was going to take this time to talk about a few of the cooler “water toys” that are available right now. I figure you can never have too many water toys. However, as I mentioned in the past, my water toys were based around water skis and maybe a kneeboard. If you remember that story, I was able to dig my custom competition slalom ski out of storage after years of collecting dust and proceeded to tear my hamstring. That basically forced me to change my opinion of what a good water toy is.

However, I did pick out a couple that I think would be good investments. One is the Connelly Party Cove Cooler. We all know the stories about “party cove,” right? People drinking, listening to music blasting from stereos and floating around between rafted-up boats. So, what could be better than a cooler that floats around with you and keeps your drinks cold? The Connelly Party Cove Cooler holds the drinks with ice like a regular cooler, plus it has drink holders on the outside to keep your drink from spilling.

I have seen those big pads rolled up on the back of pontoons, so I was also thinking a “floating dock” or pad would be a good toy to add this year. There always seems to be some new variations available. One that sounds cool, and which I liked the name, is the Aquaglide Airport! A floating airport! Well not really, but it is a floating rectangular inflatable (dock), that can also be towed behind the boat. That and the floating cooler and I’d be set for the weekend at the party cove.

There are lots of water toy options… for people. But what about pets? Okay right up front, we have two Maine Coon cats (18 and 20 pounds) that are great cats but will never go on the pontoon. I don’t see much fun in having a flailing, scratching, howling cat on the boat. Can you imagine a cat on an inflatable? How long would that hold air while it’s holding on and being towed around the lake? Anyway, dog toys yes, cat toys no.

If your dogs are like mine, they like the water and want to be where the action is. That usually means on the deck, under foot or in the water. So first we need to take a few special precautions for their safety.

Pets should have a personal flotation device to wear while on the water. We treat our pets like our children, so they usually must wear the device whenever we are around the water. The larger the dog is, the harder it is for them to get back in the boat. I would have a tough time lifting my 90-pound Standard Poodle (Buckaroo Bonzai) in the boat if he did not have a handle on his personal flotation device or if there was not a ladder for him to get up into the boat.

Dogs can get by with regular dog toys if the toy floats. There can be toys that stay on the boat, but floating toys that can be thrown and retrieved can add more fun to the dog day on the water. Of course, throwing toys from the boat means you need easy exit of the boat so the dog doesn’t get hurt or catch its life jacket or feet on anything. And once your dog is swimming and retrieving how does the dog get back on the boat? With Buckaroo Bonzai weighing in at nearly 100 pounds, lifting him on the boat with the life jacket is almost… well, is impossible.

Which brings up the need for a dog ladder. There are numerous models available and the key is to find one that works with your pet. Some companies promote that theirs work well with any dog but are also very good for use with arthritic, older, or overweight pets.

The ladder (or it might be better called a ramp), needs to be a manageable size for storage and/or carrying but also big enough for your dog. Most ladders have some sort of “ribbed” design to help reduce slipping and are safe for all pets.

Oh, one other toy that I would like is the “YuJet’s Electric Jet Surfer,” This is an electric power surfboard. No waves needed. No more pulled hamstrings!