There is a lot to be said about kayaking with dog, but it is not a straightforward task and needs some planning, training and appropriate equipment for both of you to be safe and comfy. If approached the right way, you can enjoy great memories while keeping your dog’s comfort and safety secure on the water. A complete guide to get you started kayaking with dog.
Why Consider Kayaking with Dog?
A kayak allows you to enjoy outdoor adventure and relaxation both outdoors and with your dog. Being on the water is a favourite thing many dogs love to do, and it’s especially welcomed if they are accustomed to being around water and know that a kayak isn’t dangerous for them. Kayaking will give your dog mental stimulation, fresh air, and a good physical exercise. Your dog will explore a new environment.
1. Choosing the Right Kayak for You and Your Dog
The type of kayak you use makes a big difference in just how safe and comfortable your experience is. Here are some features to consider when choosing a kayak for dog kayaking:
- Size and Stability: If your dog moves around, or even stands up, look for a wide, stable kayak that won’t easily tip. Sit on top kayaks often have more stability than sit inside models making it easy for your dog to enter and exit.
- Weight Capacity: Make sure your kayak can hold you and your dog without becoming top-heavy. Determine how much your combined weight is (yourself, your gear, your dog), then find a kayak with a weight limit above 50 pounds higher than that.
- Open Space: Dogs need a comfortable space to rest, and to stand and sit. Open cockpit or wide deck space in kayaks provide your dog with more room in which to move and settle.
My Recommendation: A tandem kayak is a common choice for dog owners as it’s more of a space. Dog-friendly kayaks come with padded or non-slide surfaces for further comfort that can stop your dog from sliding about.
2. Determine if Your Dog Is Suitable for Kayaking
Some want to go out and walk around the world while others would prefer to huddle up on the couch after a day of barking at squirrels in the window.
It’s up to you as your dog’s trusted human to decide if your pup is ready to hit the water. That being said, though, there’s no rule book in plastic, and ultimately it’s up to you to judge how suitable your dog is for kayaking.
Some of the many reasons you ought to study when defining whether your dog is ready to go kayaking include:
- Age and Health –but in the case of a dog being taught the ropes of a kayak, there’s a best age and the dog can’t be too old. Typically, you don’t want to get on the water for the first time until about 1 year of age. The reason for that is to make sure your dog has his or her vaccines all filled before you go on any really long adventures. As I’ve said before, older dogs or any canine that’s not in good health isn’t likely a good candidate for kayaking, even in more remote waters.
- Breed and Size –Dogs Of Any Size or Breed. However, some really big and really small dogs might not be good for kayaking either. Mostly, though, they’re too big to fit in most kayaks (though most dogs over 100 lbs can sit in a canoe). But when it comes to small dogs, the problem is that you have a hard time finding out a life jacket size. The problem is that if your dog can fit in your kayak and you have a PFD that fits them, then they’re probably okay to take with you on the water.
- Every dog is different – With everything that’s out there, not every dog is going to be the right one for kayaking, the type of temperament and personality that’s necessary. If your dog is more of a homebody than an adventurous canine, it probably isn’t a great idea to bring them along for paddling. The most important thing, however, is your dog is generally quiet, but still full of zest. He should be able to reliably listen to commands, and not bolt after every little distraction they might see.
3. Training Your Dog for Kayaking
Taking your dog out on the water requires proper training. Here’s a step-by-step approach:
Step 1: Get Comfortable with the Kayak
Let your dog explore the kayak on dry land before you ever hit the water. Encourage play, getting in and out, getting used to the surface and stability of the kayak’s surface.
Step 2: Basic Commands
If you’re going to kayak, you’re going to teach your dog commands such as “sit,” “stay,” and “down.” Get the kids to practice these commands in the kayak to help them know where to stay when you do the ride.
Step 3: Short Water Sessions
My recommendation is to start on calm water once your dog is comfortable on land, then add to exposure as you grow comfortable. Make the trips brief and as your dog becomes more confident increase their duration.
Step 4: Reward Positive Behavior
Give treats for good behaviour and calm your dog. Rather than pulling away from something, reward them for sitting still, staying in their spot while using them, and responding to commands.
Personal Tip: Patience is key. Dogs may need to take it a couple of rounds to acclimate. Reward them often enough and don’t react when your dog reacts negatively.
4. Familiarize Your Dog With Your Kayak and Equipment
The most important thing to do before heading out on the water with your dog is to help your pup get familiar with your kayak and all of your paddling gear.
Many dogs, like humans, get nervous in new situations, and they get especially nervous in large, unfamiliar objects near them – such as a kayak. The last thing you need for your dog to panic when you’re paddling so you need to take the time to get your pup used to all your gear before heading out the put-in.
