“ I like it because it is more flexible than canoeing and kayaking as far as what you can do . It ’ s a lot easier to get on and off ; and it ’ s a lot easier to sit down and put your feet in the water — especially when you have dogs with you ,” said Spevacek , whose company is built around the idea of including man ’ s best friend in everything you do .
Adventure is Barking offers paddleboarding instruction for people and their dogs from May through September when it ’ s warm enough to be comfortable in the water . To get started , she first works on commands like sit , stay and come with the dogs while still on land .
“ It ’ s important to first get the dogs comfortable standing in a particular spot on the paddleboard and staying there before bringing them out on the water ,” she said . Once that task is mastered , the dogs are brought out on the water , and once able to prove they can stay on the board , their people can join them .
“ We practice falling off in an area where it is easy to get back on the board ,” said Spevacek . “ That is a requirement for me . I won ’ t take people , or their dogs , too far offshore until I know they can both fall off and get back on the board . The more prepared you are , the more comfortable you will be doing it .”
Spevacek ’ s business is based in the Twin Cities , and she does all of her instruction close to home . Once clients are comfortable paddleboarding on the lake they have trained on , which is usually Lake Minnetonka for Adventure is Barking customers , they are ready to venture North .
According to the Brainerd office of the Department of Natural Resources ( DNR ), there are several lakes in the area that are ideal for paddleboarding with your dog , including Pelican Lake .
“ Guests have the opportunity to rent the paddleboards by the hour , the half day , or the full day , and then just create their own adventure exploring Pelican Lake here ,”
Camie Zwack Lodging Operations Manager at Breezy Point Resort
The Breezy Point Resort is the only resort on the lake , and over the years employees say they ’ ve witnessed a lot of guests taking their dogs out on the lake atop paddleboards . Zwack said a popular place to explore is Gooseberry Island , which isn ’ t too far from the resort .
“ There ’ s a great little picnic area out there . There is a lot of wildlife that they can observe ; and then going around the lake there are some very nice lake homes to see ,” she said .
The paddleboards available for rent at Breezy Point Resort are single-person and about 10- feet long . The resort also has fishing boats and pontoon boats available for rental .
Randy Simons , who has owned Randy ’ s Rentals since 1999 , has been renting paddleboards to people who want to explore Lake Mille Lacs for more than 20 years . His business is located at 14531 Twilight Road in Onamia , which is about four miles south of Grand Casino on the southwest corner of the lake .
“ It ’ s such a beautiful spot . We have plenty of loons , ducks and geese out here . There are eagles that sit up in the trees that overhang the shoreline , and there are big rocks along the water ’ s edge . The water is only 2-to-3 feet deep for a long way off the shore , and there are no weeds to get tangled up in . People can stand up and help their dog get back up on the board if he happens to jump off ,” he said .
Simons recommends people spend about an hour getting used to the board close to shore before venturing out . Randy ’ s Rentals operates from Memorial Day until around Labor Day .
Tips for a good paddleboarding experience with your dog
1 ) Avoid using boat ramps as a launch spot . Instead , look for a quiet , sandy beach / landing area that you can practice launching into the water from without feeling rushed .
2 ) Encourage your dog to drink plenty of clean , fresh water before you get out on the lake . If the dog is well hydrated , it will be less likely to slurp down dirty lake water if it falls into the water .
3 ) Take frequent breaks , spending no more than an hour at a time on the water before stopping and taking at least a 15- to-30 minute break so the dog can rest .
4 ) During those breaks , encourage your dog to drink plenty of fresh water .
5 ) Avoid going paddleboarding with your dog on a small lake , as smaller bodies of water are prone to blue-green algae during the summertime , which can be deadly if dogs are exposed to it .
Courtesy Sara Spevacek , Adventure is Barking
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