Dogs
Volunteer pages
- Mission statement
- Diversity policy
- Supporting the AquaPaddles
- Safe repeatable and reliable
- Route design
- AquaPaddler Numbers
- Code of conduct
- Management of results and crew
- Children at AquaPaddle
- AED - Automated External Defibrillator
- Dogs
- Adaptive paddlers
- Slow paddlers
- Triumphs
- Volunteer envoys
- Cancellation of an AquaPaddle
- Hot and cold temperatures
- Coping with large numbers
- Social media policy
- Photography video policy
- Money handling
- Mission statement
- Diversity policy
- Supporting the AquaPaddles
- Safe repeatable and reliable
- Route design
- AquaPaddler Numbers
- Code of conduct
- Management of results and crew
- Children at AquaPaddle
- AED - Automated External Defibrillator
- Dogs
- Adaptive paddlers
- Slow paddlers
- Triumphs
- Volunteer envoys
- Cancellation of an AquaPaddle
- Hot and cold temperatures
- Coping with large numbers
- Social media policy
- Photography video policy
- Money handling
Dogs have been part of paddle sports for years and with the growth of Paddle Boarding, it is natural for dog owners to take the dogs with them on the boards. However, dogs are not for everyone and can cause damage to craft, especially to Paddle Boards. We ask dog owning AquaPaddlers to abide by the following rules:
- Only one dog per person per board. Most of the AquaPaddles allow dogs, but please check the events webpage beforehand.
- Dogs should be kept under firm control, on a short lead or a harness with a short lead, and care must be taken to avoid tripping others, during launch. Once out on the water, crafts with dogs should space themselves out so as not to get the dogs excited and risk them jumping onto other craft.
- Dogs should not be registered as AquaPaddle participants. Any registration allocated to a dog, or any other animal, will be deleted and any associated results will be removed.
- AquaPaddlers are responsible for the welfare of their own dog and cleaning up their mess.
- Where a dog barking prevents other participants from hearing the pre-event briefing, the briefing will be paused, and the owner should move the dog away to stop this happening.
- Dog owners are asked to launch their craft ahead of most other AquaPaddlers or away from the main launch points.
- Dog owners must remember that having your dog at an AquaPaddle event is a privilege and not a right. If a dog becomes unruly, the AquaPaddle Captain has the right to ask for the dog to be removed. If this request is not followed, then the AquaPaddlers time will not be recorded for the event.
- Owners need to be aware that a lot of children and some adults fear dogs and it is the owner’s responsibility to mitigate these circumstances.
- In the event that a dog falls or jumps off the board into the water, then the paddler must ensure that it does not become a risk to other paddlers. Also, they must take full personal responsibility for recovering the dog, and should NOT ask, encourage or expect any other paddler to put themselves at any degree of risk to rescue their dog.
Information for Volunteers at AquaPaddles
The AquaPaddle organisers have the authority to intervene if they believe that anyone taking part with a dog is not following the guidance above.
Please ensure that any incidents involving dogs are recorded via the incident form. For further advice, event teams are to contact AquaPaddle HQ at [email protected].
Some locations do not allow dogs or the organisers of the local AquaPaddle may decide that their location is not suitable. If this is the case, then AquaPaddle HQ is happy to discuss making this event “Dog Free.” At any Dog Free event, the rule must be firmly and consistently applied.