This is pretty simple: If you are wearing a life jacket, so should your dog. And, even if you should be and are not, your dog should still be wearing one.

Wearing a life vest is especially important if your dog is small. Should your kayak or canoe flip, or if your dog see’s something interesting and decides to jump in the water after it, they can get really tired very quickly if you can’t get to them fast enough.

* I’ve been taking Toby kayaking since he was 6 months old, so he is very accustomed to the water, and likes to take a dip off the boat. But, he is always on a leash that is usually clipped to my life jacket. By having your dog on a leash it gives you more of a chance to be able to grab him or her should they jump out.

* Use a life vest that has a handle at the top, so you can easily lift your dog if need be. If you are on a boat carry a long hook so that you can use it to grab your pup if they jump in. We like Outward Hound’s life jackets, for that exact reason. They are also very durable. This is my third season using Toby’s, while in the same time period I’ve purchased three for myself.

* Always carry bottled water and treats for your puppy! Yes, you are in a lake or the ocean and your dog can easy put his or her head over the side to grab a drink, but sometimes they are really fussy and don’t like the water. Plus, do you really want your dog drinking certain lake water sometimes?

Do you take your dog out on the water with you?