so reading lots of trip reports lately about solo trips with dogs has me seriously thinking about getting a dog again (it's been 30 years). what breeds are good? which are bad (we can skip the obvious, no poodles, no Chihuahua).

I've never owned a dog but have had two canine tripping partners over the years. Borrowing a friends dog is soooo much easier! Both were black lab mutts and took to the canoeing quickly. Quite different personalities though. Lex loved the water and Claire hates it. Neither was a problem in the boat. Neither too heavy-I'm guessing around 35-40 lbs. I've heard from someone, who carried herself as a dog expert, that the floppy eared breeds are more domesticated by nature than the pointed ear varieties. Something about the genetics of never getting to full maturity and reaching a higher level of independence. Maybe BS but I tend to believe it may be true. There it is, my full extent of my knowledge-lol.

I'm not sure what breed is best, proper training is really the important thing here.
I trip with an Australian Shepherd. She is great in the canoe, and sticks close by me on the portages. Aussies are a perfect size for canoe tripping IMO

To quote the late, great, Gordon MacQuarrie, "I am congenitally allergic to all but the hunting breeds." But then again, these look pretty low maintenance....

Having difficulty with link, youtube Mongolian or Kurdish Kangal.

Snoop

Poodles are hunting dogs from France. The classic poodle cut was created to keep the dog's hind quarters, hip and ankle joints, and chest warm in the cold autumn waters in Normandy. The tail ball is a rudder to help steer while retrieving waterfowl. Live and learn. They are also recognized as one of the top breeds for intelligence. I on the other hand recommend a lab. Like my Sherman.

a Golden ! My best buddy ! Loyal, loving, good with people, runs critters out of camp ! Those chippies do not stand a chance !

quote mooseplums: "I'm not sure what breed is best, proper training is really the important thing here.
I trip with an Australian Shepherd. She is great in the canoe, and sticks close by me on the portages. Aussies are a perfect size for canoe tripping IMO


"

Amen to the good training! To those of you who I've met in the BWCA with well-trained dogs--THANK YOU! It was a pleasure to meet you folks and your "Fido". If your dog needs more training (can't control barking or does not know to not jump on me, into my canoe, start nosing into our food pack or run off with part of our gear when we meet up at portages--all experiences I've had in the BWCA) please leave your dog at home.

*Whew* sorry to hijack. End of rant.

I have tripped with three unbelievable dogs - they were very well trained and had conscientious owners. They were an Airedale, a Chesapeake and a Black Lab. All great pets and canoe dogs-the key, as stated earlier - is the training.

Get a dog that fits well with your life style and personality, take the time needed to train and discipline it and a good dog for the BWCA will follow.......even if it's a poodle or a Chihuahua.

How well the dog is trained will be far and above the determining factor.

A few years ago when it was time for another dog I decided to do something different. I'd always had Springer Spaniels and, while they're a great breed, I was starting to do a lot more canoeing and traveling and wanted a dog a better suited size wise for canoe and car travel.

The physical requirements for me were fairly small and lightweight (for canoeing and traveling) but with a light colored coat (to stay cooler in the sun) and a slender long legged body for getting through the prairie grasses where I normally walk. I started looking around at shelters and after searching for a month or so came up with just what I was looking for. And even better yet she turned out to be the smartest and most trainable dog I've ever owned.

She's slender, long legged, and weighs 27-29 pounds (depending on season). She can run through the grass all day and sit comfortably in the canoe without rocking the boat, so to speak. Never seen a Brittany Spaniel this small but after talking to some people who know the breed they say they have, so I guess that's what I'm calling her. Seems too calm for a Brittany though.

After owning a smaller dog I don't see myself ever going back to something that's over 40 lbs.



Alan

I can tell you that those two dogs do not fit my personality :) no offense to lovers of those two breeds. Growing up we had Cocker Spaniel dogs and I loved them, they are a little small even full grown. I don't want to provide any wolf/bear snacks.

A few more reasons to consider a smallish dog:

Less food to pack when camping (weight and bulk).

