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DOG
PADDLING ADVENTURES |
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Paddling Adventures provides fun for you
and your dog all year long. We have designed
our first newsletter to help dog lovers
find new and exciting ways to spend time
with their dogs. Our mission is to find
activities and adventures that are both
invigorating and challenging while also
being tons of fun for your dog and for
you. Our company started out by taking
people and their pups on canoe trips but
we quickly realized through our own desire
to enjoy more activity with Jessie that
there is a world of fun out there all
year long and why not expand our horizons
to include adventures for the four seasons.
We are going to share with you some wonderful
adventures that you can explore and what
seasons they best fit.
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HIKING
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Ever
since people and dogs began their mutual
relationships thousands of years ago,
it has been widely accepted that dogs
need exercise. A dog that is full of energy
without an outlet is usually a dog about
to get himself into trouble! Walking the
family dog is often seen as bit of a chore
since Spot seems to pull on the leash
the whole time, or maybe you are just
plain tired of seeing the same city block
over and over. The best way to remedy
this situation for both dog and human
is to take them out on a hike. There is
an endless supply of trails and conservation
areas within easy driving distance of
Toronto to make a weekly journey fun for
everyone involved!
All
dogs love to run off leash, and, more
importantly, most dogs are more than capable
of being let off leash to run freely in
a forested setting. The benefits of this
are too many to list! First, your little
friend gets to run about ten times further
than you walk as he goes back and forth
up the trail, and we all agree that a
tired dog is a happy dog. You enjoy your
walk much more because you are smelling
the fresh air and listening to the birds
chirp. Aiming for a destination, whether
it is a pond, fresh water spring, or beautiful
lookout point will make your hike that
much more rewarding for both you and spot.
View
Pictures ----->
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However,
taking the first step towards a hiking habit
can sometimes be a bit challenging to achieve
on your own. Here are some handy tips to
help you on your way! In a small daypack,
always make sure to bring essentials, such
as a good size water bottle, treats and
snacks and a poop bag. Nylon is a good choice
for a leash and collar, as it will dry much
quicker than leather in the event that water
and dog should 'accidentally' meet. We have
seen the benefits of hiking in a group for
both humans and their dogs. A first time
dog off leash will be much more inclined
to stay within range of a larger pack  of
people and dogs together, and the camaraderie
that occurs between hikers is always enjoyable.
Our dog lovers' hiking club and one day
adventures allow the new and more experienced
hikers to enjoy the adventure of hiking
together in both spring and fall seasons,
while introducing their dogs to the various
provincial parks throughout central Ontario.
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PADDLING
Ontario is considered to be one of the very
best canoeing locations in the world. Western
Canada has mountains, eastern Canada has the
wonderful coast, and Ontario has lakes. Thousands
and thousands of lakes connected to one another
just waiting to be strung together by canoe.
Whether this summer will be your very first
canoeing experience, or you are an avid paddler,
bringing your dog along for the journey will
open up an exciting new world for you both.
People are often worried about the idea of taking
Rover into their canoe. While each dog is different,
we can tell you that there are some simple ways
to make every trip fun and safe. Just like people,
dogs need some time to get familiar with new
things, and paddling is no different. We would
recommend that you take it slowly at first,
and make sure that you are in no great rush
for the first afternoon of paddling. Staying
close to shore is another great idea until you
and Rover become comfortable with what is going
on. Also, a canoe that is loaded up with a few
packs is usually quite sturdy on the water,
and be prepared for your new canoeing partner
to want to explore the boat a little bit until
he finds a cozy spot to get comfortable.
However,
all of Ontario's lakes are not perfectly suited
to canoeing, as many of the larger lakes are
full of motorboats and jet skiis. Selecting
your destination wisely is an important aspect
of planning a successful canoeing adventure
with your dog. Island campsites make for an
ideal setting since Rover cannot follow his
nose too far, and the chances of him finding
a skunk to play with are quite slim out on an
island. Smaller lakes are generally less windy
and wavy, making it easier to quickly pull over
to let Rover out for a swim or a shade break.
