dinah_kay Posted August 9, 2007 Report Share Posted August 9, 2007 Dave LOVES the water and is an great swimmer. We plan to rent a kayak tomorrow and give it a try. We have a outdoor pool (more like a pond with a concrete floor) that we are going to do a test run in first. Even though he is a good swimmer we plan to use his Ruff Wear Float Vest if we end up taking him on our slow moving river on Saturday. Does anyone have any tips? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweet_ceana Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Tell me how it goes, i would love to do the same with Ceana! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 I have no advice to give. I am basically a no water sports guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoe Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Not really any tips but I think Dave will be fine - especially if you are going to do a test run. I would worry that he would want to jump out if he loves swimming that much. But if you have good control over him then I guess it would be ok. I remember a guy posting on the boards before about kayaking with his BC - he posted a great picture too. Try the search function - you should be able to find it. Dylan loves going in boats - we've only done it a couple of times but he just jumped in like a pro'. Here is a shot of dh and Dylan both looking rather dour from last summer. They did actually enjoy theselves ! My avatar pic is of when he accidentally fell in with his ball ! Let us know how it goes and be sure to post pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Bo Boop Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Oh you will have a blast! We love 'yakkin' with the dogs. We have sit-on-top ocean kayaks, and do most of our cruising at the Texas coast. I don't know that I'd take them down any fast running rivers etc...When Mike was a pup, I did put a life jacket on him, but mainly because of the handle on the back, so if he did plop out I would be able to grab him easier. Anyway here are some pics of Mikey. When he was a pup. Yakkin' is sure hard work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 We have done just a little bit of kayaking with a couple of our dogs that really love water and swimming (most important). Our flat-water kayaks have just enough room for a smallish dog in the "cockpit", it's not too hard to haul one in out of the water, and they seem to really enjoy it. My daughter's ACD is a kayaking pro. Lisa puts something under those little criss-cross elastic thingies (you might have guessed I am quite the amateur kayaker) and her Nellie will stand, sit, or lie on that. Of course, it's pretty still water but she sure enjoys it. Here's a picture of her on the kayak on the Pamlico Sound, Outer Banks, NC. Like anything else, make it easy, don't force it, and do it right the first time, so that the dog develops the confidence to enjoy it and overcome any small problems that arise in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Bo Boop Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Like anything else, make it easy, don't force it, and do it right the first time, so that the dog develops the confidence to enjoy it and overcome any small problems that arise in the future. I second that! Try not to force them, just make it nice and easy getting in and out of the boat, lots of praise...you might also throw a towel down for them to sit on. Most kayaks are PVC and the footing can be very slippery, a towel helps a little. I have a touring kayak, so it's pretty fair sized, but I've found the dogs do best riding/sitting btwn my knees, you can kind of control them that way too (with your knees) as your hands will be occupied with the paddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LJS1993 Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 Not really any tips but I think Dave will be fine - especially if you are going to do a test run. I would worry that he would want to jump out if he loves swimming that much. But if you have good control over him then I guess it would be ok. I remember a guy posting on the boards before about kayaking with his BC - he posted a great picture too. Try the search function - you should be able to find it. Dylan loves going in boats - we've only done it a couple of times but he just jumped in like a pro'. Here is a shot of dh and Dylan both looking rather dour from last summer. They did actually enjoy theselves ! My avatar pic is of when he accidentally fell in with his ball ! Let us know how it goes and be sure to post pics. Now that is a dog ready for adventure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted August 10, 2007 Report Share Posted August 10, 2007 I take my dogs kayaking almost every day now. I usually only take one at a time, but sometimes 2. They do wear their life vests. Frankie jumped off after some ducks last week but I grabbed the handle and hauled him back in. Freya loves it because we can go right alongside wildlife and the animals generally ignore us... until they realize there is a dog staring at them Basically I just picked them up, put them on board and told them to stay (did this one at a time). Then I paddled around the cove to make sure they did intend on staying on the boat before venturing out on the main channel. None of them got upset by the huge wakes that we had to go over. The most important thing is having a relationship built on trust. If your dog trusts you it will do anything for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinah_kay Posted August 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Thanks everyone for your advice!!! Here are some pictures from our practice session. Dave loves the water so much that he wouldn't stay in the kayak. It probably didn't help that it was a tight fit for him. We are going to give him another chance tomorrow. Riley on the other hand seemed to really like it. After the first try she was getting in and out just fine, plus she never offered to try and jump out - just sat there like she has done it a thousand times. Honestly she almost looked like she was smiling the whole time, which is pretty funny for a dog that only likes to wade in chest deep. