You’re the Fanny Pack of Life. You’re Cool but in your Own Way.

Finding the right bag or pack for walking your dog can be overwhelming. With all the running, hiking, fanny packs and cross body bags out there it’s hard to know what to spend your money on. The good news? I have spent excessive amounts of money to find the right pack, you’re welcome. Full disclosure, I have not found the perfect pack yet but I have found a couple that do the job and I am happy with. My ideal pack may not be your ideal pack but I am sure some of the key features are similar;

(I did not mention a water bottle holder because I personally did not want/need one)



** For more information on protector sprays check out ‘”Staying Protected Against Dog Attacks”

1. Sling Should/Cross Body Bags

Maleden Sling Bag



I chose the Maleden cross body bag as my first pick because I use it the most and during all types of weather (fits nicely over a coat). Through my venture of finding the right pack I always tend to go back to this one because it’s extremely versatile. Full transparency, I am not the biggest fanny pack fan BUT I do use them because they are more accessible in my opinion.

*They have an even smaller pack too, I personally have not used it but click here to check it out

Why I love this:

-Water resistant

-Holds everything & lots of pockets (my phone fits, woo!)

-It is small and sits comfortably

-Lightweight

-Has a d-ring

-Affordable

-I like the colors

-Water will fit

-You can wear it across the chest (I do not wear it this way it felt funny)

-Mostly Durable (been using it on and off for about 1.5 years & it has a small tear from me shutting it in my car door and pulling..fail)

-When you bend over (if you have it tight enough) it doesn’t move all around or fall forward

Why it could be better:

-Not fully waterproof

-Phone is not as accessible as I would like

-No designated pocket for treats

What I did to make it better:

-I added a quick release key chain to the pocket that sits on your hip and attached my saber spray for easy access

-I added a grommet to the bottom right side of the pack to make a poo bag dispenser. If you do not know how to install a grommet?– click here it is very easy! ( I add these babies to everything; I literally have a poo bag dispenser in most of my coat pockets…)

-I added the Alcott Waste Bag Carrier to the strap near the bottom

-I put treats in a small baggie in the hip pocket for easier access

-I put my business cards and rack cards in a ziplock just in case it rained hard

2. Fanny Pack/Waist Pack

Furry Buddy

The Furry Buddy is my second go to, especially in the summer/warmer months. Once we start removing layers we consequently lose pockets, sad face. This is probably the closest thing to an actual pack made for dog walking but it has some flaws. It is aimed for hands free walking– I rarely walk hands free but it could be an added bonus if you do. All in all its a solid pack and I still use it pretty frequently.

Why I love it:

-Has 2 heavy duty d-rings

-Has reflective material- good for walking at night

-Most of the bag is waterproof

-I like the designated treat pouch

-Durable material

-Easy access to everything

Why it could be better:

-My phone barely fits in the designated spot

-Little pricey

-It is a bit bulky & makes it hard to bend over

-Once you load it with everything it tends to sag

-Not a fan of keys dangling- kind of drives me crazy

What I did to make it better:

-I used the headphone hole for dispensing poo bags (you will have to cut the opening bigger)

-I added the Alcott Waste Bag Carrier to one of the d-rings

-I use the water bottle holder for easy access to my phone

-I tend to wear it backwards so it does not get in the way when walking or bending over

Honorable Mention: Outward Hound

I bought the Outward Hound out of pure curiosity. Again, this is advertised for walking dogs hands free and comes with a leash (I could not tell you where the leash is at my house, hmm). Full transparency, I very rarely use this because I favor the Furry Buddy but I figured I would mention it because someone else may prefer the look of this one.

Why I love it:

-2 Heavy duty d-rings

-3 decent sized pockets

-My phone fits!

-Affordable

-It is made of a comfortable durable material

-Pocket for keys

-Water bottle pocket can fold and be zipped up

Why it could be better:

-I have no idea if it is waterproof/water resistant?