Our one-day paw and paddle is the perfect introduction
to sharing a canoe with your pup. The combination
of instruction and fun will allow you to feel
more at ease with venturing out on a canoe trip.
Our weekend and longer trips will teach you
just the right amount of paddling skills, tons
of fun and bonding time with other dog lovers
while providing all the necessary gear to make
that perfect trip easy and attainable.
View Pictures
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The other day I saw two dogs walk over to
a parking meter. One of them says to the other,
"How do you like that? Pay toilets!"
--Dave Starr--
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Skijoring
and Kick Sledding
Most
people love spending time outside in the summer.
Evening walks, cottage weekends and watching
beautiful sunsets keep our spirits alive during
the warm summer months. Come winter, though,
and most people tend to hibernate. The amount
of time they spend outside with their dog dwindles
down to the bare minimum. But winter adventuring
with your dog is the best way to beat the winter
blues away, and learning to skijor or kicksled
is the most fun you can have outside in the
winter. Any dog that is about thirty pounds
or more and enjoys going for walks will love
these two easy to learn winter activities.
Skijoring
is a very simple concept… to go cross-country
skiing with your dog helping to pull you along.
It is inexpensive, easy to learn, and totally
invigorating. The only thing your dog needs
for gear is a harness, and once she learns what
the harness means, she will likely jump into
it once she sees it in your hand. You will need
(or we will provide) a hip belt and towing cable
with a quick release in case Spot sees a rabbit
run along the trail! Throw on a pair of cross-country
skiis and you are ready for a great afternoon
whether you have ever skied or not, this is
a fun and exciting challenge for both of you
to try, and can quickly lead to a lifetime of
fun winter activities together.
Kicksledding is the best way to live out your
dreams of being a dog sledding champion, with
your own best friend as the lead mushing dog!
A harness is placed on your dog, and you begin
to get your sled moving by kicking it into gear
as you would kick a skateboard. However, these
sleds are made for the snow, and have handle
grips, plastic runners, and all wood construction
for an authentic feel and style. One of the
advantages of kicksledding is that there is
room on the front of the sled for you to put
a small daypack instead of carrying it on your
back. Also, you have a fairly stable platform
to spend your day on if skiis are not your cup
of tea.
 Dogs
love to skijor and kicksled. They live for the
exercise, meeting new dogs, and outdoor scents
and of course the companionship with their owners.
From your dogs point of view skijoring and sledding
are as much fun as a walk ten times! If you
are still unsure, we can provide you with an
easy and fun opportunity to give one or both
of these activities a try with a winter activity
day or weekend. We would usually spend no more
than a few hours outside before heading inside
to warm up and to take a short rest before heading
out to master these winter skills.
View
Pictures ----->
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PAWS
FOR THOUGHT- DID YOU KNOW…
A
survey of 1225 pet owners throughout the United
States and Canada participated in the 2001 survey
by the American Animal Hospital Association, here
are some fun stats…
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52 per cent believe their pet listens to them
best
- 63
per cent of respondents say, "I love
you" at least daily to their pets.
- 78
per cent talk to their pets in a different
voice
- 59
per cent celebrate their pet's birthday
- 90
per cent would not consider dating someone
who was not fond of their pet
- 26
per cent use a pet car seat, safety harness
or carrier in their vehicle
- 36
per cent have named someone as the future
guardian of their pet
- 5
per cent carried pet health insurance
- 68
per cent travel with their pet
"He is your friend, your partner, your
defender, your dog. You are his life, his love,
his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true,
to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to
him to be worthy of such devotion"
-- Unknown --
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Doggy
Tails
This
section is devoted to great dog stories
submitted to us from dog lovers around the
world. Our first story was submitted by
Kim Trevathan Author of "Paddling the
Tennessee River: A Voyage on Easy Water".
