Help! Confused by Tow Numbers

You will probably run out of payload before tow capacity.

Realistically your tongue weight will come in around 13% of loaded trailer weight to tow properly.
Once you have battery. water, dishes and all the other junk we all carry 500-1000 is quite normal. Let's say in the middle for you that is around 7000lbs x13%=910lbs. Now add 100 for your WD hitch, 300 for you, the 60 for the dog and you are at 1360 lbs. This leaves you about 160 lbs left for anything else to carry in the back of the truck or things not covered.

Close yes but you will probably be close to the max. Common issue is that most just read the towing capacity and not the payload in a half ton. That is where the challenge comes in. I have been there and switched to 3/4 ton and that takes care of the payload issues in that weight category as I am similar to you.

You should be fine with such a light trailer, and perhaps even with something heavier.

The GVWR is just under 7,000 pounds, and your max GCVWR is almost 16,000 pounds, leaving well over 8,000 pounds of the trailer, even if the truck is loaded to the max.

You will only have about 300 pounds of passengers, 300 - 400 pounds hitch weight, a WD hitch system is around 60 - 90 pounds, and the dog perhaps another 50? That would still be under the 5,900 max GVWR on the truck.

You will be fine.

Fred.

Looks ok to me. Loaded for travel you will be approaching the payload capacity, but doable.

Dry weights are useless. First, load the truck like your going camping and hit the scales. Add 100 pounds for hitch stuff and subtract that total from the GVWR as found on the drivers door post. That is your net cargo carrying capacity. In other words hitch weight before you exceed the MFG specs. Take 12% of the trailers GVWR. Does that number fit under or over your actual cargo capacity? That is your answer. Bring in PA you will not be a happy camper if your close to your limits. So keep on the light side.

Here are the numbers on the truck:
10,200 max rating
15,950 GCWR
1530 payload
6900 GVWR

I have more if needed. Thanks again.