Canoeing with a dog

Hello Wouafer's! Today, I'm talking about an activity that I love: canoeing with my dog. A few weeks ago I invested in an inflatable canoe so I can go on adventures whenever and wherever I want with Musher. It is suitable equipment for canoeing in the river or canoeing at sea. In this article, I present to you my dog's equipment for a safe canoe trip as well as my equipment. I also share some important tips for your first outing. Ready for a new nautical and canine adventure?

My dog ​​always wears a dog life jacket . Is this accessory useless or useful?

Here are 3 good reasons to equip your dog with a dog life jacket:

1- Your dog might be startled by falling into the water and panic. The life jacket helps him resurface and regain his normal position to resume swimming. Imagine: your dog is peacefully on the canoe, confident, dozing in the sun, and BAM, the canoe capsizes. He finds himself in the cold water without having been able to anticipate the change.

2- A dog life jacket will allow you to pull your dog aboard. Whether he jumps in to cool off or falls into the water, you'll need to get him back on board. You can either pull up to shore and lift him out from the boat, or you'll have to lift him into the canoe. The life jacket is equipped with a handle that will allow you to help your dog get back in. Never pull him by his collar; this could choke him and injure his neck. The life jacket is perfect for this.

3- A life jacket helps him swim. A young dog, an older dog, or a dog that is not very athletic or is overweight can quickly tire in the water. A dog life jacket allows him to continue swimming longer. It supports the dog and gives him more confidence.

After our canoe trips, I wrap Musher in a microfiber towel to dry her and make sure she doesn't get cold. She's young, so she's not at risk, but I'm thinking about her old bones. I'm careful so she doesn't develop arthritis when she's a senior dog.

In cold weather, she also wears a neoprene vest to provide warmth. It is the same material as surfing or diving suits. It is an essential accessory. Of course, I try to avoid her getting wet as much as possible at the start of the session to prevent her from being soaked throughout the canoe-kayak trip.

My equipment is quite simple: a full wetsuit in winter with water booties to avoid having frozen feet, a shorty in mid-season and shorts in summer without forgetting a life jacket. We often find it ugly so we don't put it on, but it's not made to be pretty, it's made to save your life!

For a successful exit, you must:

• Sunscreen for you and your dog : the water's reflection is unforgiving. Be sure to choose a non-polluting sunscreen: it would be a shame to damage the places you enjoy exploring by rowboat.

• Water for you and your dog in sufficient quantity to be able to hydrate you throughout your exit. If your dog can lap up water from the river, he won't be able to do the same in the sea without risking getting very sick.

• Wear sneakers to be able to walk in the water or at the edge and thus be able to react quickly in the event of a problem.

As mentioned above, I paddle an inflatable canoe . It's very practical. It fits in a large backpack and weighs about 17 kilos. I have a small electric pump that I plug into my car's 12V socket, and in a few minutes, I'm ready to go on an adventure. It's suitable for rivers up to class 3. That means it handles small rapids without any problems. I opted for the Gumotex Solar, a 3-seater that's perfect for my partner, my dog, and me. I've been using it for two years now, and it's fantastic. The quality is excellent. And my dog ​​loves it. No problems with my dog's claws so far. If it can withstand rapids and rocks, it will certainly withstand my dog. I had hesitated between this and a Sevylor canoe , but the easily transportable backpack size of the Gumotex was a better fit for my needs. Sevylor dogs seem to have good reviews regarding their resistance to our dogs' paws, that said... the choice is yours!

Before renting a canoe and heading off on an adventure with your dog, make sure he knows how to swim, is fit enough to swim and of course loves the water. These fundamentals presented, let's see what you need to know to get started canoeing with your dog.

First, make sure you know the water quality of the areas where you plan to paddle. In some parts of France, when temperatures rise, cyanobacteria can develop and be fatal to dogs. It's best to be well-informed, but if you rent your equipment from a canoe rental company, they will regularly take samples before you set out. A crucial safety rule: NEVER tie your dog to the canoe. Under no circumstances should your dog be connected to the canoe. If the canoe capsizes and gets stuck on rocks, your dog will be trapped with no way to escape. Don't put a leash on your dog either; it could also get caught and become a deadly trap.

Before setting off on an adventure, if your dog has never climbed aboard a canoe, it will need a little time to adapt. Take your time and show him the canoe ashore. Let him go around it, sniff it and offer to come on board. Dogs often don't like walking in the canoe too much, as it is a hard, slippery plastic for their paws. Do not hesitate to put a towel in its place in the bottom of the canoe. Then, once he is more familiar with the gear, put him in the water and repeat the operation. Get him on board where he has feet. Make him go up and down, jump… If he feels comfortable, go on an adventure. If not, I advise you not to force things. You run the risk of leaving with a dog who will try to jump constantly, who can put himself in danger at each rapid and who will constantly want to return to the shore. The canoe day can turn into a nightmare for everyone. Respect your canine teammate.

One last thing before we begin: you need to find your playground! There are many great places to go canoeing or kayaking with your dog. The Tarn Gorges , the Verdon Gorges , the Lot Gorges… or even Lake Sainte-Croix, Lake Annecy , Lake Salagou … I can't list every place in France, but I'm sure there's bound to be somewhere near you or at your holiday destination where you can go canoeing for a few hours or a whole day. In fact, I encourage you to read or reread the article " The 10 Most Beautiful Dog-Friendly Lakes in France "—it might give you some ideas! As I mentioned, I bought an inflatable canoe, but if you don't have your own equipment, you can simply rent one from a watersports center.

To find dog-friendly canoe rental locations , check out the "Totally Wowful Addresses" shared by our members. And if you know of any canoe rental places not yet listed on the site, please share your "Totally Wowful Addresses" with us! If everyone shares all the places they've tested and approved with their dog, it will prevent many abandoned pets during the holidays. Sharing a "Totally Wowful Address" is so easy ! You'll need to create an account on our website first, but don't worry: it's completely free!