Sailing with Dogs (Canine Variety!)

[Emjaytoo]

Do you sail with the family pet? If so, what breed of dog and what boat?

Are some breeds better suited to certain types of sailing boat?

 

[l'escargot]

We sail with 2 Yorkshire Terriers and a Black Lab.

I've always said that the Yorkies are the perfect boat dogs: don't moult, don't particularly like water, not that bothered if they miss a walk and you can tuck 2 under your arm when climbing boat to boat or into the dinghy.

So having that knowledge we then aquired the Lab: it moults, loves water, wants to walk all day and is always game for a wrestle when going boat to boat or climbing into the dinghy.

And just in case that doesn't complicate things enough we also have a teenage daughter...

All of the above were seasick when very young but all grew out of it after the first few trips, the dogs are content to nip ashore briefly for toileting purposes but the teenager requires several hours a day locked in the heads in front of the mirror or making full use of shoreside washroom facilities!

I have come to the conclusion that 3 dogs are less trouble on a boat than 1 teanage daughter...

 

[John 32i]

Interesting question......we really want to get a dog but as he will have to come sailing with us we cannot decide what 'model' SWMBO wants a setter or a Labrador...I favour a spaniel or a beagle

 

[Scillypete]

I maybe a bit biased but small is best for boating unless your boat is huge, our little Jack Russell is not a keen swimmer but has great sea legs and a very low centre of gravity, easy to pick up by the handle on his bouyancy aid as well.

 

[grafozz]

Cockers

We have taken our 2 Cocker Spaniels sailing for many years .
Molly (mother )was indifferent to the boat and water , but Connie (daughter) was a real fish .
We would anchor up and there would be a splash and Connie was in for a swim !
I would often jump in to go after her then we would swim around the boat , she couldn,t get enough of it , amazing dog , she loved being on board .
Cockers are the perfect boat dog , natural in water, small -ish , fun and great swimmers .

 

[Stork_III]

I maybe a bit biased but small is best for boating unless your boat is huge, our little Jack Russell is not a keen swimmer but has great sea legs and a very low centre of gravity, easy to pick up by the handle on his bouyancy aid as well.

+1 see avatar.

 

[Grumpybear]

We sailed for many years with a golden retriever who shared her pastime with two Old English sheepdogs (not at the same time). The second OES was a solo seadog for eight years before she was joined a year ago by a labradoodle, who now alas is a solo dog in her turn. We have had no problems with any of them. All have been keen to get aboard, enjoyed life afloat and have never been sick or fouled on deck except when very old; our present and previous boats are AWBs with easy access to and from the dinghy which all the dogs have taken for granted as the way to get ashore for a walk.

 

[npf1]

Interesting question......we really want to get a dog but as he will have to come sailing with us we cannot decide what 'model' SWMBO wants a setter or a Labrador...I favour a spaniel or a beagle

We sail with two setters. Seems to work out just fine - no issues so far.

 

[fishermantwo]

Have a Beagle cross, Beagle/bordercollie/kelpie. All the bad habits of a Beagle. Loves the water and boats, anyone's boat. Trouble is he gets a bit sea sick in a seaway!

 

[cmedsailor]

Beagle.

 

[Kelpie]

We sail with two dogs.
A retriever/collie cross who wants nothing more than to sit up top with her chin resting on the coaming, watching the world go by. On a long night watch she keeps you warm and gives early warning of shipping or dolphins (well, if she hasn't fallen asleep).


The other one is a wiry little Whippet cross, who is a much handier size and very agile, but feels the cold. So he tends to huddle up with the off-watch crew. Makes a great hot water bottle.

 

[tigr]

Black Lab, he gets too hot out in the sunshine, hates putting on his lifejacket (we had to get a new one that he prefers) rather likes sleeping in the V berth.
Have to hold him on the dinghy in case he jumps in, love the water.

 

[knuterikt]

Do you sail with the family pet? If so, what breed of dog and what boat?

Are some breeds better suited to certain types of sailing boat?

Yes we have two boxers that sail with us, my brother has got a German Shepard that also go on the boat with us. Have had all of them aboard for couple of weeks during summer cruise.

As a kid we had a Schipperke, he was also a great dog to take sailing.

Beneteau First 38.
The integrated swimming platform makes it easy to get the dogs on and off the dinghy.

Don't know about what breed is best, a small dog is easier to get on and off the boat and take less space. But apart from that I don't think that breed is so important - think about what else you would like to do together with the dog.

If you get a puppy and can take it out on the boat before it is 3 months old it is a good thing, the more impressions the dog is exposed to at a young age the better.

Alternative use of a spinnaker pole

Looking after the dinghy.

Any chance of shore leave soon?

The German shepard

 

[sailorbaz]

We sail with two dogs - a westie and an American cocker spaniel.
Sailorbaz

 

[Boreades]

We have sailed with two Golden Retrievers. At times it has left us with a fur-lined boat!

 

[Philiz]

We're down to one dog nowadays. Jimmy, our Bearded Collie has converted well from motor to sail and seems to prefer it. Getting him in and out of the dinghy is a bit more difficult but he's fine with it.

 

[Hadenough]

We sail with a Westie and it works as he loves the boat, the water and he doesn't molt. We sometimes see a boat in the Walton Backwaters which has two Irish wolfhounds aboard! I wouldn't have believed it without seeing it myself but they step up on their own from the dinghy onto the deck of the yacht.

 

[kirdford]

We have sailed Serendipity our Westerly Pageant for 31yrs & for the last 22yrs we have always had 2 English springer spanials onboard, they are quite happy to lay in the cockpit for up to 10 hrs without needing to seek out a tree, none of the dogs have ever caused concern despite being untethered at all times.

 

[Koeketiene]

Do you sail with the family pet? If so, what breed of dog and what boat?

Are some breeds better suited to certain types of sailing boat?

Brittany Spaniel - no issues
At home on the boat - have taken her sailing since she was a pup.

 

[salinia]

Liking the Brittany Spaniel, we have a Working Cocker here he is first time on our last boat Swift 18, we found he soon outgrew it so it had to go along with the swinging mooring. We now sail a Parker 235 and have a marina berth which suits us and our faithful companion much better.

Swift 18/Skipper aged 4 months

Parker 235/Skipper aged 2 years 6 months, he will be 4 years old on January 15th 2013.