Paddling with Dogs

In loving memory of Sampson (8/29/05 - 5/24/17)​

I love paddling with my dogs! Our system works great. Theodore takes the bow and fishes off the front. Sampson lies down just below my feet. I shift my own stance back about a foot from the center.

The three of us paddle together at least once a week and then I'm out with Sampson or Theodore by themselves another once or twice a week. We often paddle 5-8 miles when we go out.

We all want the best conditions -- flat water, wind-free skies and no power boats! But then I have yet to be able to control the weather and I honestly believe in sharing our amazing outdoor world, even with the water skiers! So we train, Sampson, Theodore and me, for conditions outside of our control. 

It is most important to me for my dogs to be safe. This means I want my dogs to sit calmly on the board. I want them to be able to confidently swim or get back onto the board from the water in the event they fall off. If my dogs fall off and swim to shore, I want them to run along the shore in the same direction I'm paddling to the first available safe spot for me to pull over and pick them up. I want my dogs to "load up" and "get off" safely and when I'm ready to help them if needed. Most importantly, I want my dogs to know that whatever happens I'm there to ensure their safety.

It is easy to make the assumption that a dog will instinctively know what to do, but that's just not so. The first time Theodore went paddling, he was on my friend's board and Sampson and I were on my board. Theodore literally walked over to my board only to discover that he could not walk on water. As soon as he hit the water he panicked. His back end sank and his front legs flailed. Even though Theodore was wearing his life vest he still managed to swallow quite a bit of water and gagged several times once he was finally on my board.

The first time Sampson fell off my board he had no idea how to get back onto the board and swam to shore. From there he ran -- on the road -- towards where my car was parked. Even though I was on shore and had Sampson under control within less than a minute, it was still super scary. 

Here are my tips for dog and paddleboard safety. 

1. DOGS WEAR LIFE VESTS ALWAYS! Both of my dogs sport Ruffwear life vests. I like them because they have a grab strap on top of the life vest which is handy. If you choose to use a different brand make sure it has this strap. It should look and feel like a solid handle on top of the life vest. This is the strap I use to pull my dog back onto the paddleboard (#8 below).
2. Train one dog at a time.
3. Use a command such as "load up" to get your dog onto the board. Use "get off"  or another command when you want your dog off the board. At a SAFE shoreline, practice loading and unloading with your dog. Use treats as rewards for the behavior. Falling into the water - even for a water dog - is NOT rewarding! Let your dog be successful. TIP: if you can stand in the water and steady the board, your dog will have a greater chance of success. Remember when your dog jumps on the board the board will float in the same direction the dog is jumping. When the dog jumps off the board the board will float in the opposite direction the dog is jumping.
4. Add a "still" command for riding on the board. I use sit for both of my dogs because my dogs know that sit means to be still. 
5. Paddle on your knees until your dogs are comfortable being on the board. Reward them with kisses and cookies. Theodore loves a kiss as much as he loves a treat. Sampson is all about the cookies! 
6. Paddle to a VERY SAFE and SANDY shoreline. Tell your dog to get off and paddle about 5 - 10 feet from the shore. Paddling along the shoreline call your dog in the same direction as you're paddling. It's best to be close enough to toss treats onto the shoreline to reward your dog for traveling close to the water's edge and in the same direction as you. A clicker can be very valuable here. You want your dog to watch you as he runs along the shore. In the event your dog looks or wanders off, get his attention immediately and reward that behavior. NOTE: your dog should have "watch me" or a look-at-me command before this exercise. This is not the time to teach "watch me" AND run along the shore. This is a layered behavior. Your dog must have the first layer down-pat first. 
7. Falling off of the board is inevitable if you paddle regularly. Even as a long distance open water swimmer I don't like falling off the board! Again, find a sandy and safe beach, preferably one where you can stand less than waist deep. Gently nudge your dog off the board. Here is where you want to be VERY careful. You want your dog to trust you and to know that you will keep him safe. If you push your dog off the board, he will NOT trust you. This gentle nudge needs to feel like an accident to your dog. First teach your pup to swim to shore. Use a command such as "shore". Once your dog is at shore, tell him "yes" and paddle over to retrieve him. I like to get off my board and play with my dogs once they've made it to shore. I feel like this reinforces the safety and fun-ness of the shore. 
8. The second part of falling off the board is getting back onto the board from the water. You will not be able to do this from a standing position! Kneel down. Give your dog a gentle nudge so he falls off the board in water that is too deep for your dog to stand in, but shallow enough for you to stand, if needed. Once your dog is in the water, call his name to get him to come back to the board. Use your "load up" command. Reach for the pull strap on the life vest and pull the dog up as he puts his paws on the board. Your dog will NOT be able to do this alone. And you don't want him to as it will tear apart the decking on your paddleboard. TIP: you will want to practice this where your dog cannot swim to shore. Also, make coming to you the best thing your dog wants to do. I find Theodore wants to swim back to me and Sampson wants to swim to shore. 
9. Finally, practice swimming along side the paddleboard. I didn't feel like this was valuable as a survival/safety skill, but I wanted my dog to swim along side me so he could get some exercise. Then I learned the value in this from a safety point of view. Remember I said Sampson likes to swim to shore? He does - from any distance! I want him to swim right next to my board. Kneel down as you paddle next to your dog, praising his swimming efforts the entire way. Be close enough you can easily grab him within seconds, yet far enough away the paddle will not scare him. NOTE: a dog's life vest will keep your dog floating, but will tire your dog when swimming. The life vest has a lot of drag in the water. Unfortunately, it is extremely hard to train your dog to just float. 

Sampson is so comfortable on a paddleboard. Recently while paddling in Tahoe he actually stretched out and rolled onto his back. Only it was a big roll right into the water!

Paddle on.  

Sampson as captain,

Sampson bird watches from paddleboard in a "sit" (still command). We paddled right through this flock of geese and along side a mother duck with about 8 ducklings.

Sampson on a "walk about" along the shore after a swim.