Dog on board - dos and don'ts please

Tranona said:
Met a 4 month old cocker spaniel last week which seemed very happy on its boat, but not sure would be a good idea having it on board after a good muddy swim!
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I had working cockers, the mud and swim was not a problem they self cleaned on the swim back to the boat. I always thought they where a good size for sailing. I fitted a lower guardrail (well piece of rope) tied so they could lean on it when standing...

For toilet they would hold on for longer than I would want but they never wanted to go on-board. If anchored near marsh, I could throw a ball onto it of a morning and they would go fetch it and whilst ashore do there business.

Life Jackets are a good idea for the handle on there back, I used to keep them on the boat. If we where in dinghy and went in they could swim.

Allot of starting dogs on boat is (or any environment) as I understand is:
Early familiarization, regular familiarization and you showing no fear for them near boats... If I went to the boat they came with me, even if it was just to check the moorings. I am quite certain sailing for them was one of the better days out.

I kept my dogs off the lead on pontoons and made sure they behaved. It also meant they would not hang themselves/ or get trapped etc they have more chance swimming IMO.

The only place I was really stricked with them was near locks where swimming could easily be fatal for them.
 
Tranona said:
Met a 4 month old cocker spaniel last week which seemed very happy on its boat, but not sure would be a good idea having it on board after a good muddy swim!
Click to expand...

I had working cockers, the mud and swim was not a problem they self cleaned on the swim back to the boat. I always thought they where a good size for sailing. I fitted a lower guardrail (well piece of rope) tied so they could lean on it when standing...

For toilet they would hold on for longer than I would want but they never wanted to go on-board. If anchored near marsh, I could throw a ball onto it of a morning and they would go fetch it and whilst ashore do there business.

Life Jackets are a good idea for the handle on there back, I used to keep them on the boat. If we where in dinghy and went in they could swim.

Allot of starting dogs on boat is (or any environment) as I understand is:
Early familiarization, regular familiarization and you showing no fear for them near boats... If I went to the boat they came with me, even if it was just to check the moorings. I am quite certain sailing for them was one of the better days out.

I kept my dogs off the lead on pontoons and made sure they behaved. It also meant they would not hang themselves/ or get trapped etc they have more chance swimming IMO.

The only place I was really stricked with them was near locks where swimming could easily be fatal for them.
 
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We got our our dog, a border cross paterdale as a pup when we were sailing on the Clyde he was just old enough to leave his mum. We thought he would be a smallish dog and not shed hair too much. He grew and grew, weighs in at about 14Kgs and sheds hair for England, Scotland and good bit of Wales but he is a nice dog and we like having him on board even it is extra hassle. He does dry quickly and being long legged does not get get very dirty and cleans himself quickly.

I am not sure what he thinks of the boat. When we start to pack the car to go he is right with us and the only thing to do is put him in. As a pup he used to go on the boat in cockpit and we picked up and sluiced down. He used to want to be up with us when sailing but now goes wants to go down unless it is a gentle sail and resides in the back berth wedged in with a soft sailing bag.

He can get up the companion way steps with a steadying hand on his collar and can get on the boat from the soft floored tender, but has to be lifted down in both cases. We do use a buoyancy aid for its handle when in the tender and sailing if he is up with us, mainly so we can tie him to something and recover him easier if he did fall in, The rule we try to follow is no lead round his neck when on pontoons, on board or in the tender, we use his lead (bit of 12mm rope) as a lanyard then. if it is hot we use a harness and if moored have to rig a bit of shade sometimes.

With regard toileting, we have always tried and I think been successful in getting him to regard pontoons, cleats and ropes as no go areas if he did get it wrong I would certainly deal with it.

We are lake based, like walking and if we go elsewhere with our boat have not done long passages.
 
l'escargot said:
Forget about astro turf - the dog will know it's not real grass.
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:)

I wouldn't be trying to convince them it's grass, no dog is that daft! Just that it's a unique and distinctive surface which you may be able to teach them is OK to go on. Anything would do, but astroturf is unlike anything else on a boat so the risk of mistakes is minimised - plus the slight similarity to grass appeals to humans :)

Pete
 
Well everyone thanks for those views - I note the negative ones are very short! Still haven't finalised the deal yet. I'm looking at a 18 month old rescue dog - jack russel / fox hound cross - which I think is around the right size for manhandling. I'd really like a Newfoundland but SWMBO says no despite my argumnet that it is a typoe of lifesaving kit! Off to see the dog tomorrow so who knows what will happen......!
 
Stooriefit said:
Well everyone thanks for those views - I note the negative ones are very short! Still haven't finalised the deal yet. I'm looking at a 18 month old rescue dog - jack russel / fox hound cross - which I think is around the right size for manhandling. I'd really like a Newfoundland but SWMBO says no despite my argumnet that it is a typoe of lifesaving kit! Off to see the dog tomorrow so who knows what will happen......!
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My worry would be along the lines of teaching an old dog new tricks. An 18 month old dog is fully mature, and may not adapt to new circumstances - especially ones as different as going on a boat. My only experience is of taking puppies sailing from the earliest age they could leave their mother; that was very successful. Sadly, our family experience of dogs being unable to adapt to new circumstances came about because of my birth - naturally I don't remember it! My Mum and Dad's dog was unable to adapt to the new circumstance of my arrival, and sadly had to be put down because he became jealous of me to the extent of endangering me. No doubt these days he would have been taken to a rescue home, but such things didn't exist in that dim and distant age, and Mum and Dad lived in a relatively small community.

