Carrying On: How Tess & Pete Keep the Adventure Going with the Hitch Hiker™ Dog Backpack Carrier
For Pete, life has always been about adventure. And for more than a decade, his constant companion has been Tess, a spirited dog who’s traveled with him across eight countries, from camping in Belgium to climbing crags in Sweden.
Tess is now 14 years old, but age hasn’t dimmed her zest for life. Pete often calls her “the oldest puppy in the world” because she still wants to run alongside the family on bike rides. But even the most enthusiastic explorer needs a rest every now and then, and that’s where the Hitch Hiker™ Dog Backpack Carrier comes in.
To really get why this carrier matters, you’ve got to hear about Pete and Tess’s one-of-a-kind bond and all the miles they’ve already shared together.
A Bond Built on the Trail
Pete doesn’t call Tess his dog.
“She’s her own dog, has her own personality, she just happens to hang around with me more than anyone else. We’re a pair, a team, with people having commented that it is strange to see me without her.”
That partnership has shaped his life, from quiet winters in a climber’s village in North Wales to long overland trips across Europe.
“There was no way I was leaving her behind,” he says of their early travels. “Having Tess with me allowed me to go and explore on my own terms, without needing to sell the idea to any of my friends, knowing I wasn’t alone.”
And when life threw curveballs, Tess was always there. Pete recalls a low point in Bavaria in 2013: “I was alone, stranded, frightened, and I didn’t know what was going to happen. But if I looked down to my side, there was Tess…I wasn’t alone, I had her. And it made me feel infinitely better.”
Adapting Dreams, Not Abandoning Them
As Tess grows older, Pete has learned to adapt their setup so she can stay part of every moment. On family bike rides, she still loves to run alongside, but eventually begins to fade to the back and struggles to keep pace. The Hitch Hiker™ Dog Backpack Carrier allows Pete and his family to keep moving forward together.
“That’s where the Hitch Hiker™ has become so fantastically useful,” Pete explains. “We could easily go biking as planned and simply leave Tess with someone else back home. Or we could change our activity, go for a walk instead, and leave the bikes at home. But both of those are us compromising more than we need to. So we adapt the plan, look into the options, and find a way to make it work.”
His advice for others with senior dogs sums it up perfectly: “Don’t abandon your dreams, adapt them.”
A Backpack That Extends Adventures
The Hitch Hiker™ Dog Backpack Carrier is a lightweight, technical dog carrier designed to give dogs a ride when needed. A wide-opening design with dual locking zippers makes loading and unloading easy, while the integrated harness and cinch straps keep dogs secure and close. With breathable mesh panels for airflow and a lightweight, comfortable fit, it’s designed so dogs can rest while still taking in the view.
It allows dogs like Tess to keep doing what she loves without overexerting herself.
“It’s not so much to take away all of the exercise,” Pete says. “The ease of the backpack option allows her to come and live the life she always has, for as long as she can, without overdoing it. And of course, once she’s had a rest, we’ll let her out and she can run along again!”
Pete says the carrier’s biggest strength lies in its simplicity and versatility.
“Oddly, the fact is that it is so good when empty! Tess can jump in, get that respite or be taken through an urban area, then quickly be let out again. The bag then quickly gets chucked on my back. It’s like having any simple, lightweight rucksack that I barely notice.”
Having worked in outdoor retail for more than a decade, Pete knows quality when he sees it.
“The Hitch Hiker™ is incredibly well made, simple, straightforward, and very effective,” he says.
Lessons From a Life Together
Looking back, Pete credits Tess with teaching him empathy and reshaping how he approaches the outdoors.
“Having Tess with me on all those adventures was the first time in my life where I was forced to consider another’s needs on a par with my own,” he reflects. “Thinking about it now, it’s probably made me a better parent. Given how wonderful my girls have turned out, I guess I owe Tess (and again, Ruffwear for making a lot of this possible!) a debt of gratitude.”
Pete and Tess’s story is one of loyalty, curiosity, and deep connection, made all the more special by gear that allows them to keep exploring side by side.
