Based out of Squamish, British Colombia, Emily and River are an unstoppable adventuring duo. We caught up with them and asked them their favorite tips, tricks, and places they want to go.
How did you meet River?
“We met River at 4 weeks old, having no idea he’d be ours! He was with his siblings and mom in an enclosure, and he kept leaving his little pack to come over and see us. River was persistent in the way he was staring with his big, puppy dog eyes and wanting our attention. I think it’s safe to say, it was love at first sight!”
What is your go-to Kurgo product?
“Our favorite product is the Journey Air Harness! We love the durability, cushioning, and the perfect fit it
offers. The durability is the same for the Ascender Leash, because even after
daily use for over a year, it still has no sign of wear. We also love that it
has a comfortable cushioned handle, and how versatile this leash is. We
can wear it around our waists or hitch it to something stable when we need
River to stay in one place, such as when he joins us for outdoor dining.”
Do you have a favorite local hike?
“There’s a huge network of
multi-use world class mountain bike trails across the street from where we
live. River is allowed to be off leash to sniff, run, and freely explore the
trails and the many streams that are there. We have also worked with him to
learn to wait for us when he hears the command, “stop!” This gives us an
opportunity to assess the situation so we can decide what is appropriate to do
next. Sometimes we just have to simply
hold him in place with the handle on the back of the harness or backpack as the
biker passes and help him stay in a calm state of mind. Other times while
holding him in place with the handle, we will decide to attach the leash for
the rest of the hike. We don’t always know how busy the trails will be with
mountain bikers until we are on them. These trails can be very fast and have
many blind corners for the mountain bikers, so for the safety of both the biker
and River, it is extremely helpful to hold him in place. On busy biking days,
we use the leash for most of our hikes, as well as 100% of the time in our neighborhood
while walking on the street.”
What is River’s favorite activity?
“One of River’s favorite
activities is playing at the water’s edge of streams, lakes, and ocean
we are surrounded by here in Squamish, BC. He will amuse himself by searching
for submerged sticks. He figured out a technique using his paws to dig at them and pull them out of the water!”
Any outdoor plans
you’re looking forward to this year?
“We hope to return to our favorite
spot on Vancouver Island where we go boating, waterskiing, kayaking and paddle
boarding. River is in his element there with other dogs to always play with,
and he’s always only steps away from the water. He loves to not only swim, but
to go on anything that floats whether it is a kayak, paddle board or the family
speedboat.”
What do you love most
about being a Kurgo ambassador?
“We love being Kurgo
ambassadors because it means we can pass on our experience with the products to
an audience who we know trusts us. When we are looking for recommendations
ourselves, we appreciate those who are honest and trustworthy with their
suggestions. Therefore, we strive to do the same for those who look to us for
our insight, as we know it’s what they value!”
You can follow Emily and River on all their adventures @LittleRiverDog on Instagram.
