My first spontaneous bikepacking adeventure and setup

My trip started off as a very low budget hitchhiking trip from Germany to Spain (without the bicycle).
After a few big cities in Spain, i wanted to find a bicycle for free or very cheap, but didn't know how.
Two days after this idea came to mind, i met a guy who was preparing for his bicycle trip from Spain to the Czech Republic.
He built me bicycle from his old parts as a gift.
I already had too much stuff with me and without any idea how to put my stuff onto the bicycle, it all ended up on the rear rack.
Somehow it worked out, but i mostly hiked the bike uphill, as it was way too heavy, unbalanced and i've never done a bike tour before.
Then the trip took another surprising turn when i adopted a small dog from a vet, who was saved from the street.
I really thought a lot about this decision and now after half a year, i'm still very happy about it. With every day, i could see how he enjoyed life more and more, with someone who took care of him, being out in nature and exploring the world.
I immediately bought a basket, ziptied it to the front and put my fleece jacket inside to make it comfortable for him.
Later, i added a plastic basket to the rear rack and someone gifted me their old, cheap amazon panniers. They were a huge upgrade.
I had so much more balance and easy access with the zippers.

In conclusion, this was an amazing, unexpected adventure and i'm already planning my first real bikepacking trip after this challenging but wonderful experience.
I found that most of the time when someone finds a new interest, people of those communities are so kind and willing to help you to get started and maybe even spark a life-long passion.
Right now, i'm thinking about how to setup my new bike (it can only get better haha) and maybe soon make a post for my first real bikepacking adventure.
(If anyone has ideas or experiences with carrying a middle sized ~12kg dog, i'm happy about any advice)

So, anyone can start with any bike and any setup that you can come up with, EVEN with a dog.
And if you learn just a little bit about the setup, it will be much better than mine hahaha

I'll be happy about any advice and if you're searching for a new friend to join you on an adventure, i'm almost ready! haha