Dog on the boat?

pkhedlin · August 20, 2010, 07:38:48 PM

We are thinking about adding a dog to our family. The two contenders are a German Shepherd or Boxer.

Does anyone here have a large dog? How does he or she do on the boat? for long periods? or just short day trips?

TIA

wind dancer · August 20, 2010, 10:31:51 PM

We have a medium sized dog, a Siberian Husky, who does great! She doesn't like swimming, but sailing is just fine by her.

Ken Heyman · August 21, 2010, 08:10:45 AM

Friends of ours day-sail with their Golden Retriever. Muffy is well behaved but she gets quite uncomfortable toward the end of a 4-5 hour day sail. you know---all that water sloshing around. When they arrive at the dock she races to some nearby turf to relieve herself. I guess she could be trained to use the head but absent that, all seems to work out. They do need to schedule the sail duration around her physical needs.

Ken

Joe Kern · August 21, 2010, 08:24:58 AM

I have a 9 month old black lab mutt about 60lbs and she does great on the boat and in the dinghy. She is taller and kind of lanky and if she was much bigger (or heavier) would be somewhat in the way. My only suggestion as between the german shepard and the boxer is the short hair of the boxer might be easier to deal with. Still will shed but won't get as matted as a longer hair dog.
Stella has learned if she really has to go that it is ok for her to go up on the side deck area and pee but is more than willing to jump off the swim platform and pee and swim. Why not? I do too. She is all black so we watch the heat and give her lots of water and shade.

As a dog lover having Stella on the boat combines 2 of my favorite things. Being at the helm sailing heeled at 6 knots with her next to me is not a bad way to spend a day.

Stu Jackson · August 21, 2010, 09:50:35 AM

A search on dog or dogs gets lots of hits, some of them "waterdog" others for Lewmar hatches!

Hawk · August 22, 2010, 09:56:45 AM

The nice thing about a dog onboard, big or small, (ours is a 15 lb Havanese) is that it gets you to shore in the dingy or kayak at least twice a day when on the hook. You end up walking or exploring when you likely would have stayed tight and cracked another cold one. Even at the dock I've found we tend to see more of where we are having to walk the dog.

It does seem though...."the smaller the boat, the larger the dog".

Hawk

bclery · August 24, 2010, 08:19:06 AM

I have a 80 lbs 7 yar olg Golden Retriever. I love her, but...

So far it has been tricky. She can't get into the cabin, I have to pick her up, which she does not like one bit.

I have no idea how I am going to get her back into the boat when she decides to jump in. We have a 1987 C34 with NO walk thru transom. I figure a crane made with the boom. I haven't tried this yet, but I am sure she will protest.

She loves to swim, which I believe is a problem. She thinks the bay is safter than a gigantic piece of moving floor. I have not had her OUT for a sail yet, but I expect if things get rought that's when she'll decide to SWIM TO SAFTEY.

Then there is the heat. On a hot summery 90 degree Chesapeake day she is cooked after 3 hours. She just can't always find enough shade.

I sugest, no dog or at least one small enough to easily pick up.

Bill

Lance Jones · August 24, 2010, 08:47:42 AM

We have 2. A Jack Russell and a Sheltie/Border Collie mix (Thank God he has the Sheltie temperament). The JR is no issue. The bigger one CAN BE. He weighs in about 50lbs and HATES the water. However, he loves to sail and be on the boat. The JR loves all of the above and is easy to get on and off the boat. The other one has learned to jump into the dinghy from the deck and with help, back into the boat. The dogs both love the boat and to sail. If you look on the Photo Gallery, you can see Lad (Big dog) moving about the boat while under sail. He knows when we tack to move to the new windward side.

pkhedlin · August 24, 2010, 10:11:56 AM

Thanks for the input, everyone.

dodgercc27 · August 30, 2010, 08:51:24 AM

We have a 80+ pound Golden Retriever. He is fine once on the boat...but we have a 1989 C34 and getting him on and off is tricky. We are thinking to moving next year to a different slip where the docks are higher...that will be a lot easier for the dog (and people) to get aboard and off.

In previous years I've had other Golden's. Took them camping and on canoe trips...they did great. Start them off young and let them grow with the boat!