Canoeing with your dog
Is it the holidays or the weekend and it's hot? Too hot ? Looking for how to cool yourself and your dog? Canoeing is the ideal activity to have a good time together and take a dip!
Before spotting a canoe base in our list of sports activities Wow Good to throw you into the water, I have listed some precautions to take and some wise advice to spend a Too W'ouf time with your dog. I'll tell you how to know if your dog is comfortable in the water, how to introduce him to canoeing, which places to choose, and where to go on an adventure... These tips come from my own experience with Musher and some discussions with some of you who have told me about your own experiences.
Is my dog as comfortable as a fish in water?
Before embarking on a water activity with your dog, it is essential to make sure that he knows how to swim and that he is comfortable in the water. Some of us are very comfortable in the water and others panic or are petrified with fear. It's the same with dogs.
Your dog is not used to going in the water? You don't know if he can swim? Take the test. Go for a walk along an easily accessible water point. See if he naturally goes into the water to soak his paws. Try tossing him a stick or his favorite toy to see if he picks it up easily. Be careful, be ready to help him if necessary (and/or go and retrieve the toy, stay in the middle of the water!). DO NOT force your dog into the water under any circumstances. If he doesn't want to go, he has a reason. Fatigue, fear, stress, trauma, pain, laziness, cold…. whatever the reason, it must be respected.
If the test reveals that your dog is not comfortable in the water, skip the canoe option. If it falls in the water during your session, it can be dramatic...
The equipment to provide for canoeing with your dog
For security reasons, I advise you to invest in a life jacket for your dog. Wearing a life jacket is mandatory for humans, I also recommend it for dogs. Musher is wearing a life jacket. She is super comfortable in the water, but I don't know how she would react if she fell into the water by surprise. Often, she falls asleep in the canoe, lulled by the clatter of the water on the hull. If you flip right at that moment because of a rock or a rapid, she may panic in the water. With her black coat, she quickly gets hot, if she falls into cold water, she also risks hydrocution…. In short, I prefer to put a vest on him.
In the eddies of the river, the current, the waves of the sea, the vest helps him to float better. When we go canoeing, my husband grumbles a bit…because eventually Musher and I swim behind the boat and row him alone for a lot of the time. Hehe… With vest, she tires much less quickly so she enjoys it longer! And I love swimming with my dog by my side! It's a nice moment just for us. I feel like I'm swimming with a little otter.
Life jacket also allows me to retrieve it easily to hoist it onto the boat. The back handle of the vest is very practical. I don't see how to bring up his 30 kilos without risking falling overboard without that. Are you sure you can hoist your wet dog aboard the canoe if he jumps or falls? Will you be able to rescue him quickly? Two essential questions to ask yourself before leaving. It's common sense, but I prefer to specify it...
To help you choose the right life jacket for your dog, I invite you to read our comparison of life jackets for dogs.
On the canoe side, you can of course rent it from a dog-friendly canoe rental company or buy your own canoe. Me, I made the choice of an inflatable canoe. This is ideal! I can take it anywhere and it fits in a big backpack. I plug my electric pump into my car's cigarette lighter and off to the adventure. For my part, after various readings and questions asked on forums, I opted for the Solar inflatable canoe from Gumotex. I've had it for two years now, quiet river or more sporty river, sea, lake… I go everywhere with it and I enjoy it. Musher loves it. No problem with its claws, the gear is solid! I don't even protect it under its paws… I'm super happy with it!
Ready to go?
Have you found a canoe rental company that accepts your dog? Before putting the canoe in the water and hoisting your dog in, a little discovery phase is necessary; especially if it is the first time that he has boarded this machine.
I advise you to bring your dog in the canoe ashore. Let him climb in and out of the boat freely. With your dog in the canoe, simulate the movements of the boat on the water with your foot. It is very likely that this instability will cause him to jump out of the boat. With patience, repeat the exercise several times until he understands that he is safe even if the boat is rocking. Reassure him, encourage him, reward him!
Once this first step is successful, do the same from the edge so that he understands that now if he jumps he finds himself in the water. Do it from the edge so that the surprise is not too big. As he will have his feet, he will be more comfortable. Do not hesitate to repeat the operation several times especially if you feel that your dog is stressed. Congratulate him very warmly to make him feel confident.
You will have understood this if your dog does not know canoeing well: take the time to introduce him to it before you start so that everything goes well.
Small tip: Often the canoes are made of hard plastic, your dog may slip quite a bit and may not feel very comfortable on board. I advise you to take a towel with you to put under his paws; it will have more grip and feel more secure. In addition, this towel will delimit his space on board: a bit like his carpet does at home. Remember to take a second to dry it before getting back in the car after the session… it can be useful. Personally, Musher travels in the trunk in which I installed a ultra-absorbent mat. It dries itself! (I talk about it in this article: keep your dog dry)
Let's go for the adventure!
