I had some friends over for dinner the other night and the topic of paddling with a dog in your boat came up.

I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with this.

While I am an animal lover, this just gets me going.

Personally, I think it puts not only the paddler at risk, but also the animal as well as any other paddles who happen to be with that group.

I am interested to her the feedback from others on this topic.

Paul, I am no expert but, I think it would depend on several factors.

The size, temperment and personality of the dog. Type of kayak. The ability of the paddler. The area. The conditions, etc....

I can see times where I think it would be ok. The same as taking a small child in a double. My kayak buddy does this sometimes. Where close to shore, calm conditions, I,m close by to help if needed, and of course, a PFD and other safety gear. Not to mention his daughter loves it.

There are other times I can see where taking a dog would be not in the best interest of the the paddler, the group, or the dog.

My .02 worth.

Tim

NWFatboy...

Maybe I should have been clearer in my description.

While I understand where this would be applicable in a controlled environment, close to shore, etc... The location we were discussing was out in Puget Sound, on a multi-day paddle.

Paul,

Puget Sound on a multi day paddle! I would tend to agree with you on all points.

And to add, I think it would, at best, be a pain in the butt.

I wouldn't take a dog, child or any dependant creature on a trip like that. And, I would object to anyone in the group doing so. But that's just me.

Tim

I've been paddling for three years with a Black Lab in the front cockpit of a double kayak. We just finished a week long trip in the Broughton Archipelago. He's trained to hop in and out of the front cockpit on command and, being a Black Lab, he's well suited for withstanding the cold wet environment.

Don,

How long had you been training the dog? You have any pictures you can share? I'm not sure if SK is able to post personal pictures on it's forum yet, but am certain that it eventually will. This might be a great place to start.

You bring up an excellent point and there are definitely exceptions to every rule.

As for our situation, the dog is no longer coming along, for other reasons beyond my discussion/points but that's a whole different topic.

Ultimately, I thought this was a great academic discussion to have on the forum. It seems to me there are going to be two very distinct opinions on this matter.

In your case, your dog probably has more time in a boat than the majority of the paddlers in our group. Is she/he a BCU certified instructor as well? maybe we could hire your dog?

Hi All,

I own a Rottie too big to paddle with, but a couple of friends have Miniature Schnauzers that will joint the group for most of the outings. They ( the dogs ) are used to stay inside the cockpit with the sprayskirts put on.

They con also eskimo roll or perform a wet exit. The dog mostly stay inside the cockpit with the air trapped inside and the kayak upside down. Dogs are fitted with PFD in case they have to swim to shore.

Probably in border conditions that will challenge the paddler abilities it is better no to have the dog with you ( surf, Class II+/III rivers, or heavy wind ) but mostly they do fine.

Regards

Martin from Chile

Sounds like fun to have a four legged companion, as long as they are pfd'd, safe, and warm too.

It's been interesting to see adaptations paddlers make to allow them to bring their canine friends along. The flat platform on deck seems to work for many dogs but one of the most creative i saw while on the water was a spray deck with 2 openings. The paddler had a second tube put in his neoprene deck to accomodate his Chiwawa. The dog hung out below deck most of the time but from time to time his head would pop out to check what was going on.

I am probably going to get in trouble for this but:
I am curious to know if anyone has practiced a self-rescue with their dog. I have seen people paddling with dogs but have never met anyone who told me that they had perfected a method for getting a frightened dog back in the kayak under the conditions that caused you to capsize in the first place. Most of us can probably get back in our boat if we dump, but can you get a frightened animal, who dosen't know the drill, back in the kayak ? If anyone knows a good way to do this then please spread the word. If you can't do this, then how do you feel about abandoning your best friend to save yourself?
I would ask the similar questions of people who put pre school aged children in their kayaks.

Once again, common sense rules. I've paddled with my Sheltie/Dachshund mix in my cockpit and it has worked out well. However, I take him with me ONLY in protected coves; in calm weather; and usually within swimming distance of shore. The only slightly harrowing incident occurred when we were camping and paddling in the San Juan Islands of Washington in June, when the resident pods of Orcas were feeding nearby. Some of them swam close to us, and started blowing, which prompted my pup to start frantically barking! I was concerned that out of curiosity an orca would get too close for comfort, perhaps looking for an unusual snack, but they ignored us.
A good, safe time was had by all.