the canoe - Here is a link of how I keep my dog centered in the canoe. I use 2 gear bags from NRS that are attached to the front thwart via snaps, and a bungee strap alongside the inside of each bag from the front seat support back to the foot bracket. The NRS gear bags are filled with 4" diameter pieces of plastic rain pipe that are ultra-lightweight, but provide bulk. For tripping, of course the bags can be filled with gear. The front snaps are also mini halogen lights, for multi tasking. The dog is comfortable on a piece of carpet, and very relaxed after swimming for awhile. The dog should be trained to "sit" and "stay" on command to be a good mate in a canoe, and this works very well.
http://community.webshots.com/photo/519659597YddAxl
The link worked fine…
…now if I can get my pup to “sit and stay” as easily!
He’s a hoot, my second German Shepherd. I call him “Sam”, he’s a good boy, and loves the water, but he still has alot of “puppy” in him at 18 weeks old.
Thanks for the post on this subject!
Great Picture
Looks like one happy dawg. I take my pooch with me all the time. She’s quite content to sit at my feet on either a spare PFD or a board to keep her butt out of the swill that collects from her thick coat. One interesting thing I have found is that when she does lean to one side and I lean with her I can really get that canoe up on its side and really make some time. Getting up on the chine works well, I track much better and it’s fun to see how far I can go before almost dipping the gunwale. Now, if I could only convince the dawg to stay in that spot for longer periods of time.
Thanks for the pics and advice.
dougd
my lab
loves his canoes and kayaks. We went out the other day with the seals and sealions!
my Newfie girl, Dax, …
behaves perfectly when paddling with me in Sea Wind canoe. She lays down behind my seat. And yes, we have a problem with keeping the boat level. She has tendency to lean on the left side. I am not sure if I can restrict her room. It’s already a pretty tight fit. Usually, I am just reaching behind and shifting her head a few inches …
A couple of pictures of Dax in Sea Wind canoe:
http://users.frii.com/uliasz/weblog/C297962235/index.html