Anyone take their dog with them down FL rivers or the Okeefenokee Swamp/Everglades or anywhere where alligators were an issue?
Is it best to just leave Fido at home for those trips?
Do labrador retrievers retrieve alligators well?
This sounds silly, but I would hate to get my dog killed bc of wildlife.
I would leave them at home
While a gator is unlikely to take a Lab, injury is possible. Labs love everything and expect love in return.
Dogs are illegal in the backcountry of the Everglades.
http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/pets.htm
http://www.nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=303724
Okefenokee NWR prohibits dogs in boats. Not specified what kind of boat, so its best to assume all boats.
http://www.fws.gov/okefenokee/Regulations.html
You know your dog, and how inclined
he might be to jump out of the boat. Even if you can’t see gators, they may be lurking. Even if you’re just walking trails around lakes or streams in Florida, a Lab could be in the water and vulnerable pretty quickly.
I never have and wouldn’t
There are gators in virtually every water body in the South. I see no reason why a big gator wouldn’t take down a swimming dog. I won’t even dangle my feet in the water in most places.
On land, Florida has every variety of poisonous snake in the USA. A nosy dog could also stir them up.
I often wondered why one did not take
my feet but rather escaped down into the mud.
My bad. I jumped on it and no it was not intentional.
Nevertheless I love my dogs company but would not trust her to not get into trouble in gator country.