Set Your Adventure Dog Up For Success

We’re always excited to hit the trails with our pups, but now that we’ve launched our collab with Petco, we really can’t wait to get this gear dirty. We built our Backcountry x Petco gear based on our own experiences and with the dogs who do it all in mind—from hiking and swimming to chilling at camp. Read on to explore the gear that helps you have fun, safe adventures with your best friend and get our tips for enjoying every minute.

Leashes, Collars & Harnesses

Dogs evolved to move across long distances as a group, so hiking, running, or walking together enhances your relationship with your dog by building pack drive. In many cases, this means leashing up, so we built our Rope Leash with a bungee to absorb the shock of the hike or run and a padded handle to give you more comfortable control. 

At the other end of the leash, our Modular Harness is the quintessential adventure dog uniform. It adjusts in four places for a customized fit, has multiple D-rings for leash attachment, and is even compatible with our Go Bag so Fido can carry their own gear. The Go Bag can also be worn on our Running Belt for convenient access to treats. The belt features its own pocket as well for all your trail essentials and human snacks, a poop bag dispenser, and a water bottle holder. 

The treats you stowed in the Go Bag might be enough for a day hike, but for longer adventures, you’ll need to plan out some canine cuisine. Our Travel Bowl features a screw-on lid to secure up to 4 cups of kibble, collapses when empty, and uses a twist-and-stack design to connect to other bowls.

Safety Equipment

The most important safety skill your dog can have is good recall (a reliable response to a come cue). If you’re still working on this, keep your pup on a leash or a long line. You’ll also want to keep a flat collar with ID tags on them at all times, and a microchip is a good idea, too. Our leash and collar combo are built to be durable and water-resistant, so if your dog has too much fun in a mud puddle, their gear will be easy to clean even if they aren’t.

Gearhead Tip: Even when your dog is off-leash, keep one on you in case of surprises—you could run into a less social dog, a way-too-interesting animal like a moose or a porcupine, or your dog could be spooked by a storm.

Not all dogs are natural swimmers, and even if yours is, a little extra flotation never hurt anyone. Our flotation vest is built with multiple D-rings, plus a Sport Grip handle that makes it easy to boost your best friend back onto your SUP or guide them to shore.

Kennels, Beds & Cots

At camp or on the trail, there are far more stimuli than your dog is used to at home, so a safe place to decompress like a crate is helpful. In the car, crating can help keep dogs calm and prevent them from disrupting the driver. Our Foldable Cot offers airflow under your pup to help keep them cool and conforms to their body comfortably, whereas our Travel Crate features a padded floor, lots of ventilation, and two doors for your pup’s comfort. It even has human-friendly features like a flat-folding design for easy storage and multiple ways to carry.

Gearhead Tip: Soft-sided crates are not meant for training, so be sure your dog has predictable crate behavior before using. Try leaving both doors open and throwing treats through to help your dog feel comfortable in their new crate. 

A cot or bed gives your dog a comfy place to relax and can help keep them out of your way when you’re setting up camp or cooking. Our Travel Mat is padded and has a thermal reflective base that returns your pup’s heat to them. Both are water-resistant, durable, and pack up easily. 

Gearhead Tip: Use an easily identifiable boundary (like a cot) and a place cue to tell your dog to stay in one spot instead of asking them to hold a specific position to hold (like a down stay). It’s easiest to start teaching this with a raised bed so it’s more obvious where the boundary ends.

For a dog that’s more sensitive to the cold, a sleeping bag is a nice option—even if you’re not staying overnight. Our Dog Sleeping Bag features synthetic insulation on top and bottom and the same heat-reflecting tech from the travel mat to keep them cozy. For a more spacious, less toasty place to lounge, unzip it so it lays flat. 

What The Cool Dogs Wear

Your pup may do fine in the rain for a quick romp in the yard, but if you’re on a long hike, they’ll be grateful for a little more protection. Our Rain Jacket features a hood that snaps back for storage and is made with 100% recycled polyester for the eco-conscious doggos out there. 

T-shirts are also good for more than making your best friend look like a million bucks—they can protect their skin from harsh brush, keep them warm, and if you soak it before it goes on, help them stay cool. Our Sun Shirt also has UPF 25+ to protect them from the sun—yup, even with fur, dogs can get sunburned. A Goat bandana kicks your pup’s style up a notch, and in a pinch, can be used to wrap a wound or be soaked to help your pup cool off.

Toys!

Play is an essential part of the human-canine relationship—it builds value in proximity to you and provides mental and physical stimulation. Think of playing as not only an opportunity for fun, but also a chance for your dog to build confidence and learn self-control—a transferable skill that you want your dog to use on the trail when there’s other wildlife, a leashed dog, or another distraction. 

Gearhead Tip: When you throw your dog’s toy, ask them to stay until released to chase it. Teach a solid out cue and use it to ask your dog to drop their toy during fetch (or tug) to build self-control while they’re excited. 

Built for rough play, our Tug Toy features a textured design that gives your pup a good grip, while burly rope handles on both ends give you a fighting chance—it even floats in case you take your game into the water. Our Flyer also floats and is made for dogs who love to fetch (wet or dry). Last but not least, our Goat plushie makes your dog feel like part of the Herd.  

Okay! Time to stop reading on the internet and take your dog outside.

Jani Holder is pet first aid certified and has years of experience as a dog trainer and rescue worker. When she isn’t typing for Backcountry, you may find her adventuring with her dogs, Sharky and Chirrut, training for competitive dog sports, or doing behavioral work with dogs in foster care.