Best Sailing dogs

[liam]

Go Dogless

In my opinion dogs are okay... but on a boat they are such a major hastle that it's just not worth it. Especially if you go out for more than a few hours at a time.I will also say that I often see people at an anchorage rowing their dog ashore so that it can crap. Do they pick up the crap and take it back to their boat? I have never ever seen someone do that. They leave it on the beach or shore as a gift to others!!!

 

[John]

Happy to oblige

Glad you didn't think I was serious! I might be crazy, but I'm not stupid.

 

[Allan]

Still looking

We lost our English Bulldog a year ago last may, and really have missed having him around. He wasn't a really great sailor but he did enjoy the ride to and from the boat. My next dog will really have to be special, not only must he be able to stabelize himself while sailing, it would be very nice if he could go below and retrieve 2 beers from the cooler and bring them up and enjoy one with me as we sail along. I'm still looking.

 

[s sauer]

Lab's on Boats

We started with a 5 year old Black Lab, then added a yellow Lab puppy to our family and our Hunter 28.5 and were fortunate to have many years with both dogs. We included them on overnights as well, though we did avoid really hot days, let them swim often and always had life jackets on them or had them tethered in the cockpit when under way. We wouldn't have taken them along if they and we didn't enjoy the experience. Of course Labs are great fun everywhere in and around the water.We haven't been taking our present two 8 year old Yellow and Chocolate Labs along as the Chocolate is physically challenged with only three legs and isn't comfortable on docks and decks. They do love the marina and the beach front when I'm down working on the boat in the off season and are always great company.

 

[MoonSailer]

No Labs on our Boat!!!!!

We have 4 year old chocolate lab that we love but he does not do wellon our sailboat. He is big 100#s and sheds a lot. He stinks after swimming and can't get around on the boat very well. Something like a Jack Russel Terrior might be a good dog. But JRTs are aggressive with strangers. A lap dog is required!!!! But even lap dogs can surprise you. I was watching my moms lap dog and my wife and I went for a swim. We were snorkling and then noticed that Mom's lap dog had jumped off the boat and was swimming after us. She was about to drown by the time I got to her and put her back on the boat. BUT getting a lab back on the boat is extremely hard. Mo's dog about 7 #s lab about a hundred.