Best Sailing Dog ?

[maytrix]

I would think loyal and intelligent would be 2 good traits for a dog on a boat.

That's one reason we think our Dal will do well. They are very attached to their people, loyal, intelligent and protective. Ours is a bit of a wimp, but can sound and look really mean and at least alert us to anyone in the area.

[Cristina]

Originally Posted by sy_gilana

We had a Border Collie x Black Labrador. He died last year aged 17. We are still hurting. See our web page below, click "more" then "woof" for his own photo journal. What a fisherman he was. Caught a 20 odd pound Jack Crevalle, nearly broke his neck! He crapped himself meeting his first Ostrich and Alligator. He treated the shark just like any other fish. He loved Dolphins, hearing them well before they arrived. He ate Suchi often. He found injured sea birds and brought them home, or took us to them so we could help them. He was good on watch, he could smell a ship in the open ocean well before the radar picked them up. He could tell the difference between a cruiser in a dink and a "nocturnal visitor" He was on TV in Brazil catchin' fish. Damn we miss Jack...

Love your dog. Seems he was like a unique dog. Images says it all.
But I couldn't finish reading that text (email) yet. =[ .
Liz' journal is great!
Best regards,
Cristina.

[mikefossl]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

As a dog lover and having grown up with several large dogs. I think it's cruel to subject a dog to sea passages or extensive periods cooped up on a boat, even more so for any large variety.

I used to think the same way about dogs in general. If we didn't have acres of land to roam, it wasn't fair to the dog. Our miniature schnauzer Ziggy changed my view on that. He felt right at home with us. What we did, he seemed happy to do. He came with us from Mexico to Japan including a 30 day passage from Hawaii to Guam. I agree that a bigger dog may have had more trouble adapting but Ziggy was a trooper and was part of the family. We did draw the line at subjecting him to potential quarantine in New Zealand and Australia so he's back in Toronto with our kids but we miss him every day and always feel he may be missing some great adventure.

[sycpuppy]

One would think it would be hard to sail a dog... uh... My vote would be be careful about pits mastiffs, boxers, and bulldogs. I've been around allot of them and most of them sink like a rock. Mostly if it looks "Beefy" they tend to sink more often that float. Cocker Spaniels if not fixed tend to roam when they bored or left alone, Had 2 and that turned into allot more real quick and ended up having 5 we kept. If it was a big boat in a cool climate I'd vote for Newfoundlands, Landseers, Great Pyrenees,Saint Bernards and Akitas as all are sea dogs that secret oils that protect their fur from water. Definitely need a big boat as My Akita Newfoundland mix got to 227 lbs in it's prime. All of those are really friendly except they all shed to the point that all the fur stacks up to be about the size of the dog when it's coat fully sheds. They also all drool a bit. All except the akita's used to be used to retrieve lines in the water to secure boats to docks and all are still in use today for water rescue.

Guess That was more along the lines of what not to get.

[goboatingnow]

Large dogs in particular need significant exercise, which they get naturally in open spaces. I cannot imagine a large dog like a Newfoundland or St.B on an average boat for days.

Then add quarantine if you go overseas.

I'm even unhappy about town house dogs, but that's just me.

As for your dog loving it. Dogs will put up with an inordinate amount of discomfort to remain attached to their owners, its one of the reasons we bond with them. It doesn't mean it's a good situation.

Dogs in cars for a few hours is one thing, ( and the same applies to boats) dogs for days on board is not a good thing.

Dave

[guyver]

Most seem to be against big dogs. Quite possible, but our bull mastiff is the dog we have and love. Best dog we have ever had and we've had quite a few. Anyhow, the wife says if Bruno can't go, she isn't going either. Hmmmm

As for the exercise, he is extremely lazy and is perfectly content to spend his time laying around or eating. Hoping he will enjoy swimming. I will try that when it gets warmer. He was too young last summer. He does love taking showers and getting sprayed by the water hose, so I am hoping for the best.

