Paddling in winter with your dog

I regularly paddle in the winter with my dog. Musher and I take advantage of every beautiful day without wind and with a ray of sunshine. Thus, our sessions are cool but not freezing. Despite that, I am equipped with a suit and Musher too. Let me introduce you to our equipment for winter paddleboarding with a dog.

Paddling in winter with your dog: a good idea? In order to make the most of my paddle outings, I always go with my waterproof bag at the front of the paddle: I slip in something to eat in case of a slack. It has already happened that in the middle of the session, I had a small attack of hypoglycemia. Fortunately, this time I had the wind at my back on the way back. I sat with Musher on the paddle and the wind almost brought us back. In winter, I also slip in a hot herbal tea. It feels good to be able to warm up, especially when you fall into the water...

And of course, I'm bringing Musher water and his bowl . Not forgetting his first-aid kit . We do a lot of paddleboarding on Lake Salagou near our place. The small pebbles are quite sharp. Last time, I slipped on the edge and bam, a nasty cut on my wrist… Luckily, I had my dog's first-aid kit with me.

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Musher is equipped with a neoprene vest. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber that equips surfing suits in particular. It's light, very insulating, elastic and resistant. In winter, I wear a 5mm wetsuit.

And my dog? Musher also wears a neoprene “wetsuit”. It's more of a vest actually that covers part of his back and chest. This vest is not waterproof but gives it a little warmth. In the water, I'm not sure it changes much for her. Musher is a Labrador, she jumps into the water without hesitation in all weathers… She is not afraid of cold water but once soaked, she cools down very quickly, sitting and calm on the paddle. The neoprene vest for dogs brings him a little warmth. I put my hand under it and it's confirmed. And since she's been fitted with the vest, I haven't seen her shiver on the paddle anymore.

For his safety, my dog ​​also wears a life jacket . A life jacket is twice as useful in cold water as in summer. Your dog won't appreciate falling into cold water; this unpleasant icy shock can cause him to panic. When you fall into cold water, your brain is numb for a few seconds, your breathing is taken away… this can be enough to make your dog panic. A life jacket will therefore allow him to quickly reach the surface and the correct position to naturally resume swimming. The life jacket is also recommended for you. Indeed, if your dog falls into the water, it's best to be able to pull him back onto the paddleboard without risking falling yourself, given that the water temperature is rather chilly at this time of year.

There's also a 3-in-1 life jacket that functions as both a life jacket and a neoprene vest: so practical! To help you choose the right life jacket for your dog, I recommend reading or rereading my comparison of the best dog life jackets . You'll find all the information you need to select the best equipment for your dog.

To keep her from getting cold, I take off her life jacket when we take breaks so it's not soaked when we set off again. During breaks, she loves to go back and forth in the water to get her frisbee. As long as she's moving around in the water and staying active on land, she won't get cold. The tricky part is getting back on the paddleboard. Before we head out again, I make sure she's dried off enough with a few chases on land, and then if needed, I get out my microfiber towel to dry her off a bit.

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