Review on Outward Hound Kyjen Excursion Dog Backpack: Superior Quality for Canine Adventures by Vania Puckett

We bought this for our Australian Shepherd. She is definitely a "worker" and loves to feel needed. Although the backpack scared her at first, she now tolerates it well. Be sure to use the size chart provided. Our Aussie lost weight steadily after a sudden dramatic weight gain (hypothyroidism - now under control) so I was concerned about which size to order. I ripped the tape measure apart to measure its circumference and it measures 30 inches. While we could probably order a large and it would be good since she still needs to shed a few more pounds (and then slowly shrink all that skin), we went with a medium size. The only questionable part about the fit is the length - the chest strap is almost too short to accommodate our Aussie's collar, leaving her back very high on her withers. However, I can still get my hand under the hem and there hasn't been any chafing or shedding and if that changes we can still get a safety buckle strap to act as an extension. how is construction progressing, the price is right. We've had the same backpack for our bull terrier for quite some time, and even after swimming in the river and hiking in the mountains, it's still in very good condition (albeit a bit dirty). The ends of the nylon straps are a bit frayed, but that's to be expected and we can easily melt them down to prevent further wear. Sometimes the zippers on the pockets come undone, but if you just zip and unzip them, they usually merge properly. We put soft and light snorkel weights in our bags for short walks and they hold that extra weight well. I really like the dog bag dispenser - it makes it very easy to pick up poo without having a leash dispenser or carrying it around in bags until you need it. And if you're too lazy, you can even tie the ends of the filled bags to the zipper and let your pup carry their waste until you reach the bin.