Dog Gear?

[Reluctantsailor]

So once we get our boat we will need to have our Boxer equipped with the proper gear to come on board. He likes the water we take him to the dog beach every day in the summer but he is not a great swimmer (60 pounds of solid muscle) in fact he refuses to go out past where his feet leave the ground.

We have taken him for one swim lesson at a doggie pool near us (I know we are freaks) and he had to wear a lifejacket which he didn't seem to mind. I think it would be a good idea if he took more lessons in the life jacket before we put him on the boat so he is use to both the jacket and to swimming if he fell overboard.

So my question is what else should we consider getting him as far as gear goes? I would like to maybe take the winter to start getting him accustomed to wearing stuff...my husband thinks he should have booties for the boat and for a dingy and a lifejacket...any suggestions? We have a place called neopaws right near us that sells raingear, lifejackets, booties and such but we are not sure what to look for...and I am sure getting to wear the stuff will be even more difficult than finding it....is taking a 2 year old boxer (that is how old he will be when we finally get him onboard) on a boat a good idea?

[hellosailor]

Check out Cabela's Official Website - Quality Hunting, Fishing, Camping and Outdoor Gear at competitive prices. they are a hunting gear supplier and most hunting suppliers also carry a large assortment of "water dog" equipment for retreivers. Doggie float coats with handles, etc. designed for a working dog not just designed pretty for the pet store.

Boat shoes for a dog? Not really, most dogs hate booties. If you keep his nails trimmed and any fur between the pads trimmed, he probably will get enough grip on the decks. When and if that doesn't work--you can try the boots but I've met a dog that didn't want to tear 'em off and chew 'em up, other than some trained rescue dogs that have to work in rubble all day.

[Intentional Drifter]

There is an excellent book that covers many of your questions: "Doggy on Deck", by Jessica Stone. Doggy On Deck - Penchant Press - Doggie On Deck She does a very nice job of covering these any many other questions.

Although our dog is similar size, we have sort of the opposite problem: he never met a body of water, large or small, that he didn't have to swim in. We looked at various dog PFD's and found many of them to be inadequate. We ended up with one that has flotation along the sides and underneath his rib cage/belly, as this served to keep his head up higher. Also, when helping him out with the handle, these provide a bit of padding in the same area, so that he breathes easier, rather than having just the narrow straps underneath that tended to be constricting.

Is it a good idea to take your pup cruising? We don't know, yet. We're about to begin. Ask again, next year! After 16 years of doing it, though, through both the Caribbean and Pacific, Jessica got her answer -- absolutely!

ID

[jdoe71]

We have a female GSD 64 lbs, we bought booties for her for walks in the bush in really cold winter weather but she really doesn't like them. Doesn't need them on the boat though her nails even when clipped are a bit hard on the teak companionway stairs. We are making covers for the stairs.

We've only had her on the boat once, that was this past September. She did very well, she has strong character and adapts quickly to new situations so that helps a lot. She loves the water but like your pup she has to feel bottom and despite encouragement she will not jump off the dock at the family cottage. We decided to open the walk through in the transom so she could see the water was right there and she just shot out the opening and dove right in! She went swimming until I called her back, grabbed her by her collar and lifted her into the cockpit, whereupon she turned around and headed right back for the water again! Total surprise for us but she was just lovin' it! We are looking into PFD's for her so will be interested in watching this thread for what other folks recommend.

[Pblais]

The life jacket is a must. Even dogs that swim can get hypothermia and drown. The booties I would agree are a no go. My wife tried to do snow booties when she moved from Texas to Minneapolis. Both dogs hated them and chewed them off. Most dogs are picky about their feet.

Use a dremel tool with the sanding drum for nails. It's quick so long as you don't grind to far and give them a hot foot. One treat for each paw has had all of our dogs running for a nail session just by bringing out the tool. When we had 3 dogs they would fight to be first. Our youngest tries to go twice. Doing nails can be this easy! On a boat they don't get to wear them down much at all.

[Reluctantsailor]

Thanks everyone - the boots are out (thank goodness they aren't needed) I was dreading trying to get him to wear them.

This is the live vest I am looking at https://www.neopaws.com/catalog/neop...7ce5c482e3981f

Any thoughts?

[S/V Antares]

Our "Lucy" is 36 Lb. The lifejacket has a good handle. Make sure the dog balances well and evenly in the jacket so it distributes the weight over the straps. This also makes it easy to dip her sandy paws before pulling her up to the deck from the dink. She also has a water activated overboard light on it.

[Reluctantsailor]

the activated light is a great idea...Mac is 60lb and I am sure he will be heavier with a wet lifejacket on so we will have to make sure the handle is sturdy.

