A doberman is a great hiking companion. Just like humans, dogs need conditioning to get them ready for hiking. Your dog can be expected to carry about 25% of his body weight. You might want to get him used to carry a pack as it will take him a little while to get used to the extra width of the pack on his back. If he is used to being in a grass yard, the pads on his paws will need some conditioning to get used to the rough terrain of your hike. You will also want to remember to carry some extra first aid specifically for your pet. Remember, if your dog is injured or cannot continue on the trail, you are left with only two options: Carry him AND your gear out on your back or leave him while you go for help. Advance planning will make it more likely that he will make the entire hike in good health. Having your pet on your hike is a wonderful way to enjoy the outdoors. For more information, see the link below. It will help you plan for your hiking trip with your Dobie.

a doberman is a strong dog, you shouldn’t need to “build” him up at all, but you can try buying him a dog pack and putting lead shot in it and going for short hikes, maybe an hour a day, every week put some lead evenly spread in the pack, he’ll eventually be able to carry all his own food for a trip instead of you carrying it.
this will also wear him out, making him a happy, worked out dog that just wants to stay with you and be quiet, you need to work a dog to calm them down, especially these energetic breeds. dobermans love burning all their energy out and just being lazy afterwards.

He is probably more ready for the trip than you. Just start walking with him daily get him used to being on a lead again, also make sure he walks “WITH” you and doesn’t pull you around everywhere, this is key before you make this trip.
For more accurate information I suggest watching “the Dog Whisperer” on the National geographic channel if you have it available. It is on most all the time days and evenings everyday, and let me tell you this guy gives you all kinds of amazing technical training procedures on correct ways to walk your dog on a leash, among other things. He has a web site also i will give you that has a lot of useful tools at your disposal.
As for his diet just keep him on a good brand that has a balance of vitamins and protein, do not introduce something new to him for digestive reasons but keep in mind you will have to pack all his food with you on this trip.
For now the best thing you can do for you and your dog is to get training/walking….hiking especially get him in the outdoors some in the woods with you and form habits that you expect of him and get him used to it, or that trip may not go as planned.

nope, i just think about all that they have lost by not taking the time to read, and thank God that my mom introduced me to that particular joy.

Personally, i find the books are sooo much better than the movies.

My two Golden’s also seem to have more energy than I can perceive.
Feed them a high protein food during trips which they carry on their own backpacks. along with water. I keep the trips with them under two days as that’s about as much food they can carry and besides they wear me out.

don’t know anything about your other question

you don’t say what kind of a dog it is. regardless, assuming your dog is not one of the smaller breeds, he/she will probably do just fine without “building him up”

i have taken my dog, an english springer spaniel, backpacking with me in the sierra nevadas. he had a backpack where he carried his own food and a chain i could put him on at night. never did anything special to get him ready. he always seemed to have more energy than needed even at over 10,000 feet

I dont get mad, rather it makes me think they’re lazy or narrow-minded.
I prefer reading the book first before checking the film coz the book is where the excitement is, i mean the details that answers to a movie’s why, what and how, the sequences and characters are garbled and they cut some important parts which the book can only supply.
well, reading is addicting especially when the book is pretty interesting…

One time, someone broke into my house,
and got into everything, except my bookshelf,
and that was the only thing that I couldn’t
bear to lose!! I love books also!! I love to read
about true, and real things that I have no
knowledge of!! Also true stories!! I am not into
fiction, for some reason..

No need to drive in the UK ..I have never owned transport I get around Ok bus coach and train I dont know only what we hear we have better /far more bigger rail network than across the pond also very cheap fares if purchased on line..

I don’t get mad. I get sad.

…and the movie is NEVER as good as the book.