More room in the tent if they sleep with you at night. I've even pulled Sadie into the hammock on a couple occasions when the temps dropped well below freezing and she didn't have enough to keep warm on her own.

Less mess in the tent if the dog is wet/dirty

Less feces around camp, in the backyard, and in the park.

You can manhandle them easily. If we're canoeing in 90+ degree temps I can dump Sadie in the lake and grab her by the collar to swing her back into the boat with no trouble for either of us. Once she's back in the boat she drags considerably less water with her than my Springer would have.

Same goes for awkward/muddy canoe landings. If there's not a good way for her to safely jump out of the canoe I can pick her up with one hand, leaving my other free to balance myself with tricky footing. Also a big bonus for wet/muddy landings. So simple to just carry her across and toss her in the boat rather than having the dog drag 5 pounds of mud into the boat.

There's nothing that my previous 60lb. dogs could do that she can't but there are things she can do at 27lbs. that they wouldn't have been able to do because of size.

Alan

9 month old Jack Russell Terrier. Great canoe dog...;-)

I just want to encourage people to provide photographic evidence of various breeds and how suitable they are. Cute dog in canoe photos do help pass some time.

Growing up with golden retrievers, a cocker spaniel and an Airedale (one dog per kid, my mother was a saint), I have since fallen for smaller breed dogs. Following three wonderful goldens in my adult life, ten years ago my daughter moved in with an american eskimo/sheltie mix and then moved out...leaving a cat behind to accompany the dog. After figuring out the Alpha male relationship, Tyson and I became the very best of friends and, until putting him down due to epilepsy four years, I loved him as no other, and in the process adapted to small dogs.

With a golden still holding well on at 11 years, my wife decided I needed another pal as my dogs were working animals and accompanied me to my previous career. We searched high and low for a small or mini aussie and ended up with our Sadie...who never grew past ten pounds. Her small stature was a surprise to us as we expected a dog twice the size. Her brave attitude makes up for her size and she is a delight once she accepts your presence.

As mentioned by previous posters, small breeds do have their place. Maintenance is much easier, no big crates in the house, less food, less water, less space in the ...insert anything you want...less poop, easy to manage by hand (literally), less to dry...pretty much less everything except love.

I doubt if we will ever go back to a large breed again.

I like mutts. My current dog is a German shepherd/Siberian husky mix. Perfect. Doesn't pick up burrs, stays clean, really low maintenance.

My last dog was a husky/"hunting dog" mix. Best tripping dog I ever had. Both dogs were/are in the 50-55 pound class.

In a solo boat it can be a challenge to trim your canoe with a bigger dog. I loved my cheesy and I miss her a lot. But I can see now how much extra effort it was to paddle with her. I would shy away from the smaller dogs because the wolf thing I feel may be an issue. Bernie would just growl in the tent when a bear would visit and they would leave. She was big enough to carry her food.

oops, time for surgery.

German Shepard Blue Heeler mix :-)

There is no such thing as the best dog breed, they are all great in their own way. When it comes to a canoe dog the best dog is the one that you've spent time training. Some take to it better and some dogs you may discover just don't like being in a canoe. But that can be any dog regardless of breed, its more up to individual personalities.

I have a vizsla which is a breed that most people would probably say would make a terrible canoe dog because they are super high energy and can be kind of particular about where they lay down. While my dog still won't lay in the bottom of the canoe he does really well sitting or even standing in the bow of the canoe. He's still got a ton of energy but that is offset by his attention to his surroundings. He spends our paddling time scanning the horizon and sniffing the air and checking out all of the sights. Rarely does he move much.

He's basically a hood ornament for the canoe.


The only one thing breed related that you may want to consider is the size of the dog. My 50 pound Vizsla is going to be much easier to manage in a canoe versus a 150 pound Great Dane. Just consider how much room you have left in your canoe and find a dog that fits.