Some key things that you can do to help familiarize your dog with your gear before your first paddling trip include:
- Wear a Life Jacket – Adventure pups should wear a life jacket while paddling at all times but, like everything else, a life jacket may take some time to adjust to. It’s for this reason we can’t take the idea of wearing one slowly enough. If this is the first time you’re putting it on your dog, use treats or other positive reinforcement to calm it down. Try to keep them wearing it for a few minutes first, and then slowly work them up to hours at home. That means you’ll know that if you put it in, they’ll be able to stand it for longer on your paddling trips.
- Familiarize Your Dog with Your Boat – Of all the ways you can introduce your dog to your boat, one of the best things you can do is to put your kayak down on the ground in your backyard, making sure your dog investigates it. Allow your dog to explore and sniff your kayak, giving it plenty of time to know it’s no big deal. The better they get standing around your kayak on land the more likely they are to be calm on the water.
- Identifiable Place to Sit – You’re going to want to pick out a sit, whether it’s on deck with a sit on top boat or in the cockpit with a sit in kayak. You should ideally know where your dog is supposed to sit in your kayak and it takes some training. That first step is to place a towel or blanket down where you want them to sit on your kayak, then guide your dog to their spot on your kayak. For example, then teach your dog to head to their place directly on your kayak with a command (we like all aboard, but feel free to choose one that suits your kayak!) at the put in.
- Show Your Dog Your Paddling Motion – One of the last things before you hit the water is to show your dog that first paddling motion that you aren’t just going to swing your arm around and then give the dog a big bundle of independence. There is a chance some dogs will get nervous when a paddle whips through air right next to them. But to aid in that, have your dog with you outside, sit next to your kayak, and act like you are paddling, while rewarding for your dog! By doing this, it can help them realize that your paddle is a nice little friendly object that’s not going to hurt them.
No matter which route you go down with your furry friend training there is some truth to the fact that not all dogs take to new situations as quick as you would like them to. This means patience and positive reinforcement. As you start to introduce your pup to the kayaking world, do so slowly and praise and treat your pup after they have kayaked.
5. Know What to Do if Your Dog Jumps Overboard
You’re almost ready to take your dog for their first time kayaking. However, before you do so, you should be ready to deal with the issue that your dog is likely to jump overboard.
Most dogs love being outside which in turn means some of them love to swim. Other dogs’ natural response might be to jump into the water; out of fear or to play or to catch an animal, but there’s no need for your dog to jump.
Ultimately, if your dog jumps ship and won’t return home without your permission, you have to know how you can reboard your dog.
If your dog jumps out of your kayak, do the following:
- Keep calm & breathe.
- With a stern calm voice tell your dog to get in.
- Work your way towards your dog, slowly, but don’t point your bow directly at them since that can scare them and cause them to swim away.
- Once you make your way over to your dog, get on your knees, and pulling them on to your kayak using the handle of their life jacket.
Note Dogs that are not wearing life jackets are generally much harder to pull back into a kayak.
When your dog ends up in the water without a lifejacket, you’ll want to place your dog in a position parallel to your kayak. After that, put your arm around your dog and hug the front of their body so you have a good hold on them. Next you want to scoop your dog up (keeping them behind you) and try to hoist them high enough above the water so that they can swim themselves back onto your kayak.
It’s good to practice this process near shore before you head out on the water further. A more comfortable dog with getting back in with you is a happier dog to pull into your kayak a pinch.
6. Learn How to Launch and Exit a Kayak With Your Dog
Once your dog is comfortable with your paddling gear and kayaking-specific commands, it’s time to learn how to put in and come out of your kayak.
However, there are no rules and whilst some methods of doing this are tried and tested, they will all get you and your pup into your kayak safely.
For a beach entry, do the following:
- Get your kayak in the water so that your kayak is only halfway in the water.
- Make them go before putting them on. Be aware that if you own a sit-inside kayak, your dog might have to jump into your kayak from the water. If your dog is too small to fit them self in you may have to lift them and put them in the right placing.
- Make sure that you and your dog are sitting and comfortable.
- Start your dog off from the beach with positive reinforcement and, when push comes to shove, kick your dog off the beach and start paddling slowly.
- Make sure your dog is comfortable before you start paddling far away from the beach double check that.
When you step out of your kayak from the beach you’ll do the same steps, in reverse. Work your way closer along the shoreline until your boat is partially out of the water. In general, the best thing is to be out of the kayak first because you don’t want your dog to be knocking you off balance. You can try out the best method for you, but you can do this.
Alternatively, to enter your boat at a dock, do the following:
- Get your kayak onto the dock.
- Get inside your kayak.
- Get your dog in position on the kayak — then tell him it’s time to. With most dogs, this step is less daunting than you’d think, because dogs just naturally want to get closer to you. While that’s all fine, having a second person on the dock next to you stabilize your kayak just in case your dog is more ‘on-the landing’ than you expect can help.
- Tell the dog to lie down in their spot.
- Giving your dog some positive reinforcement, gently push off the dock.
- Make sure your dog isn’t uncomfortable before trying to paddle further away from the shoreline.
