# Anyone kayak with......



## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Your dog? I'm planning on picking up a kayak this wknd and plan on taking Bella out on the water with me. She loves being with me and going for car rides so i think including her in this would go over well. She went out on a log over the wknd that was resting over the water and it didn't bother her one bit. No fear lol! Just curious if anyone else takes part in boating activities with their dogs


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## monkeys23 (Dec 8, 2010)

I went to school with someone whose lab died kayaking with them. He was a big, strong dog, but the river sucked him right under. Only experience I have with dogs kayaking, sorry its not more positive! I guess buy a lifejacket!


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Oh that's nice.....wasn't looking for that side of it lol! Are you sure they weren't white water rafting? Hmmm. :/ yeah, she will wear a life vest as will I and we are only going on quiet ponds and lakes. No rough waters


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## BearMurphy (Feb 29, 2012)

i have taken murphy in a row boat a few times. he loves it! he's still not to good at jumping out and getting in the boat though and once your dog is good at that you would want to train them to stay still so they're not doing it at a bad time.

the trainer who taught my obedience class offers a kayak class that I've always wanted to take but I don't have a two person kayak so it wouldn't be something we could do often


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Yeah, Mol and I go out all the time. Kayaks, sailboats, dinghy's, rubber dinghy's, power boats. She's been brought up on boats, so they don't worry her at all. Great fun going to out of the way beaches and stuff, or letting her run and run in the shallow water near the mangroves. 
In the kayak or the small dinghy, you just have to teach them to stay still, it's so easy to can out if you get tilted a bit too much and a wave or wake comes through. Probably a good idea to practice a tip over in shallow water first, just to be on the safe side, so you know exactly how to handle it if it happens in deep water, and chances are it will one day.
I guess if you are going quite a way off shore, it would pay to get a lifejacket for Bella, just to be on the safe side. 
But as long as you are confident and make everything a totally positive and happy experience, I think you'll find it will open up anther world for her and for you.
I don't have any photo's of Mol on the kayak, mainly coz there's no way I'm taking my un waterproof camera out there.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

We have taken Sprocket kayaking. He loves it! Just sits there and suns himself 

Mikey would not ever go.

I am sure Gunner would enjoy it. We may do it this summer with him.

Sprocket grew up boating and so has Gunner


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

I'm going to attempt kayaking with the dogs again this summer. We have a two person ocean kayak, and I've always wanted to carry one of the dogs along. Ari wasn't open to the idea when we did try with him. He just kept jumping off.......we did try when it was choppy, so I can't blame him for bailing.
So I'll take more time to acclimate them this time.
I guess once you know that she's fine with the motion of the kayak, she should be good to go. Have a plan if she does bail tho..........


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Thanks everyone for the input. I will definitely go slow and stay close to shore at first to see how she does with it. As I said I have alot of lakes and ponds around me that I can go and there is no rough waters so we should be good as far as that goes. I'm looking forward to it and I really have a good feeling that she will take well to it. I'll be sure to take pics


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I have an inflatable paddle ski which is super stable and Uno absolutely loves being on it. Its so funny because before I even get a chance to inflate it and lay it out on the ground and he just props himself in the front and waits for me to blow it up. He does always wear his life jacket.


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

You're right, that does look super stable. My one is a single seater, about 13' long. The first time I used it, Mol jumped off the dock onto it, it keeled right over, I just about fell out and Mol went right over the side. It was hell of a funny. 
I've yet to take Windy out on it, but we'll get onto that very soon. I wonder if you can get a cat lifejacket!


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

> You're right, that does look super stable. My one is a single seater, about 13' long. The first time I used it, Mol jumped off the dock onto it, it keeled right over, I just about fell out and Mol went right over the side. It was hell of a funny.
> I've yet to take Windy out on it, but we'll get onto that very soon. I wonder if you can get a cat lifejacket!


Its a great boat, sometimes when we pass small islands, Uno will just in the water to get to the shore and then swim after me. I just grab him by the strap on the life vest and pull him inside, the boat hardly even budges. I've tried taking him on a kayak, but it was just too shaky for me and a 60 lb dog. 

I do highly recommend ruffwear life vests, they are some of the best quality hands down.


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## IslandPaws4Raw (Sep 7, 2011)

Unosmom said:


> I have an inflatable paddle ski which is super stable and Uno absolutely loves being on it. Its so funny because before I even get a chance to inflate it and lay it out on the ground and he just props himself in the front and waits for me to blow it up. He does always wear his life jacket.



OHHHHHH! DROOL! I've never seen one of those, I'll have to look that up!


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

its not cheap, but I've gotten so much use out of it and it still looks great. It used to be my dads boat, but he lets me use it on semi-permanent basis
PaddleSki 5-in-1 Inflatable Catamaran Kayak


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Unosmom said:


> I have an inflatable paddle ski which is super stable and Uno absolutely loves being on it. Its so funny because before I even get a chance to inflate it and lay it out on the ground and he just props himself in the front and waits for me to blow it up. He does always wear his life jacket.


That is totally cool! Looks like a blast! Thanks for sharing the pics!


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

How does it paddle? Is it hard work to go any distance?
The reason I say that is that there is a lot of wetted surface. I know the difference between rowing a inflatable dinghy and a wooden/fibreglass dinghy is night and day.
But, that only matters if you're planning to kayak some distance, or against current. With boating, everything is a trade off, it boils down to what is important to you.


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## ShanniBella (Jul 1, 2011)

Well, transaction completed! I went to Bjs wholesale and bought a nice 10 foot pelican kayak for $300 that came complete with oars, car roof kit, and all kinds of storage! It even has a rod holder so I can fish! So excited to try it this wknd! Have to go pick up life jackets first and then we are good to go!


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## MollyWoppy (Mar 19, 2010)

Boy, was I ripped off when I bought mine! Oh well. Make sure you get some pic's, especially one's of when you can out! Have fun, they are a great form of exercise, especially when you get to a tidal area with a current.


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## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

> How does it paddle? Is it hard work to go any distance?


surprisingly not at all. Whats interesting is that even with Uno's weight, its so easy to paddle and moves very smoothly on water. Whenever its me and another person plus dog, its very difficult to get into the rhythm and I get exhausted after 10 mins. 
So I really look forward to warmer weather when I can take it out on the water again, wish we had more lakes around here.


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