Best Dog Breeds for Paddling

Retrievers …
are generally the best paddling dogs as they have webbed feet which give more thrust per unit effort. :-o

Mini Lab

– Last Updated: Aug-26-05 10:59 PM EST –

My dear Molly is a lab/pit bull mix and comes in at a svelt 50lbs. She's a fantastic paddle dog who stays alert but still in the boat. I've met a few other lab/pit mixes and though they lacked Molly's extreme beauty the seemed like fine dogs.

http://community.webshots.com/photo/177025495/177030042bqlBuH

Lab/Shep on bike
We have a lab shepard mix who rode in a kids trailer when we biked 184 miles on the c&o canel. She would ride about every 10 miles or when we were near roads, although she hated being behind me and not running in front. She carried here own food in her backpack on the appalachian trail and she has a OC sot for her kayak. She loves to get wet. I always had to keep a eye on her when hiking the AT because she would roll in a mud puddle just to be wet. I did not have any way of cleaning her and I did not want a muddy dog in my tent. She is 13 years old now so she has slowed down now, but she is the best dog I have ever had.

Steve

Good Point.
English mastiffs aren’t know for being particularly water-loving, but try telling that to my 165# female brindle. Can’t keep her out of it. The good news is that she is very calm inside the canoe, because that much dog moving around suddenly would seriously test the stability of my boat. She is very mellow, unlike my lab, who likes to fetch anything he sees floating in the water.

My Brittany-Pointer mix
is absolutely crazy for kayaking. If he sees me getting the kayak onto the truck, he goes nuts. If I go into the utility room to get the paddles and PFDs, he goes nuts. He barks and runs around until I let him into the truck.



When the boat is in the water waiting for us, he jumps into it. When we come back, if there’s a delay in getting the boat back on the truck, he jumps back into the boat to go out again.



When we’re out on the lake where we kayak together, he quivers and shakes with excitement the whole time he’s in the boat. He’s a perfectly fine companion in the boat – he never tries to get out and he doesn’t tip the boat – but he’s so focused on the water and the wildlife I can’t help but chuckle at his attention and love for kayaking.



This dog would eat and kayak, I’m sure of it.

(Just like me. :slight_smile: )


Boykin Spaniel
This is one of the breeds I’ve been looking at.





http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/boykinspaniel.htm

Sorry, but I think its nuts to take a
dog out on the water for very long. Of course, I live in Texas and the heat is often a killer, literally, in the summer. Being far from the bank on a broad river or lake, even if the dog has a flotation device, is dangerous should there be a capsize or the dog fall out of the boat. And, you gotta train the dog to drink from a water bottle to avoid dehydration if you’re going to be gone long.

Same for vacations
People go to great lengths to take their dog where ever they go and the first thing they want to know is, where is the best kennel in town? The best place for your pet is at home where they are safe and secure.



Does the dog need to get away and relax for a while? I don’t think so.



Does the dog need commune with nature? I think they already do.



Leave them at home where they are safe and well cared for. Both of you will have a better time.

Part of the Family
My dogs go on all my vacations simply by virtue of them being considered an important part of the family. We plan all of our vacations to dog friendly locations and would never think of leaving them in a kennel. The dogs are very well behaved and are welcome at all of my extended families homes. Molly and Ruthie have even been on the invitations for two weddings.



My pups love going on paddling trips. I make a pont of taking breaks every few hours, but those are as much for myself and the wife as they are the dogs. As well they seem to overheat about the same time I do so swim breaks are commonplace.

My golden retriever/husky
mix will not paddle. I have asked nice, yelled and threatened. She just sits and watches. Any advice on getting her to pick up a paddle?

I agree, leave the mutt at home

– Last Updated: Aug-27-05 8:37 AM EST –

I can't understand this compulsion some people have to bring their friggin' dog everywhere. Dogs don't belong in kayaks, in campgrounds, on hiking trails or sitting on your lap while you drive. I LOVE dogs, but I understand the differences between dogs and people. Dogs are not children or "little people in fur coats", they're DOGS. They don't need to go paddling. Choosing a pet based on whether you can stuff it into a kayak or not seems crazy to me.

I agree
I also wouldn’t choose a dog breed just so i could stuff it in a kayak, but dogs

ARE great companions. Don’t be so SNOBBY. Dogs DO belong in campgrounds, hiking trails or wherever. Some people don’t belong in these places. Maybe if they made a Tilley to fit the different breeds you would feel different.

Companion dog
My Britt goes as many places with me as practical. He loves camping and paddling. He watches expectantly as I load gear. He also drinks from a water bottle and behaves very well in campgrounds. It’s all in how you bring them up. If you don’t train your dog and spend enough time with it you will have an uncontrolled brat that you should start taking places and teaching it social skills. IMO at least.

Taj

Hot Dog
They don’t jump out or bark at strangers and provide nourishment.

nothing wrong with a
dog along. They make great companions and alarm sytems too. My dog odoesn’t go everywhere with me,but sure made a great pal.

All my dogs stay at home
when I go camping or paddling.While they all love water I could not take them-one thing is that they likely would be stolen as they are still a rare breed around here-can’t leave them at a campsite-wouldn’t either…I think that’s cruel for your dog and your neighbours…they are such avid retrievers that I think they’d jump in the water after anything that moves even the trained dog couldn’t resist trying to fetch a duck or goose!

dog paddle
smear some peanut butter on it!

Love dogs
but I don’t own one – yet. Travel and small living space make my lifestyle unsuitable for canine companionship at the moment.



So, as someone who loves dogs but has some emotional distance from the subject, can I respectfully encourage responsible dog management on the part of owners? To whit:


  • No one goes paddling/hiking/camping to hear your dog barking or see it chasing the wildlife.


  • Please don’t assume that other people want to meet your dog, especially if your dog is big and jumps up to lick faces.


  • Dog waste has to dealt with seriously. Why should tax-payers pay to set aside land as your dog’s bathroom?



    Not trying to start a fight, but we all should be able to enjoy the wilds together.


some pretty strong
language being used here…



for people to say…“leave the dog at home, dogs don’t belong in kayaks, campgrounds…, no one goes paddling to hear your dog…” etc, etc.



If someone wants to bring their dog kayaking, in the car, camping, whatever…that’s their right and the relationships they share with these “muts” is pretty cool.



If you don’t like it, I guess your going to have to deal with it.



My dog is just 7 weeks old right now…I can’t wait to train him and share all the outdoor activities with him that I love so much.

Hey Liv2
We took your advice a few months ago via a similar thread and got Maggie. Our Papillion. She is the best little boat dog. Looks so funny in her little PFD. We can hardly get launched without people wanting to take her picture.

Whats your Pap’s name?