[Entlie]

Our dog Toby is a 60 lb. Entlebucher (smallest of the Swiss Mountain Dogs). He's another "solid muscle" type of dog - and being a herding dog, high energy and too smart for his own good. Not known to be swimmers, ours loves the water.

We are starting to load for our next Bahamas cruise. Here are some Toby-related items that will go aboard:

First of all - a good dog first aid kit. Our vet helped us with ours. Remember that dogs can take many human medications - ask your vet for guidelines. If you're off for an extended trip, don't forget monthly heartworm, flea and tick medications. A good first aid kit addition is "vet wrap." It's available at most feed stores - lightweight, self-sticking adhesive bandages. I figure we might need it for humans too, so always bring several rolls. Even if you are only taking short trips, a per first aid kit is advisable.

Micro Chip. Every time you go to the vet, have them scan for the chip. If traveling internationally, be sure it's an international chip.

Lifejacket. Mark all information on the lifejacket - boat name, phone number, dog name, etc. Water activated strobe.

Cockpit tether. This is carefully measured so he goes no further than the edges of the cockpit. Depending on how your dog behaves in the dinghy, maybe a tether for the dinghy.

Harness (this is in addition to a lifejacket). It's too darn hot to wear a life jacket all the time. When he's not wearing his lifejacket, he's on the tether, wearing his harness. Harness has id tag with home info on one side and boat info on the other.

Frisbees, tennis balls, dog treats. Pet hair roller thinggys. Pet hair removal sponge. Dog towel. Bucket for sluicing sand, muck, dirt, etc. off dog before he gets back on boat.

We have a carpet covered fender board to use as a dog-retrieval ramp, but haven't had to use it yet. However, the first year he was aboard, we found him swimming at the stern of the boat. That's when the tether came into play, and no problems since.

See attached photo of harness and tether in action. Notice that it also works as a hold-fast to the skipper in the cockpit.

Entlie
Sailing Catamaran Sunspot Baby

[Reluctantsailor]

Awesome information - thank you...Mac wears a harness like that for walking so he is use to one I never thought of using it on the boat! He is microchipped I will have to ask them about if it is good internationally once befoer we head out of the lake.

[S/V Antares]

Good points. We let lucy use the harness when anchored or at the dock. Jacket underway. Had not thought of the international chip. Good concept.

I am trying to get her to "go " on the deck inorder to make me feel better on longer trips without landing. 24 Hr is the longest so far no problem but would prefer she learned. I have "piddle pads" and even marked an area myself but to no avail. I know we had some threads on this I will look them up.

Here is a picture of us doing what we do best

[jdoe71]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

I have "piddle pads" and even marked an area myself but to no avail.

Now that would have had the attention of every boat in the anchorage!

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

Here is a picture of us doing what we do best

You are very good at that, is there a book on that I should study? I hope to do that at your level of skill in future. I probably just need to practice more.

[rebel heart]

For my schipperke, I don't need very much. She has a life jacket, but honestly doesn't wear it much unless we're underway. The food and water bowls should be plastic, so they don't bang up the wood or fiberglass.

One of the best things, depending on your dog, is a shedding brush. Get that crap out of them on the docks as much as you can, so it doesn't clog your drains. We also have a crate for her that we keep in the quarter berth.

[jdoe71]

Glad to hear it's not just us, we could not believe the amount of hair on the boat from the dog even though she gets brushed regularly. The cockpit area can just be sluiced with a pail out the transom, but the cabin is a bigger problem. It all finds its way into the bilge and the pump doesn't like it at all. Constant cleaning I guess.

I tried a piece of outdoor carpet for the dog to go on, started trying this at home long before we took her on board. She refused to use it. I did the marking thing as well, she looked at me like I was nuts when she saw me doing that! You could almost see in her face her thinking "Mom's gonna kick yer ass when she sees what you did!" But it didn't change her mind about whizzing on a carpet. I read a blog somewhere that their dog held it for about 4 days. That cannot be good for the dog at all.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by S/V Antares

I am trying to get her to "go " on the deck inorder to make me feel better on longer trips without landing. 24 Hr is the longest so far no problem but would prefer she learned. I have "piddle pads" and even marked an area myself but to no avail. I know we had some threads on this I will look them up.

Here is a picture of us doing what we do best

Awwwwww . . . they look so innocent when they're asleep - dogs, that is.

Will, I could be wrong, but I suspect that if in "marking" an area yourself to give Lucy the idea of what you want her to do, you mean you urinated there, then I don't think she will ever use that spot.

You are the alpha dog in her "pack," and, in marking a spot, she takes that to be your way of telling her to stay away from that spot. If there's an area you want her to use, it should be marked with her urine.

Once the boundaries have been established, she will do what you want her to do.

Good luck.

TaoJones