Who says a dog can’t carry his own weight? Meet Logan, who stands outside of a local Ballard grocery store, waiting to walk home with his pack full of groceries. A friendly dog with unique brindle markings, this 3-and-a-half year old is often seen around Ballard’s dog parks with his human, Jim Doulong.

But what’s so great about Logan is that he is contributing to the reduction of his own carbon "pawprint" by helping in one of the many ways that animals have helped humans for eons, as a pack animal. After all, there aren’t so many jobs for city dogs outside of protection of home and family (if you don’t count the unconditional love thing).

I began to think about the many ways that a simple dog job of carrying home some groceries benefits everyone involved as well as the environment. This is the list I came up with:

Less car exhaust from walking instead of driving.

Dog gets exercise and feels useful (big woof here).

Aha, owner gets exercise and is healthier.

Grocery bags not used because they are not necessary.

Jim says that Logan actually likes to put the pack on and liked it from the first day on. While the intention of getting a dog pack was to keep the young dog a bit more focused on walks, soon, says Jim. “things started to go into the pack”. Like cleanup bags, water for long walks, an extra sweater.

Jim says that Logan actually seems to walk a little prouder with the pack on. I’d say he’s got plenty to be proud of.

Rhonda lives in Ballard and is the Urban Crop Circle Project Leader for Sustainable Ballard.