Canoe Dogs

by Samantha Lamers

A thick, grey haze hung suspended over our canoe as we glided quietly through the dark water. I glanced down at my map and back into the fog ahead, letting my eyes adjust to the perpetual cloud that stretched on before me. Charlie, my four-legged companion of 6 years, began to shift her position in the bow of my canoe. I knew she deserved to stretch her legs after a couple hours of patience with my navigational failures this morning. I sighed in frustration, trying to resist the urge to turn on my cell phone and reference my position by satellite. I could hardly make out any reference beyond the tree line that was 20 yards ahead of me. Charlie mirrored my impatience with a dramatic groan, slumping down into a small puddle that had accumulated in the bottom of the canoe.

“I’m sorry, Chica,” I muttered. Tiny drops of water beaded over the surface of everything in our canoe, leaving us soaked. The forest couldn’t seem to decide weather or not it wanted to rain.

I paddled forward, sharing thoughts with my dog about our travel route for the rest of the morning and whether we should take a break and let this soggy curtain lift. Strategizing my plans with my Charlie was something I had grown to do on a regular basis after our years together. Whether it was doing chores in the yard, road tripping, or traveling by canoe, Charlie had been there. I had adopted her as a three-month-old pup and vowed to take her everywhere with me. With a lot of patience, training, and help from family and friends, I had come to own an outstanding dog. (I hold no bias, of course.)

Just as I parted ways between two islands, a spit of sand appeared off the peninsula on our starboard side. As I approached, Charlie promptly sat up, anticipating our next move. “Sit.” I instructed her sternly, gliding slowly into the shallow bank. I left just a few inches of water between the sandy bottom and my canoe, being careful not to scrape the fiberglass with a heavy load. Charlie sat obediently and whined, waiting for me to give her the release command. “Okay!”

She leapt gracefully over the gunwales, paws splashing into the water before zooming to shore with excitement. I swung my legs over and escorted our boat the rest of the way to the shoreline. Charlie loped happily along the edge of the brush, following an old set of otter tracks. Her yellow life jacket faded in and out of the fog, her tail waving wildly with excitement. This was my first solo trip with Charlie, but she had graced the bow of a canoe many times before. Whether it was a day trip or an overnight paddle, she had probably spent hundreds of hours in a canoe. Like I may have insinuated before, she has been my favorite travel companion. But to some, traveling with their dog in a canoe may sound like a recipe for disaster. They may second guess the possibility of overturning a canoe in the middle of a lake, or sharing a tent with a wet, smelly companion who can’t change their soaking wet clothes.

Traveling with your dogs in the Boundary Waters is not for the unprepared. There have been some close calls and tragedies from dogs getting injured or lost in the wilderness, and while some accidents are inevitable, there are ways to mitigate risk for you and your dog.

Eric Glasson and Tim Barton have become accustomed to traveling in the wilderness with their dogs after living and working in Ely. Both have extensive professional and personal experience traveling in the BWCAW.

One suggestion both would make to travelers considering bringing a dog along on a canoe trip, is getting them comfortable with working in and around a canoe. First and foremost, try to introduce your dog to water as soon as possible.

“Wendell was 3 months old the first time he went swimming and 4 months for his first canoe paddle! He was tentative at first, but now he demands his swim in Shagawa every single day during the summer.” Shares Glasson. His Australian Shepard mix, Wendell, has become a devoted and welltraveled canoe companion.

Even if your dog may not have been introduced to water at a young age, it may not be too late to start. Start by making their time spent around water a rewarding experience. Encourage them to swim or play in and around the water. A pocket full of treats and a lot of praise is a great way to lay some basic groundwork with your four-legged friend.

Next introduce them to a canoe. Eric suggested teaching them how to enter and exit a canoe on dry ground first, where the stakes are lower. The last thing you would want is your dog to panic and overturn a canoe into the water, scaring and soaking all parties involved. Slowly work you way to a place where you feel comfortable with your dog being able to enter and exit a canoe on command. If you feel ready enough to start paddling, be sure you can reach and gain control of your dog to prevent them from sending themselves, and you, overboard. The canoe should eventually become a comfortable place for them, enough so that they can eventually lie down and take a nap in the bottom of the boat during longer excursions.