To each his own


Never worried about an eagle picking him up for a snack.

my 75 lbs lab is OK for canoing. he's too big though and would prefer swimming to sitting in a canoe all day. he eats a ton and while hiking drinks an incredible amount of water. i also have to be careful with him when it is hot as he has developed 'hot spots'.



my 13 lbs chihuahua/rat terrier is a katrina rescue. she is tough as nails. a tablespoon of water lasts her all day. she can walk around in the canoe and i hardly notice. this dog can keep pace hiking with my lab, she can go all day.

I'm partial to Springer Spaniels.

We really love our English Shepherd. Awesome dog. He doesn't love canoeing but loves camping. But because he's a good boy he puts up with the canoe. :) However, he's pretty shaggy, so it would be annoying to camp with him if he got all wet. (He does not like swimming so he doesn't get wet beyond his lower legs, if he can at all help it.)

Next time we go with him we'll bring a poncho just for him, just in case. He REALLY hates rain.

I do think many English Shepherds like the water, though. It's individual.

If I were picking a dog just with canoe camping in mind, I'd probably want one with a shorter coat. He can also get full of burs. But we picked him in light of the rest of our lives, not canoeing. English Shepherds typically run 50-60 pounds.

My mom has a Welsh Corgi. I could see that breed being a cool canoe dog. Might need help jumping into the canoe, though. :)

Always liked big dogs, but now I see the beauty of a small dog. This is an Avon terrier. Don't think she could tip the canoe if she tried!

quote TwoByGreenCanoe: "I'm partial to Springer Spaniels.
"

Me too!

This question is a bit of a trap, like asking who has the best kids. I have a lab and am partial to retrievers, but have also seen some awful retrievers in canoes. I'm not big on most little dogs, but remember being completely charmed by a wonderful little pug I met once on a portage. Like paddling partners, there is no best, just the best for you.

all good info so far, didn't think about the large dog, large amount of food ratio. for those of you with bigger dogs do you have a doggie pack for them? carry their own food in?

I agree with others that training is the most important thing and a dog that fits your personality. Echo is an 83lb lab and he has turned out to be a pretty good canoe/ camping dog. A teacher I work with has a lab that is a hunting dynamo and it had an oops and one of the possible dads was a lab. He's turned out to be a great dog especially for $75. He is an awesome family member and running partner. All of his sisters are 65lbs and I think they would have been a better size for the canoe.

Echo has been on 2 tandem trips and 1 solo trip and did very well. Only gets in and out of the canoe on command and stays very close on the portages and around camp. The only time we met someone on a portage he sat and stayed on command while I got the canoe off and then the other people called him over because they wanted to pet him. He ran over and sat while they said "hi" to him. We lucked out that he doesn't like to "swim" and that he just likes to stomp around in a few inches of water so we don't have a wet/cold dog in the tent. His 3 trips have been in Sept/Oct. He also has never barked. Even the times we've passed other canoes with dogs barking at him and their owners having to hang on to them keeping them from jumping out of the canoe. He just looks at me like...."can I go play"

I've just packed his food with mine because I didn't want to deal with the on and off his pack at the start/end of each portage. Many people on here have their dogs carry their own food in an pack and I'm thinking about trying that on his next trip.

quote ducks: "

I've just packed his food with mine because I didn't want to deal with the on and off his pack at the start/end of each portage. Many people on here have their dogs carry their own food in an pack and I'm thinking about trying that on his next trip.
"

It brings a new dimension as the Chessies I've had seem to feel more apart of things when carrying their own packs.

The black lab mix I had once didn't like packs and sun. Was a great dog otherwise.

quote Basspro69: "German Shepard Blue Heeler mix :-)"

Well that is just cheating...lol

quote OldGuystilltripping: "To each his own



Never worried about an eagle picking him up for a snack."

Nor a cold night...;-)

quote gsfisher13: "all good info so far, didn't think about the large dog, large amount of food ratio. for those of you with bigger dogs do you have a doggie pack for them? carry their own food in?"

Remember...better food = less of it and less on the other end as well.
Cheap food piles up fast...pun intended.

Gimme my boys any day. Pure bred Mississippi Redneck Retrievers.

quote Doughboy12: "

quote gsfisher13: "all good info so far, didn't think about the large dog, large amount of food ratio. for those of you with bigger dogs do you have a doggie pack for them? carry their own food in?"

