Ice fishing with your dog

[Paulgbond]

I brought both my dogs out Sunday and answer to this thread is depends on the dog. Dog one was a complete mooch and trying to to sniff everyone's lunch. She got put on leash. The other one was mostly polite and stayed close mostly, had to put her on leash too. A lot of fisherpeople were leaving their catch on the ice, so that is also a lot of dog bait to worry about. Needed to keep the leashes short. Might as well have left them at home.

They both got cold though, after two hours of fishing, set up the shelter with heater for the last hour.

I also brought my 3 year old. Turn back on three old to fetch dogs, three year old fills hole with snow. Turn back on dogs to strain slush out of hole. Dogs find someones lunch. Fetch dogs. Turn back to 3 year old and the slush strainer fell in hole.

Next rule only bring as many dogs/kids as you have eyes. Reserve one eye for fishing hole.

[EZM]

Key thing is being courteous to your neighbour - not everyone is comfortable with a "friendly dog" and a stinky wet one doesn't appeal to anyone.

One of my dogs, a black lab/collie cross is well behaved and doesn't cause any issues, the younger one, a retriever/?? (maybe coyote or shepherd) cross needs to be watched closely.

She is young and energetic and looks a lot like a coyote - so she needs to be tied up so she doesn't get a bullet in the head from someone she is running up to. She might be "greeting" someone, but that someone, with a gun, might be thinking there's a rabid coyote on the attack ...... could you imagine my kids seeing that. lol.

It's all about manners and common sense with your pets.

[Dannyo]

Lots of great advice here. I have a black lab and a Pomeranian (lol) don't laugh he's a rough little dude. I take them ice fishing every time I go. If I have my truck I'll put them in occasionally for a warm up. If not I have a heater for my tent and something soft and dry for them to lay on like others have mentioned. X10 on watching out for baited hooks and holes if the dog is small. I pile the snow up around the hole a little so they tend to go around it and not over it, which also avoids them tipping rods over and pulling hooks out of the hole. Lol. I found after a few times out my dogs got used to everything and now I barely have to worry at all. Take your buddy out with you, you'll have a blast and so will he!

[rmatei]

I would never pull up to a group of fishermen and let my 2 goldens loose, but if I have set up away from the crowds and some guys want to fish 50 yards from me it's their problem. The dogs are a good way to keep the unpleasant away. I have found that as long as the boys don't walk around in overflow their feet are usually ok but if it's real cold they will just jump back in the truck.

[bowriverbrown]

I've had someone's dog try and steal my fish at Spray, only once. It was kind of funny, it's like he wanted to take it back to his owner. When I got it back he didn't leave a mark.

Also had the coyotes circle my tent a few hundred feet out, they probably smelled my catch, they sure are sneaky.