He will have to grow and by next summer will have filled out enough to be able to wear the safety coat, life jacket, dog pack, and other devices that would be necessary.
I see that you also love dogs as well as I do. I think that they are indeed good companions during outdoor activities like hiking and camping. They not only provide companionship but they can also help when it comes to searching for food, sensing danger, rescuing, and protecting you from danger.
I also have this dog named Benjie whom I consider to be my constant companion nowadays because its mostly just the two of us left in the house. Sometimes I just sit beside him and talk to him as though he was a real human being. Of course he just sits there and stares at me but somehow I feel that he understands everything I say. We've also taken him along with us to our nature trips especially when we just go and hike along the mountain near our place. Dogs are wonderful companions indeed!