Dogs and boats - advice please

[ROSSCO]

We have been cornered into getting a dog for our 10 year old daughter. We spend most weekends twixt May and October on the boat (bav 36) and a 2 week holiday during that period in France during which we would leave the dog behind in kennels. I have in mind a small terrier like a Border. Is this a suitable breed for boats and what are the pitfalls? please share your maritime canine experience with me.

 

[Iota]

Our skipper is a golden retriever bitch. How she became skipper is another tail. Hopefully she will be the one breathalysed under the new rules. As her paws are a little awkward for the keyboard this is as dictated by her.

When I was eight weeks old and very small I was placed in the back of this thing they jokingly call a car and driven to a place by the water. I was then carried along a floating bit, since learnt it was a pontoon where I received lots of attention. I was then placed on this very wobbly bit called a sailing yacht, some nice interesting smells especially when they had lunch... I got some but they did not seem very happy about it.

When I was 10 weeks they took me out for a sail, I didn't like the engine very much but under sail I curled up by the person steering. Then they went close on the wind and I nearly broke wind but once wedged it seemed OK.

I am now 6 and look forward to my sailing weekend and going ashore in the rubber dinghy it normally means I get to swim although sometimes they don't seem very happy about it at night. in fact HE gets quite tetchy and SHE won't allow either HIM or me below until I am dry.

They tell their friends that because of me they have rediscovered the delights of the west country, they like the Helford and so do I lot's of swimming and when they go ashore to eat so do I so I get lots of treats.

I am a bit puzzled about the frequency he cocks his leg I can go for 16 hours and last year sailed from Dartmouth to Gosport in 14 hours I was glad to get ashore then but lost count of the times HE went.

I sleep on the floor of the boat on one of my blankets and do enjoy it.

I cannot understand why more retrievers do not take up sailing after all the cost only worries him each year when those nice people at the marina ask him for money.

I also know that if somebody says wash I go low because the boat is going to get wobbly.

I don't know any terriers that sail but meet plenty of retrievers and black Labradors.


Courtesy is an iota but makes the world go round

 

[paul]

We've have two tibetan terriers (small - med ). They're fine on the boat - love it in fact. Smaller dogs are better than big ones. The dogs quite happily sail for 8 hours at a time. Give lots of walks before and onlt a little water during!!

 

[Johnjo]

My spaniel sails everywhere with me, no problems,
When we board for the first trip of the season she slips and slides as
she tries to get a grip on the fibreglass decks, But soon remembers to
lift her claws and just stand on her pads, with in ten mins she is as
sure footed as any cat,
Just one word of warning, watch out that they do not get any sail handling
lines around their legs, easy done!! when we tack she goes below out the way,
But otherwise she is happy to lay in the sun and watch the world go by,
great company as well.
regards mike

 

[Joe_Cole]

I hope that you're right.

We've been through exactly the same process, and are looking for a border terrier too!

Good luck!

Joe

 

[l'escargot]

We sail with two Yorkshire Terriers, one keen, one not so keen. Recommend the dog life jackets for the "carrying handle" on the back - makes it very easy for transfering between boats, tender etc.

 

[Guest]

Had a Springer Spanial for many years. Absolutuely loved it. Great fun to have on board. We were on a swinging mooring at that time so had many shore trips in the dinghy. I would have another dog but living in the city makes it impracticle.

 

[cgull]

Get a Boxerdog...........

 

[colvic]

Met a couple last summer who have a Labrador, daft as a brush, which has crossed the Atlantic seven times. Once it had worked out to put its rear end over the stern to relive itself as it was well house trained, they said he loved it and found no problem adjusting from home to boat to home.

There's always the extra bit of security with a dog onboard.

Lad in Dartmouth lived with a Jack Russel for many years.

We had a cat, but too many hairs and always sharpening its claws on the linings.


Cheers


Phil

 

[Johnjo]

Stops you getting bored and lazy, all those trips ashore in the dingy,
especially the early morning ones in the rain,
Mind you after a few glasses of wine the previous evening could
do without it, good idea to train it to swim ashore and bark on return!!!!!!

 

[castaway]

Basically I hate dogs; However my daughters kept on until I finally gave in. Naturally they didn't want any old pooch. So we ended up with Sadie, a 'Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier'.

I must be born lucky 'cause this dog took to cars and sailing and almost anything that does not require thought, (like cars and sailing), however she still does not not recognise her own name.

I wouldn't bother with something that requires lots of exercise, ( like a Boxer) or slobbers, ( like a Boxer).

Only real problem so far has been that she chewed the teak bars in the deck cleats, which I wasn't too pleased about, and every time she returns from the beach she brings enough sand to build a small ferro schooner.

There is a few pics of her on the gallery pages of the below site.

Regds Nick.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather>http://www.yachtsite.co.uk/fairweather</A>

 

[ROSSCO]

Thanks to all of you for your advice - much appreciated particulaly from capt Iota- however i'm still keeping fingers crossed I won't have to go through with it.

 

[Chris_Robb]

Do you want a luvly Spaniel!

13 years old - lost its B*****ks, - loves the boat. When a puppy it crapped on the boat next door as we had taught it not to crap on ours. Extremely embarrasing.

Be prepared for the morning - mid-day and nightly run ashore - even when its raining.

When there is black mud they will find it.

But great fun, smaller are better, try a Norfolk Terrier

 

[Iota]

Re: Do you want a luvly Spaniel!

smaller is better grrrr only if I have not had my morning biscuits, us retrievers look after ourselves on boats and can go for loooonnnnnngggggggg periods of time without going ashore. as for black mud yes please either that or fox phooo, sometimes a good excuse for a swim.

Courtesy is an iota but makes the world go round