It is amazing to be able to bring your dog with you on your holiday, and of course even better to be able to take your dog out exploring and experience the area of your holiday with the rest of the family. Therefore, you are more than welcome to bring your dog with you on the canoe/kayak tours in GLASS KAYAK® with VisionKayak. However, it is of course just as important that your dog feels safe and happy during this dog-friendly activity, so the entire family gets a nice (dog-friendly) experience here with us in Jutland, Denmark. Therefore, we've gathered a few recommendations and tips for the tours, so you can prepare and keep your dog happy during the tour:
Is your dog up for joining you on this dog-friendly activity?
Nobody knows your dog like you do, so it is important that you take a good look at your dog and consider if he/she will enjoy joining your kayak tour.
Our experience is that most dogs are content and happy when they are with their family - even if they are not used to being on the water. We haven't yet experienced any dogs that didn't like or felt scared during the kayak tour - most dogs have just laid down, enjoyed the togetherness with their humans, some have napped, while others have experienced at least as much as we have on the tour. They have enjoyed the many exciting smells from the forrest and water, the birds, and one even spotted and alerted us to an otter long before we humans saw it.
It certainly doesn't have to be difficiult to take your dog kayaking/canoeing, but we have to mention that - just like us humans - it is an individual assessment if your dog will like it, and ideally of course kayaking/canoeing with your dog is something that for some dogs needs to be trained and introduced slowly.
Make the kayak tour comfortable for your dog
Most will bring a blanket, towel, or a dog pillow for the dog to sit and rest on doing the kayak tour. It is important that your dog has something soft, comfortable, and well-known that he or she can stay on doing the tour. It is a great idea to bring something that the dog already knows and associates with safety or home - for example, his or hers favorite blanket from the couch etc. However, please note that the item might get slightly wet during the tour, as it can drip a bit from the paddles as you row.
Avoid your dog slipping during the tour in GLASS KAYAK®
We all know it - the extremely scary feeling of slipping and loosing your footing. Dogs probably feels the same way. The bottom of the kayak can be slippery, so remember to put something down for your dog, so he or she doesn't feel that he or she might loose footing during the dog-friendly kayak tour. It could for example be a towel or a blanket, just like mentioned above when looking to make the tour comfortable for your dog.
Dog socks or dog shoes could also be a solution - then you can feel absolutely confident that your dog will not slide. Please note that wearing something on their paws can be a whole process in and of it self, so this probably only makes sense if you have trained it beforehand.
Lots of praise and treats for your dog
Praise, treats, and toys are always a good idea - especially if you bring your dog to an activity that he or she isn't necessarily used to or have a lot of experience with. So remember to tell your dog during the kayak tour what a good girl/boy they are, bring a few snacks, or a great chewing toy, so there's a little something for the tour if you have an active dog.
Safety for your dog during the kayak tour
During the GLASS KAYAK® tours, we row on shallow water close to the coast. You steer your own kayak, so if you'd like, you can choose to row so that you and your dog can stand on the bottom in the water - should you need to. Your dog participates on your responsibility.
Our GLASS KAYAK® is very stable and wide, so it is nearly impossible to flip or capsize. It is very safe.
If you have a bouyancy aid/vest/life jacket for your dog, it is a great idea to bring it with you and have your dog wear it during the tour. That is definitely our recommendation.
Avoid scratching the GLASS KAYAK®
To ensure a nice, clear kayak for the next guests, it is important that we help eachother take good care of it. A towel, blanket, or dog shoes are definitely important for your dogs comfort during the tour, but it is also a very important aid to protect the kayak from scratches from your dogs claws. Please help us take good care of and protect our kayaks.
If you have the opportunity to train beforehand
If your dog is not used to being on/by the water, it is of course a great idea to train a bit before your kayak tour if you have the opportunity to do so. Maybe your dog already loves water to it isn't necessary - or maybe he or she just cares about being close to you regardless of the place. However, this is a great opportunity to train a bit together - maybe you have a bathing jetty by your home? Maybe you have SUP-boards that you can introduce your dog to? Maybe just a nice swim in the bath tub? There are lots of options, and if you take a look at Facebook groups for kayaking with dogs, the members are very kind to share advise on how they trained with their dogs.
Ideally, the dog should be presented to new things slowly and safely, so you can be absolutely confident that your dog friendly activity is a nice experience for all parties. Successes and lots of praise is certainly the way forward.
However, as earlier mentioned, our experience with dogs on the GLASS KAYAK® tours is that none so far has been unhappy - most had not tried kayaking or canoeing before, but if your dog's natural state is happy and full of curiosity, then we're confident you'll all have a nice dog-friendly experience with a happy, kayaking dog.
