BWCA Solo Canoe w/ Dog Boundary Waters Group Forum: Doggie Paddle
Chat Rooms (0 Chatting)  |  Search  |   Login/Join
* For the benefit of the community, commercial posting is not allowed.
Boundary Waters Quetico Forum
   Group Forum: Doggie Paddle
      Solo Canoe w/ Dog     

Author

Text

02/20/2015 06:25PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
I posted this under Trip Planning also, but I thought I might get some responses here, too. I always take my dog along and she is a great canoe dog. I have never paddled solo with her, though. How well does a solo canoe handle with gear (pack, food pack) and a dog? I'm assuming a solo canoe paddles better when loaded down. Does your dog ride in the middle, or up front?
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next
drought
distinguished member (312)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/20/2015 09:26PM  
I'm definitely no expert on soloing with a dog, I've only done it once. What worked for me was main pack in bow, dog between me and the pack and the food barrel behind me. My dogs are Australian Shepherds and average between 45 and 50 lbs. (I only soloed with one though).

Also, I'm no expert on trimming the canoe but that arrangement seemed to work for me. (Probably because I was using a 17' two person canoe, sitting in the stern seat)
 
02/20/2015 10:26PM  
One thing to consider (though keep in mind I've never soloed with a dog) is the width of your canoe and how active your dog is in the boat. If your dog is a wiggly one who goes from side to side looking around, you might prefer to put the dog in part of the canoe where it can't do that as much. Example: my uncle's dog loved to go canoeing, but he had to ride behind the stern in the small space back there, so his looking from one side to the other was basically him turning his head. In the wide part of the canoe, it was very annoying; felt very wiggly. He'd prance back and forth all day.

My dog, on the other hand, probably dislikes canoeing and just lies down and waits for it to be over. I say "probably dislikes" because it could also be that he just doesn't care...but for sure it does not excite him in any way. So I could put him anywhere. (he really, really likes camping, though, so we figure it's okay to tug him along)
 
barracuda
distinguished member (241)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
02/20/2015 11:02PM  
Depends on the weight/disposition of the dog but drought's layout is a good starting point. My 60lb Lab like to wander to the bow so my heavy gear pack is in the back, small food pack in the front, dog is mainly at my feet. My prism handles normally, until the lab wanders to the bow and screws up the trim. Stability has not been an issue though. Here is a LINK to a recentish thread.
 
02/21/2015 07:20AM  
quote barracuda: " Depends on the weight/disposition of the dog but drought's layout is a good starting point. My 60lb Lab like to wander to the bow so my heavy gear pack is in the back, small food pack in the front, dog is mainly at my feet. My prism handles normally, until the lab wanders to the bow and screws up the trim. Stability has not been an issue though. Here is a LINK to a recentish thread."


Thank you! That was a helpful thread. I think we now have a 6th paddler going with us. So it may be a moot point at this time. But, good info for the future. My furry paddling partner is a golden retriever about 55 pounds. She usually just lays in the bottom of the boat with her chin on the gunwale, watching the world go by. But there were a couple times she tried to climb up on top of the packs.
 
02/21/2015 07:28AM  
quote nojobro: "One thing to consider (though keep in mind I've never soloed with a dog) is the width of your canoe and how active your dog is in the boat. If your dog is a wiggly one who goes from side to side looking around, you might prefer to put the dog in part of the canoe where it can't do that as much. Example: my uncle's dog loved to go canoeing, but he had to ride behind the stern in the small space back there, so his looking from one side to the other was basically him turning his head. In the wide part of the canoe, it was very annoying; felt very wiggly. He'd prance back and forth all day.