Hope you enjoy his and Jaspers' story…
When
we started out in late August of 1998
on a canoe trip down the 652-mile
Tennessee River, Jasper eagerly jumped
into the boat and rode with his paws on
the gunnels. For all he knew it was a
day trip. He had no idea what he was in
for: five weeks away from the couch; five
weeks of heat, rainstorms, and chilly
winds; of trashy campsites and cranky
blue herons that exploded from the banks
and startled him; and finally, nine dams
to lock through.
I wrote "Paddling the Tennessee River:
A Voyage on Easy Water" to describe
the river as it exists now-a series of
reservoirs with steam and nuclear plants,
barges, jet skiers, and canoe-eating cabin
cruisers-and to evoke the old, free-flowing
river that the Cherokee mastered in dugout
canoes, an ornery serpent with whirlpools,
jagged rocks, and treacherous shoals.
Jasper's interests were more immediate.
For example, he had a fetish for boat
wakes. When they crashed against the shore,
he whined and pranced until I let him
out to chase them up and down the shoreline.
Also he loved swimming more than canoeing
yet without Jasper, I know that I could
not have completed the trip. He was the
perfect companion, with that hint of fierceness
in his black muzzle and the charisma to
make friends with people willing to share
food, drink, and stories.
If you would like to read his published
story you can find more information on
Kims site at
http://web.ntown.net/~kimtrevathan/.
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Exciting
Dog Paddling Events..Pawsworthy News
Dog
Lover's Hiking Club
New for 2002 is our Dog Lover's Hiking Club.
Our hikes will take place starting in April
each weekend alternating between Saturday
and Sunday. There will be eight possible
weekends with four different destinations
for you to choose from. All of the destinations
will be in Provincial Parks within a 1-hour
drive from the GTA. You can book each hike
separately or all of them (the more you
book the more you save). Check out the website
for more details on these exciting hikes.
March
Trade Show
We will be attending our second trade
show for the year, The All About Pet Show
that is taking place on March 29-31, 2002
at the International Centre Building 5
in Missisauaga. Come visit our booth Jessie
will have a little treat for all our visitors
and don't forget to fill out the ballot
for a chance to win a trip for you and
your pup.
Jessie's
Tailbits
While Jessie was pawing
through Sympatico’s Netlife Magazine
from the Jan/Feb 2002 issue she discovered
the following fact: Sympatico.ca Top 10
list display the people, places and things
which are most on the public mind as reflected
by Sympatico.ca user searches over the
past week, two-week and five week periods.
In this issue Jessie howled with amazement
upon reading that “DOGS” was
the #1 search for that week...and who
says it isn’t a dog’s world?
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May
24 Long Weekend River Trip
Have you always wanted to participate
in a white water river trip, maybe you
have never canoed before but always wanted
to try or perhaps you are an avid paddler
but never taken your dog along. May 24
is the perfect weekend to kick off the
summer of 2002 season. Dog paddling Adventures
will be offering a White Water Trip to
the Madadawaska River a world-renowned
river in Ontario just 3 hours north of
Toronto. If you and your dog are interested
in joining us we promise you it will be
a trip of a lifetime. For more details
visit our site.
Book
Trips Now and Save
Summer
is right around the corner, why not start
planning for your summer trips now. Beat
the rush book by May 1st 2002 and receive
our early booking special, a 5% discount
at the time of booking.
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Life
Lessons Learned from my Dog
- Never
pass up the opportunity to go for a joy ride.
- Never
leave the house without ID
- Allow
the experience of fresh air and the wind in
your face to be pure ecstasy.
- When
loved ones come home, always run to greet
them.
- Take
naps and stretch before rising.
- When
you leave your yard, make it an adventure.
For
more info, email jessie@dogpaddlingadventures.com
or call us at 416-992-2216
Dog Paddling Adventures
177 Idema Road
Markham, Ontario., Canada, L3R 1A9
jessie@dogpaddlingadventures.com
Tel: 416-992-2216
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"An
experience with so many pawsibilities"
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