How do you handle this? Our dog is very furry.

He doesn't seem to be that interested in swimming. We've taken him canoeing three times and all he's done is walk into the water to get a drink; got his legs wet about halfway up. Once it was quite hot and I thought maybe he'd like to cool off, especially with him being mostly black, but he didn't.

I did get another camp towel so that we'll have one just for him. I figure it can also serve as a sun shade if we need it to. Just lay it on him, or get it wet and then do the same. He'll travel right in front of me in the bow so I'll be there to do these things for him.

It sucks. a wet/muddy dog getting in the tent is a pain in the butt.

I usually bring 2 towels. One to get wet and get all the mud and dirt off with, and then one to dry them with.

Fortunately I don't have that issue. I have a vizsla and his coat is maybe a 1/2" long at the longest. He's dry in about 2 minutes. He still does the dog shake when wet but no water actually comes flies off.

We do bring an extra small towel for him but its more to wipe off muddy paws before entering the tent. We just keep it right inside the door of the tent.

we have a doggy sleeping bag I made out of fleece. her head sticks out the end (I made a hole) and she gets zipped in. Keeps her warm at night. During the day she just sets under the tarp with us in camp. In the canoe she just sits in the rain like us

I have chessies. They prefer to be wet. I normally take a couple towels. I don't have a down sleeping bag because she prefers my bag over the one I take for her. That's ok, she is a joy to have with me.

Our dog actually sleeps in her own tent. It is a collapsable hunting blind that folds up into a flat circle shape. It is light and has mesh screen windows that keep the bugs out. It stakes into the ground like a tent as well. We put her under our rain fly and she loves it. If it is going to storm, then we'll let her in the tent. In the winter and spring we bring along her neoprene hunting vest to help her stay warm and a wool blanket. Decoy loves going in that darn tent and can hardly wait for us to put it up after a long day of paddling!

Here is Decoy in her tent

Decoy's tent is awesome!

I know Booker will want to be in with us. He follows us around, especially my husband. I know he will want to sleep right by him. In the tent, we always sleep me--kid--kid--husband so I won't have the wet dog next to me! I like to think of my babies as sandwiched between mom and dad.

I'm planning on taking my golden retriever up in August. She loves to swim and will be in the water constantly at our camp sites. I've been wondering the same thing. When we head to bed at night I will towel dry her, but she will still be wet. I'm not sure how to handle this.

What I would do in the tent is get a king size flat sheet in a dark color to not show dirt and spread it out over everything. You could go with a lighter weight 200 thread count if weight is a factor.
I have found that my dogs want to go into the tent several hours before I do in the evening or if the bugs are bad. If their paws are wet or even if they are dry they usually bring in allot of grit.
The sheet is spread over the sleeping gear and the dog can walk around and plop down where they want when humans are not in there. The sheet can be brought out and grit and hair shook out afterwards.

Lynn from VNO has a friend that has a dog that wears a rain coat.

Some dogs don't like to get their backs wet because I believe they get hotter like when those of us with hair get it wet and the sun shines on it. I think the hair provides cooling insulation and water magnifies the heat.

I was lucky last year. In thirty nights in the BWCA the dog and I only got rained on twice for thirty minutes each time and we were in the tent. Maybe you will get lucky too!

That's not a bad idea, Zulu. That will keep our gear/tent clean. But I'm still worried about everything getting wet. I know I can towel dry her some, but I won't get her completely dry. And there's no way she'll sleep in her own tent like Decoy. I have a feeling there's no good solution other than not putting the sleeping bags out until we're ready to go to sleep. But then she'll still be wet when we do go to sleep.

Maybe put her on her leash and keep her out of the water before sleeping for a few hours to help dry her out.

?

I thought of that too, nojobro. She won't be happy about it, but that may be my only choice.

quote nojobro: "Maybe put her on her leash and keep her out of the water before sleeping for a few hours to help dry her out.


?"

