Anyone cruising with a Dalmatian?

[maytrix]

We're planning on cruising in the future (2-4 years from now). Our Dal will be 3-5 years old so we'd take him with us.

Just wondering if anyone out there is cruising with one? I'm hoping he can get used to swimming rather than running around like he does now. He loves the water, so I don't think it would be an issue for him hopefully.

[FrankZ]

The only dalmatian I was around was quite a bouncy dog, good luck.

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by FrankZ

The only dalmatian I was around was quite a bouncy dog, good luck.

Oh yeah, they are active. As long as he's able to expend some energy when he needs to, he settles down. So I suspect swimming would help with that as well as taking him ashore where we can.

I think he'll be a good watch dog too as he does bark if there's something to bark about.

Either way, we'll find a way to make it work with him since even though we've only had him 6 months now, he's part of our family and we wouldn't think of leaving him behind.

[xymotic]

Originally Posted by maytrix

Oh yeah, they are active. As long as he's able to expend some energy when he needs to, he settles down. So I suspect swimming would help with that as well as taking him ashore where we can.

I think he'll be a good watch dog too as he does bark if there's something to bark about.

Either way, we'll find a way to make it work with him since even though we've only had him 6 months now, he's part of our family and we wouldn't think of leaving him behind.

If he likes water he'll be fine. But fair warning, I'm now on my SECOND boat, which Splotch was never on, he's been gone for two years and I'm STILL finding hairs aboard the new boat!!!



I would recommend very strictly training them not to get on or off until you tell them to, which can be a challenge but if you are very consistent can be done.

[giselleV]

It's great when land and/or swimming are available. When not, try doggy push-ups for good exercise that requires almost no space. Command "Sit, lay down, sit, lay down, sit, lay down..." etc. You can have a family contest to see who can get the most in a single run. And you can start him on his push-up regiment now so he'll be boat ready.

[maytrix]

Nice picture!

We have been working on his training quite a bit so hopefully we'll be where we need to by the time we leave shore. We're working on all the commands we'll need to get him to stay or stop when we need him to.

I like the pushup idea - he is pretty good and doing both. Mental games are also fun with him. I'll hide stuff and have him go find it.

[xymotic]

Oh, and at 5 months if you haven't yet, start trimming his nails a little bit like every day. You'll want them short, and Spltoch used to fight me tooth and nail (pardon the pun) when we'd trim his. IF you don't do it often, they dislike it, it's actually harder to do and the quick is closer to the end making it more painful to the dig so they like it less and less

[maytrix]

Good advice. We've only had him 6 months, but he's 1.5 years old now. We do try to trim his nails weekly. We actually use a dremel and grind them. He's really pretty good about the front feet, but his back feet he is more difficult. I think it gets easier each time though as he's getting use to it now.

[Vyndance]

How does he like and handle the boat now?

[maytrix]

Originally Posted by Vyndance II

How does he like and handle the boat now?

He hasn't been on it yet. It's in charter in the carribean so we can't take him with us when we use it. We'd definitely get him sailing though before we went cruising.

[Vyndance]

Originally Posted by maytrix

He hasn't been on it yet. It's in charter in the carribean so we can't take him with us when we use it. We'd definitely get him sailing though before we went cruising.

You may want to get him out on the water in a boat of like size before he gets to old.

[maytrix]

That's a good point. We'll have to try to do that next spring.