My dog, on the other hand, probably dislikes canoeing and just lies down and waits for it to be over. I say "probably dislikes" because it could also be that he just doesn't care...but for sure it does not excite him in any way. So I could put him anywhere. (he really, really likes camping, though, so we figure it's okay to tug him along)"


Nojoboro, I still haven't completely figured out if my dog loves it or hates it, either. I think she loves being in the canoe as she's always eager to jump in when we're ready to shove off. That or she's afraid of being left behind. :) I'm not entirely sure about camping, either. When we first get to a campsite she's awful afraid of everything - strange noises and such. She doesn't like to wander outside of the campsite, even with me. After a day or so she calms down. And she would spend 24/7 in the water if I let her, so being surrounded by water all of the time is right up her ally. She also tends to go off food when we're up there so I have to put goodies in it to get her to eat. Excitement? Stress? As well as I know her, I still haven't figured out if she loves it or hates it.
 
02/21/2015 09:25AM  
Goldenbadger I posted in your other thread about my experience w/ my first solo with my dog.
 
02/21/2015 03:33PM  
Big pack in the stern small pack in the bow and your dog in front of you. This worked good but my dog is 45# A heavy dog and just combine both packs in the stern. I've seen a solo canoe with a dog behind him but I would never go that route.

 
canoegal
distinguished member (148)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/05/2015 06:16PM  
I solo paddle a 17.5' canoe with my 55 lb. Golden Retriever, Daisy. Camera gear at my feet, Daisy just on other side of first thwart, gear in the other sections of canoe toward the bow. Piece of cake, but she's a great canoe dog. On hot sunny days, I make a tent for her -- clamp a reflective tarp across the thwart to yoke, with enough opening on one side that she can sit up in the sun, or go under the tarp for shade. I love that she can enjoy our adventures.
 
03/05/2015 06:37PM  
All of these are awesome. I think we need to start a thread of pics of dogs in canoes.
 
03/05/2015 07:06PM  
quote canoegal: "On hot sunny days, I make a tent for her -- clamp a reflective tarp across the thwart to yoke, with enough opening on one side that she can sit up in the sun, or go under the tarp for shade."

Do you happen to have an image of this? I've had thoughts of making something for both hot sun or heavy rain.
 
canoegal
distinguished member (148)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/05/2015 09:37PM  
quote Jaywalker: "
quote canoegal: "On hot sunny days, I make a tent for her -- clamp a reflective tarp across the thwart to yoke, with enough opening on one side that she can sit up in the sun, or go under the tarp for shade."

Do you happen to have an image of this? I've had thoughts of making something for both hot sun or heavy rain. "

I'll be working on photo projects this weekend and will see if I have any pics of the shade tarp rigging. Pretty lo-tech but effective.

Goldenbadger, Yes, canoe dog thread would be great if we don't already have one.
 
03/06/2015 06:30AM  
There are a couple dog photo threads. But not specific to dogs in canoes.
 
03/06/2015 06:31AM  
I would start it but I honestly don't have one of Willow actually in the canoe. She's been on a couple trips but she sits behind me and I need someone else to take the pic.
 
canoegal
distinguished member (148)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
03/06/2015 08:01AM  
quote Goldenbadger: "I would start it but I honestly don't have one of Willow actually in the canoe. She's been on a couple trips but she sits behind me and I need someone else to take the pic. "

I happened to already have a photo uploaded to the site, so I started a thread. Great idea, Goldenbadger! Looking forward to seeing fun photos!
 
davep785
member (21)member
  
11/18/2015 08:19PM  
I'm new to hammock camping as well as tripping with dogs, so be patient with my questions here.. Primary travel within BWCA in summer.
I'll be getting a 30 - 40 pound spaniel in the spring. I read here about the popup kennels and single bed bug net over that for the pup. How low to place the tarp over the hammock. Most pics I see a foot or two of space between the ground and the bottom of the tarp. If that is the case, I need to use reflectix square on the bottom and tyvek to make a mini tarp shelter above the popup kennel and tie it off to my hammock. OR... should i put my tarp so low the stake is driven thru the tarp pullout and into the ground without guy lines.

any tips you can provide is greatly appreciated. LOVE THIS WEBSITE as well. I've learned so much already.

Dave
 
11/18/2015 09:15PM  
Hi Dave,
Welcome to the site and the Doggie Paddle group! I myself am not a butt-hanger, but it sounds like you are asking about having enough coverage for your dogs pop up kennel. Tyvek is certainly useful in places and reflectix is good for insulation in radiant heat, but it sounds like maybe you are looking more for wind and rain protection? If so maybe consider making or having made a silnylon extension to your tarp that would better cover and protect the pop up kennel. Sounds easy to do and light weight.

