Dogs and companionways

Philiz

Philiz

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Joined
23 Aug 2008
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Staffordshire Moorlands U.K.
www.shabiera.co.uk
As we're moving to sail we've been wondering how we're going to get Jimmy up and down the companionway steps with as much ease as possible. He's too big and heavy to put under your arm.

Plenty of yachts have sizeable dogs so how do you do it? As anybody devised a fiendishly clever method/
 
Believe it or not, one of the criteria for our boat when we bought it was a decent, not too steep set of companionway steps which our 35 kilo black lab. could negotiate. He needs a help up these days ( unless you throw pork scratchings on the bridge deck ! ).
Chris
 
You'll have to get a proper sailing dog Like Fudgie that you can tuck nder yer arm! :D

I reckon you may do better with a pilothouse yacht, a sort of halfway house between a MoBo & a yacht. Wide steps with carpet covered steps mght help, polished wood is hopeless for paws.
 
Searush said:
You'll have to get a proper sailing dog Like Fudgie that you can tuck nder yer arm! :D

I reckon you may do better with a pilothouse yacht, a sort of halfway house between a MoBo & a yacht. Wide steps with carpet covered steps mght help, polished wood is hopeless for paws.
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Nah, don't want a pilot house, got to be the proper thing. We're not trading Jim in either :eek:
 
Spaniels are definitely luggable. Ours cannot do the steps and I like it that way. He does block it so cannot get out without him knowing though.

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We've just done that move across and now have the cave quite steep entrance/exit for the dog to negotiate. She does it without a problem now after a few goes. We just stood at the bottom and encouraged her down with some help and same with going up. They soon learn. Just make sure they can grip the steps (ie - not polished wood!) - that seems to be the key. Mind you ours is only Cockerpoo.
 
Ripster said:
We've just done that move across and now have the cave quite steep entrance/exit for the dog to negotiate. She does it without a problem now after a few goes. We just stood at the bottom and encouraged her down with some help and same with going up. They soon learn. Just make sure they can grip the steps (ie - not polished wood!) - that seems to be the key. Mind you ours is only Cockerpoo.
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Mmm, no chance of Jim getting up and down unaided, 30kgs of Bearded Collie.
 
For many years we sailed with a golden retriever and an Old English sheepdog, and struggled to help them up and down steep companion ways. After we lost our goldie 8 years ago, the OES continued to sleep down below (and kip on the floor in our cabin when my wife took shelter from rain and spray), but as she (the dog) aged the manhandling became too much. She, and our 11 month old labradoodle, now stay in the cockpit and sleep in the enclosure. No pulled muscles or other injuries, and no dog hair clogging the bilge pumps!
 
Just about to get a new labrador pup and expect it to find its own way around the boat by introducing it as soon as possible. Worked with my first one who loved the boat, but my second was not introduced as a pup and never got the hang of it.

Difficult really comes when they get older and less agile and you have to be inventive. Might be possible to use a tackle from the boom to lower the dog, but to be honest if it gets to that stage, probably best to leave the poor thing behind.
 
Trick for my retreivers is in using a harness rather than collar to assist them in the decent and assent of the companionway steps, aside from the obvious Dog Over Board benefits of lifting them out of the drink it provides support for them to get down safely by controlling their decent without stress and prevents them from practicing their agility by leaping, which they are both capable of doing.
We have a non slip mat at the bottom of the steps to; a) prevent hounds skidding and injuring themselves and b) to save the sole from scratches and dents. We use caravan matting available on a roll over a fitted (bathroom) carpet which swimbo has stitched to fit around the bottom of companionway steps.
The assent is no problem for either of them and they are self sufficient in going up to cockpit and when they are feeling not so lazy they can both make it down into the cabin, when reaching they need some assistance, but them so do I sometimes!
 
Thanks all, we already have a dog ramp which Jim uses for boarding at present. Looks like we should be able to utilise that together with an harness, then it should just be a matter of getting him used to going up and down the steps.
 
Tranona said:
Difficult really comes when they get older and less agile and you have to be inventive. Might be possible to use a tackle from the boom.....but to be honest if it gets to that stage, probably best to leave the poor thing behind.
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Sounds like a few of the lurkers in the 'Lounge'.... ;)
 
Pet lifejackets

A chum's dog - the irrepressible Mylo, a Jack Russel / Labrador cross, sailed with him for 16 years, a very agile dog, but his lifejacket still was very useful, especially the handle on the LJ !

Dog - and cat - owners on boats, please try to be strict about the lifejacket, before such things were available my Westie went over the side between tender & boat & was killed; my Dad nearly expired too,( I wasn't there ) as he jumped in after him in the strong tide at the Folly and they went off downcurrent, rescued by people on other boats.
 
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Never tried him on a boat, but our black lab could jump up onto the chest-high "cabin bed" I had as a teenager. That ramp in Taz's post is laughable for getting into a car boot except for old (or very fat?) dogs.

Pete
 
Companionway is one thing- it's the boarding ladder at the stern that we have trouble with.
Difficult to lift Beth the spaniel from a bouncing inflatable!
 
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We have a 12 year old retriever and she needs help both up and down the steps. On the way up she uses her front paws and we help the other end up. On the way down it's a two person job, she puts her front paws on the top step my wife while down below will then get hold of her as I lift her rear end over the steps and then she lifts her down. Job done.
We are however thinking on what will be the next dog as in another 12 years not sure we will manage to lift a retriever down the steps.

Rick
 
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