I love dogs and when our Schnauzer "Scooter" died several years ago we opted to be dogless. This week, however, we are dog sitting for the grandkids pup. I am again getting the urge for canine companionship and wondered what other might think was a good pick for a couple on a 34 spending a few days here and there cruising the coast of Florida. I think something that does not shed and not too big and one that loves water. Any suggestions?
Terry
We have a #### tzu that we consider a perfect boat dog. At 12 to 15 pounds, they are easy to carry on and off the boat and up and down the stairs. This breed has hair so no shedding fur and allergies are not a problem for most as they are pretty much hypoallergenic. Love the water??? That's another story. Let's just say that due to an experience when she was a puppy, mine has a deep respect for the water and avoids it like the plague; she loves the boat however! We are on a mooring and Mocha can easily go for 10 to 12 hours at night without going ashore to relieve herself. GREAT DOG with a wonderful disposition!!!
Our dog Scupper is a Portuguese Waterdog. Loves the boat. Loves to swim - does the breastroke and not the dog paddle. Webbed feet. Doesn't shed. He is working dog and patrols - foredeck, cockpit, cabin wherever there is crew. Medium size. Will retrieve - all day long. Good with kids. Good with other dogs. Fantastic boat dogs. Very high energy - not good to leave them alone for long periods of time.
KIKO is Half Jack Russell, Half Australian Shepard and she's a great water dog! She's been sailing with me for 10 years.
(http://images38.fotki.com/v1217/photos/3/31944/5621013/CRW_6121-vi.jpg)
To a degree, it's going to depend on the dog's personality. While mine is not a classic water dog, he loves to veg. out on the boat and goes all night without having to make a run to shore for relief.
Bottom line, get one you like as you will spend more time with it than just on the boat.
We can't imagine a better boat dog than our Labradoodle Maggie. She swims voluntarily in Massachusetts water 12 months a year, doesn't smell when wet, doesn't shed, has the bladder control to make th 7 hour trip to Provincetown without accident and also loves all other dogs and kids. After a swim we hoist her 50 lbs easily grabbing her West Marine dog life preserver using our Garhauer outboard engine davit-truly a riot to behold!
I have to second Analgesic's Labradoodle endorsement. Duncan is the most sure-footed dog I've ever had on a boat. Ours is a "G3" (fancy stuff here), which means that he's a third generation Labradoodle that includes a few other variants (i.e., not just a Poodle and a Lab getting it on one night). Because of that, he's moderate sized, and weighs just under 35 lbs. Regardless of what kind of dog you get, under 40 lbs is the way to go. Naturally, I feel like this little bugger is perfect, because his size permits him to navigate any obstacle on the boat without assistance, except the companionway stairs (which is the way I want it), yet he's light enough to carry if need be.
Smokey (female) is a short leg Jack Russell that is very sure footed on deck. She cannot go below or come up due to her short legs and an old hip injury. But she loves to sail with us, is an "alpha" personallity so she thinks she rules the dock and the lake. Her bark can be sharp and sometimes anoying but she is great! Where else can you find a crew memeber with such good table manners??
Hi Terry, we have two small Chihuahua's and they are not water dogs either but are great travelers and have adapted to sailing with us very well. We use a soft sided crate that can unzip and fold up flat for traveling and easily sets back up in minutes and it fits either under the table, under the v-birth or in the entryway to the rear cabin. We sometimes move it around depending on who's aboard and what we're doing. We also use this same crate at home as their full time bed so that they're used too it and feel at home in it and we only zip up the door at night when we sleep or are away from the boat.
As far as potty training, we use house training pads made by a company called Blue Ribbon and are available at WalMart. We origionally trained our dogs to use a cat litter box but found the gravel to be too messy and changed them to the pads. They also go under the table and we put them on an old towel that extends a little larger than the pads to catch any mistakes. Again, we also use these same pads at home so that the transition isn't so great for them. When the pet uses the pad we just roll it up and put it in a plastic shopping bag to contain the smell and dispose of it at the dock or you could also shake the solid stuff into the head and flush it.
That's the advantage of small dogs.
A friend of mine has a Portuguese Water Dog that sails with him on his Hunter 26 and he loves sailing but they are a bit larger, similar to a standard poodle.
Also do a google search on "Schipperke" pronounced skip-er-kee. They are small and are famous for being Belgian Barge dogs and well suited around boats.
Chihuahua's are very loving to their owners and family but are slow to adapt to strangers and children.