Remember...better food = less of it and less on the other end as well.
Cheap food piles up fast...pun intended."

That's very good :)

quote gsfisher13: "all good info so far, didn't think about the large dog, large amount of food ratio. for those of you with bigger dogs do you have a doggie pack for them? carry their own food in?"

Yep, once he was fully grown he started carrying his own food. Also with a pack on him he doesn't want to run ahead - no need to tell him to heel. One more side benefit - no problem with excess left overs.

We have a golden. I picked up a Minn II and an Itaska this fall from an outfitter and took my 13 year old son, 16 year old son, and two year old dog for a paddle to check them out. We took the Minn II first with the dog in the middle. Not the right spot for the dog. She walked back and forth, sticking her head in the water, ... So we pulled over on a dock and put her up in the front of the canoe in front of my son. She sat with her forearms on the gunnel, then stuck her head in, then her whole front end slipped in with her back end still in the boat. She was paddling with her front legs trying to keep her head out of the water while my son was laughing. He finally push her out of the canoe so she could as least swim. I think she is a bit squirrely for a canoe yet and she has no fear which is good to some extent.

How do you get a dog to sit still in a canoe?

+1 on Brittany's and ++1 on TRAINING. No dog breed is perfect for canoe tripping - it'll be perfect for you. My Brittany carried her own food.

Um....can I get some privacy please?

this is a dog my daughter found running wild in the desert when she worked on the mescalero apache reservation in new mexico. i don't think it is a breed but it is a descendant of the apache dogs that were used to pull travois. tough, can handle all sorts of nasty conditions, NEVER barks. best dog i have ever met. a person could make a fortune selling this breed but i don't think the apaches would approve. he never made it to the bwca but was great on the st. croix.

best dog for the Boundary Waters?? It's obvious...a "Border" Collie...lol

quote jwartman59: "this is a dog my daughter found running wild in the desert when she worked on the mescalero apache reservation in new mexico. i don't think it is a breed but it is a descendant of the apache dogs that were used to pull travois. tough, can handle all sorts of nasty conditions, NEVER barks. best dog i have ever met. a person could make a fortune selling this breed but i don't think the apaches would approve. he never made it to the bwca but was great on the st. croix. "

The dogs roaming the streets in Mexico were fantastic as well. Very intelligent and friendly without being annoying. Very vehicle aware. I was told some were strays and some had homes but spent the day hanging out in the street. I suppose natural selection was hard at work. A stupid or mean dog isn't going to last very long in those situations. I wanted to take them all home.

Alan

I can tell you for sure what isn't a good dog breed for the BWCA. A Wire-haired Dachshound. Unless it never has to walk very far.

One that doesn't bark. . .doesn't jump on other paddlers at portages and doesn't poop on portage trails.

I have no opinion on best dog breed, but thought I would post a cute picture of my Calcifer from last summer. Ugh, I was going to spend the whole winter working on down stay for next year's canoe season, but I have been working on heel, don't pull me over on the ice instead.

The best breed for the BWCA? A well trained dog, I don't think that the breed would mater. Here is what I am looking for, a dog that is good in the canoe (no jumping from side to side), a dog that will walk by my side on the portage trails, a dog that will only bark when a bear comes into camp, a dog that know to do its business in the woods and not on a portage trail or campsite, and a dog that will sit beside me when we are relaxing my the fire.

Don't overlook the obvious:)

My 85 pound German Shepard mut mix works great. She was a slow learner though, last year she just was able to her "Dog Paddle" down so now she can help me, I got her a Bending Branches Paddle.

Obedience training is important with any dog, my dog just lays down nicely and rarely moves. She is 8 years and I live on a lake and do a lot of canoeing on this lake besides the BW, we have not swamped yet.

