It seems like this topic would get its own space, but I don't see one anywhere yet.
My dog Bash lives aboard, he is a 14lb Chihuahua mix.
(he recently discovered the bathroom porthole, which is awkward)
I've had to make some dog-based accommodations for him and I wanted to share to help other sailing doggos.
Dog Pirate Plank
Bash needed a way to get in/out of the cabin, and all the ramps I've seen are super cumbersome and sketchy. So I built this:
His path out is:
1. jump onto the quarter birth (or just get up, because he hangs out there all the time)
2. climb onto the engine box behind the companionway stairs from the quarterbirth
3. walk out onto his pirate plank
4. turn around and climb up the top step
To come in, he reverses this process. It's great because the plank folds up for humans and is out of the way when I am using the nav desk. I've already gotten muscle memory that when I go up or down I flip it with a toe to either keep him below or let him out. And in the mornings I find him waiting on the engine cover for me to put the plank down - it's a pretty clear signal that he needs to go out!
Dock Lead
I have struggled with a now-more-confident Bash; the first week we were aboard he refused to leave the cabin. Then, he got brave enough to do short laps on the deck. Now he has zero fear, and will jump onto the dock and take off at a whim. This marina is very dog friendly and that wouldn't be a huge issue except he likes to sit under parked cars for some reason (basically waiting to be run over).
I tried putting up netting, which worked for about a day. He discovered he could get a running start from the cabin top and use the netting like a trampoline to launch him onto the deck... so much for that. I tied the boat as far from the dock as possible, which kept him onboard during low tide - but inevitably he would jump when the gap closed.
So now we've worked out a system; I have about 50 feet of thin line cleated off on the dock and a clip that goes on his harness whenever he leaves the cabin. He can hang out on deck or the cockpit, or he can jump to the dock and chill at the picnic table and the trees next to our slip. He can even hide under my car if he really wants to hide under a car - but that's as far as the line will let him go.
We've done this for a few days now and he seems very content with the agreement, even waiting by the line clip (which lives on the lifeline when not in use) for me to hook him up. A peace accord of sorts, everyone seems happy.
My dog Bash lives aboard, he is a 14lb Chihuahua mix.
(he recently discovered the bathroom porthole, which is awkward)
I've had to make some dog-based accommodations for him and I wanted to share to help other sailing doggos.
Dog Pirate Plank
Bash needed a way to get in/out of the cabin, and all the ramps I've seen are super cumbersome and sketchy. So I built this:
His path out is:
1. jump onto the quarter birth (or just get up, because he hangs out there all the time)
2. climb onto the engine box behind the companionway stairs from the quarterbirth
3. walk out onto his pirate plank
4. turn around and climb up the top step
To come in, he reverses this process. It's great because the plank folds up for humans and is out of the way when I am using the nav desk. I've already gotten muscle memory that when I go up or down I flip it with a toe to either keep him below or let him out. And in the mornings I find him waiting on the engine cover for me to put the plank down - it's a pretty clear signal that he needs to go out!
Dock Lead
I have struggled with a now-more-confident Bash; the first week we were aboard he refused to leave the cabin. Then, he got brave enough to do short laps on the deck. Now he has zero fear, and will jump onto the dock and take off at a whim. This marina is very dog friendly and that wouldn't be a huge issue except he likes to sit under parked cars for some reason (basically waiting to be run over).
I tried putting up netting, which worked for about a day. He discovered he could get a running start from the cabin top and use the netting like a trampoline to launch him onto the deck... so much for that. I tied the boat as far from the dock as possible, which kept him onboard during low tide - but inevitably he would jump when the gap closed.
So now we've worked out a system; I have about 50 feet of thin line cleated off on the dock and a clip that goes on his harness whenever he leaves the cabin. He can hang out on deck or the cockpit, or he can jump to the dock and chill at the picnic table and the trees next to our slip. He can even hide under my car if he really wants to hide under a car - but that's as far as the line will let him go.
We've done this for a few days now and he seems very content with the agreement, even waiting by the line clip (which lives on the lifeline when not in use) for me to hook him up. A peace accord of sorts, everyone seems happy.
