Dogs are our are our best friends. Naturally, we love taking them everywhere, including on the river. Rafting with dogs is a special activity but requires a short list of conditions to make it successful. In this article, we will discuss some tips for how to safely take your dog on a rafting trip.
Basics for Rafting with Dogs
Rafting with a dog requires a suitable river with negligible or minimal rapids and obstacles. It requires the right kind of temperament – from us as humans and our dogs. It requires preparation and, often, practice.
Sometimes we can put our dogs in unfamiliar situations (always without their approval because, well, they’re dogs, and they cannot reason with us), and it goes swimmingly!
Other times the simple things in life may spook them and induce stress. It’s our job to make rafting a low-stress, fun adventure for our dogs.
My wife and I have three dogs, all with their strengths and weaknesses. One of them enjoys the water but is cautious. One of them is OBSESSED with water and requires non-stop supervisions. And one of them hates the water.
The one that hates the water stays home because it’s too stressful for him. And I’m sure your dog’s comfort level could be completely different than ours.
As such, there is not a one-size fits all approach to keeping them safe and comfortable with being on a raft.
So how can you make rafting with your dog a happy and peaceful experience?
Start slowly and pay attention to your dog’s happy and stressful signs.
Note your dog’s strengths (and weaknesses) in advance and their comfort levels as swimmers in and around water. Always suit your dog with a snug PFD and never take them into a river situation that may overly scare them. Honor their trust in us to care for them, and don’t make their first river experience a Class III, scary experience.
Dogs deserve better than that.
Another tip is to blow the boat up in your backyard and familiarize the dogs with the rubber before getting to the river. They may love it! Or, in some instances, it may make them nervous.
I’d rather find out my dog is nervous in my back yard rather than on the river in a potentially dangerous or scary environment.
We’ve taken our dogs down Class II, paddle-style white water in our RMR Phat Cat, and it goes “okay”. However, we found the boat lacks the space for them to stand up and find balance.
Preferably we take them on our RMR SB14 rowing raft to allow them room to move, explore and find their balance. We, as humans, are generally on the water to find peace, so if we bring our dogs rafting, their experience is equally as important as ours.
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about why the RMR Phat Cat is the best one-quiver boat you can own. However, I’d encourage readers to consider something slightly different if they want to have their canine buddies along for the ride more often than not.
We have bought and tested a few dog PFDs and found it’s worth spending the money for a high-quality one. We own some Ruffware Float Coat Dog Life Jackets and love the product. It fits snugly, provides ample flotation, and the buckles are durable and secure. The colors are also bright, so we can spot our dog from far away if needed.
Conclusion: Rafting with dogs can be an exciting and fun new experience for all parties. But ensuring your dog is safe and not overly nervous about floating down the river is essential. Contact us at info@slackwaterco.com if you have questions!