I don't need to leash her to accomplish it, but Bernice doesn't go in the water two hours before bed time. When it's raining I make sure she is under the tarp... she likes that. Water dogs love the water unless they are getting rained on. She seems to lick herself pretty dry. If she's a little damp I don't get to worried. She has her own bed... an old 48" Thermarest with a kids sleeping bag cut down to fit the sleeping pad inside and she sleeps on it. She stays off my bag usually. After 25 nights in Woodland Caribou she has it down pretty good... BTW: It rained most of that trip and her being wet wasn't much of an issue.

quote nctry: "

quote nojobro: "Maybe put her on her leash and keep her out of the water before sleeping for a few hours to help dry her out.



?"

I don't need to leash her to accomplish it, but Bernice doesn't go in the water two hours before bed time. When it's raining I make sure she is under the tarp... she likes that. Water dogs love the water unless they are getting rained on. She seems to lick herself pretty dry. If she's a little damp I don't get to worried. She has her own bed... an old 48" Thermarest with a kids sleeping bag cut down to fit the sleeping pad inside and she sleeps on it. She stays off my bag usually. After 25 nights in Woodland Caribou she has it down pretty good... BTW: It rained most of that trip and her being wet wasn't much of an issue."

I guess we will find out soon. We're leaving this morning. Paddling out tomorrow morning. I think the forecast is for nice weather most of the week, but she would swim 24/7 if I let her. This will be her first BWCA trip. Hope the canoe stays upright and the fish bite. :)

So I've been thinking about this issue from the angle of actual paddling in the rain with the dog. Piwi really does not like getting rained on that much. I think a short rain, or a very light rain, won't matter. But I'm concerned about those times when it rains more steadily and we are on the go. The people have rain suits. What about the dog? I saw Lynn's (Voyageur North's) post earlier this summer about bringing a poncho for her friend's dog. Has anyone else done that?

Despite looking ridiculous and taking up a good deal of room Freddie's dog carrier with the rain cover keeps her dry when traveling. It also features a down filled pillow with a 600 thread count Egyptian cotton cover, a down vest for warmth and a removable insect net cover. Water dish is attached to the door which is unsecured to fall away in the event of a capsize.

The carrier breaks down and fits discretely in a #4 Portage Pack during times when it is not needed or when you don't want anyone to see you using it.

She hates getting wet and even avoids walking in wet grass if she can.

Now that's doggy luxury! But Piwi is a little bigger I think, I'm not sure we can provide that level of comfort . . .

Calcifer also likes to go into the tent fairly early. He clearly sees the tent as his safe space. When it was my (very petite) daughter and I a few weeks ago we just put the empty gear pack at the foot of the tent and he slept there, except during the storm when he came in my sleeping bag with me. I'm curious to see where he ends up the next two weeks with my very tall husband along. When we went in June he got chilled through and was shivery several times. My younger son was duffing and able to wrap the puppy in shirts, put him in his coat, etc. I'm not worried about August, but I am a bit worried about my September and October trips. I guess I'll have to sew a fleece lined rain coat for him or something.

We bring a collapsable kennel with us (kind of like Decoy's dog tent) and set that up in our tent. When it's time for bed, we put down a towel and have Bear walk across that into the kennel. So any water/dirt/mud goes on the towel or in the kennel.

Luna wasn't very happy to be out on the trail in the rain. I carry a large "pack towel". It's a lightweight very absorbent material and I forget who makes it. I get her feet cleaned off in the lake then dry her the best I can at camp. Just something to deal with. Cross your fingers for the weather.

We picked up a "mushers blanket" for our dogs. It is fleece on one side and gore-tex on the other. We put it at our feet and over the sleeping bags. When the dogs go in the tent, they are directed to our feet and we all stay nice, dry and kind of clean. We also put an old 3/4 length closed cell foam pad under it.

I think we got it from Kondo's but I don't see it listed anymore. They do have a dog blanket which may be it (just a name change?).


Our dogs are also ones that like to be in the tent after the sun goes down. If I can coax them into the water during the day or if they get wet during a rainy travel day, we use a small chamois type towel to dry them and they are pretty much dry by dusk. Really not a problem for us! Kondos dog blanket

A day in and I'm in no better spot to criticize the dog than even another dog would be,

Picked up an Exped Multimat this spring and have been very happy.