For those that are not familiar with this breed, they really are good dogs. The best descripription I can come up with is: big, mean looking, overly affectionate, human dependant, loyal dogs. I would hope that he would guard and protect us if needed, but not real sure. He would likely knock them down as he gives them hugs and kisses.

Enough ramblin, I guess it is another "to each their own" category.

Guy

[SaucySailoress]

Originally Posted by guyver

As for the exercise, he is extremely lazy and is perfectly content to spend his time laying around or eating. Hoping he will enjoy swimming. I will try that when it gets warmer. He was too young last summer. He does love taking showers and getting sprayed by the water hose, so I am hoping for the best.
Guy

OK, Since you'll need to buy him a life jacket anyway, I suggest you try him in it from the very beginning - even entering in shallow water. As someone suggested, dense (not thick, dense as in heavy) dogs do tend to sink, and giving them that flotation ensures they enjoy it more.

[guyver]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

OK, Since you'll need to buy him a life jacket anyway, I suggest you try him in it from the very beginning - even entering in shallow water. As someone suggested, dense (not thick, dense as in heavy) dogs do tend to sink, and giving them that flotation ensures they enjoy it more.

Thanks. Great idea!! Would have never thought of it.

Guy

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by maytrix

I would think loyal and intelligent would be 2 good traits for a dog on a boat.

That's one reason we think our Dal will do well. They are very attached to their people, loyal, intelligent and protective. Ours is a bit of a wimp, but can sound and look really mean and at least alert us to anyone in the area.

If you have one by all means they can be a great boat dog. However, I wouldn't get one as a new boat dog.

1) they are more difficult than many other breeds.

2) I would argue with the 'intelligent' part My Dal had what I would call selective intelligence. Sometimes he was really smart, figured out how to climb a very steep 6 step companionway ladder for example, but then other times, like if you'd say 'come' for example, he'd look at you like "no comprende senor"

3) They shed. A LOT. And it's particularly troublesome little spiked hair that thoroughly embeds in everything. It also shows up on everything white hairs on the dark clothes and black hairs on the light clothes, and in addition to that, the immense amount of hair that is on everything, well that's only half of it



The puppies were the perfect boat dog(s) 1/2 toy poodle, 1/4 cocker and 1/4 Bichon. At the time, three dogs was too much, and we sold one of the puppies. My dog splotch died about a year later, and the GF got lilly when we split up. My greatest regret in life is not keeping both of those awesome puppies.

[abh]

Now that's a happy face!

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by abh

Now that's a happy face!

And that's kind of funny too, splotch LOVED the boat. He lived to take rides in the dinghy, and on trips in the sailboat he would just light up. he hated baths or a flick of water, but had no trouble launching off a dock or diving headlong into an 8' breaking wave at the beach. The little dogs, which were arguably 'better' boat dogs really didn't like water all that much. they put up with it.

OTOH, lilly instantly took to the motorcycle. I'd planned to see if she would put up with it really slowly, I was going to just site her on the seat and see if she'd like that, then maybe start it... but she just loved it, this was her first time ever on a bike and we went around the parking lot.

To this day she get's real excited every time she hears any sort of motorcycle.

[Samantha ann]

My favorite would be a stuffed one! 😜

[h20man]

A friend of mine had a Schipperke.. Great Dog.
Loved being on a boat and smart as can be.

I have no dog, as I hope to be in areas that unfortunately require quarantine.. and am not in the mood to make a dog sit in a kennel for 6 months..

But the Schipperkes are fine animals...

[minaret]

Originally Posted by guyver

Anyhow, the wife says if Bruno can't go, she isn't going either.

This is my Bruno. He's a Cane Corso or Italian Mastiff. Love bullmastiffs, they'd be a little better for boats as they are smaller than many of the other mastiff breeds.

[Ocean Girl]

Dogs actually prefer our ( human) company to other dogs. There is a new book out that kinda opened my eyes about our little friends

Dog Sense. by John Bradshaw

Our Kaela is too old to sail (16) so we are waiting for her to ' move on' before heading out long term. She loves the boat, but not offshore.

Hope I post her picture correctly, sorry to the mods if it's not....