"Doggie Paddle" Kayaking

[carrieme]

One of my fondest memories this summer was taking the dogs kayaking for the first time.

Soon it will be time to stop thinking about water and start thinking about snow!

Wanted to share our doggy adventures here! It includes a video of our doggies splashing about!

https://mochitheakk.posterous.com/doggie-paddle-hudson-river-valley

 

[2ski2moro]

I took my puppy, Laika, kayaking this summer, too. I wasn't going to take her at first, but my dog sitter cancelled at the last minute. Canceling my trip was not an option, as I was leading a group of 11 kayaks, 11 adults, one 5 year old, and 3 dogs to Pack Lake near Warrensburg, NY.

My dog is a Hovawart. She was 10 weeks old on this trip. I had been on a trip to Germany and fell in love with the breed. When I returned to the US, I found a Hovawart breeder in St. Louis. When she was 8 weeks old, I flew to St. Louis and brought her home.

She is now 5.5 months old and too big to sit on my lap. She loves the water, now, although she was reluctant to go in at first.

Next summer, if you ever get up farther north, come kayak with us. We go north from Saratoga into the Southern Adirondacks.

Laika with DH in his boat, under the watchful eyes of the other dogs in the lower left.

 

[carrieme]

This was our first summer really kayaking so we took a few safety courses and really look forward to getting into the activity. The dogs were both 1 years old when we went the first time and they took to the water surprisingly well considering they don't even like sprinklers. We were worried they would hate being in the water but it turns out they like being with us, their humans, more!

The SO and I took the splurge and pre-ordered 2012 Wilderness System Tempest 165s. Already put the deposit down! We are really excited to do more kayaking once it gets warmer and would love to take a weekend trip up further north with the kayaks and the dogs. Hmmm, could probably make it a camping weekend.

 

[ScottishGirlie]

All these dogs are fantastic!

Love the video of them running in the water!!

 

[2ski2moro]

165's? Nice!

This weekend, I are going to Narraganset Bay (RI) and kayak with the harbor seals. I saw the EMS trip posted, but decided that we have the knowledge and equipment to go out on our own. I think this will have to be a TR in the coming week. Stay tuned.

Then, I am hanging up the boats, getting my skis from a fresh tune at my shop, and head for the hills. Can it get any better than this?

 

[carrieme]

How was your kayaking trip this past weekend?

I just got back from a camping trip this weekend at Delaware Water Gap. Temps were below freezing overnight and the dog water bowls we left out overnight had frosted over, haha!

We had a great time though huddling around the campfire and enjoying hot coco with the dogs in our laps snuggling up for warmth.

I plan on doing some snowshoeing backpacking this year for the first time, so that will be a fun alternative to skiing! Now if only I could wrap them all together in one happy bundle with the dogs...

 

[2ski2moro]

Followup…three years later, I wanted to take my dog kayaking again. Now, my little puppy has grown to an 80 pound adult. I decided to purchase a new-to-me tandem kayak because there is no way she and I will fit in my boat. We made our maiden voyage on Saturday.

Laika did really well most of the time. She was looking off to the right as I passed a buoy on the left. She caught the motion out of the corner of her eye and jumped around in the boat. She focused on the buoy as if to say, "My ball, MINE. Ball! BALL!" but she didn't jump out to get the big ball.

At one point, she climbed on my lap, spilled my beer and made it impossible to paddle. The boat reeked and I didn't have a chance to each it properly until the next day. It's a good thing I didn't get stopped by a policeman. I had stopped drinking alcohol hours before I started to drive home, but my car with the kayak on top certainly smelled as if I had just opened a fresh beer.

Later, we pulled up to the dock and waited for the others to get out of their kayaks and make room for mine. Laika decided that she did not want to wait. She stepped out of the boat and discovered that she cannot walk on water. Ka-bloop! In and under. I did not tip the boat.

It just doesn't get any better than this.