I took a different approach with training Bernie. We paddled across our lake every day in my Old Town Pathfinder. She'd bring her ball and would bat it around making up several games. When we first started it was a tippy experience. After time she hardly tipped the canoe at all. Whether getting in or out or just moving around she hardly rocked the boat at all. She was always respectful I thought. One thing I liked was she dried very fast which was good since she loved the water. Six thirty was as late as I'd let her swim. But I see after her size was giving me a good workout. My neighbor got a golden that I get to take care of a lot. From what I see is I'd have to keep them out of the water by noon for them to be dry enough for the tent at night.

quote 2old4U: "Don't overlook the obvious:)


"

Or...

To answer the question of them my dogs carrying a pack:

I met someone on a portage trail and they said what a great idea he can carry your stuff. It was the beginning of the trip and half his food was in my pack. I had to add about 10 inches to the the chest straps to get around him, but the packs have now been used by 3 different dogs. The first trip my dogs have gone on when they are 6 - 9 months I carry all their food and for 12 days it's as much weight as my food.????

I'm partial to goldens. Great companions and smart. She's a great canoe dog and loves the water. At 70 lbs, she's not too big and not too small. I've read different things about how much weight a dog should carry. I've read anywhere from 10-25% of their body weight. I don't think I've ever had Willow carry more than 7 lbs. A week's worth of dry kibble and a few Milkbones don't weight all that much. I also pack a mini-fold up shovel designated just for her land mines.

One's that can relax underway.

Love all the great pictures of all the great dogs. They add a lot to our lives.

Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever!
Smart, love water, don't bark (though they will cry...), and the smallest of the retrievers.

quote OldGuystilltripping: "To each his own



Never worried about an eagle picking him up for a snack."

HOLY CRAP, that's a big boy!!

The mut breed named BAXTER:

without a doubt, schnorkie. ;-)

Something big (to carry a portage pack) that doesn't bark.

quote halvorsonchristopher: "

quote OldGuystilltripping: "To each his own




Never worried about an eagle picking him up for a snack."

HOLY CRAP, that's a big boy!! "

Wow, just looking at that picture scares me from getting a big dog. I'm imagining sitting in the stern paddling and having him climb back to me from the bow. Picturing a canoe with the bow 6 feet out of the water and him sitting at my feet :)

Wow, just looking at that picture scares me from getting a big dog. I'm imagining sitting in the stern paddling and having him climb back to me from the bow. Picturing a canoe with the bow 6 feet out of the water and him sitting at my feet :)"

That shouldn't be an issue. If you're serious about getting a canoe dog you'll quickly train it to know where its "spot" is in the boat, and that's where it will stay. Moving fore and aft is not acceptable.

Alan

quote Alan Gage: "

Wow, just looking at that picture scares me from getting a big dog. I'm imagining sitting in the stern paddling and having him climb back to me from the bow. Picturing a canoe with the bow 6 feet out of the water and him sitting at my feet :)"

That shouldn't be an issue. If you're serious about getting a canoe dog you'll quickly train it to know where its "spot" is in the boat, and that's where it will stay. Moving fore and aft is not acceptable.

Alan"

What Alan said!

We've had several different "canoe dogs", mainly English Setters & Golden Retrievers. They have ranged in weight from approx. 55# to 90#. All of them knew their place in our canoes; solos and tandems.

Then again, some of the space constraints have helped placement as much as their training.

Hans Solo

I'm not sure what qualifies "Best" dog breed for the BWCA, but two breeds that have been great companions on our canoe trips have been English Setters and Golden Retrievers. My wife tends to favor the Setters, but I prefer the Goldens, but we're both happy owning either breed.

Although I don't hunt, I prefer dogs from the Sporting Breed category. Primarily because they enjoy being in or around water and they're somewhat "built" for the outdoors. The English Setters we've had have been real swimmers, whereas the Goldens have been more waders.

Hans Solo

at times my lab seems more like a seal or otter than a dog. he lives for swimming. when he was a puppy this was a problem, at two he is starting to get it under control.

