Training a pup for backcountry canoe expeditions!

[GerminationStation]

As we look forward to the 2021 backcountry paddling season, Abby and I decided to make a humorous video detailing our training method for young Nova (Red Fox Labrador). Humor is intended. We hope you enjoy the video as much as we did making it. Thanks for watching.

Backcountry Pup - YouTube

 

[GerminationStation]

This will be our first time tripping with a dog. For those of you who are experienced with this do you have any tips?

 

[Zac]

I have a large Labrador (100#) and have had the best luck limiting his movement in the canoe while underway with a pack in the same compartment as him. When I give him an entire compartment to move about in, he invariable lays down up against one gunwale. So I just put something else against the other gunwale so that it is the same gunwale every time. With time he has gotten better about centering himself when given opportunities to 'roam' a bit more about the canoe, but distractions like wildlife will still cause him to nearly upset the craft. This is not a problem when he is given less room in a compartment to move about, or in a solo where his compartment is significantly narrower.

 

[clemency]

Recommend bringing the canoe inside and letter him sleep in it. Like crate training, but with a boat.

 

[GerminationStation]

Zac that makes a lot of sense. We have been training down and place for quite awhile now but its unrealistic that they will stay put for a couple hours or more at a time.

Clemency you must have a gigantic house to be able to bring your canoe inside lol. JK I assume you meant the garage.

 

[dougd]

My pup Sadie, gone for a few years now, was the best canoeing friend I ever had. In the beginning, about 10 months, she joined me solo. In the beginning I tried to make her stay in a spot just beyond the center thwart but one day she decided to jump out in shallow water I'm thinking being mad at me! I ended up putting her back in the boat and waited for her to roam around looking for her spot. It ended up being pretty much in front of the seat I used. To make a long story short I ended up adjusting my paddling ways to fit her there and she knew in Class ll to keep her head down adjusting her ways and didn't mind being tucked between my legs. Did she get bonked in the head? Oh yeah, but she learned quick when I was switching paddling sides. We got used to it and made for 13 years of some of the best paddling experiences I've ever had. I do miss her!

 

[Black_Fly]

The canoe matters. Breed matters. I start mine young. I've had best luck with pups from a spring litter, as they can get into it when little. I laid a canoe out on the lawn in the shade and let the baby sleep and eat in it. I also took him to the lake with a small pfd and let him play in the water to his hearts content, slowly urging him to swim back and forth between me and my wife. Eventually, he started swimming between our boats.

 

[dschult2]

Enjoyed the video. Thanks. Honestly your well on your way. You have a lab so its easy to use food rewards. Use lots of food rewards, especially that early in life. When mine was that young I would give her food rewards for just being by me. Made her want to stick around. Just like you would bring her to the local park and give her treats for climbing on the jungle gym. Kids playing loved it. Get her used to as many different environments as possible. Don't be afraid of her jumping out the boat, she'll soon learn its better to be in it. If mine is especially amped up I will let her swim next to the canoe for bit to expend some energy. One thing I did notice is you still had her leash on when out in the water. Not sure I would do that as you never know what it might get caught on if she jumps out or you capsize. Subbed to your channel to see more. You can check Lexi and myself on our channel as well.

https://youtu.be/4bBgu6PkkJQ

 

[GerminationStation]

dschult2 that's a really good point regarding the leash when in the canoe. I never thought about it but it does present some risk. I will definitely check out your channel and thanks for the sub.

 

[PeteStaehling]

I wouldn't worry too much about your pup jumping out once they are acclimated a little to swimming and to being in the canoe in benign conditions. Depending on where you are a dog pfd may be a good idea. Just take it slow at first and start fairly young. Not all dogs take to the water so take it easy and let them take the lead on the water thing.

I once had a pedigreed Golden Retriever who apparently couldn't swim. She is the only dog I had that jumped out of a boat without permission. The one time she did it she sunk and fortunately I was able to grab her before she went out of sight! She loved splashing around in water up to her chest, but panicked as soon as it got any deeper. I got her when she was already a year old. I think she would have been fine if she had started when younger. I never took her in the boat again.

I have had other dogs that loved to swim, but they would all stay in the boat unless they were told it was oaky to get out. I might have to tell them to stay if they looked antsy, but never once did any of them jump out on their own.

My current dog has been with me at a time in my life where I have been boatless. She is my constant companion and has logged scores of thousands of trail miles with me running and hiking but never been in a boat. I am hoping she will take to the pirogue but at almost 11 she is not very surefooted any more. The canoe is really slippery and the round bottom is not conducive to her comfort so she has not been out in it. I have considered putting a piece of carpet in the bottom, but she is now at the point where she doesn't even like the slippery floors of the house. I am not sure if it is realistic to consider taking her out in the pirogue, but the flat bottom may suit her with a piece of carpet. She still gets excited like a puppy over car rides and hikes even if she doesn't go as far as she used to.

Edit:
Two things I should have said...

1. That is an incredibly cute pup!
2. While I have had dogs along on boats plenty, I don't have any real experience with dogs on backcountry canoe expeditions.

 

[PeteStaehling]

I've had best luck with pups from a spring litter, as they can get into it when little.

One of mine went out for a mid winter hike with us when she was maybe 10 weeks old. It was about 20 F and she dove in the water and swam around repeatedly. We were a little horrified that it might be bad for such a small pup to be in such cold water. She was unphased, Throughout her life she seemed to chose cold days to swim when hiking near water. Hot weather she only swam when asked to fetch something.

On an sadder note my current pup laid down on her second morning walk today and refused to move. We took her to the vet and she had surgery to remove her spleen. It seems unlikely she will reach her 11th birthday in May if the tumor was malignant and most spleen tumors in dogs are. We are awaiting pathology results. I can't imagine being without her.

