We all have a hobby that we enjoy doing, but when we have no one to join in the fun with us, it can be a bit of a drag.
But one man who was determined to bring his best friends along to enjoy the fun went to extreme lengths to make sure it was possible and he wasn’t going to let anything get in the way of them joining in.
David Bahnson took his pet dogs everywhere with him but one place they couldn’t go was on his kayak. He was very upset that his favorite pooches couldn’t join in the fun. He thought this over and decided he needed to figure out how to introduce his best friends to his love of kayaking.
This retired orthopedic surgeon from Vermont thought of the perfect solution…and you won’t believe what he did.
He designed a custom kayak that fit his two dogs perfectly. Now, he can set out on water adventures with his best friends by his side.
Just look at that! Incredible, right?
Bahnson told, “They seem to love it. They get excited when we’d pull the kayaks out and see that we were going.”
He originally thought of the idea when he realized how large the baggage compartment in his kayak was.
His kayakhad a rear compartment that would hold supplies or food, but desperate to find a way to fit his furry friends in, he saw an opportunity for greater things.
He saw it as an extra seat for his dog, Susie, so he built a custom ring around the opening to help ensure that Susie stayed cozy and dry as he kayaked at sea with her by his side.
This was perfect, until he and his wife got another dog. How on earth was he going to fit two dogs in his kayak?
He did not want to leave one dog at home and only take one with him to sea. So he decided to find away to squeeze ANOTHER dog in there.
He said: “When we got Ginger, I just put in another hole. It’s like a triple kayak, only there isn’t enough room for the paddlers to put their feet — but it’s perfect for a dog.”
Nowadays, both adorable dogs love to go out at see. Every time they see the kayak, they are immediately excited because they know they are going to get the spend the day at sea with dad.
The dogs are totally comfortable in the kayak and are really clever too. They know how to stay safe and sound in the kayak.
Althouh the dogs are strong swimmers, their dad does let a little cautious but he knows they are well trained.
“They are trained to get in the kayak themselves on command. They sit down, and off we go. When we come ashore, they’ll stay seated until I tell them it’s OK to get out. They never hopped out into the water, actually.”
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“I love my dogs. I love training them, the companionship. We’ve gone miles and miles of paddling with our dogs,” says Bahnson. “They just really enjoy going places.”
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