Hello! Welcome to Dog Paddling Adventures. Our company is owned and operated by Eren and Kathryn Howell, and very ably assisted by our dog Jessie, the inspiration behind our company. "I am an ORCA certified Whitewater and Flatwater paddler and am trained as a Wilderness First Aid Responder for both people and their pets. I obtained the Outdoor Recreation Technicians' diploma from Seneca College and have been enjoying the outdoors for as long as I can remember. I have been guiding trips professionally for several years, and in adding dogs to the outdoor adventure, a whole new and exciting experience has been created. I have always appreciated watching the natural world, and the opportunity to share it with our pets brings a whole new perspective to the outdoors." "........Eren Howell

Jessie, Kathryn and Eren Howell

Kathryn, the business personality and driving force behind Dog Paddling Adventures, has obtained her animal first aid certificate and is the trip photographer and co-chef. She is the friendly voice and smiling face on the other end of your emails, and is always up for a good doggy story around camp. "The goal of Dog Paddling Adventures is to provide a wonderful outdoor experience for both you and your dog, and our passion for the animals of the earth and their habitat will enhance each of our trips in a unique and special way"...Kathryn Howell

Jessie is a unique Husky mix who was born on August 26, 2000, and during the seventh week of her life she chose to adopt Kathryn and Eren as her pack members. No stranger to the forest and 10 km hikes, she works out of a log cabin with Eren during the school year helping students with their homework. The other three months of the year and many of her "weekends off" she spends her energy working for Dog Paddling Adventures, showing the other dogs all the nooks and crannies of the areas that she has learned so well.

Kevin is our right hand man, trip leader and has been with Dog Paddling since the beginning. An avid outdoor enthusiast he has been hiking, and paddling on flat and white water for years. Kevin's love for the outdoors has lead him to obtain his Advanced Wilderness First Aid, Pet First Aid, and most recent - CRCA/ORCA Sea Kayaking level II. He is a great team leader and always there to help a client, both canine and human, or share in a great dog story. "My hope is that we help people love their dogs even more by helping them have fun with their dogs."...Kevin Moore

Donna & Rosie have been a dynamic duo with Dog Paddling for 7 years! Paddling together they have led hundreds of trips and have enjoyed paddling with so many wonderful dogs and their humans. As many of you know we had to say goodbye to our long-time friend & K9 Dog Paddling guide Rosie. Rosie will forever be in our hearts and Jessie will miss her good buddy Rose Bud.

Out of the sadness came a Christmas miracle named Tigger! Donna rescued Tigger from the OSPCA and Tigger is very excited to start guiding trips and meet all of you soon! Donna brings with her 25 years of paddling and guiding experience. She is certified in both flatwater and white water paddling, along with both human and canine first aid! Her vast experience in paddling, guiding and her incredible passion for dogs, makes her a perfect addition to our team.

Dana has been guiding trips for over 12 years and is a certified flatwater and canoe tripping instructor. She is also certified in lakewater, moving water, national lifeguarding service, remote and wilderness first aid, and river rescue. Cedar, is a one year old NSDTR, and is Dana's faithful (and sometimes squeaky) companion on the water. Together they are looking forward to a great summer of meeting new people and their dogs, playing in the outdoors, cooking up savory and mouth watering meals, and observing what the earth and the wild do best.

We are thrilled to have Don back guiding with us after taking a few seasons off to start a family.  Don has been tripping for over 13 years and has copious canoeing and wilderness tripping experience including dog sledding in the Temagami region of Ontario. 

Don brings with him an ORT diploma, wilderness first responder, dog first aid knowledge, ORCA certified and has his swift water rescue certificate.  Don has years of wilderness guiding experience by traditional methods of canoeing and dogsledding and a wonderful knowledge of wilderness biology.  His love for tripping and sharing voyageur and first nation stories will be enjoyed by all who accompany him on a Dog Paddling Adventure.

Don looks forward to sharing some great adventures with you and your dog this summer.

Karen & Rob and their wonderful dogs (all retired sled dogs)  are an amazing addition to the DPA team! With over 10 years of paddling and guiding experience they bring enthusiasm, fun and great guiding skills.  They are certified in both flatwater and white water paddling, along with both human and canine first aid! Their love for dogs and the great outdoors is evident in every trip they run.

Darrel is one of the newest members of the Dog Paddling crew but certainly has no shortage of outdoor or doggie experience.  He grew up with dogs abound and now, despite not owning a dog of his own, you will likely see him with his “dog-on-loan”, Woody and may easily mistake them for dog and owner. Darrel was born in Brampton but raised in the small town of Penetanguishene on Georgian Bay.  Not having any interest in gas powered fun (snowmobiles, ATV’s and dirt bikes), naturally he gravitated towards the outdoors and all the hiking and camping that area has to offer.  He organized his first backpacking trip with friends at the age of 13 and he continues to lead hikes as well as backpacking and camping trips throughout the year.  2009 was particularly busy including backpacking trips on the Killarney Silhouette trail, 130 km of hiking in Utah, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado, a third place finish for his team in the Inaugural North American Oxfam trailwalker (a100km fundraising event) as well as numerous day hikes, cycling and camping trips in Ontario’s Parks and trails.  

All Dog Paddling Adventure guides are ORCA (Ontario Recreational Canoe Association) certified and have their Wilderness First Aid Certificate, along with the ability to share and create a comfortable and relaxed group environment.

Jessie the Chief Dog Operator of Dog Paddling Adventures.
Photo courtesy of Robin Burkett - Pet Photographer
You can visit her website at http://www.pawprintsphotography.com/