SUP with Bridget!

Meet Bridget! She joined our family about 6 weeks ago. She was adopted through Homes for Animal Heroes. A national program dedicated to rehoming retired research animals. Bridget was a lab dog and gave the first 6 years of her life so people without hope from cancer might have a second chance. For all of you who may have been touched by cancer can thank dogs like her. She is a cancer hero! Now she gets her second chance.  Bridget has had time to learn about grass, cars, streets, pools, teenagers,& dog parks.  So now it's time to take Bridget out on a SUP! 

Bridget paddleboarding!

Jack and Bridget getting ready to SUP!

On any given day at the Carlsbad Lagoon in Carlsbad, CA, there is usually a dog or two on a paddleboard.  I haven't seen any cats on the lagoon, but I do know a couple who SUP elsewhere! The dogs come in all kinds of sizes and breeds. It's always amusing to see a great dane or a yellow labrador on a 10ft or smaller paddle board with their owner! As a paddle boarder I knew nothing about paddling with a dog! So I contacted Samantha at SUP PUPS California to come up to Carlsbad and coach me and Bridget on how to safely paddleboard together!

Samantha and Jack with SUP PUPS California!

We are excited to go SUP!

Samantha with SUP PUPS California is really great with dogs. She's very enthusiastic and loves to help people paddle with their dogs! She also has a great helper-her dog Jack, who is also a rescue dog. Jack is very calm and also a great coach with the dogs! Bridget loved him! Samantha coached us on how to get your dog on the paddle board and then once they are on what do you do. How do you keep them on the paddle board? Well Bridget was not interested in jumping in the water, but some dogs do. Bridget did cruise back and forth on the paddleboard between and around my legs. The key is to balance yourself and keep your board stable while they explore. Eventually Bridget got comfortable and sat on either the front (bow) or the back (stern) of the SUP. At one point while she was cruising along the side of the SUP, she fell in. Since she is a small dog (15lbs) it was easy to grab the handle of her life jacket and place her back on the SUP.

Fun on the water together!

Bridget liked sitting on the back of the SUP.

Jack and Bridget cruising!

Bridget and I had a fantastic time exploring the lagoon on SUP! She has a life jacket on order and we will be out on SUP soon! Samantha and Jack with SUP PUPS California are a great team to work with! If you live in Southern California and you are interested in learning to SUP with your dog, contact Samantha at ​SUP PUPS California. You can also follow her on instagram at sup_pups_california.
​WOOF!