Man builds a customized kayak so he can go on the water with his two dogs

We all want to spend as much quality time with our pets as possible. Some of the best moments are sharing our favorite hobbies and pastimes with our dogs.

And when one man wanted to share his love of the water with his Golden Retrievers, he went the extra mile and used a little ingenuity to accommodate his loyal pets.

For David Bahnson, a retired orthopedic surgeon from Vermont, the two best things in life were traveling around with his dogs and kayaking. And in 2015, he found an ingenious way to combine the two: he built a custom kayak, designed specifically to hold dogs.

Shutterstock
David modified a kayak’s baggage opening into a perfect “dog-shaped hole,” lacking enough leg room for another human but perfect for his dog, Susie. He also added a removable ring to keep water from splashing in.

“Our dogs have always loved to travel with us in cars, in my airplane, in boats,” he told Huffington Post UK. “Building a way for them to kayak with us just seemed like a logical choice, and the boats are fun to build anyway.”

When he got a second dog, Ginger, he made even more room, adding a second doggie hole to the vessel. “It’s like a triple kayak,” he told The Dodo.

With a dog-friendly kayak, David was able to pursue his favorite hobby with his loyal dogs still by his side, and the lucky dogs got a rare chance to experience a kayak ride, which they loved.

“They seem to love it,” he said. “They get excited when we’d pull the kayaks out and see that we were going. They are trained to get in the kayak themselves on command. They sit down, and off we go.”

 

Sadly, Susie and Ginger have since passed away, but it’s clear they got to enjoy some very special quality time with their loving owner, and that’s what really matters.

And the special doggie kayak has since been passed on to a new generation: “My wife and her friends still use the kayaks and she takes our newest golden, Piper, along with her,” he told HuffPost UK.

“I love my dogs. I love training them, the companionship. We’ve gone miles and miles of paddling with our dogs,” he told The Dodo. “They just really enjoy going places.”

What a great idea! It seems like these dogs really loved spending time kayaking with their owner out on the water.

Related Posts

Nursing Dog Mom Runs Up To A Woman Trying To Get Help For Her Babies

For Ashley Boggs, a long-time dog rescuer, saving dogs is a life mission. One day, she was driving down a forest road in Puerto Rico when she…

A Sweet Pup Was About To Be Euthanized, But This Woman Rushed To The Shelter

What stray pups wish for the most as they wander the lonely streets is to be noticed by humans and to be taken somewhere safe. They long…

Rescue Kitten Adopts Orphaned Puppy And The Duo Is Now Inseparable

There is something so wholesome about seeing a cat and a dog get along well and live together like two siblings.Anyone who has ever owned both can…

A Depressed Rescue Dog Is Delighted When She Is Finally Adopted

“A shelter is not a place for dogs,” said Shira Scott Astrof, for The Dodo, after successfully completing her adoption mission of another puppy. Although this experienced CEO of A.R.M….

Shelter Dog Gives The Warmest Hug To Reporter And He Couldn’t Say “No”

All the friendships in the world are great. If they are filled with trust and love, they are the best. But, the one between a dog and…

Quiet Dog Who Wouldn’t Stop Barking Ended Up Saving His Owner’s Life

Sometimes, we are led to believe that we are choosing to adopt the pet that we want to spend our lives with; however, there are instances where…