 

[Black_Fly]

One of mine went out for a mid winter hike with us when she was maybe 10 weeks old. It was about 20 F and she dove in the water and swam around repeatedly. We were a little horrified that it might be bad for such a small pup to be in such cold water. She was unphased, Throughout her life she seemed to chose cold days to swim when hiking near water. Hot weather she only swam when asked to fetch something.

On an sadder note my current pup laid down on her second morning walk today and refused to move. We took her to the vet and she had surgery to remove her spleen. It seems unlikely she will reach her 11th birthday in May if the tumor was malignant and most spleen tumors in dogs are. We are awaiting pathology results. I can't imagine being without her.

Sorry to hear that Pete. We put a dog down at 11 a couple years ago; lymphoma. Still brings a tear to my eye thinking about that devoted friend, and what he endured. I hope you get good news.

 

[PeteStaehling]

Sorry to hear that Pete. We put a dog down at 11 a couple years ago; lymphoma. Still brings a tear to my eye thinking about that devoted friend, and what he endured. I hope you get good news.

Yeah, they really fill our lives and leave a big hole in our hearts when they are gone. We will cherish whatever time we have left with her whether it is days, weeks, or years, but I dread having to make those hard decisions if the tumor is malignant. From what the vet says the most likely outcome with a malignant diagnosis is pretty short remaining time, but we might have a couple months of her still being herself if we are lucky.

If it is malignant I'll consider what the vet offers, but I won't put her through anything I wouldn't want for myself. I don't think we probably have a lot of great options in that case.

So I am holding out hope for a non-malignant diagnosis. The vet says at least 2/3 of these spleen tumors are malignant so the odds are fairly poor. She also says that of the malignant ones, ALL of them have metastasized by the time they are diagnosed and it is typically really aggressive.

Marley's tumor ruptured and she was bleeding pretty badly into her abdomen so we were lucky to catch it and get her to the vet before she bled out. Or at least it was lucky if it buys her some time with a decent quality of life.

 

[ppine]

I like to get young dogs comfortable in the water. Then I do lots of day paddling with them and me solo. Good dogs learn to stay on the bottom of the boat. I move my Border Collie around to trim out the canoe. She did her first week long trip at 6 months and was a big hit with everyone. She loves all kinds of boats and carrying a pack on land. She is in charge of camp security while we sleep. I value my relationship with my dog right up there with my lady and the rest of the family.

 

[PeteStaehling]

I value my relationship with my dog right up there with my lady and the rest of the family.

I remember being told of a way to test which one loved you more. It went like this:
Lock your wife or girlfriend and your dog in the trunk of your car for a couple hours and see which one is happy to see you when you let them out. I never managed to actually try it because I couldn't bear to lock my dog in the trunk. It just seemed too mean to do that to such a loyal friend.

 

[GerminationStation]

So sorry to hear that Pete. I can't imagine what your going through. This is our first pup together. I never had dogs growing up.

 

[PeteStaehling]

So sorry to hear that Pete. I can't imagine what your going through. This is our first pup together. I never had dogs growing up.

Thanks. You are in for a wonderful experience. Dogs can bring so much joy into our lives.

Mine have all been great friends and this one even more that the others since she came along when I had the time to really enjoy her company. I lost track at 10,000 of how many miles that I trail ran with her (there were many more after I lost track) and have hiked and camped wither her plenty too, She has always been ready to go and happy to be with me whether it was at home, in the woods, or whatever. She is always anxious to please.

 

[Guest]

This is our first pup together. I never had dogs growing up.

I have been blessed with some amazing human tripping and travelling companions, who I will treasure forever, but none have come close to the loyalty, affection, dedication and willingness of a good dog.

The time you put into early training, perhaps especially with herders and retrievers and other by-nature willful breeds, the happier your next 10-12, 14 if you are lucky, years will be. There is nothing like a well trained, well behaved dog, and, conversely, nothing as maddening as an untrained, misbehaving one.

I have never understood people who will get a dog and not train it, condemning themselves to years of Where-did-you-go?, Get-outa-there dammit, No, bad dog problems and scoldings.

Two commands, er, granted-requests, beyond the usual sit-stay-heel that have proven situational invaluable:

At home, or in camp, “BED”, meaning “Go to your I-made-it-comfortable-for-you spot and stay there. And, for off-leash hiking/portage trail wanders, “Come behind”. Typically a herding command, often accompanied by a more distance carrying whistle, meaning “Come back and get thee behind me now”.

Those between-the-knees pleading Lab eyes in the photo seem begging to learn. Don’t let her down.

 

[PeteStaehling]

Mike is right about the importance of training. There are certain commands that are absolutely mandatory. To my way of thinking coming back and getting on leash when called is the very most primary one. I was a total failure with my first dog as an adult in that regard and it was a nightmare!. I think that folks sabotage their efforts at that by scolding a dog for running away when the pooch just came back. The poor dog becomes afraid to come back expecting to be scolded. I made it a rule that they were always a good dog when they came back and despite the fact that they ran away they need to be praised for coming back. I learned from that nightmare and did better with each one after that.

Another thing I found is that hand signals or other gestures (like holding up the leash when calling the dog back) are super powerful with some dogs and even more effective than voice commands. Of course you can do both at the same time.

I never really planned to use hand signals, I just found myself automatically using them and saw my dog watching them more than listening to me. It turns out dogs are masters of reading human body language so reading hand signals and body language comes naturally.

 

[ppine]

I like Border Collies. They all learn hand signals readily. In old age it is easier for them when the lose their hearing. My last one was backpacking and going on boat trips at 16. We have a 17 yo Corgi. The second trick I taught my current BC is Play Dead.