-Not a fan of the water bottle pocket location (awkward)

-A bit bulky & makes it hard to bend over

-I personally do not like either colors ( I wear a lot of black, don’t judge me…)

What I did to make it better:

-Added a grommet to one of the pockets for poo bags

-I tried to wear it backwards but this thing is big, it helped a little

-I used the water bottle spot for my phone

3. Small Backpack

Chieflines Small Backpack



If a backpack is your preferred choice of bags then I recommend the Cheiflines small backpack. I actually bought this for riding my bike around town but it eventually turned into a dog walking pack when I left my Maleden at a clients house (oops). This is a great smaller pack but I like the look of the sling bag better, personally.

Why I love it:

-Extremely light weight

-Love the back pocket for my phone

-Affordable

-Hidden d-ring in zipper pocket

-Water resistant

-Machine washable

-Plenty of space for carrying pens, business cards, and rack cards

Why it could be better:

-The pack is a bit flat/saggy if you do not have a lot of things in it

-Zippers could be made of stronger material

-Only has one main pocket

What I did to make it better: (I did not do anything to this pack but if I used it more frequently for dog walking specifically I would have done;)

-Add a grommet for dispensing poo bags

-Add the Alcott Waste Bag Carrier to the strap near the bottom

4. Shoulder Strap/ Cross Body Bag

DOOG Walkie Bag



I will start off by saying I do not own one of these but one of my walkers does so my review is based on my first impression and her reviews. The concept of the DOOG bag was good but I am not a fan of shoulder strap bags because of the mobility of our job; bending over to pick up poo, greet pups, belly rubs, cleaning liter boxes, etc. (I never remove my pack because I will leave it somewhere) Shoulder strap bags tend to fall forward or slide around and nothing is worse than going to greet a dog and have your bag fall forward and smacking the pup in the face. Safe to say I have a bias against this type of bag but for the people who prefer these I have reviewed the bag itself!

Why I love it:

-It’s cute & has fun colors

-Poo Bag Dispenser

-Phone fits

-Partially Waterproof

-Water bottle spot

-Space for carrying branded materials

Why it could be better:

-Poo Bag Dispenser is designed for DOOG brand bags they come in like a tissue pack? ( you can squeeze other brands but it is tight)

-Pricey

-Flap closure makes it less accessible

What I did to make it better: (what my walker did)

-Used carabiners and hooked it to a belt for a waist pack (genius!)

-Could wear it across your body for more stability

Honorable Mention: Fuzzy Jay Agility Bag



As stated above, not a fan of shoulder strap bags but another walker of mine uses this and loves the Fuzzy Jay Agility Bag. Again, this review is based on first impression and my walkers opinion.

Why I love it:

-Large phone fits!

-Can be worn as a waist or cross body bag

-Poo bag dispenser

-Water resistent

-It’s cute

-Designated treat pocket

Why it could be better:

-Its pretty large

-Pricey

-If used as a waist bag it is pretty heavy

-Large pocket does not close

-Pockets could be deeper

What I did to make it better:

-My walker did not modify it and uses it as is

5. Treat Pouches

Paw Lifestyles Training Pouch

This is probably the most used and advertised type of bag for dog walking. When I first started walking dogs the Paw Lisfestyles Pouch was my go to bag but down the road it became more of training only bag. I like to use this when I am in the backyard with my pup or a clients dog when working on commands. Now that I tend to carry more stuff with me this little pack is lacking the key features I needed.

Why I love it:

-Easy access to treats

-Has a poo bag dispenser

-Not terribly big

-Easy to clean

-2 d-rings

-Affordable

-Phone slips into the front mesh part

-3 different ways to wear it

Why it could be better:

-Limited storage

-Do not like the placement of the poo bag dispenser

-Becomes heavy once you hook keys, protector spray, load with treats and phone

-Material could be more durable

What I did to make it better:

–Added the Alcott Waste Bag Carrier to the waistband

Looking for a small treat only pouch? Check out the Pet Safe Treat Pouch



If you are looking specifically for a treat pouch then I really like the Pet Safe Pouch. It is very lightweight, smaller, has a key ring and is great for positive reinforcement training.

*Bonus: Travel Bag

Overland Dog Travel Bag

Although this is not a pack for walking your pup it is a must have for traveling! When I visit my parents over the holidays the Overland Dog Travel bag makes packing everything so convenient; it holds a lot of food, dishwasher safe bowls, and fits on a suitcase nicely.

Happy Walking!