Boat dogs
- Thread starter NiceBeny
- Start date
Man, I've seen everything from Alaskan maramute, to Portuguese water dog, to Labradors, to schipperkes, to shelties; all of the way down to the "teacup" Chihuahuas; even Jack Russell terriers, wiener dogs, and many I don't recognize. The most common I've seen around is the Labradors. Just train 'em not to bark their heads off when some "regular stranger" walks down the dock, or you'll likely get trouble from your neighbors. Try reading this book; it's a good read about the famous boat dog, Santos.
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Yeah, small is the right answer. We love our dog and his attempts at being a good sailor. Very clumsy up and down the companionway and takes up too much room in the cockpit. Never mind attempting transport in the dinghy. Too big, but very warm on cool nights in the v-berth.
Agree...not so much the yappy/jumpy ones, but the little quiet lay around lap dogs...
Too small to "jump ship" either on or near dock, or out at sea...
Easy to pick up and carry down the companion way...
Small enough to be confined to the cockpit, no scratching or falling off the deck...
Not taking up much room in cockpit or cabin...either body wise or food/supply wise...
Ever try to wrestle a 50 lb'er into a dingy...?
Small dog in a lifejacket with a handle like a suitcase...maybe 20#....
I could go on and on...
We went cruising this past summer with a couple who had two shelties on their Hunter 45. The pooches wore life jacket/harness combos that you could use to lift them straight up from the dinghy into the cockpit. Nice LITTLE dogs! (I guess I'm the only one here giving you the names of actual breeds, which is what you asked for--but the other guys are getting all of the "Likes." Interesting.)
Maybe just find yourself a small mutt with a cute face and floppy ears!
Maybe just find yourself a small mutt with a cute face and floppy ears!
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We had two Maltise for a total of 26 years on two boats. Both 9 pounds. No shedding. Behaved. Trained on pee-pads. Minimal food (dry). Need to be clipped short or (like both of ours) brushed every two days to avoid matting. Great fun and terrific boat dogs.
Maybe someday I'll have the time to train Max to do things like the dog in this video.
Asking "What Breed should I get" is kind of like asking "What kind of boat should I get"
Answering " You should get a Medium Size boat because small boats are cramped and Big boats are expensive " is way more informative than "You should get a Catalina because I have a Catalina"...(or " My friend has a Catalina ")
Personally, I think he should get a Shih Tzu because I have a Shih Tzu....
With floppy ears and a cute face...
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Plus he does all of that in Russian!
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My dog could never do that. He doesn't speak Russian.
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He really should watch where he's going while on the tiller.
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"Get off the foredeck. You're spoiling the sailshape!"
We have a standard poodle that weighs 63 pounds. He has been sailing since he was a puppy. He needs to go ashore twice a day while we are anchored. The only difficulty we have is in assisting him up into the boat from the inflatable. He used to be able to jump up but now needs help from us. I have a sturdy Ruff Wear (I think) life jacket on him that has a handle with which to lift him up with one arm while holding the dinghy tight against the boat with the other. I may have to use the halyard winch in a few years as I am getting old also. So I second the comment about small dogs in this regard.
Hardly. When someone asks around this forum: "What kind of sail boat should I get?", the first reply is usually along the lines of: "How are you planning to use it?" The OP here asks what good breeds of dog would do well on boats, but he does ask about size. To some, size evidently doesn't matter much and even if it did--the size of the dog may or may not have anything to do w/ how well it works out on the boat. Unless you're a live-a-board, the dog is going to be at home w/ you most of the time--not on the boat w/ you. So, you really need a "dual-purpose" dog. A home pet for the family, plus one that you can take w/ you on a week-long cruise, etc., w/o it stressing out plus being a pain to you otherwise. In my opinion, a smart one that can be trained to do what it is told to do, etc., cute face or not. Or, more romantically, one that is "bred for boating." Are there really any such breeds? Some might say if you want that then you need a Belgian barge dog--i.e., a shipperke. Personally, I prefer a cat-- a pet that you don't have to take ashore twice a day, and does little on a boat beyond finding a cozy place to nap. But in any event, different breeds are suitable for different functions. That's why we have dog "breeds" to begin with--e.g., hound dogs, sheep dogs, police dogs, retrievers, and etc.
Asking "What Breed should I get" is kind of like asking "What kind of boat should I get"
Answering " You should get a Medium Size boat because small boats are cramped and Big boats are expensive " is way more informative than "You should get a Catalina because I have a Catalina"...(or " My friend has a Catalina ").
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Yeah, I kind figured you were a cat person.
Although I do agree with you that there's a lot more to the question than "What dog fits my boat" when making a long term commitment.
Although I do agree with you that there's a lot more to the question than "What dog fits my boat" when making a long term commitment.
I have loved my dogs, German Shepherd, Labrador, Chesapeake Retriever, and Aussie. I just have to think waking at 2AM for a dog walk on the beach is a bit much. Getting dressed, into the dinghy, wet feet on the beach, back in the dinghy, back aboard the boat, dry everyone off. Or do you just open the hatch, let the dog do the business on the deck and rinse in the morning?
How about this if you need a cuddle...
Available at Target. No food. no Poop. and you get to stroke the fur and cuddle all you want.
How about this if you need a cuddle...
Available at Target. No food. no Poop. and you get to stroke the fur and cuddle all you want.
If you absolutely have to have a pet aboard, the BEST boat dog is a cat.
I guess. At least you can teach them to go in a basket. or litter box. wonder if you could teach them to use the head? You'd still have to pump to clear the bowl. They'd probably get up there to do their business and a gust would heel the boat the cat would go flying, and it would go down hill from there....
Is this just me? But why would anyone GET a dog to sail with??
I can sort of understand having a animal that you love and apparently can't stand to be apart from, but bringing them on a sailboat is nothing but hassle. If you don't have one, why introduce that level of complexity to your sailing?
I can sort of understand having a animal that you love and apparently can't stand to be apart from, but bringing them on a sailboat is nothing but hassle. If you don't have one, why introduce that level of complexity to your sailing?
Kerm that's not the same things at all.
Our children become adults, grow into us, hopefully better than us. They outlive us, and carry our legacy forward. Its really the only reason were here. Every time I hear someone call themselves 'pet parents' it makes me feel like throwing up in my mouth.