Gear & Trail
Trail Feeding Card: A Printable Guide for Dogs
AlphaPak · Reviewed by our veterinary and formulation team · Updated October 13, 2026
One card for the pack: how much freeze-dried food to carry per day by dog size, how much warm water to add, how long to wait, and what to do with leftovers. A 25 lb dog needs about 80 grams a day. Add up to an equal amount of warm water, wait a minute, and discard leftovers after two hours.
The trail feeding card
Print this page, fold it, and tuck it in the pack. Everything on it comes from the chart on the AlphaPak bag, with the grams worked out so you can weigh out a trip. One cup of AlphaPak weighs about 50 grams (Chicken) to 52 grams (Beef), and a 16 oz bag holds about nine cups.
Food per day, by dog size
| Dog weight | Food per day | Pack weight per day | Warm water to add (up to) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 6 lb | ¼ cup | about 13 g | ¼ cup (2 fl oz) |
| 7–12 lb | ¾ cup | about 38 g | ¾ cup (6 fl oz) |
| 13–18 lb | 1 cup | about 50 g | 1 cup (8 fl oz) |
| 19–25 lb | 1½ cups | about 80 g | 1½ cups (12 fl oz) |
| Over 25 lb | 3 cups | about 155 g | 3 cups (24 fl oz) |
For a three-day trip, multiply by three. A 25 lb dog carries about 240 grams, roughly half a bag. A dog over 25 lb goes through a full bag in three days. On big-mile days, add a little. There is no formula; watch your dog and feed the extra at camp. The full reasoning is in how to feed your dog on a hike.
The six rules
- Measure dry. Scoop from the bag's chart before you add anything.
- Add warm water. Up to an equal amount of fresh warm water, and stir. This is the step most people miss.
- Wait 30 to 60 seconds. It can be served right away, but a short wait brings the meal back.
- Two hours, then it is gone. After rehydrating, remove and discard any leftovers after 2 hours.
- Seal the bag. Roll it down and clip it. Store it with your own food, never in the tent.
- Pack it out. Leftovers, waste bags, and the empty bag all leave with you.
Water on the trail
Use the same water you would drink: filtered, treated, or carried in. Warm it on the stove or carry it in an insulated bottle. The water in the food counts toward your dog's day, but it does not replace the bowl. Offer water at every break.
Pack-out rules
Pack out your dog's waste wherever you hike unless the land manager says otherwise. Bag it, clip it to the pack, and carry it to the trailhead bin. Where burying is allowed, treat it like your own: a small hole well away from water, camp, and the trail. Leftover food never gets left behind, buried, or fed to wildlife. It draws animals to the next camper's tent.
Where it rides
A few days of food is a light load for a fit adult dog. Split it evenly between the saddlebags of a fitted pack, with each day in its own sealed bag. The Kobuk bladder that comes with our packs carries the water for the soak. Read how much weight a dog can carry before you load up, and the weight math if you want to plan a long one.
AlphaPak is a food, not a medicine, and nothing here replaces your vet's advice. Want a starting amount for your dog before the trip? Find your recipe takes about a minute.
Common questions
- How much dog food should I pack per day on the trail?
- By the bag's chart: a dog up to 6 lb needs about ¼ cup (13 grams), 7 to 12 lb about ¾ cup (38 grams), 13 to 18 lb about 1 cup (50 grams), 19 to 25 lb about 1½ cups (80 grams), and over 25 lb about 3 cups (155 grams). Add a little for big-mile days.
- How much water do I add to freeze-dried dog food?
- Up to an equal amount by volume. One cup of food takes up to one cup of fresh warm water. Stir and wait 30 to 60 seconds. Less water is fine, and the food can be served right away if your dog prefers it.
- How long can rehydrated dog food sit out?
- Two hours. After rehydrating, remove and discard any leftovers after 2 hours. On the trail that means bagging them and packing them out, never leaving them for wildlife.
- Do I have to pack out my dog's poop on a hike?
- In most places, yes. Bag it and carry it out, the same as your trash. Where the land manager allows burying, treat it like your own: a small hole well away from water and the trail. Check the rules for the trail you are on.
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AlphaPak is a food, not a medicine. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Statements about nutrition describe the role of whole-food ingredients in supporting normal health and are not a substitute for veterinary care. Individual results vary.