Remember, you will probably be with your pet more at home than you will be on the boat so I would advise to find a pet you can just love at home and it will love being with you on the boat.
Hope I have helped
Mike :clap
Ah yes Chihuahuas. My friend Al is a lab guy and a power boater. His wife's aunt died and they suddenly found themselves owners of a Chihuahua. Al kept letting it wander the foredeck during their cruise to Alaska last year. He was hoping for eagles. If Sue found out she would have killed him.
I was anchored next to a boat in Manson's Landing last year. A Jack Russel terrier came out on the foredeck. An eagle appeared out of nowhere and began circling the boat. It was hunting the dog. Luckily the owner came out waving his arms and the dog was sent down below.
So think about the size of your dog and the size of the predators in your cruising area and make sure you have match!
Here is scupper, the Portuguese Water Dog...
Quote from: waterdog on July 02, 2008, 10:07:12 PM
So think about the size of your dog and the size of the predators in your cruising area and make sure you have match!
Perhaps what you want is not to have a match ;)
We have a Boston Terrier. Great dog, but a sailing dog...... not so much. Temperature sensitive and not much of a swimmer. Regarding the eagles, I heard 2nd hand about a tree that came down on nearby Camano Island recently. In the tree was an eagle's nest. When someone took a closer look, there were some pet collars in the nest.
My hose and neighbors on both sides were having out plants eaten by a pesky rabbit, it was getting pretty big from all the plants it was grazing on. It was bigger than most of the local cats. One sunny day it was nibbling in my neighbors front yard when it became lunch for a red tailed hawk. If a bird with a 3' wing span can lift an 8# rabbit, I'd hate to think what a bird double that size can lift.
I can't believe a thread about dogs has stayed near the top for over 3 days! We need some new posts!
Quote from: Ken Juul on July 03, 2008, 09:37:16 AM
I can't believe a thread about dogs has stayed near the top for over 3 days! We need some new posts!
Them's fightin' words ;) Never get between sailors and their faithful hounds.
I can't believe this stayed here either....what about the cats? Mine, under the table, looking fine..and asleep on deck. Aloha, Susan
Thanks for all the great pictures. Here we are with Scooter in beter days. Trying to post a photo,
Terry
tried again for photo,Terry
We have had a Schipperke on our boats for 20 years - they do shed, but other than that they are terrific boat dogs. Clever, adaptable and always up for some fun. Also they have little oil in their fur, thus they don't smell when wet. Last year we had to interrupt our 3 week cruise to take Hoover, our 15 year old Schip home - to much stress for him (my veterinarian daughter said with disgust - Mom, it is like sailing with a hundred year old person!!) so this year he stayed home. Actually, I think it was lack of sleep due to our 8 month old Schip on board that caused the stress. We also have a 14 year old Jack Russell who is great on board - but beware, he is not the usual Jack - he has always been sensible and fun. Whatever breed you choose, buy from a good breeder and explain the kind of dog you need. We bought our young Schip from Safari Schipperkes in Ft Worth - sight unseen, (we are in CT) and he is as terrific a boat dog as our others were. Here is a typical Schipperke story: they are serious about their duty as captain - they rarely sleep when underway - One Sept. night we left for Block Island about 10 pm. Once we got thru Watch Hill Passage, the Jack Russell and I went below and curled up under a wool blanket. My husband and Hoover were left with only the pedestal cover for warmth. Hoover refused the protection and sat stalwartly by the wheel intil we picked up the mooring.
I am a nut about wanting the boat clean, but our Schips and Jack Russell have been so wonderful that I don't begrudge the extra vaccuuming and washdowns!
Terry, some more posts on co.com on sailing dogs just began: http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/pviewall.tpl?&fno=21&uid=73200280089&sku=2008196151854.10
We have a couple of Maltese. They have been a great add to our sailing adventures. Cooper is 5 pounds and Jack is 9 pounds. They are non shedding and are natural born sailor dogs. But after getting the two critters we had to move to the Catalina 34 from a 28, get a bigger truck, buy a bigger bed and invest in a dink for the potty breaks when on the hook. I wouldn't change it for the world. Check out www.cooperandjack.com.
Note the hat too...
I'll weigh in on this too. We have two dogs. One 3/4 Sheltie and 1/4 Border Collie. He is awesome! Actually stays on the foredeck even in heavy weather. The other is a short legged Jack Russell. She is also a great boat dog. She gets with who ever is behind the helm and gives direction on where to go! The minute you let the lines go from the dock, they are out of the cabin and in position!