​Tripping with dogs

[Guest]

Spoke with Alan on the phone yesterday shortly after he crossed back into the states. He was in high spirits, reports his dog Sadie did well.

I was thinking about Alan and dog successfully completing a long challenging trip. I feel I kind of know Alan from his posts here. I don’t know even know the dog’s name, but I’m betting she (?) isn’t colloquially known as “Stop That Stupid”.

A canine’s perspective trip report would make interesting reading. I wonder what she calls Alan?

I stopped keeping a list of paddling companions years ago, but at the time I had paddled with 37 dogs (and one rescued kitten). None of them were mine, and nearly all were well behaved canoe dogs.

Lucy, a golden retriever whose favorite position was lying centered in the bottom of the canoe with her muzzle resting on the bow seat. A well balanced dog in every way.

Wilma, a German shorthaired pointer who won the title Queen of Calm and Commandable every year, until a Maine trip when she saw her first moose; she bolted from the canoe, swam to shore and took off into the woods.

Dr. Bob, the perfect lazy lump of hounddog and his replacement, Mobie the Stick Obsessed, who became expert at swimming efficient ferry angles back upstream on stick retrieval, including ruddering with his tail. Novice paddlers could learn from watching Mobie.

Whisky, a German Sheppard mix who grew up in a canoe from puphood and loved it, eagerly climbing in or out of the boat upon request. Until one day when we took a leg stretcher in the swamp and Whisky refused to budge, something that had never happened before.

We called and coerced and he didn’t move an inch. His owner eventually tried to drag him by the collar and Whiskey growled and bared teeth in a meaningful way. Something that had never, ever remotely happen before.

We got him calmed down and deduced the problem. When Whisky sat down his testicles had come to rest inside a greenbrier noose. I’d have snapped and snarled too.

I miss tripping with dogs. Other people’s dogs; that is way too much extra work and responsibility for me.

 

[pblanc]

Sure, I have done lots of trips with my two smallish mutts, mostly day trips but also some overnighters, either with my wife or without. In fact, I will likely be doing a three day trip with them in a solo boat in the Ozarks next week.



My dogs love the canoe and are usually very well behaved. Of course, many times one wants to hang his head over one gunwale, while the other chooses the opposite, which can make paddling a challenge. Having them along does create some additional work, especially if I am on my own, trying to keep them from wandering off (invariably in opposite directions) while setting up the tent, cook, etc.

Ah, Mobie. Mobie is a bit of a piece of work. I recall one Raystown event years ago at which Thomas and I took a 'glass Sawyer Jensen 17 that SawyerGeorge was selling out for a spin. We left Mobie on shore, we thought in good hands. We were well out in the bay and moving along pretty well when we noticed a small black object far off from shore progressing toward the boat. It was quite a swim for Mobie, and then we had the challenge of getting the dog in the boat without capsizing. Thank heavens there were no sticks in sight out on the water.

 

[yellowcanoe]

My Lucy is a gunwale hanger. Five seconds one side five seconds the other side. And she stands. .especially in the rain.

she is a sunny day bow wow canoe person.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...e/IMG_0881.jpg

prone to leaving the boat should something interesting show up

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...psc1ef95cc.jpg

Nap time. But the thwart must be a little lower

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/f...e/IMG_0877.jpg

 

[Jim Dodd]

I used to take my sons Rat terrier. The only problem, it wanted to sit on my lap, making it hard to paddle.

Jim

 

[Canotrouge]

we have a chocolate lab that we tried to bring a long many times, but he is a pain in the but, he wines, doesn't sit still.... We got him a 18 months, so maybe he was to old to get use to the canoe thing!!

Great dog, just not a canoe dog.

 

[red langford]

Mine loves the canoe but he is too big. He sits relatively still but when 100 pounds situated in the widest part of the canoe shifts his weight from one side to the other, it gets a little hairy. Not taking him is almost as bad, the dirty looks i get when I come home are enough to break my heart.

 

[Alan Gage]

I don't think I'd enjoy tripping near as much without Sadie. When I was dog shopping I was very particular in the size, build, and color of my new dog. I wanted a friendly size for a solo canoe, long legs and lean build to be able run through tall grass without bogging down, and not black in color to keep from overheating on a hot day on the water. I found that dog and was also fortunate that she's the smartest and best behaved dog I've ever had.

Tripping with her is a joy. Really no trouble at all other than lugging her food around. She loves to run and explore on the portage trails but she never goes very far away, just out and back, out and back, repeat; so I never really have to keep an eye on her. If she gets out of my ear shot a whistle brings her right back. Never wanders away from camp. She's a never ending source of comic relief and a stress reliever to watch her curl up in the sun for a nap. At times there's a real sense of team work when working through difficult situations and a good deal of pride when she performs well or conquers a new experience. Plus having her along keeps me from thinking myself insane. "No I'm not having a conversation with myself, I'm having a conversation with my dog!"

She was a real champ on this last trip although I'm sure there were times she had doubts about her tripping partner.

P8220124 by Alan, on Flickr

P8190078 by Alan, on Flickr

Alan

 

[Guest]

She was a real champ on this last trip although I'm sure there were times she had doubts about her tripping partner.

That looks like one happy dog.

Ah, Mobie. Mobie is a bit of a piece of work. I recall one Raystown event years ago at which Thomas and I took a 'glass Sawyer Jensen 17 that SawyerGeorge was selling out for a spin. We left Mobie on shore, we thought in good hands. We were well out in the bay and moving along pretty well when we noticed a small black object far off from shore progressing toward the boat. It was quite a swim for Mobie, and then we had the challenge of getting the dog in the boat without capsizing. Thank heavens there were no sticks in sight out on the water.

Mobie is demented. I probably would be too if I lived with Tom.

It is funny to recall that Mobie wouldn’t even get his paws wet as a pup and is now the Michael Phelps of canines.