others position your dog so they’re looking backward, facing where you’ve been. Some can be worn on the front of the body like a baby carrier, and some are more like soft crates that let the dog travel completely enclosed—with ventilation and windows, of course.

For our purposes, we wanted a more traditional backpack style that could support the weight of a growing, medium-breed dog. We went with the K9 Sport Sack because it lets a dog face towards their person—a feature we thought Betty might find helpful as a puppy who’s still learning independence and likes to be able to see us.

Man walks on trail with puppy in backpack

Well, Betty is supposed to be looking forward here.

First, we measured Betty from collar to wiggle butt to find the right size for her, keeping in mind a margin of error for growth. Going by the size guide, we picked the Plus 2 model in medium, as it’s designed for small-to-medium dogs and has an attachable storage component for things like treats and keys, plus water bottle holders on the side—perfect for our outdoor adventure needs.

Thicker shoulder straps and adjustable chest straps that slide to different placements were also a bonus for lending our backs extra support and adjusting to our different sizes (my husband is over a foot taller than me).

Note: Before purchasing a dog backpack carrier, it’s always a good idea to consult your veterinarian and make sure your dog’s body and health are right for a dog backpack.

Testing Out the K9 Sport Sack Plus 2

For our trek, we picked our favorite park with woods, beach, and different trail terrain. It was a typical Juneuary day (a term in the Pacific Northwest for when June feels like January). We agreed my husband would carry Betty and I’d observe and take notes.

One of the first things my husband noticed was how warm her body was against his back. Luckily it was a cool morning, but it’s worth keeping in mind for treks on hot days.

Man adjusts puppy riding in backpack

Betty acts as a furry heater in the backpack.

Since we had practiced getting her in at home, it was not as big a struggle once we arrived. With our lie-down method, we were able to get her in fairly quick, wiggles and all. She was calm once on my husband’s back, and I attached the optional storage bag before we hit the trails.

The attachable storage pack has two zippered compartments. In the large one, we were able to fit Betty’s leash, treats, travel bowl, and poop-bag holder. In the smaller top compartment, there was room for phones and keys.

We also placed a water bottle in one of the side pockets. But we noticed that with her movement, our water bottle kept creeping up out of the pocket as we walked. In future, we might try a smaller bottle, though a taller pocket might also have been helpful.

Initially, Betty seemed to really enjoy the backpack. It gave her a better view than she would have had on the ground, and as a dog who can’t pass up a plant to save her life, she loved snapping away at trees and bushes (she didn’t get any in her mouth; she just liked being up a lot closer to all the greenery!).

Puppy in backpack snaps at tree branch

Betty goes for the greenery and the water bottle rises.

As for us, after weeks of walking slowed down by a constant need to sniff every single thing (teaching a puppy to walk on a leash is hard, y’all!), it was nice to enjoy a quicker, uninterrupted pace.

Everything was going smoothly, and I fed her a treat now and then to keep her happy and reassured. But all that is good cannot last. About midway through our planned excursion, we encountered an issue we hadn’t considered: other dogs.

As a puppy, Betty can’t yet resist saying hello to a fellow canine. When passing a dog, she struggled mightily to free herself from the backpack. Though she was secure with the carabiner, she did succeed in slipping her front paws out of the leg slots, and we did have to stop immediately and readjust her to avoid an escape attempt.

Another factor we didn’t see coming? She was super darn cute in the backpack. So cute, in fact, that people came up and approached her without asking us, which also caused her to get excitable and struggle in the pack. After a few of these incidents, we decided it was best to stop and let her walk on the leash for a bit.

Fluffy puppy rides in dog backpack

You see the problem?

Verdict: Should You Buy a K9 Sport Sack for Your Dog?

The K9 Sport Sack Plus 2 is a high-quality dog backpack carrier that supported our dog well and had features we appreciated, such as several adjustable straps, secure buckles and zippers, plus extra storage for our and Betty’s necessities. However, our energetic puppy still managed to find a way to partially free herself from the pack when particularly excitable events presented themselves.

Pros:

  • Good support for us with padded straps, adjustable chest strap, and good stability on our backs
  • Soft but sturdy padding in the bottom to support a dog’s back half
  • Optional storage attachment that easily fit Betty’s necessary items, plus the things we needed to carry, such as keys and phones
  • Carabiner for clipping Betty in securely—and it did prevent her from being able to fully fly the coop
  • More freedom of movement for us than walking her on a leash
  • Gave her the opportunity to see new things while protected off the ground
  • Quality material and hardware that seemed like it would last and hold up against many uses
  • Different color options

Cons:

  • Water bottle kept slipping out of the pocket
  • May need to consider whether you can carry the extra weight and heat of a dog against your body on a hot day
  • The backpack was definitely a two-person job, both with helping Betty in and making sure all the elements were secure once on; I personally don’t know how I would pull it off alone with a puppy
  • At this stage, with how much energy Betty has—even though the security measures seemed like good ones that would ultimately work had it gotten to that point—her struggles to get out still didn’t make us feel 100% secure

Puppy rides in dog backpack in woods

In short, the K9 Sport Sack Plus 2 is a promising backpack that did its job in terms of both comfort and security. But young, high-energy puppies may not be the best fit for dog backpacks generally.

