May 22, 2019

How to Paddle Board with Your Dog - Goosehill SUP

Things to know before bringing your pup on board

paddle boarding with dogs

Keep your pup comfortable

Not all dogs are natural swimmers. However, there are those that can swim. Whether he can swim or not, keep your pup comfortable while taking him with you to SUP. Make sure that the pup wears a life jacket as you paddle board.

Besides, it is super essential that your paddle board is an excellent fit for your pup. You may need a paddleboard with a large surface area. A big SUP paddle board will be more comfortable and stable both for you and the pup. Dogs prefer soft tops more than epoxy since they are less slippery. The inflatable paddle board would be a great choice as it’s softer than rigid boards.

Give your pup a test run in an isolated location before heading to a crowded spot

Go find a paddling spot that’s less crowd and take your pup on board to let her get used to being on a paddle board. It might be a new experience to your pup and if she’s not comfortable with it, you might consider canceling the activity. But if your dog appears to be suited to the sport, then you can move on to your target paddle boarding spot.

Before actually taking it on board with you, you can actually inflate the board at home and let your doggy stay on it for as long as she can to let her get used to the board. It should help your dog get familiar with the board and settle down faster when she’s actually on the ocean.

Don’t expect everything to go smoothly when out on the water

paddle boarding with dogs

When bringing to the paddle a new puppy, she might be frighted in the beginning. The start might not be satisfactory but your dog will grow accustomed to it eventually. What you need to do is wait patiently until she’s able to handle being on a SUP board on choppy water.

Keep your dog away from getting into a fight with other dogs

When you're a first time owner of a puppy, or it has been a while since you last had one, things may go off the rails since they might get into a fight with other dogs before you could realize it and prevent it from happening. That is normal and adjustable. Train your pup to master good socialization habits to prevent getting into trouble upon seeing other dogs when being in a crowd or out on the water.

Clean your dog after coming back from the ocean

If your dog had fallen into the ocean, no matter how many times, remember to clean her after going back home as salt on your dog’s skin and paws will cause discomfort, or worse, rashes and infections. To prevent such things from happening. Give your doggy a thorough cleaning to help her get rid of sand and saltwater on her skin and coat.

Ears can be easily ignored during the bath but they should be taken seriously as when not cleaned, it could cause ear infection. It’s not an easy task to keep your dog on board during the whole paddle boarding process so a thorough bath afterward is necessary.

In Conclusion, keeping your pup safe, clean and comfortable while paddle boarding can be an essential step for having a nice and enjoyable time with your dog on the water.