Nothing’s better than spending the day fishing with your furry four-legged friend. Since most dogs love water, why not take them along for the trip instead of leaving them behind? After all, fishing with your dog is a bonding moment that dates back ages ago. However, keep in mind that fishing with your dog requires extra preparation and safety measures. Lucky for you, listed below is a complete guide on what to do before taking your dog on a fishing trip.
What to Prepare Before the Trip
Assess Your Dog If They Can Handle the Trip
It is quite apparent when dogs aren’t suited for fishing. They are loud, excitable, and can’t stand staying still for long periods. Hence, it’s essential to be honest when assessing your dog to determine if you can bring them along. If your dog’s a loud barker that barks at everything they see, it’s going to be challenging to bring them with you on the trip. After all, you’re not the only group fishing on the lake, and others might find it difficult to relax when there’s continuous barking. Plus, loud disturbances can actually scare fish away.
Another aspect of your dog you should check is if they can sit for long hours while fishing. Excitable dogs are hard to control when on land. They are even harder to control when you’re both on a boat in the middle of the river. Sooner or later, temperamental dogs will find something to chew on, and you might need to get a replacement for your prized Penn Battle 3 spinning reels. Hence, if you want to bring your dog with you, you should train them first before the trip.
Dog Life Jackets
Not all dogs can swim, and even if they can, they might be too tired to swim for long periods. Furthermore, adverse weather conditions can happen at any moment that can hinder a dog’s ability to water. While pet life jackets aren’t required, it’s still a necessary safety precaution when you’re going on a fishing trip with your dogs. Dog life jackets are made to keep the animal afloat, whatever the weather condition is. Plus, you can use the life jacket as a more accessible medium of retrieval when the situation calls for it.
When selecting a dog life jacket, make sure that it fits your dog securely. The life jacket shouldn’t be loose and too tight, as tightness can cause discomfort and an open life jacket defeats its purpose. Furthermore, the life jacket should have good lifting handles and is bright enough to spot whenever your dog’s afloat in water. When you have bought your dog a life jacket, allow them to get used to it by making them play around on water while wearing it. Sooner or later, they’ll enjoy basking in the water.
Precautions During the Trip
Dog Leash and Treats
Putting your dog on a leash while on a boat is a bad idea. But it would help if you always had a leash with you whenever you need to tie your dog by the dock when you load or unload the boat. Treats, on the other hand, are essential both on land and on the ship. In essence, your dog treats to go along with your commands. After all, dogs will obey you more if they get a treat in return. Giving treats is especially important since fishing involves plenty of environmental interaction over which your dogs will go crazy. You can ease them down by command and dog treats.
Furthermore, giving your dog treats can help them calm down when they’re not used to fishing or sitting on a boat. Since some dogs are terrified to be on the ship and jump around looking for land, you can offer them treats and calm them down, forcing them to associate fishing with tasty treats.
Create A Radius for Dogs to Follow
It’s in every dog’s nature to explore everything they can see and smell. This trait, in particular, is what we want in our dog. In essence, this is how they develop their senses, body, and mind. After all, an active dog is a happy dog. However, dogs that love to run around can ruin other people’s fishing vacation when they overreach their playable radius. Consider running around suitable areas around the river with positive reinforcement with treats to tell your dog at which site they can frolic around. Furthermore, by doing this, you can tell them where they can relieve themselves when need be.
Furthermore, you should constantly monitor your fly casts as they might get caught up on your dog. Since dogs can’t let you know every time they’re behind you, make sure to keep everything clear before backcasting. Ultimately, all we want is to have fun and enjoy our trip with our furry four-legged friend. Hence, being prepared is essential to keep both of you safe and happy throughout the journey.