Outside temperatures suggest that the boater season is just behind the corner. Many people take their family and children on a water adventure. Some boaters even take their four-legged friends along. What can you do to make sure your trip goes smoothly? Let's take a look at what you shouldn't forget when going on a boating trip.
First, find out how your pet reacts to water before you go on the trip. Some dogs feel at home in the water, but others may not be as proficient swimmers and may be afraid of water. So before you go ride the river, you must get your dog familiar with water and canoe or raft. First, take a ride on calm water and find out how your dog reacts to it. Always let him go back to shore so he's not afraid. When the dog gets used to the rocking of the boat, he will view the situation as normal and will not perceive it as dangerous. You should also teach him to sit or lie still in the boat, especially if it's a larger breed, otherwise all it would take is a fast movement from one side to the other and you will be in the water.
If your dog is not a proficient swimmer, there are several life jackets for dogs on the market. They differ in quality and price. I think taking the middle road is a good idea. Some dogs don't like vests, so it's better to go when you are sure your partner can handle it. However, you should never dress your dog in a vest designed for people; it doesn’t fit anatomically and restricts their movement. It's also better to ride down weirs without the dog on board, and you should choose days that aren't too hot in consideration of your pet. Excessive heat on the water can be truly unbearable for dogs, and they can easily overheat. A cooling pad or vest can also be a good helper on a boat.
You should pack a leash, of course, and a muzzle, which you will especially need at the campsite. You should also pack drinking water so your dog doesn't need to drink river water the whole time. And don't forget dog food. Collapsible bowls that easily fit into a bag are very practical. It's also nice to bring some treats along. After all, your four-legged pet deserves to be rewarded for handling the boat so well. The bottom of a canoe will not be very comfortable, so I recommend bringing your dog a comfortable bed, but you could also use an old folded ground pad that doesn't mind water.
Many boaters say how great riding the river with their dog is. Your trip gets a new dimension where your pet meets new people and you have fun. Of course, it does mean a bit of extra trouble. You have to make more stops to let your pet run around and go potty. But that's a small price to pay for enriching each other with moments spent together and fun. :)
Did you ever take your dog on a boat? Do you have any other tips?
If your cat is going to pee or defecate outside its toilette, it is only seldom just an issue of training or hygiene. Cats are clever animals and they have no trouble to understand, where to go to toilette. Therefore, if they don’t abide the rules of...
We hear about the war in Syria almost every day. But have you ever thought about how does a war affect local animals and that the self-sacrifice must not always be made by an animal for humans, but it can also be the other way around? The person that...
Acupuncture wants to harmonise the body and the mind. Some of you may have tried it, it was a great help to me personally with issues with my back and breathing. Precisely owing to my positive personal experience, the possibility to indulge dogs and...
In the life of any dog, a situation might come up, when it is necessary to put on a muzzle. And if the dog is not used to wearing it, it might mean a stressful situation. I will advise you on how to avoid stress and how to get your dog used to wearing...
Same as in people, also our pets should go to regular check-ups to a doctor. We might neglect this quite often, but it is still something else in animals. A dog or a cat won’t come up to you to tell you, that they’re not feeling well. That’s why an...
You probably have someone among your friends, who has diabetes. However, do you know, that cats and dogs also suffer from this disease quite often?
The name distemper might be familiar to you, but do you know more precise characteristics of this treacherous viral disease? Let’s take it one by one from the historic roots up to the present day
Do you know, what dreams our pets have? Besides myself, also a number of scientists were interested in this question and they came up with various hypotheses. Would you guess what our four-legged friends dream about?
Maybe even you have a small four-legged stressed-out dog at home. In such case, read carefully, maybe you will find something here, what you haven’t tried yet, while trying to get your pet rid of stress.
You have probably encountered the opinion, that much more important than what you’re saying to your dog is how you’re saying it (the tone). But it shows, that dogs are able to understand the human language much better, than we generally credit them for.
p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 13.3px 'Times New Roman'; -webkit-text-stroke: #000000} span.s1 {font-kerning: none} All of us surely likes to take pictures of our pets. However, the photographs don’t always turn out according to our...
It could seem that the smaller the animal, the less care it would require. However, don’t let yourself be fooled. Even if you have a small mouse at home, a rabbit or maybe a guinea pig, you should adapt the care for them to the season and to situations...
