Blog stories about Canoeing, rafting and boats fun with your dog.

Water dog? Here are some great stories with dog-friendly ideas for canoeing, rafting and boating fun for you and your dog. Whether you are looking for a quiet paddle down a river or an adrenaline-pumping white water adventure, there is something out there to fit everyone’s tastes. Take your time researching and selecting the right activity based on safety considerations and your comfort level. It’s important to choose activities that will be enjoyable for both you and your canine companion.

Stay in Surf City – Explore the OC

Huntington Beach is a “pawesome” place to visit with your pooch, but it’s also the gateway to hundreds of other adventures throughout Orange County. Of course, if you choose to get a dog sitter for the day, Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and Angels Stadium are nearby. Want to stay on the coast? We get it: you love the beach. So if you want to hit the road but still play alo Read more.

Surf City USA, Gateway to the OC

If you’re lucky enough to be visiting Huntington Beach with your pooch, you might be inclined to get comfortable and not leave the city. After all, when it comes to pup-friendly restaurants, services and a dazzling Dog Beach, Surf City has you spoiled. But try not to get lulled into the local beach vibe too much. Orange County has plenty more for you and your four-legged friend to explore. H Read more.

If Everybody Had a Surf Dog…

Dog on beach in front of lifeguard stand

You’re sure to have a Beach Boys sound track playing in your head as you and your pup cavort on aptly named Dog Beach, the leash-free segment of 3.5-mile-long Huntington Beach, centerpiece of the city of the same name (also known as Surf City USA). Surf culture rules in this SoCal mecca for more than 8 million annual visitors—and sometimes, especially during the annual Surf City Surf D Read more.

Surf City USA with your dog

Two long haired dachshunds running on the beach.

Photo by Kojirou Sasaki.

Voted one of California's dog-friendliest cities, Huntington Beach welcomes four-legged children with open arms at restaurants, parks, and hotels; along its paved beach path; and even dedicates a stretch of beach to salty pups. Read more.

Moseying on Mendocino waterways

Photo by @haystackbird.

There’s something magical about the Big River estuary near Mendocino—and something ingenious about the “canine cruiser” that transports two- and four-legged visitors down the calm and inky river to the sea. Read more.

Say Anchors Aweigh on Shasta Lake

Dog enjoying sniffing the air at Shasta Lake

If ever there were a summer to go house-boating, this is it! Shasta Lake—house-boating capital of California and maybe the world—is as full of water as regulators will permit it to be, allowing boaters to pull right up to shore and walk off onto land. The lake’s 360 miles of jagged shoreline are indented with cove after cove where you can anchor out in solitude or bob in the comp Read more.

Water Safety

By Dr. Shannon Leggieri, DVM, MS of Claremont Veterinary Hospital, Oakland. There is no better exercise for your dog’s health than swimming. But before you and your furry friend dive in this summer, there are certain precautions you should take to maximize health benefits and minimize hazards. Read more.

Every walk in Surf City is special

Photo by Visit Huntington Beach.

The Dog Beach here in Surf City has become famous throughout Southern California. More than a mile of undeveloped beach along one of the prettiest stretches of the coast Read more.

Paradise for water dogs

DogTrekker.com reader Jan N. alerted us to a secluded public dog-friendly beach that she and her dog Angel discovered on the way home from a camping trip to Lake Tahoe. Read more.

Where to Float Away

Northern California has more houseboating opportunities than any other state in the Union, but a little homework is always in order. For comprehensive information and comparisons, check in with Forever Resorts, biggest player in the state, and with web-based booking agencies houseboating.org and houseboats.com, each of which represents multiple operators. Meanwhile, from north to south, here are s Read more.

Water Safety and Your Dog

Some dogs love swimming and splashing. Labs, poodles, Brittanys and other hunting breeds seem born with an instinct to seek out places to get wet. But other dogs don't like water at all, may not have learned to swim and may not be comfortable on boats. Read more.

Houseboating Nuts and Bolts

Think of a houseboat as a slow-moving RV that takes a long time to turn, and you get an idea of what piloting one is like. Some rental companies require designated navigators to have previous boating experience, although most will accept novices. At any rate, you'll be put through an extensive orientation before shoving off. Read more.

Kayla’s Water Walk

One of Kayla's favorite walks as a 'senior' dog was along the San Rafael waterfront adjacent to Loch Lomond Marina. She began walking this trail as a puppy some 14 years ago. Back then, this was a rough rock-strewn path that leads around the spit that ends at the entrance to the marina. Kayla's favorite walk along the water. With the development of the new housing development know Read more.

Go with the rivers’ flow

Dog wearing red life vest asleep in kayak

Photo by Elizabeth Krupka.

Your dog may not be able to paddle her own canoe, but you’ll have a blast paddling for her with an assist from an outfitter who knows how to help water-loving canines and their people have fun. Read more.

More Wet Ways to Play

golden retriever on stand up paddleboard

Photo by @thatstokedgolden

Stand-Up Paddleboarding, SUP for short, is an emerging sport with Hawaiian heritage that’s caught on big all up and down California. The newest craze: teaching dogs to hitch a ride. A great way for both of you to learn is with SUP PUPS, operating out of Waterman’s Landing Beach Café at Lake Tahoe. Read more.

Running the Russian River with Rover

Russian River Adventures has kicked off its 2016 season of dog-friendly float trips out of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. With plenty of water this year to navigate the secluded, 9-mile stretch from town to Wohler Bridge, the entire family can enjoy the Russian River with your pup serving as first mate. Read more.

Kayla at the Waterfront Hotel

Photo by Waterfront Hotel.

Kayla at the Waterfront Hotel Kayla decided to attend Jack London Square's Boo! Bark, Brews & Bites Halloween party and spent the night at the Joie de Vivre's Waterfront Hotel, which was just steps away from the fun. Read more.

Chasing Surf With Your Dog in Santa Cruz County

Photo credit: lostintheredwoods (CC) Santa Cruz County’s curvy coastline is studded with some 29 miles of beaches providing lots of options for DogTrekkers. Fifteen strands are dog-friendly, and one, Mitchell’s Cove, is legally leash-free during daylight hours before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m. Read more.

Catalina adventure

One dog per passenger is permitted on the Catalina Express, provided they are crated or muzzled. Photo by Catalina Express.

Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California is a favorite day-trip and weekend destination, and many travelers are surprised to discover that the Catalina Express, serving the island from Long Beach, Dana Point and San Pedro, does allow dogs. Read more.

SUP with your pup

Stand-Up Paddle-boarding has caught on big-time with canine passengers as well as the people who do the paddling. Most dogs love to ride along, although it can take some coaxing at first. Whether you own your own board or are a first-timer, you’ll find instant community at 101 Surf Sports in San Rafael, a sponsor of regular outings on which everyone has a dog on board. Read more.