When David Benson and his wife acquired a second Golden Retriever, he realized he needed a way to transport both dogs in his kayak if they wanted to join him on his adventure. The only problem was that there were only one seat and three passengers in the Pygmy Coho wooden kayak.
David says his dogs have always loved to travel with them by land, air, or water. So he decided to remake the kayak for his dogs.
David’s first dog, Susie, fit in the luggage compartment, but it was cramped.
When they got their second gold, Ginger, David got another Koho kayak and this time he designed two top baskets that are dog-friendly.
Wooden dwarf kayaks come in build kits, so David just changed plans. He reduced the luggage compartments to be smaller and narrower than advertised but made sure they were perfect for dogs. David also made seat covers for the dogs to keep them dry and keep water out of the torso.
Although humans have nowhere to put their feet in the compartments, this is not a problem for dogs!
David says that dogs are very nice people and always wait for instructions on how to get in and out of the kayak. When everyone was seated comfortably on the kayak, the family paddled several miles together and enjoyed their water adventures.
What a great thing to do with your dogs! I love it when pet parents go out of their way to include their dogs in their activities. Share this story with your dog-loving friends!
