I don’t have much advice for you - yet - but I just recently faced the same question (70# Golden), adding fishing and BWCA/Quetico tripping to the spec list. I decided on the NW Solo without test paddling, given the familiarity with my Bell Northwind tandem, and the discount at Canoecopia last month. I’ll be trying it out any day now, with and w/o Winston on board.
What part of the AuSable are you on? We also have a (large, multi-family) cabin on the AuSable (check my username), and we’ll be there in early May, again in mid-June and again in late July when my son will be competing in the marathon. I will likely have the NW Solo there in May, and possibly June as well.
I’ll let you know soon how the christening goes. Despite my experience, Ted Bell warned me that these narrower lightweight solos can surprise us initially, especially unloaded, and that I should be “prepared to get wet” - which I certainly did on the first two tries in my son’s race tandem!
Somewhere there is a photo of this very active 50#+ labradoodle in Castoffs tandem canoe hanging almost over the gunnel. No problem but he is an accomplished canoeist.
oops!!
We are about 1/2 mile downstream from the Parmalee Bridge (main branch).
Good luck to you and your pup!
If my dogs have excess energy, I put them on shore and let them run around for awhile. Most of the time they can follow the boat if the lake shore or river banks are not too steep.
That’s what I plan to do with Honey. I think she would love to run along the shore as I paddle.
I agree that yoga pads are insufficient for kneeling. Though my (used) solo came with a canoe-specific foam mat, I replaced it with what I have found to be a better option: those thick closed cell foam mats made to be kitchen “comfort” rugs. The larger ones wedge perfectly inside the hull and they don’t absorb water. Also come in colorful designs – I get teased for having a white and blue and green Spanish tile pattern inside my green Lady Bug but it is the perfect size, density and padding for kneeling comfort.
And, going back to the original topic, one of these mats would be a good pad for a canine passenger.
I just put a deposit down on a Northwind Solo, in Blacklite with aluminum trim. SQUEEEEEEEEE!!! 
A shop within 3 hours from here has one in stock. I would have loved the beautiful wood trim, but decided Ellie would just scratch it all up, and aluminum would survive better.
We’ll go pick it up in a week or so, depending on the weather. So excited!
Congrats!
Aluminum trim will save you a couple of pounds too. The wood does look nice, though.
Picked it up today! Now, not sure when the weather will cooperate, plus I don’t have a paddle yet, as it had to be ordered.
That’s where I got my Magic. Great bunch there.
Very nice. Post photos when you get to paddle it with your dog.