Strong commands and obedient dogs are a must. If your dog can obey the basic commands of “Sit”, “Stay”, “Lay down” and Heel”, you are much more likely to have a safe and successful trip. Building discipline and a partnership between you and your dog should be taken seriously before venturing into any outdoor endeavor. Eric would say that if you’re looking specifically for a dog to bring on canoe trips, do you research. He makes a strong point regarding his dog’s obedient demeanor and size.

“Medium-sized breeds like Australian Shepards are the ideal canoe-dog size and combination of intelligence and agility. Small enough to provide stability in the canoe, and large enough to take care of themselves on trail.”

Tim also shares that the size of his American Cocker Spaniel, Harvey, contributes to their ease of travel in the Boundary Waters. “He rarely moves once in, and he never jumps out on his own. Also, since he is only 25 pounds, if he wants to shift his weight in the boat, it is barely noticeable.”

While there are a variety of breeds that would make great canoe companions, size and disposition are serious traits to consider. I have yet to see a Great Dane perched elegantly in the bow of someone’s canoe. Size consideration should be taken into account for smaller breeds as well.

Growing up, my dad would affectionally refer to my aunt’s Yorkshire Terrier as “Muskie Bait.” You may find traveling with breeds on each end of the size spectrum more logistically challenging than you hoped.

Gear is essential to all travelers of the wilderness, especially when it comes to being safe and comfortable in the woods. The suggestion from both Eric and Tim- don’t overthink it. Determining what is necessary and what isn’t may take a few trips and can also vary from owner to dog as well.

“I used to bring all sorts of gear into the woods for Wendell... Most of those things weren't necessary, didn't get used, or interfered with our trip experience. Dogs should be simple. They should be comfortable traveling in the outdoors; it was not long ago their ancestors were wild animals,” states Glasson.

That being said, there are some key essentials that make for a safe and enjoyable experience for both humans and pets in the wilderness. Tim outfits Harvey with a specially fitted life jacket. “It has a handle on the back which makes it really easy to get him in and out of the canoe, or out of the mud which is an inevitable occurrence.”

A dog life jacket may sound silly to some, especially to owners of waterloving breeds like retrievers. However, just like humans, some of the best swimmers can still fall victim to fast and rough moving water. Consider a life jacket in the spring and early summer when you are most likely to encounter high water and faster currents. When July and August roll around, a life jacket can be too warm during long days out on the water and under the sun. Try to mitigate overheating with lots of swim breaks or just taking the jacket off when water conditions aren’t hazardous.

Bugs can be just as uncomfortable for your dog as they can be for you. Be sure your pet is up to date with their flea and tick applications. Look into other deterrent options, like a vetapproved bug repellent. Wendell has been outfitted with a bandana treated with bug repellent that is placed around his neck. Areas to check for bug irritations are around the eyes, armpits, and underbelly of your dog. Bites from flies can become swollen and painful, so be sure to properly monitor the condition of your pet while out on trail. You may also want to consider bringing a bug net to create a bug free space for your dog at camp; they are lightweight and easy to stuff into a pack.

A ground pad or mat can be used in the canoe and at camp for a comfortable spot for your pooch to lay. Tim uses an old Thermarest pad for Harvey to keep him more sure-footed on the slippery bottom of the canoe. A pad can also provide some joint relief and insulation from the cold hard bottom of the canoe and the ground while resting at night.

Other important items to consider would be a few first aid essentials to throw in your personal kit. Consider including items like vet wrap and padding to treat smalls cuts and abrasions, nail clippers and a vetapproved antihistamine-like supplement in case of bad reaction to insects. A quick-dry towel may help with removing dirt and water from your dog’s coat before they join you inside of the tent at night.

While planning for your first canoe trip with your pet may seem like an ominous goal, it sure can be worth it.

“I love traveling with Harvey,” shares Tim. “I get to bring my best friend along to enjoy the things I love.”

And nobody said it better than Eric, “Every wilderness trip we have taken with Wendell was enhanced by his presence. I wish I could say that for every human I have introduced to the BWCA.”