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Ah, see, you have a one person kayak. I got a 2 person kayak just so I would have room for the dogs Frankie tries to ride in my lap, but that position isn't too conducive to paddling. He is getting better about sitting at my feet. Freya likes to be right in the front seat and sit there all proud of herself (there is a reason I call her Princess Freya). After awhile she gets bored and curls up for a nap but she does wake up to look at the ducks. All of my dogs LOVE water, but maybe since I moved to a lake they get enough swimming now that they don't lose their minds and jump off. When I first moved here every time I let them out to potty they insisted on jumping in. Now that they realize the lake will always be there they can actually got potty without getting wet. I hate to think of how depressed they will be when it's too cold to swim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Liz - I wanted to get a two person kayak for the very same reason (well, the dogs and the grandkids), and we still have our eyes open for one. Ed's brother and his wife have Sundances and they have a very large opening, with plenty of room for a dog. We have Carolinas which are a bit tight to add a dog, and one Sundance which is our doggie/grandkid kayak. If only we got to use them more often... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz P Posted August 11, 2007 Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 I am already looking for a big canoe with enough room for people and gear so we can go on some river camping trips. Of course, I can't afford anything new, so I will have to find something used on Craig's list. The only dog who doesn't reliably sit still yet is Sage, who, like his dam, is a super bratty teenager. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinah_kay Posted August 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Well on day two we had success with Dave! You had to keep reminding him to stay/sit since he would stand up a few times, but he didn't jump out which was really good. Then after the first go he would get in and out without any issues. Ozzie was really good too. Although, even with the life vest he is no swimmer! He likes to swim and can go super fast if it was only in a straight line, but when he tries to turn he flips over like an 18 wheeler. Even with the life vest his back end would flip and then he couldn't right himself. Poor guy, he loves the water but his body was not made for swimming. He was great in the kayak though, fit perfectly but I would be too worried if he fell out to take him on a river. Who would have thought Riley was the best one?!?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinah_kay Posted August 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2007 Ah, see, you have a one person kayak. I got a 2 person kayak just so I would have room for the dogs We rented them, but I figured I would go with a one person for the test run since I thought we would have difficulty keeping the dogs in the kayak if they were ahead in the second person spot. In the future we will probably rent a two person one since Dave needs the extra room. Riley is small enough she fit fine for a short ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 Little Bo Peep, I'm so glad you posted. As soon as I saw the topic, your great pics were the ones I thought of immediately. A cousin of mine glued an old piece of carpet on the foredeck of his kayak (it was a proper kayak, rather than a canoe type - no room for dog inside.) His Cocker Spaniel used to sit on the carpet very happily while he paddled. I haven't taken dogs in a kayak, but friends had an old rowboat on their farm dam, and my previous dogs would go in that. the only prpoblem was that my KelpiexCollie bitch would grab at the oar blades as soon as you started to row - she'd be over the side, and grabbing the blade in her mouth, and then tugging the boat to the shore - too funny! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luv2napp Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Ok, I've always wondered if Lacee is strange.....she absolutely HATES water! I see all these BC's that love the water, and have to wonder. If it rains, she refuses to go out until absolutely necessary. If the grass is wet, she tiptoes. And as for baths, well, once I get her out from under the bed, she pouts the whole time. Just not normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurBoys Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Ok, I've always wondered if Lacee is strange.....she absolutely HATES water! I see all these BC's that love the water, and have to wonder. If it rains, she refuses to go out until absolutely necessary. If the grass is wet, she tiptoes. And as for baths, well, once I get her out from under the bed, she pouts the whole time. Just not normal. Jake's the same way! If it's raining, he wants to stay under the umbrella with me. If JJ's swimming, he'll only get his feet wet while barking at JJ the whole time. We have to use 4 bungee cords (2 attached to his collar from both sides and 1 attached to each of the 2 bungee cords and pulled back and attached) and 2 people everytime we give him a bath. But turn the sprinkler on!! He's out in the middle of it diving for water drops!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted August 14, 2007 Report Share Posted August 14, 2007 Some certainly don't like the water! Our old Rocket spent many years working cattle and managing to tiptoe around puddles (water and manure both) keeping his dainty feet clean and dry but still getting the job done. He never took his eyes off the stock and was almost completely blind, so I have no idea how he managed it. Radar, maybe? Of the three I have now, two are absolute water-lovers, and one will wade and swim, but stays at wading depth only unless he figures he's got a very good chance to beat the others to the ball. Then he's gone and swimming for all he's worth. We have to watch the water-lovers when we are down in NC on the big tidal creek. If we don't, Megan heads on down the creek (I have no idea where she thinks she's going) and Bute will follow her. I don't know where they would wind up if we didn't call them back. Each one is unique. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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