Our lab is 12years old and in good health. She has slowed down some but goes up and down stairs just fine and hop in and out of the car and canoe easly. She does get cold easier so we cover her with an old sleeping bad and give her her own sleeping pad. At what age do you stop bringing them to the bwca. Grandma will dog sit, but we enjoy her with.

This is 100% dependent upon the dog and its physical condition. No 2 dogs are the same so you just have to know your dogs capabilities.

If you know it can handle the portages, getting in and out of the canoe safely without risking a capsize, and the dog generally still enjoys the adventure then keep taking the dog with.

If the dog is going to have a hard time keeping up on portages or isn't agile enough to handle rough terrain and to get in and out of the canoe safely then leave the dog home.

Nofish is spot on. I’ve seen 10 year old dogs that were much older than 12 year old dogs. I’ve seen the same in humans. Look at Dorothy Molter. She was tougher and more spry in her later years than most 30 year olds. If your dog is still in great shape and can handle the portages, canoe rides, and tent sleeping, take her along!

Not to sound morbid, but my husband wonders what one would do if the dog didn't wake up in the morning. How would you get it out, what would you do with them? I told him not to worry about it. Most dogs don't 'square the corner' and go from healthy dog to rainbow dog overnight. I think most dog go down hill slowly. But this is just our 2nd dog. Our first dog died at 6 years old from a twisted stomach and he when from healthy to not in 3 hours.

Canoearoo: "Not to sound morbid, but my husband wonders what one would do if the dog didn't wake up in the morning. How would you get it out, what would you do with them? I told him not to worry about it. Most dogs don't 'square the corner' and go from healthy dog to rainbow dog overnight. I think most dog go down hill slowly. But this is just our 2nd dog. Our first dog died at 6 years old from a twisted stomach and he when from healthy to not in 3 hours. "

For me, that would be a trip ender. I would paddle out with my dog and bury him at home or have him cremated. With my dog passing, there would be no way I could finish and enjoy the rest of my trip. You are correct, unless the dog suffers some injury/emergency, they typically don’t go from healthy to dead that quick.

That's one of those what if's that you just can't worry about. It could be any one of us just as easily as it could be our dog. If we worry about that kind of thing we'd never leave the house.

Since the topic has been brought up I'd do the same as Goldenbager. The trip would be over and the dog would come out with me.

Just an update on this post. We no longer bring her on canoe trips. This is mainly because she gets so cold now a days. We will probably bring her on short trips that are predicted to be warm and near home, but at 14 1/2 all she does is sleep anyway. Last trip she also got too hot. We had to cool her off in the lake. So I guess for us the line was her comfort.

My old heeler has gone blind on me. Sad about that. She was a perfect Bdub dog and has stayed at the same campsite on Frost so many times that she remembers it and has favorite spots. She’s 12 and physically still could do it, and would enjoy hanging out in camp, but it still seems like a bad idea to take her. May just take her to Sawbill or something like that and grab an island site to give her one last trip.

The heeler puppy I added last year may take a few years before she gets Bdub privileges. Otherwise she’d probably make it into a few threads on the main board in a bad way.