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June 18, 2007
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Kayaking with Your Dog, Part 2
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Confluence boat designer Robert Peerson kayaking with his golden lab, CeCe (courtesy, Confluence Watersports)
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Last week, the Gear Guy responded to a question about kayaking with dogs. We got such a response, that we decided to revisit the question: Can a dog still be man’s best friend out on the water?
Do you have a question of your own?
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 One thing is clear: People love their kayaks, and their dogs. The mailbox is overflowing with comments on the recent query about how to take a dog kayaking. Read some of the comments and advice here:
Ashton from Tennessee says: “I take my water-loving, 110-pound, 8-month-old Great Dane, Sobe, kayaking every chance we get. I ordered a dog life vest off line but you can also pick one up at Petsmart...I’ve tried to have him ride in the kayak but he refuses, which I’m sure any water loving animal would. He swims the entire trip.”
Here’s a good suggestion from Paul in California: “Use marine-grade Velcro to stick a piece of carpet in the dog's cockpit and over the sides so there's something to grip. Otherwise you will end up pulling your 80-pound-friend (toenails and all) into the boat.”
Jennifer from Maryland writes: “You can take your dog kayaking in mild whitewater. My dog follows me in my kayak on Class 2 whitewater. She has become really experienced with catching eddies and eddy turning.” [Gear Guy comments: That makes me a little nervous. Water is awfully powerful stuff, even Class 2, and I can easily picture a dog getting caught in a snag or whirlpool. But maybe I’m being too paranoid.]
Annie, another California native, has this to say about kayaking with her retriever: “I let her off the boat when we would approach rapids. She just ran along side the river then met up with me at the bottom of rapid or during flat water. I think the only problems were poison oak exposure and [me] being really comfortable in the boat. When a 50-pound dog wiggles around, it can test your balance.”
And lastly, a cautionary note from the Barefoot Handyman in Georgia: “You might want to advise the person to NOT go kayaking with a pet in blackwater swamps! Gators love to grab pooches out of the boats and take them home to eat. They leave people alone, but when a pet is on board...watch out!”
You’ve seen our picks for 2007 Gear of the Year, and now the entire Outside Summer Buyer’s Guide is online. Check out this year’s more than 400 must-have gear items, including kayaks.
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GEAR GUY FEATURES
Check out the bio of Douglas Gantenbein, aka the Gear Guy.
Readers' Mailbag: The Gear Guy digs into some of your more bizarre, obscure (and let’s face it, downright weird) posts from years gone by to see if he can make sense of it all, or if it’s just time to run up the white flag. Previous column: Beat the Cost of Gear.
The Gear Guy reports from the 2005 Outdoor Retailer summer trade fair, with his rundown of ten products to watch in 2006, plus the inside scoop on what shook down at the bi-annual gearapalooza.
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Many of the items reviewed by the Gear Guy can be found at REI.com. Click here to find the internet's biggest selection of outdoor gear and apparel.
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