Have to add this, if your dog is new to you and you don't know him/her well, maybe it would be a good idea to do a first BWCA trip it a tent? Wondering if, until you both know each other better, would a closed environment be better until you know the dogs responses to thunder, hard rain or wind, bear smells, raccoons, beaver tail splashes,, etc?
 
11/19/2015 06:19AM  
Update... since this post has been brought back to the top I thought I'd comment on my 2nd solo w/ my dog from last summer. I have a 90lb lab and I rented a Northstar Northwind Solo for this trip after using an SR Q16 for my first solo w/ Echo the year before. I thought the Northwind Solo was awesome and it was very stable with a dog. Echo rode up in the bow and my pack was behind me.
 
12/24/2015 06:57PM  
GoldenBadger

I solo with an Old Town Pack canoe. My 85 pound Shepard rides in the Bow. I moved the seat back about a foot (to help it plane out better with her in the bow) and lowered it about 2 inches for more stability. I moved the Thwart up a few inches and keep my pack in between the portage yoke and thwart. The Pack Canoe is a stable canoe anyways. Only 12.5 feet long and very slow. My dog jumps in and out very smoothly. We live on a lake and I rarely go without her. In 25 years of paddling with dogs I have yet to swamp. Knock on Wood. (I have had as many as three dogs, each one over 75 pounds in a canoe at one time).





 
08/25/2016 12:38PM  


Here is Aurora at the start of a 4 day solo last week.

The canoe handled wonderfully with about 70-80 lbs in the rear and her in front. I think she is between 60 and 65 lbs.

The one thing that worried me was fishing. I unloaded at camp and stuck close in case it became an unmanageable problem. She was indeed started when a 17" smallie came flying out of the water about 6' from her, but it was OK. I released a lot of fish and each time she spent a lot of time looking down in the water after a release.

Aurora and I both wish that the trip was 14 days instead of 4 days.
 
08/25/2016 01:15PM  
Glad it all worked out. I'm sure there's more trips in her future. I leave next Saturday for a 13 night solo with my dog Luna to Quetico. Anticipation is very high.
 
08/25/2016 08:46PM  
She looks beautiful, your sooo lucky.

I sure miss my canoeing solo partner, had to leave her with the wifie. I'll be back in Duluth the beginning of Nov to catch up with Elsa. It will be over 8 months gone by the time I return.
It's just not the same soloing without my best freind, especially in AK.
Hope I can bring her up next season when I return.

Not only am I away from my family for 8 months, I'm 6 miles from the nearest neighbor, off grid, living alone in a Goverment Guard Station with a radio and DVD's, can't imagine spending a winter here. It would be like "The shining".
Can anyone tell I'm lonely, with all the posts lately?
 
08/26/2016 01:18AM  
quote LindenTree3: "
Not only am I away from my family for 8 months, I'm 6 miles from the nearest neighbor, off grid, living alone in a Goverment Guard Station with a radio and DVD's, can't imagine spending a winter here. It would be like "The shining".
Can anyone tell I'm lonely, with all the posts lately?
"


It's a good thing you have the internet. Personally I would read all the books that are on my shelf I now don't have time to. Ever listen to podcasts? If you have itunes just browse through them. You can find interesting ones on just about any subject. And also we'll keep you company here too!

 
canoegal
distinguished member (148)distinguished memberdistinguished memberdistinguished member
  
09/24/2016 10:03PM  
quote Jaywalker: "
quote canoegal: "On hot sunny days, I make a tent for her -- clamp a reflective tarp across the thwart to yoke, with enough opening on one side that she can sit up in the sun, or go under the tarp for shade."

Do you happen to have an image of this? I've had thoughts of making something for both hot sun or heavy rain. "

Here's an example of the shade/rain tarp from a recent BWCAW trip.
 
      Print Top Bottom Previous Next