This Adventure Loving Labradoodle Loves Exploring Canyons

Lou the Labradoodle lives in scenic Utah with her amazing dog parents Maya and Carson. Lou is no ordinary dog; he is going to explore canyons in the vast desert with his mom and dad. They love to take her on adventures, and she seems to enjoy it as much as they do!

“We absolutely love Lou and she brings so much joy to everyone we meet in the canyons,” says Maya, Lou’s proud dog mother. “People are always surprised to meet her in the canyons, especially since she is not a dog. It weighs in at around 70 pounds, which doesn’t always make it easy, but it makes it worth it! “

Of course, it took Lou a while to get comfortable rappelling off giant cliffs and walking along slot cannons. However, once he warmed up with the sport, it seemed like it was natural! Now he rappels and walks through the canyons like he was born to do it. They have taken her on countless adventures and now they couldn’t imagine their excursions without her.

Maya lovingly says of her furry friend:

“Lou is pretty amazing. She is a one and a half year old red Labradoodle, but she doesn’t look much like her; she is a mix between Lab and Labradoodle. It just didn’t end up curly, and we love her just the way she is. “

Maya and Carson have a lot of experience in canyoning. After mastering the sport, they decided to show Lou the basics too. There is nothing like exploring nature with your best friend!

“My husband and I are extremely active; We have spent the last summers being canyoning guides. Canyoning is slot canyon exploration through downhill, hiking, rappelling, and even swimming at times. This is an incredible sport and we have fallen in love with it ”.

Adventure dog Lou is a canyoning master

Canyoning takes time to become an expert, so they wanted Lou to do it slowly. Hiking in the deserts of Utah is no easy feat, so they wanted her to get comfortable with that first.

“When we got Lou, we wanted to take her on as many adventures as possible. We just started with walks, ”says Maya. “It got very, very good, very fast. We started taking her on harder hikes and training more and more with her each day. Finally, we decided to start with very basic rappels after she was comfortable being on the edge of the cliffs and we could trust her there. We started abseiling and she fell in love with him; Since then, we’ve been canyoning with her for the last year. “

If you want to take your dog hiking or canyoning, you need to make sure you have the right equipment. Dog shoes or boots are an absolute must in the desert, as the rocks can get very hot. Also, dogs can easily step on sharp thorns or plants that can cause painful cuts. Maya talks about the importance of boots in one of his Instagram posts.

“The first time we went canyoning with Lou, we didn’t have boots for her, and at the end she had several cuts on her legs. Not to mention, he got into a cactus. Boots protect your feet from sharp rocks, cacti, and the heat of the rocks. If you are looking to live many adventures with your dog, boots are essential! Our favorite brand is My Busy Dog Boots! “

They also bought Lou dog goggles to keep the sand out of her eyes and protect her from the sun. Also, it is important to make sure you have the proper rappelling equipment for your dog. They wear the Ruffwear double back full body harness as it seems more comfortable for Lou.

Lou proves adventure is more fun with a dog

Throughout their adventures together, they have also made adjustments to their rappelling technique. At first, they rappelled in tandem with Lou suspended below them. While this is the most common technique, they found that rappelling with her on their lap felt more comfortable. They also found that it gave them more control over the experience.

Now that you’ve made the right adjustments and got the proper gear, canyoning goes smoothly and is even more fun! Lou has mastered the sport of canyoning, but is still a bit nervous when it comes to crossing the water. A bit strange for a retriever Sure, but it’s one of those unique quirks of each dog.

“We absolutely love her. She is very talented, she has trained a lot and we have had many fun adventures with her. She is part of my family and she takes care of me like I take care of her, and I love that about her, ”says Maya.

“She is a ray of sunshine in our lives; she has brought so much happiness and continually brightens our day. We want to share that with the world. “

While dogs can make life much more satisfying, it is important to be prepared for responsibility.

“If I had to give advice to someone, I’d say research first. Don’t go in unprepared, ”says Maya. “My husband and I, before we had Lou, we were preparing to have her for a year and a half. We didn’t want to just have a dog and then give it away. We wanted him to become part of our family, and that’s what we did. There is so much more you can do with your dog and that has brought pure positivity into our lives. “

Final thoughts on Lou, the canyoning and adventure loving dog

Lou shows dog owners that dogs are capable of more than just walks around the neighborhood. They can last a long time hikes and even explore canyons, provided they have the right gear. Dogs can and should explore the great outdoors with their parents, because it benefits them as much as it does us! Hopefully, if you have a dog, Lou will inspire you to take your pet with you on your next adventure.