Babylon
Well-Known Member
The ex dognapped my Lab when we separated last Autumn, telling our young son that they needed him for 'protection' (stupid woman).
I had him from 8wks old, he's nine now and I miss him terribly. I have also put on weight as a result of no longer having to go out on walks.
But he's never been a boat dog. Too heavy at 30kg to lift onboard from a tender, too large for my 27' boat, way too athletic, needing a lot of space to run and not just walk on a lead. Tried him as a 2 year old in a stable training dinghy (an old 12' Gul) on the river, but he wasn't happy.
Organising someone to feed and walk him when we were on the boat was an additional burden, and I never felt good about leaving him on his own, especially as he was otherwise my/our constant companion.
I've often thought about getting another puppy (to house-train, walk-train, and boat-train myself) but I've held back for the time being. If I did, I'd go for a small fellah, preferably a cross-breed, dispense with his nuts, and make sure he was good to come everywhere with me - home, office, workshop, car, boat, towns, countryside, rivers, anchorages, etc.
Boat-training would include lining the cockpit grating with a piece of Astroturf with a long lanyard attached so that it could be washed clean by towing in the water.
I had him from 8wks old, he's nine now and I miss him terribly. I have also put on weight as a result of no longer having to go out on walks.
But he's never been a boat dog. Too heavy at 30kg to lift onboard from a tender, too large for my 27' boat, way too athletic, needing a lot of space to run and not just walk on a lead. Tried him as a 2 year old in a stable training dinghy (an old 12' Gul) on the river, but he wasn't happy.
Organising someone to feed and walk him when we were on the boat was an additional burden, and I never felt good about leaving him on his own, especially as he was otherwise my/our constant companion.
I've often thought about getting another puppy (to house-train, walk-train, and boat-train myself) but I've held back for the time being. If I did, I'd go for a small fellah, preferably a cross-breed, dispense with his nuts, and make sure he was good to come everywhere with me - home, office, workshop, car, boat, towns, countryside, rivers, anchorages, etc.
Boat-training would include lining the cockpit grating with a piece of Astroturf with a long lanyard attached so that it could be washed clean by towing in the water.
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