When you disembark and go to dock, you’ll do the same things in reverse. It can be a scary first time unloading a dog from a kayak at a dock. The trick is to say get out and then come gently close to the dock and tightly hold on to it. It’ll keep your pup from jumping out jostling the kayak around too much.
When training your dog to get in and out of your kayak, do things slowly to make it as pleasant an experience as possible for them. During your first few outings don’t go too far from shore until you’re certain your four-legged friend is ready to set out into bigger adventures.
7. Have a Plan for What to Do if You Tip Over
The feeling of capsizing isn’t fun when you’re on your own, and it gets even worse when you have your pup. Nevertheless, you need to know how to right yourself when you tip over so you and your dog aren’t out of the water for long.
If you capsize while kayaking with dog:
- Put your hands on your kayak, your paddle.
- You try to flip your kayak back upright and do your best to get some or all of the water out of it. If possible place your paddle back into your kayak.
- Climb back into your kayak.
- Or call your dog over (or paddle alongside them).
- If your dog has a handle on their life jacket, lean over and pull them onto your kayak.
As I mentioned, this one’s much easier if you and your dog have a life jacket on. And it’s easier to do if you’ve got a friend with you on the water. For that reason, if possible practice this process at least with a friend next to you when you are practicing this ‘process’ near shore before you are out kayaking alone.
8. Kayaking Gear You Need for Your Dog
Gear is a big part of paddling’s cold. They also make kayaking with dog much more complicated, because you need even more gear to make sure your four-legged friend is safe and comfortable out on the water.
In addition to all of the equipment you’d usually bring on the water, consider packing the following items when you have your furry friend in tow:
- Dog Life Jacket – Dogs aren’t naturally equipped to be on the water, and they shouldn’t be out there without one. Your pup may be an expert swimmer, but a life jacket is necessary simply because its handles make it easier for you to help your pup back into your kayak should they go for a swim.
- Leash and Harness –A leash and harness is a must for any trip with your dog, as you may want to just have an easy way to keep your pup around you when you’re on land, such as at the put in. Given that, though, you should keep your dog on a leash when you’re paddling, so only use this when walking around before or after your outing.
- Dog Treats –Most dogs like to treat themselves to a bite or two of snacks while out on the water. Since treats train your dog and reinforce good behavior, they’re a great reward for adventure dogs of all kinds.
- Water and a Bowl – When kayaking with dog it is important to take fresh water and a bowl with you. Lakes can be riddled with harmful pathogens which are passed on to your dog when it takes a drink, so it’s best to take along a supply of fresh water to offer your dog if heading outside.
- Food If You’re Out For The Day – If you’re going to be paddling for more than a few hours at a time, you certainly should bring some kibble for your dog to munch on. Even though your dog usually only eats two meals a day, kayaking will add additional activity to your dog’s day, thus encouraging them to eat more than you are used to.
- Something Comfy for Your Dog to Sit On –The Hard Plastic Most of the time you’ll use your kayak sitting on your dog isn’t the most comfortable idea. For this, it definitely makes sense to have a towel, blanket or even kayak dog seat for them to snuggle up on as you paddle.
- Dog Toys –One of the best ways to get your dog excited about paddling is reminding them that they’re outside to have fun too, with Dog Toys! If your pup loves going for a swim, you should bring a set of water friendly dog toys with you. If you want them to stay out of the water, or if you’d rather they didn’t, give them a toy to keep them entertained while they float on top of your kayak.
- Towels – If you don’t want a wet dog in the back of your car after all that paddling (thankfully we don’t), you’re going to need a towel for any kayak outing. Make sure to have a towel dedicated to your dog to dry off before bringing them home.
- Dog Sunscreen – Most people don’t realize dogs can get sunburned, but they can. Human sunscreen, however, is not safe for your canine companion, so get some dog friendly sunscreen before taking your dog out for a day of paddle in the sun.
- A first Aid Kit – A must have piece of gear for any paddling trip. If you’re taking your dog kayaking, pack a first aid kit with supplies for canine wounds.
- Poop bags – Poop bags are a must have when you take your dog out on excursion whether it’s just a walk or taking your pooch on a real adventure, and kayaking is no different. Though dogs have been known on occasion to do their business on kayaks, these bags are most useful cleaning up after your pooch at the put in and take out. Moral of the story: Always come prepared!
Final Thoughts: Kayaking with Dog
If you’re able to go out on the water together with your dog, kayaking is simply a fun way to explore the outdoors together but do bear in mind that you need to be ready and see if your dog will be comfortable. Said to be an ideal kayaking buddy, your dog is calm, enjoys water and wants to learn basic commands. However, if your dog suffers from anxiety and or an aversion to water, then a few training sessions are necessary, or kayaking may not be the right choice.
Done right, kayaking with dog can be one of the most rewarding things for you both to explore that nature together and strengthen your bond.
