There's nothing like a beautiful day on the river...especially if you're a dog. We just returned from a float trip down the crystal clear White River in southern Missouri. I could not believe the number of dogs in attendance.
We saw a 10 week old Portuguese Water Dog on her very first float trip. That little fur ball pawed at the water and paddled her way from person to person like a champ.
There was a mixed breed hound dog who, after becoming bored from a sand bar stop, jumped back in the canoe and barked at her human companion as though to say, "Okay, now put down that beer and let's get paddling!"
My favorite, though, was a Great Pyrenees who sat tall and majestic in the front of a canoe, calmly watching the scenery go by. He/she (not sure which) could have been a model for how Lewis and Clark's famous dog, Seaman, must have looked while they were on expedition. Totally awesome.
Along the 7 mile float, there were three springs that fed the river. At one of the springs, cold water poured in giving an air-conditioned feeling to the atmosphere. The temperature near the spring must have dropped by at least fifteen degrees...a most refreshing circumstance on a 90+ degree day.
I'd forgotten how much fun it is to float. Especially when you're paddling down a gorgeous river on a beautiful day, meeting lots of new friends...with both two feet and four.
Can we go again next weekend?
