Good small boat dog

[a64pilot]

We have always pretty much had dogs, and now we don't so we could cruise. We actually found a good home for our Lab after determining that I'm sure she would have tolerated it, but she would have been miserable as a boat dog. She was a farm dog and used to the freedom, and as big as she was and as much as she sheds, we would have been miserable too.

Anyway we are considering another dog, but think a small breed would be better and looking forward to suggestions.
We have had a couple of Yorkies in the past and they are our only small dog experience. The Yorkies were fierce, brave little buggers and as loyal and loving and protective as they come, great watch dogs. They were about as dumb as a box of rocks, and never really house trained. so we don't want another Yorkie.

I was thinking maybe a Schipperke as they were bred to be on boats, but I have never seen one actually so I know nothing about them, and looking on line they are about $2,700 or so.

So a couple of questions, first where do you get a Schipperke? Go online and pay $2,700 then I'm sure several hundred more to have it flown?
We are in Jacksonville Fl.
Secondly and maybe more importantly what are the places that showing up with a dog is nearly impossible, by that I mean where are the places that want extensive quarantine intervals, excessive paperwork, or just put a dog down?

I know it will be a pain, but if it's just not feasible, then we won't get a dog, just to have to give it away later, cause I still feel guilty for doing that already

[Bill O]

We love dogs, especially smart ones, but decided it probably wasn't fair to a dog to be cooped up on a boat in certain countries.

If we were ever to get one to live on the boat some of the criteria we contemplated were:
-intelligent and trainable
-good watch dog
-good swimmer/ok w/going in water
-stout, but nothing over 30-35lbs
-non-shedding/hypoallergenic
-shorter hair and not black to handle the tropical heat better

I'm sure there were more criteria, but those were the majority.


Bill O.

[thomm225]

Jack Russell Terriers like the water and they are very smart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT4X_2zKIyk

[SV Bacchus]

I can't direct you to what to get I can only support your decision not to take the lab.

Ours is incredibly smart, "boat broken" (= house broken) in one day, he goes to the sugar scoop to pee and poop. He appears to love the boat and hangs out in the cockpit and enjoys watching the water. Good watch dog with a very deep growl for a smaller Lab, he is only 59 Lbs.

However, he sheds so much he should be bald by now. Where does all that short black hair come from? It is driving me crazy and we can never stay in front of it. We are always running the Dyson Pet model vacuum as well as sweeping, wiping (inside) and rinsing down in the cockpit.

For my mental sanity it was a mistake!

[rourkeh]

I am a dog guy and have had Australian Shepherds all my adult life. When I decided to go cruising in 2008 I had an adult dog who had been around boats all his life already and he took to cruising well. All the same responsibilities apply on the boat the same as on land like walking, cleaning, shedding, etc. I have a 44' monohull and he adapted to the restricted space no problem. We sailed together a couple of thousand miles and had the time of our lives together. We never ran into any real problems landing in any country, and most could care less, just keep all your documents and the dogs pet passport up to date. Size was not an issue, my dog was about 45lbs, and he took to boating like a fish to water. When my first dog Jake died at 9 I got another dog Connor who is now 1 and he only knows life onboard. If you really love dogs don't let the cruising lifestyle stop you from getting a dog.

[a64pilot]

Brown Dog just would not have fit. She was likely pushing 100 lbs, and I would not have been able to get her into and out of the dinghy etc.

[ohdrinkboy]

We have a minature labradoodle. She has hair, not fur....so no shedding. Personality of a lab, and loves the water. At 10 years old, she weighs in at 23 pounds.

We got her before the breed was super trendy, they are everywhere now. She has had no medical issues. Annual vet visit and that's it.

She does love playing ball. We have a daily game of catch.

Here is the breeder. Texas Labradoodles - Houston/Dallas/Austin/San AntonioLone Star Labradoodles | Breeder of Australian Mutigeneration Labradoodles

I have no financial interest.

