If you follow us on Instagram… ( @chevytheboston) you have probably seen the dogs on paddle boards pretty often. I get many comments from followers saying “I wish my dog would do that”, and I always respond and say “take them!”
Its actually VERY easy to paddle board with your dog. I have never been paddle boarding without my dog, my first time on a board was also Harley’s first time on a board.
I know you are coming up with an excuse in your head right now. “My dog is afraid of water” or “What if my dog falls in” or “My dog is too nervous”. Let me tell you the personalities of my 3, and you will see its actually a sport for any dog.
Harley: Nervous wreck of a dog. No one can touch her, she is afraid of life, she was terrified of water (when we adopted her we both had to sit on her in the bath tub while she did alligator rolls trying to get away from the water) I thought she would hate this sport the most but she is the well behaved dog of the group.. so i took her first since I knew if she jumped off.. I had complete verbal control over her. Turns out Harley likes paddle boarding the most. Dogs actually don’t have to get wet at all. They can hop onto the board, keep their paws dry, and go! It only takes falling in ONE TIME for them to learn themselves how to avoid that from happening again.
Chevy: Overly confident but doesn’t like water. Chevy also hopped right on the board (having a command to get your dog onto a surface helps. Mine know “Up” because I tell them “Up” to pose on a log or rock for photos) Chevy doesn’t enjoy water, but she doesn’t hate it like Harley did. Chevy jumped in often when we first started to paddle board… but I kept her on a leash and reeled her back in and eventually she learned this was not a desired behavior.
Pigpen: Pigpen started paddle boarding at about 4 months old. As a puppy you want everything to be super positive.. so I did bring a baggy of treats and kept giving him treats while he was on the board. He wasn’t too concerned.. but I felt good at I gave his little baby puppy self a good positive snack filled experience. He is actually the most upset when he falls in the water. I found with him, its best to tell him to “sit” right in front of my legs. He’s a fearful but curious dog and doesn’t appreciate getting smacked in the face with the paddle. (no dog does, so teaching him where to sit so he stays out of the way works best.)
DO NOT DO THIS SPORT WITHOUT A LIFE JACKET FOR YOUR DOG. It doesn’t matter if they know how to swim or not… for their safety and the ease of getting them back on the board (life jackets have handles) You want to have a life jacket on your dog.
I have used MANY life jackets over the years (I forget to wash them, they get ruined…we usually get a new one every other year or so. This is my favorite brand… it fit each dog the best: CLICK HERE but petco and petsmart also sell life jackets. (I just didn’t like how bulky those ones are)
Now… you rented or purchased a board. You are ready to take off. This is where almost everyone I have talked to who wanted to try this wanted to quit… You can NOT baby your dog in this moment. The best route to go (even after years of paddle boarding with my three) is to get them on the board and take off from the shore. AS FAST AS POSSIBLE. My dogs to this day will jump off and swim shore when they see it. So naturally when you take off… if you hover around shore… they hop off to run zoomies in the sand as fast as they can.
You really do not need to teach them how to get use to the board, it is a completely different experience for them when it is actually moving on the water… and if its something they are uncomfortable with and can see an exit (the shore) they will go. Use a leash the first few times you go to make sure you have full control of your dog. (but don’t tie the leash to your board… you may fall in with your dog because their jump will jolt the board… I used a 7-8 foot leash so I could grab it when they hopped in)
Another note when starting to paddle board, if you have never been paddle boarding yourself… its okay to not stand up. I sit down a lot with my dogs. Especially on windy days or days where there are a bunch of boats out. (they cause waves) If you do decide to stand and a few waves hit, drop down to your knees to avoid falling in.
Let us know if you read this post and decided to give it a try! You can email us any time.
Added goodies for when you become a pro:
2. Floatation strap for the go pro.
3. Waterproof Phone Case – Since I bring my go pro, I actually don’t use this for my cell phone… I put my car keys in here to protect them.
Happy Paddle boarding! (all these rules also apply for kayaks.. only with a kayak I suggest wearing leggings/long pants or bringing a towel so your legs don’t get scratched. Because they will.)
Chevy The Boston 