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| On the lookout for beavers |
I had been on a paddleboard twice before, during our vacation last October, so mom knew I wouldn't have any difficulty staying on the board. (See my mom's guest blog post Dog Paddle - Learning to SUP With Your Dog and my post Fearless Friday to read about our first time SUPing together.) I did really well - I didn't even come close to falling off or tipping the board over - and we had a wonderful time paddling around Swift Creek Reservoir with our friends. It was overcast and drizzly, but we didn't mind - we love being outdoors and mom LOVES paddleboarding. We saw a bald eagle, a muskrat, a number of great blue herons, and a couple of beavers! (And, no, I didn't try to chase any of the creatures we saw.)
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| Using mom's foot as a pillow (As you can see, I'm strangely relaxed about being on a tippy floating thing with a notoriously clumsy person.) |
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| Modeling my Ruffwear PFD (PFD stands for puppy floatation device) |
If you're interested in trying stand up paddleboarding with your dog, we recommend the book How to SUP With Your Pup, available through Amazon. (Also check out the How to SUP With Your Pup Facebook page.) Our friends at Paws and Pedals also recently wrote a helpful post about paddleboarding with a dog, SUP Dog - Paddleboarding With Dog.
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| Photo courtesy of Ripley's momma |
Before you try SUPing with your dog, it's best to first become comfortable on a paddleboard without your dog. If you're anywhere near Richmond, Virginia, mom and dad highly recommend taking a class with Black Dog Paddle. Brian and Camille are awesome instructors, and - most importantly - they're dog people. They even named their business after their black lab Emmy. If you don't live near Richmond, you can search this List of Certified Instructors for an instructor near you.
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| Dad wasn't comfortable on a paddleboard at the beginning of this summer, but he rocks it now! |
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| I just hope she doesn't expect me to help paddle |
OMD. You are SUPing?!?!!!!! WOW.
ReplyDeleteI see peeps doing it all the time around here… but never with dar best friends. You are one adventurous dog.
Wags,
Ranger
Garth you are amazing and you didn't even try and chase those critters. Have a tremendous Thursday.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes Molly
Hey Garth, it sounds like you have a very exciting adventure with your mom!
ReplyDeleteWe think this is just pawsome! The pics from the paddleboard are great, too. That must take a great deal of balance!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a happy Thursday!
Sounds like a great idea letting the pawrents do all the work
ReplyDeleteBenny & Lily
good thing that was a chauffeured paddle board
ReplyDeleteGarth you are so brave to even be out there on that thing. My human sister has tried it and can't seem to get the hang of it. I love your vest, very becoming on you.
ReplyDeleteLoveys Sasha
Mom has heard about this and thinks it would be fun for her and I but we haven't gotten around to trying it. Looks like you are pretty good at it.
ReplyDeletethat is totally pawesome!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like so much fun!!
ReplyDeleteAroooooooo, Garth! Look at you on that paddle board! You ROCK! We have paddle boarding down here in FL but Ma and Daddy-dog have never tried it. I know I wouldn't like it...I hate the water. BOL
ReplyDeleteIt was soooooo great to meet you, your mom and your Daddy-dog at Barkworld! I think you might just be my Daddy-dog's favorite Yellow Lab. BOL
*high paws* pal,
Oz
Looks like great fun Garth, but you are always having fun! It might be tough to do this on the Pacific Ocean by our house, it's pretty rough and cold...not fun.
ReplyDeleteLooks like great fun Garth, but you are always having fun! It might be tough to do this on the Pacific Ocean by our house, it's pretty rough and cold...not fun.
ReplyDelete