Best Dog Food for Golden Retrievers

bobbernumber3: "

quote 2old4U: "Don't overlook the obvious:)



"

Or... "

This. The most important thing is the handler of the dog. One of my least favorite things to meet on the trail is someone's dog. The next time I/we meet one that is fully under control will be the first one-no matter what their owner claims. And as such, our three dogs stay home where they belong.

drought: "One's that can relax underway. "

Agreed. A calm quiet dog is essential. One that won’t chase wildlife or wander from camp. I got lucky with this border collie. She adds a lot of enjoyment to the trip and my trip mates all seem to enjoy having her there as well.

After two years without, we've got a new puppy in our future. We pick him up the first weekend in May. A Bernedoodle. He will be joining us on the majority of our adventures.

We've run into dogs various times on the portages in the past, some behaved better than others, but even the worst behaved weren't a bother. I have less patience for poor portage etiquette from people than a dog barking or trying to jump up and greet me. The dog is easily handled, the people not so much.

mr.barley: "

quote TwoByGreenCanoe: "I'm partial to Springer Spaniels.
"

Me too! "

Me three!

fastesaletter: "
Best Dog Food for Golden Retrievers "

. We like 4health from tractor supply. Make sure to check out the dog forum here on bwca.com

NOT THIS DOG!


I’ve had 2 GSP’s and both are great water dogs, but terrible canoe dogs. Well behaved everywhere but once they get near water they are like a 4 year old with ADHD, loud and can’t sit still they are so excited. AND they hunt everything. My first dog I trained to point birds with a pheasant wing on the end of a fishing pole. Every time she saw a fishing pole she got so excited to play. It’s like the canoe put an already hyper-high energy dogs x 1000 :) The amount of training to make them good canoe dogs made canoeing no longer fun so they get to stay home. Your welcome because you wouldn’t want me canoeing around you with either dog :)

I’ve had the perfect canoeing buddy for twelve years. She’s a blue heeler. Unfortunately, she’s gone blind on me and her hearing is going, so she’s retired to the front porch. Heelers are perfect for canoe country. Not too big, but durable. Smart and velcro dogs, so they usually stay close.

Added a new heeler this year. I was hoping to take her with me in May, she’ll be 8 months. I’ve pretty much decided to wait a year. Still too much puppy, I’m not sure she can follow the rules yet.

I may just pick a lake with a short portage and base camp to let the old dog hang out one last time.

timatkn: "NOT THIS DOG!



I’ve had 2 GSP’s and both are great water dogs, but terrible canoe dogs. Well behaved everywhere but once they get near water they are like a 4 year old with ADHD, loud and can’t sit still they are so excited. AND they hunt everything. My first dog I trained to point birds with a pheasant wing on the end of a fishing pole. Every time she saw a fishing pole she got so excited to play. It’s like the canoe put an already hyper-high energy dogs x 1000 :) The amount of training to make them good canoe dogs made canoeing no longer fun so they get to stay home. Your welcome because you wouldn’t want me canoeing around you with either dog :)
"

Funny you say that; when I did a trip with GSP and his GSP, Marco, I thought he was a great dog, a lot of fun in camp. For the most part he was good in the canoe, but when I'd be reeling in a walleye he'd be right on my shoulder, moving around, as excited as I was about the fish. "Marco, you're makin' me a little nervous!" I said as I netted the fish. :)

Hot dog. You get to eat it, and do not need to worry about it running away.

outsidethebox: "

bobbernumber3: "

quote 2old4U: "Don't overlook the obvious:)



"

Or... "

This. The most important thing is the handler of the dog. One of my least favorite things to meet on the trail is someone's dog. The next time I/we meet one that is fully under control will be the first one-no matter what their owner claims. And as such, our three dogs stay home where they belong. "

Got to agree with the above. I have always owned dogs. However mine are on the leash at all times when we are away from home. I have yet to meet a group in the BWCA with their dog not free running. I am 66 and the last thing I need is a dog jumping up on me while carrying a canoe or gear on a portage. I also REALLY don't want one wondering into my camp unattended (or attended for that matter).

Everyone loves their kids, but not necessarily other people's kids. Same goes for dogs. Many of us love our dogs. But we don't want other people's dogs jumping up on us on trails, coming in to our camp sites, or barking while we are seeking solitude.