Git in boat dog... I says git in da boat

[skittledoo]

Alrighty... I have a question.

I'm going on a camping trip from Friday May30th- Sunday June 1st. I'm going to Lake Moo Maw.... woo hoo!

Anyways... Bamm isn't used to being around boats. We're taking a canoe because to get to the campsite you either have to canoe across the lake or hike the 2-3 hours around the lake. I'd like to try and get Bamm used to being able to sit in the canoe... but I have absolutely no idea how to begin doing so. My friend Tim has a canoe that we're borrowing. I figured I should start out on dry land practicing getting him used to the boat now since the camping trip is in a few weeks... so those of you with dogs that you take in your boats... how do you work on getting them used to it? I just don't want to try and plop him into a boat in the water and have a horribly stressed out dog. If we have to do the hike, then I'll hike... but I'd like to at least give the canoe a shot.

Ideas?

[Lissa]

I don't have advice for you because I carried Dodger into the canoe, put him in a sit-stay and paddled away:p. His stay has always been solid though. I even forgot treats but the end result of swimming once we canoed across the lake worked out great. When I think back to how I introduced canoeing to a 10 month old puppy, I CRINGE (especially since my cat was aboard too - and she was definately not in a sit-stay).

If I had access to a canoe in advance, I probably would use a target or mat to get him in the canoe and slowly build up to longer periods of time as well as rocking the canoe/waving the paddle around etc... I would also expect either a sit or down-stay in the canoe - I wouldn't want my dog thinking he could move around.:D And I wouldn't forget treats!


Good Luck and have fun!

[bcmoffatt]

I've taken Mochi canoeing a few times. He was really sketchy about it the first time. He didn't like the wobbles as we were heading out. I figured out if someone held his leash and sat with him (not paddling), he was fine. Also, when we got out into deeper water, he expressed much less interest in jumping out. LOL!

The second time, he was great. Not panicky at all. I think he just needed to see that this was a fun, non-scary thing for him to do. He also got to see some ducks really close up which he was stoked on.

It got easier and easier each time.

If you have access to the canoe before hand, maybe put him in it and shake it around, while rewarding him for staying calm and staying inside. That way, hopefully he will be expecting the wobbliness when you actually get into the water. Getting in the canoe and out of it in shallow water was the hardest part for Mochi.

For the first few launch attempts on Mochi's first trip, he did jump out. LOL! He likes the water, so he wasn't stressed out, it's like he said, "Nuts to this! I'm going back to the cottage!" And he did. LOL! Once he was shown the canoe is safe and FUN, and he gets to go fun places, like islands where he can frolic off lead, he grew to like the canoe. :)

[milos_mommy]

I won't be any help here....My dog is seriously like a go-tart. Or....Gogurt. Or any food with Go- conviently placed in his name. He'll ride on the quad, boat, car, truck, bike, no problemo.


You could do what the fools i once mistakenly stayed a cabin did....popped a lifevest on their (gorgeous) coonhound, canoed into the lake, and then flipped it over to teach him to swim. Fortunately the dog didn't seem phased and hopped back in for another round.

But, yeah, dry land sounds like a good start.

[RD]

Hmm. I honestly don't know. I take Eve kayaking with me and I just plopped her in and told her to "stay". She was stressed at first, but within a few minutes she stopped anticipating her demise and enjoyed the ride. Cookies help - lots of cookies. Or meat.

[Zoom]

I just held the canoe as steady against the dock as possible and Sawyer just hopped in and off we went. I'm not much help either...

[skittledoo]

HAHA he may prove me wrong and just be perfectly wrong. I hope I can just plop him in. LOL

[Dekka]

Dekka just gets her life Jacket on, and off we go. (She does jump in/fall in as she likes to stand at the very front on that little triangle of flat area...

My canoe dog...
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd125/Grey-Run/Dekkalifejacket.jpg

I highly recommend a life jacket for Bamm.

[skittledoo]

I actually have a life jacket for him. I've been working on him letting me put it on him... he's doing better about it... but sometimes shies away when you try and put stuff on him for some reason.

[milos_mommy]

I wanna go Canoeing with Milo!!!

[Dekka]

I actually have a life jacket for him. I've been working on him letting me put it on him... he's doing better about it... but sometimes shies away when you try and put stuff on him for some reason.

Dekka HATES HATES coats and such. I have to grab her first and then get the coat or I could have to go drag her out from under something. She is better with the life jacket, but still would rather I didn't put it on.

Once its on she's ready to go "show me the canoe!"

[skittledoo]

Ya once it's on Bamm he's totally fine. He wont freak out at that point. It's definitely getting it on him that's the problem. He runs off and shies away. Such a little turd. He'll occasionally let me put it on him with no problem... but most often he wont.

[JustaLilBitaLuck]

I honestly don't know. But definately get a life jacket for him!

Hope it works out!