146
SUP
HOW TO GET YOUR DOG ON A
BOARD
WORDS : STEPHANIE BARNICOAT PICS : STEPHANIE BARNICOAT , JO MOSELEY , SOPHIE SMITH , DAVE HUDSON , ANT BARRETT AND PETER TRANTER MANY OF US PADDLEBOARDERS WISH TO SHARE OUR SUP EXPERIENCE WITH OUR DOGS WHICH CAN BE VERY REWARDING AND CAN BE VERY DAUNTING AT THE SAME TIME DEPENDING ON OUR DOG ’ S CHARACTER .
Taking my dog Percy out paddleboarding for the first time was scary . I had only had him for two months ; however , I was desperate to share my love of paddleboarding with him . He also howled every time I left him home alone , which was another excellent reason to introduce him to SUP . Percy is a retired working dog meaning he is very obedient .
My biggest fears were Percy not liking SUP or not wanting to stay on the board , something bad happening to him , and me falling in ! To overcome these fears , I ensured I was dressed appropriately to fall in , wearing an appropriate wetsuit thick enough for the time of year and a buoyancy aid . Percy had his buoyancy aid on as I would never feel comfortable taking him out without one . I had dog treats plus his travel towel . As it was a short paddle , I didn ’ t need to take too much equipment for Percy . I also had a paddling friend with me in case I needed assistance .
Launching can be the trickiest part of your adventure . The ISUPs I use all have a big fin towards the board ’ s tail , and when Percy jumps on top of it , it can cause damage to the fin or , on some boards , make the fin pop out , making your paddle very unstable therefore unenjoyable . I have learned to launch from an easy spot like a slipway , attach the leash to you never to your dog , and walk your board in tail first ( be prepared to get wet legs ). On the colder days , I wear my dry trousers . I point the nose of the board towards the land and call Percy onto the board ( he hates getting his paws wet when paddleboarding ).
The first time around , if your dog doesn ’ t step onto the board , you can lure your pup in with treats . A helpful tip is to get your dog used to the board at home , pump it up and try to get your dog to sit and walk around on it so they can get used to the texture and being on the board . Once Percy is on the board , he tends to walk towards the tail end ( because that is where I am standing and he is a needy boy ) hence why this end must be in deeper water to prevent any damage to the fin . It can be a bit of a palaver to get Percy in the correct position towards the front of the board . Once he is in position , it gives me plenty of room to get on at the centre of the board . This is where dog treats come in handy !