I've never owned a dog, or should I say, no dog has ever owned me. But I am fascinated by the way paddlers and dogs seem to fit so sweetly together in a canoe.
Every canine-canoe image I have seen involves a paddler slowly guiding his craft on a serene sheet of water, with both paddler and dog immersed in silent contemplation of the moment. Fido doesn't mind sitting peacefully, looking back every so often at his paddling companion in the stern.
Likewise, the human can enjoy his hound's company, without needing to counter a bowman's occasional wayward stroke, or dicker about where the next campsite should be. The quiet companionship and unconditional mutual affection can make for an unseparable team.
My buddy Scooter and his dog Sadie were such a pair. Scooter looked so happy, so complete, when they went for a paddle on the Blackwater or the Merrimac near Scooter's home in New Hampshire.
I'm sure Sadie provided Scooter with a comfort and intimacy no human paddler could have delivered. Please read his wonderful heart-felt account, Canoeing With My Dawg.