Betty moves around a lot, she gets overly excited by people and dogs, and she’s still working on crate training, let alone the confinement of a pack. We thought she did pretty well, all things considered, but she just wasn’t quite ready yet.

We think the pack will be a good fit, however, once she’s more socialized and her energy levels out, and it looks like a good choice for adult dogs. We plan to try the pack with her again and get her comfortable until she’s full grown and can keep up with us on our hikes.

The K9 Sport Sack Plus 2

K9 Sport Sack Plus 2 in gray

Find on Amazon Find on Chewy Find on Petco

Bonus: How to Get a Puppy in a Backpack Carrier

If you think getting a puppy into a backpack sounds hard, then congratulations—you are correct! We’ve documented the process below for pet parents looking to accustom an inexperienced pup to a backpack.

The keys to getting a puppy into a backpack are patience and rewards.

Hand feeds dog in backpack a treat

Treat a puppy in a backpack early and often, we say!

Do trial runs at home first. Since Betty is a wiggle monster, I knew getting her into the pack would be our biggest challenge. Before heading out to the trail, we let her sniff and inspect the pack at home first, then carried her around the house to make sure she fit and was secure.

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, try again. The first few times we tried to get Betty in the pack were complete flops. Every dog is different, so don’t give up if the first few attempts are a no-go. We followed the pack’s instructions but had to modify slightly based on Betty’s constant movement.

Ultimately, we got Betty in the pack by laying it flat and unzipped, having her lie down in it, and then quickly inserting her front paws in the leg openings, zipping up, and attaching the carabiner to the front attachment of her Ruffwear Front Range harness. The instructions say to attach to the collar, but due to Betty’s wiggles and mixed feelings on confinement, we felt the harness was a better choice for her.

K9 Sport Sack on table for review

The K9 Sport Sack is ready for Betty.

Treats help. Getting Betty to lie down, get paws through, and keep her cool in the harness was all made easier with the help of high-value treats that kept her distracted and happy while we got things figured out.

Check and double check. Before heading out, double check that all components are a go. This meant making sure the zipper was all the way up, that the top buckle and carabiner were secure, that side straps were tight—but not so much so that she was uncomfortable.

Further Reading

  • The Best Dog Backpacks to Bring Your Pup Along for the Ride
  • Our Ultimate Dog Hiking Gear Guide
  • The Best Dog Hiking Backpacks for Your Pup to Wear
  • Joy Rides: These 10 Top Dog Carriers Will Make Your Bike Ride a Breeze
Share51Tweet0Pin It0
Avatar photo

Nia Martin

Nia Martin grew up with cats, dogs, horses, and a goldfish that lived for eight years. Based in Seattle, her writing and photography have appeared in Seattle magazine, The Seattle Times, The Fold, Cascadia Magazine, and Bitterroot Magazine, among others. When not working, you can find her petting dogs and visiting her family's charismatic tabby, William of Orange.

sidebar

Avatar photo
By Nia Martin

Share This Article

Share51Tweet0Pin It0

Popular Posts

  • 3 Frozen Dog Treats You Can Make in Less Than an Hour [Recipe]
  • 5 Reasons Dogs Lick and Chew Their Paws — And How to Help
  • The ‘Catluminati’ Magically Makes Friends With Every Cat He Meets
  • Ice Licks Keep Your Dog Cool and Happy All Summer Long [Recipe]
  • What to Do if Your Dog Is Stung by a Bee
  • What You Need to Know to Prevent Heatstroke in Dogs
  • Two-Ingredient Watermelon Ice Cream Is an Easy Summer Treat for Your Dog [Recipe]
  • 4 Blended Summer Slushies to Share With Your Dog [Recipe]
  • Peggy the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Molly the Magpie Make the Cutest, Unlikely BFFs
  • Esther the Wonder Pig and Her Dog Brother Phil Are Besties for Life
Advertisement
Advertisement
More from The Dog People
dog in bike carrier/trailer

Joy Rides: The 10 Best Dog Bike Trailers, Carriers, and Baskets for Riding With Your Pup

Meet the Kurgo G-Train, the Comfiest Hiking Backpack for Dogs

Person hiking at sundown with a dog in the backpack

The Best Dog Backpacks to Bring Your Pup Along for the Ride

Learn More

  • About Rover.com
  • Download the App
  • Rover Store
  • Sitter Resources
  • In The Press
  • Terms of Service
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • User Terms
  • Privacy Statement
  • Cookie Policy

Need Help?

  • Help Center
  • Join the Team
Advertisement
Your privacy choices
© 2023 Rover.com. All Rights Reserved.
"Mmmm... cookies!"

While slightly less delicious than physical cookies, digital cookies help us enhance and personalize your ads and experience, analyze website traffic, and more.