Brief summary. Kayaked twice. Enjoyed it. Dog & I fit fine. Dog died. Got new, larger dog. No way to fit in a 10 foot kayak.
Sooo. Decided a Canoe would be a nice way to get us out on the water for some Lewis & Clark expeditions
My goal is to load him & I along with the some basics for some river paddling and ending up in nowhere and setting up a site with basics for a night. (tent + backpack + food /water, etc) . Then pack up & paddle back to the truck.
That’s were the mental image ends but I don’t know where to start. I’ve never canoed. I suppose a 10 footer is out of the question yes? I only have a mid-size truck. I’ve seen hitch extenders & that’s probably the route I will go if I get 14 foot plus. Would a 12 even be too small? Since it’s only me I’m afraid actually carrying a larger canoe might be rough.
Just looking for some do’s & do not do’s before I do any investing. (PS. I’ve found a LOT of nice canoes local in the $300 range so that’s the budget)
Thanks for any help. I have this primitive image in my mind & think we would both have a lot of fun. I want to start on the right foot. 
A lot depends on your dog’s weight and whether your dog will remain reasonably still. Very generally, I would say that very few canoes shorter than 14 feet will suit your needs.
I’ d suggest a pack canoe where you sit on a seat a couple of inches off the bottom . They do come in 14 foot lengths ( the minimum you would need to keep safe freeboard). But none come in at three hundred bucks
Switching to canoe means you sit higher. It is possible that you will like it but it can be unsettling at first especially if your large dog is feisty.
We stared training our new dog three months ago to get and sit in the canoe on dry land ( actually snow). Yesterday was his first short outing in the canoe and he seemed to be calm but moving around looking at everything.
For eons people have used Grumman canoes . They are heavy not terribly manuverable in rivers ( tried class 2 in mine way back then with predictable accident) but if you can find a 15 footer it might work…
Thank you for the replies. I might have found one but I am unable to actually determine what it is.
Was advertised as a Dominion Rouge River 15 SS. The only close match I can find is an Old Town 154 SS.
They want $275 + has a tailgate extender included so that solves the hauling it problem.
Can anyone confirm the identity on this canoe? Hurry ! 
Oh. About the dog. German Shepherd. About 85 lbs. Male. He does well on my fishing boat but has a lot more room. Normally he will just lay down & be good. If the boat above is what I think it is he should have room to at least move a little bit? Our first time out will just be us in our life jackets. He is not one to jump in the water for sure.
Hurry! What are the first three letters of the number etched on the stern…
It is quite likely made by OldTown for a big box store… The store typically plunks its own pet name on it.
It may be made more flimsily than an Old Town or it may not. Seems for the price its worth a try.
Im not sure. I’m going to look at it in the morning. I was thinking it was a rebadged OT. The pictures they did give seem to match up. Worth a gamble for a first canoe? I’m afraid of the weight. I don’t plan on going anywhere I will need to portage it.(bad idea?) I should be able to lug it in and out of the truck ?
I agree with KM. For that price, what the heck?
Thanks for the replies. I did purchase it for $275. Came with the canoe, 2 paddles, 2 cushions & the tail-gate extender.
It is definitely an Old Town canoe. Everything on the Hull ID says Johnson Outdoors. Old Town , ME
Not sure where the weird stickers came from. It’s missing the cooler lid & water-tight storage lid so I’ll have to find those.
It’s definitely heavy. I won’t be going anywhere I need to portage it. I will need a trolley asap.
Now one more question I hope someone will find time to answer.
Is the front seat required for structure integrity (lol…am I asking that right?) I would like to remove it if it’s possible.
Thanks in advance.
I would leave the seat in. Especially if it has a “footer” going down to support the keelson on the hull bottom.
that seat is acting as a thwart. Most tandem canoes have two seats and a thwart. You have two seats and a cooler… I would leave it alone. It is going to do fine for you now. I predict you will be moving up and fairly soon as the budget allows. Resale is better with the bow seat.
Never never tamper with the bottom unless you do origami. In that boat.
Thanks guys. I am learning. I read elsewhere they act as a thwart. (my word learned for yesterday)
Should be fun. Lots of good rivers around here.
I’ve read they are a bit unsettling at first (tippy) but with that wide of a boat how can that be? I guess I will find out this weekend.
Thanks again for helping the “newb” : )
tippy is when you get in standing up and your head is not in first… Head goes in first and last out… Keep the head inside the boat when underway… In motion the boat is much more stable than at rest.
Roger that. I learned that quickly on the kayak : )
Thanks for the advice. Any is appreciated. Taking it out Sunday to get a feel for it & see how the dog does. (both will have life jackets on) Following week is a 3 day weekend. Might pack it up & head for wilderness should all go well.