To share a beautiful moment of complicity with your dog, the latter must be well educated and master a few basic rules: sitting, lying down, recalling... Your dog must know how to stay calm in the boat to avoid having you capsize, especially if it is is a big jig. It is also essential when you pass rapids for his safety. It is therefore necessary that your dog has a great confidence in him and in you. It's a fine test of your complicity. The boat rocks a little, it's up to you to reassure your dog to show him that everything is fine and that he can be trusted.
He must be able to return to the boat when you call him back. A good reminder is essential. You may come across a lot of people in some places, your dog will not be safe swimming in boat traffic… He must know how to come back when you ask him to. Be careful, if your dog has a good recall on land, in water, if you have never worked that with him, it will surely be different. He may not listen to you at all, preferring to go to the shore to get to safety. It's a natural reflex! No need to yell at your dog. As with sitting, lying, not moving, teach him to come back to the boat by congratulating him very very loudly when he comes back to the boat. After a few times, he will understand what you expect of him!
If he keeps jumping out of the boat to get to shore because he is not comfortable in the boat; the fun part will turn into a nightmare for him as well as for you. I insist: if your dog is not comfortable in the water, choose another activity with him. Don't put him through that ordeal...
If your dog runs around the canoe because he wants to get back on it, get it back up. There is no point in forcing him to stay in the water. This canoeing session should be fun for everyone. Pay attention to his behavior to respect his needs and limits.
Above all, never tie your dog to the boat to compensate for his bad recall. If there is a problem (a rapid, a rock, etc.), this is the best way to drown it. You can provide a rope to throw him from the boat. Musher loves it; I throw it to him. She picks it up and tows the boat.
Be careful, sitting in full sun in the middle of the water, it quickly gets very hot. Remember to hydrate yourself and your dog too. Take water with you for everyone, including the dog. Avoid letting him drink water from the sea (prohibited!), lakes or rivers: the quality of the water is not the same in each place.
With the summer heat, heatstroke can happen quickly, if your dog does not get in the water, remember to wet it very very regularly. And then if it's 40°C in full sun, plan this activity for another day because neither your dog nor you will be comfortable in the middle of a dodge all day sitting on your canoe...
I draw your attention to an important point. If your boat capsizes, remember to quickly rescue your dog. If you were able to realize that the boat was going to capsize and mentally prepare yourself for the fall in the water, your dog will probably be taken by surprise... an unpleasant surprise...
Replays of EmmèneTonChien.com Hairy Lives : Claire and Oulanka from the account @oulanka_lapinkoira were our guests at the Canoe Live! They shared all their tips for canoeing with your dog safely and making the most of this Too W'ouf moment with your dog. Check out the replay!
River canoe or sea kayak?
With Musher, we have already made several canoe trips including one in the Gulf of Morbihan. I'm not super comfortable when we move away from the coast so I much prefer canoeing in the river, because the bank is always very quickly reachable. For a first outing, I also advise you to favor the river, in order to see how your dog reacts…. If he doesn't like it too much, he will be happy to frolic on the banks.
Where can you go canoeing with your dog this summer?
In order to help you in your quest for adventure, I have concocted a list of nautical bases for you to discover cani-canoeing. I would like to thank all the members who have shared their good canoe tips online, because thanks to them I can offer you some great canoe routes to do with your dog. Of course, I invite all those who have already tried canoeing with their dog to register their good plan so that the whole community can benefit from it.
- Canoe La Cazelle about Tarn Gorges : Several choices of routes await you with different durations. The Castelbouc > Sainte Énimie route is accessible to beginners despite some quick passages.
- Canoeing at the Moulin de la Malène: still in the Tarn. Discover a magnificent site accessible only from a canoe. The lessor also offers to make cani-paddle.
- Canoeing on Lake Esparron with the CNEV: located in the Gorges du Verdon, you will find canoes that can accommodate two people with two doggies. Nice walks to discover this place.
- Canoeing with the Bellecin nautical base if you are on vacation in the Jura or have to go there, stop by this magnificent place. Between turquoise water and small heavenly beaches, the canoe trip should be a treat for the whole family, including dogs.
- Canoeing at Canoe rapido: visiting Hérault? Discover the gorges of the Herault with your dog. You can meet Marianne and her dog Domino, responsible for the base. Say hello to them from us. Musher and I had the chance to meet them last July during a report with M6.
- Musher has tested for you the canoeing at VPV nautical club. THE Annecy lake offers you clear, blue water for your greatest happiness, but there is only one dog-friendly beach… With Musher, we cheated a bit and bathed directly from the canoe, it didn't isn't life good?
Of course, this list is not exhaustive, so I'll let you look at the good deals on your vacation spot in the "activity" of the site.
There you go, you know everything to have a great time with your dog. Canoeing with him is the guarantee of sharing a great experience with your dog if you respect these few rules and know your own limits and those of your dog. Musher enjoys it every time and so do I. Take the time it will take for your dog to adapt to this new activity and you will have great adventures together.
READ ALSO : Splash! The dog in the pool: good or bad idea?, 5 good reasons to take your dog with you on vacation, Cani-paddle with your dog