Micah's Equipment Checklist

                          MICAH'S GEAR LIST

        WT   ITEM                          DESCRIPTION OF ITEMS
      22.0   Dogpack                       Wenaha brand, size large
       6.0   Sleeping pad                  foam closed cell pad (2'X3') - 1/2 of 11
       6.0   Leash                         16' Flexileash
      10.0   Stake out chain               12' length
             Camp towel                    (For drying him off after a rain storm)
       1.5   Dog brush
      80.0   Dog food                      4-5 day supply (1lb per day of Puppy Chow)
       2.5   Bowl                          Foldable cloth 1qt bowl (Ruffwear)
    
     128.0   ounces

       8.0   lbs

Note, during really cold weather, I carried an expedition weight crewneck top that
I would put on Micah at night to help keep him warm.  Blankets just didn't stay on him
and he actually came to look forward to having the shirt put on him when it was
really cold.

FOOD:  I fed Micah Purina Puppy Chow for most of the trip.  At the beginning
he started out consuming approximately 4 cups per day.  As time went on, his appetite
increased to up to 6 cups per day.  He was offered a very small meal in the mornings and
again at lunch time.  The bulk of his food was consumed at night.

During warm weather, Micah's appetite decreased drastically and I made special efforts
to entice him to eat.  First day out of town, he'd carry a can or two to be mixed with
his dry food.  I'd often try to mix any camp food leftovers with his dry so that he'd 
eat more.  I also tried to offer him food in small quantities throughout the day.  Once 
we were in town, I would try to get him to eat more than usual by offering him canned
food treats.

Micah's weight never fluctuated more than 4 lbs from his starting weight.  By the end
of the trail, he had actually gained 2 lbs from his starting weight of 64 lbs.  
He maintained excellent health throughout the trail.  I structured my hike around him.
If it was too hot or he seemed tired, we hiked smaller miles or took a day off.  His health
was more important than my own and I monitored his well-being constantly.

WATER:  Micah was allowed to drink unfiltered water.  I let him decide for himself
if the water was good or not and often times he would turn up his nose at a water
source and then I would offer him some of my filtered water.  During the summer months
when water was scarce, I would carry an extra quart or two for him and offer it to him
every hour or so.

HEAT:  The summer months were tough on Micah.  During the heat waves that struck us in
Pennsylvania, I would try to hike during early morning hours and late afternoon to
miss the heat of the day.  I would stop every hour or less to allow Micah to rest.  We
would sit and relax until I felt that all signs of panting and/or overheating had
disippated.  During our rest stops, Micah was offered unlimited amounts of water and
I would also try to wet his ears and his belly to help him cool off.  There were some days
that I just decided were too hot to hike, not many, but some.  Dogs can overheat so 
easily and so quickly that it is extremely important that they be watched constantly.

TICKS & FLEAS:  I applied Frontline to Micah once every month and we never had any
problems with ticks or fleas.  I would occasionally find ticks on him, but they would
fall off within 12 hours and I never encountered any in an engorged state.

PADS:  Micah's feet stayed in good condition throughout the hike.  Prior to my hike, we
would go on 6-10 mile hikes on pavement with our packs on.  I think this helped to
condition him.  Over particularly rocky sections of trail (Pennsylvania), I adjusted
my daily mileage down.  At one point in the Whites, Micah seemed to be in a little
bit of discomfort from the rocks, so I took two whole days off to rest him and we
continued on without any problems.