Duck Dogs and Ladders

During my thirty six years of duck hunting, I have had various retrievers each of whom were unique. One of the biggest challenges for some dogs is simply the task of getting in and out of the boat. I had one particular golden retriever who hated to jump out of a boat! He liked to swim, but the entrance was not to be with a splash. He preferred a more stylish approach. My wife called him, "the furry alligator", because he liked to slink into the water. He was ace with whistles and hand signals. We never lost a bird. However, he still held the splash in disdain. I tried various dog docks with him. I even modified one by adding an extra step. Wow did that get heavy. I should have made one that looked like a sliding board!

For this reason, I have been very careful in trying to create a positive learning environment for Gunner, my young yellow lab. I take him swimming daily, and we take excursions to the lake for retriever training from the boat. I started out with the heavy cumbersome dog dock and decided against it. My hunting buddy, Randy, let me borrow his Beavertail Dog Ladder. It is nice and light, of aluminum construction. My dog got back in the boat using the Beavertail without any problem. The only trouble he had was that he got used to getting on his Dog to enter the water. The Beavertail made that more difficult. Understand that this is not a fault of the equipment. It is simply a testimony to how badly I spoil my dog!

The most important thing is that the dog is comfortable enough to retrieve. For this reason, I went to Cabela's to see what they had available. (Good excuse anyway.) As soon as I saw the Cabela's Northern Flight Dog Ladder, I knew that was the answer for my dog! He loves it! As you can see in the pictures, Gunner even enjoys getting in and out of the boat while it is in the driveway! He can step out onto the ladder and jump off, and he can swim up the ladder and walk right in the boat. The ladder clamps on and it hinges at the clamps.When the boat is moving you can swing the ladder back into the boat. We have been to the local reservoir and he did very well.

The entire dog and boat thing has been a sticking point for a number of duck hunters whom I have net over the years. I believe this ladder could be the answer for many dogs and hunters. The other key is to take the boat and dog out on the water to practice! 

(Check out: Duck Dogs and Ladders Part 2)