Taking on a Rescue Dog is a praiseworthy act, but there are potential down-sides.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
My worry would be along the lines of teaching an old dog new tricks. An 18 month old dog is fully mature, and may not adapt to new circumstances - especially ones as different as going on a boat. My only experience is of taking puppies sailing from the earliest age they could leave their mother; that was very successful. Sadly, our family experience of dogs being unable to adapt to new circumstances came about because of my birth - naturally I don't remember it! My Mum and Dad's dog was unable to adapt to the new circumstance of my arrival, and sadly had to be put down because he became jealous of me to the extent of endangering me. No doubt these days he would have been taken to a rescue home, but such things didn't exist in that dim and distant age, and Mum and Dad lived in a relatively small community.

Taking on a Rescue Dog is a praiseworthy act, but there are potential down-sides.
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We have had two rescue jack russel crosses... Fred, who we got at 11 years old and sadly passed away a year ago at the age of 17, And now Bob, who is just comeing up to 3.

Both took to the boat fine..... Bob loves the water and will take any opportunity to chase a wave or go for a swim. Fred was a bit more sanguine.... Both are anti-going on board... Though Fred became less so in his dotage...

Here is fred in his final season helping with some pilotage...

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And here is Bob in last season...

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It's important that they are well socialised... bob is still sometimes a bit aggressive, (Bizarelly with Pheonix of hamble.... ) as its his job to protect the boat...

But he is as good as gold with other dogs and kids...

There are some hassles... Overnighting on a mooring is a pita.... And combining a dog with kids can be stress inducing....
 
Sophie19 said:
As for doo doo, Inca can go six or seven hours without complaint but I would not push my luck any further. Plastimo 2.6 with slat floor and little O/B
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Our Red Setter is over ten now. As a boat dog he is superb - I have to drag him off the boat to go to the loo if it is raining, he won't move. The longest that he has voluntarily remained indoors (in a house with patio doors and a garden) was 26 hours - he REALLY doesn't like the rain!!! We have no problems with him on longer passages but I really don't think he is typical of the breed (he is not too bright though)
 
dslittle said:
Our Red Setter is over ten now. As a boat dog he is superb - I have to drag him off the boat to go to the loo if it is raining, he won't move. The longest that he has voluntarily remained indoors (in a house with patio doors and a garden) was 26 hours - he REALLY doesn't like the rain!!! We have no problems with him on longer passages but I really don't think he is typical of the breed (he is not too bright though)
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red setters.... bluntest knife in the cutlery draw
 
dylanwinter said:
my advice is...

a jack russel bitch

first.... bitches have great bladder control

jack russels are small and dry quickly

they do not like swimming that much so they will stay on the boat

I speak as a labrador owner - she loves sailing but she needs a lot of excercise and is a real fag getting on and off the boat and brings a lot of **** onboard with her - and she takes an hour or more to dry
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As the owner of a Jill Russell I am impresed with your knowledge of the breed.

Fudge HATES water & will avoid it as much as possible. Her L/J provides a useful handle at her balance point so she can be easily hoicked up & down ladders (something else she hates).

She slipped in between the boat & quay wall last month & was swimming around looking for a way out, a look of extreme disgust on her face. She came to me when called & altho she wasn't wearing her L/J she did have a car harness on stiull so it was easy to swing her out of the water onto the deck. She immediately thanked me by shaking herself dry & me wet.

Some dogs cope well with boats & some don't. Fudge manages OK, but previous dogs, despite loving the water couldn't cope with moving decks & skidded all over the place & had to be left at home when we went sailing. Be aware that your dog may be one that cannot cope.

Dinghy type is probably irrelevant, but you do need to know how you will get it up & down quay ladders & how it will get on/ off the boat - especially a modern high freeboard boat.
 
Searush said:
As the owner of a Jill Russell I am impresed with your knowledge of the breed.

Fudge HATES water & will avoid it as much as possible. Her L/J provides a useful handle at her balance point so she can be easily hoicked up & down ladders (something else she hates).

She slipped in between the boat & quay wall last month & was swimming around looking for a way out, a look of extreme disgust on her face. She came to me when called & altho she wasn't wearing her L/J she did have a car harness on stiull so it was easy to swing her out of the water onto the deck. She immediately thanked me by shaking herself dry & me wet.

Some dogs cope well with boats & some don't. Fudge manages OK, but previous dogs, despite loving the water couldn't cope with moving decks & skidded all over the place & had to be left at home when we went sailing. Be aware that your dog may be one that cannot cope.

Dinghy type is probably irrelevant, but you do need to know how you will get it up & down quay ladders & how it will get on/ off the boat - especially a modern high freeboard boat.
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bless you

one more thing about them

scrotes are frightened of them

D
 
dylanwinter said:
bless you

one more thing about them

scrotes are frightened of them

D
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Yes, Fudge came to us age 8 from a breeder & she is nervous of strangers, especially men. That anxiety comes over as a really loud& aggressive sounding barking. However, she usually hides behind me at the same time so that I can bite them for her, which somewhat undermines the effect for people who know dogs.
 
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