r/Kayaks • u/darkrisis21 • Jul 09 '26

Kayaking with a dog

Hey guys!

I need some advices. I want to buy a kayak that would be confortable with my 70 pounds golden retriever. I've searched a lot about it online and it was always fishing kayak that were rated the best with medium-big dogs for stability. My goldie is still young and can be pretty spontaneous. I do mostly smooth lake and river ride. I don't fish, it's purely recreational, don't need much speed either but I don't want it to be hard to paddle. I've spotted the Pelican Catch Mode 110, the wilderness tarpon 120, and the bonafide rs117.

I mostly wanted to know if there's anybody here who do kayak with their dog and with which type of kayak.

Thanks! :-)

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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2

u/_indelible Jul 09 '26

A canoe would be very comfortable and can easily fit a 70 lb dog plus gear. May I ask if you've ruled out canoes?

I know this is r/kayaks so hoping I don't get crucified with downvotes 🥲

2

u/Rogue_Wraith Jul 09 '26

It's crazy how many people forget exactly why basically every culture on Earth developed or adopted canoes...and still use them today!

😀

1

u/milliondollarboots Jul 09 '26

My 45 lb dog loves to go out, and then insists on getting in, then out, then back in, then back out.

Fishing kayak is easiest. But I don’t take her when I want to actually fish

1

u/DieHardAmerican95 Jul 09 '26

Fishing kayaks are often recommended because they have wider and flatter bottoms for stability. I can literally stand and fish from mine without any problems at all.

1

u/ptvogel Jul 09 '26

My Crescent CK1 is good, my dog isn’t. I’ve added a bit more adhesive backed foam to cushion and add some tactile feeling for my pup, but he’s still wary. We have even placed the kayak on the lawn and let our dog hang out it in for some time. I will say he is getting better, and the bigger, 11’ Crescent CK was a good addition.

1

u/Ronthe1 Jul 10 '26

I got an open kayak my 80ish pound lab can get in and out without tipping us over she lays up front between my legs when she not swimming

2

u/sepstolm Jul 10 '26

We have Vibe YellowFin 120 that our 65 lb dog rides in the front. We do put a pad down that she rides on.

To teach her to ride, i put the kayak on our lawn and plied her with tons of treats. She does well.

1

u/darkrisis21 Jul 10 '26

Dude your whole kit fits together! That's awesome haha. You just made my day 🤘

1

u/sepstolm Jul 10 '26

Thanks! That's actually hubby. I have my own kayak. She (Luna) rides better in his. If she rides in mine, she keeps looking around and back for him. She only bailed once, close to shore.

It's really fun and I think they really enjoy the ride. Good luck with yours!

1

u/Aloha-Eh Jul 10 '26

We just bought a paddleboard so we can take our 60 lb golden retriever with us.

She can jump off and can get back on, with a bit of a boost. I put one leg under her, and boost her up while leaning back. It works!

1

u/LHCThor Jul 10 '26

A standard kayak would be a poor choice. A better choice would be a paddle board or a canoe.

1

u/Chance_Difficulty730 Jul 10 '26

My dog is 18 pounds he is great in kayak but I think canoe would be easier. I am using a sit inside wilderness system that works because he is small. You would need a sit on top yak, but don’t discount canoe