[Mule]

Get a Poodle, preferably a 12 to 20 pounder. Miniature. Do not shed, hypoallergenic, and VERY SMART. They are water dogs. Our 15 pounder is 10, been very healthy, EXTREMELY athletic, very Alpha Female with otherdogs and loves all people. The people part we cultivated. As a retired telephone man, no vicious dogs for me. She raises the alarm. Enforcement is up to me. Perfect. The alpha part is about attitude, “The Queen is here, bow down my loyal subjects”. If they do not, she ignores, once the acknowledge her queen ness it is play time. Has good record, 10 sacks, 1 kill, 1 assist on squirrels.
.

[Tayana42]

Our dog Chester has been a perfect companion, boat dog and friend for 15 years. He was a rescue dog, so his breed is a guess. He is a terrier mix but we don’t know what he is mixed with. We finally concluded that he is mostly dog. [ATTACH]

[ranger58sb]

FWIW, we've had better luck with rescues than with pedigreed dogs. And I think many "breeds" (or mostly a breed) dogs will adapt, depending on your training and play regime.

Our boat dogs have included a Pretty Good (Great) Pyrenees, a Golden Retriever -- both rescues -- and a Golden Receiver, pedigreed, great dog but... retrieving wasn't in his job contract, he didn't care much about swimming, and eventual developed some genetic medical issues.

I was told we almost rescued a German Shepherd the other day.

A couple of our club members brought dogs this weekend, one a Portuguese Water Dog, the other a very young female Golden. What a hoot!

-Chris

[rosatte]

Check out a multipoo they are multess cross d poodle don’t shed smart as a whip and weigh ten pounds

[anacapaisland42]

Definitely a Jack Russell, female if you want more of a cuddly pet, male if yoiu want a dog that is both cuddly and will die to protect you, plus will kill every rat/mouse that tries to get on the boat PLUS they have very clean, and small, toilet habits..
We've had hounds/retrievers/spaniels but the JR is the one of choice.....and she's sitting next to me in the cockpit..... a rescue female JR, totally lovable and a good mouser.....and chipmunker if they stray this way....also water snakes....(for my wife)....self amusing...flies well, cars well, sails well.


Bill

Originally Posted by thomm225

Jack Russell Terriers like the water and they are very smart

[svtrio]

A64,

My wife and I each grew up with dogs in our families, mostly big ones.

We did a lot of looking and researching and settled on yorkie/poodle mix. Smart, agile, like water, non shedding, generally healthy breeds. We looked for larger dogs, that could get around the boat on their own without requiring assistance.

We have two now, each weighing in at 22 pounds. We really wouldn’t want them any lighter or smaller, but not more than scooch heavier or larger.

Consider too, circumstances could arise that could require an airplane trip. Size makes the difference between dogs riding with suitcases or under the passenger seat. Our dogs would make it under the seat (kinda).

We bought the dogs as puppies. We only considered litters where we could see and touch the parents, even if it might involve driving to different locations. This was a hard fast rule, not foolproof, but it offered an opportunity to gauge temparment, smarts, personality traits, etc. that might be passed on to pups.

We would never buy from on-line breeders or fancy breeders who have bred out the best qualities that make them dogs or inbred a host of health problems.

We considered want ads, word of mouth, other yorkie -poo owners (we’d stop them on the street), vets and some breed-specific rescues and even a couple of recommended yorkie-poo breeders.

Each dog took months to locate, but they are great, smart, well behaved, friendly, socialized, go-anywhere dogs. Their favorite sport is hunting small crabs on the beach. And they know when to bark.

Perhaps, we’ve given you a few more things that might help your hunt. Good luck.

BTW, I trained large working dogs, and my working dog came with me
when I left my position. I bought my current boat based on having room for a 130 pound dog, He passed away unexpectedly in the care of good people, while I was sailing our new home up the east coast.

Now matter how adaptable he was- and me too - I knew life aboard a boat in a city marina was going to be tough and a dramatic change from what he was accustomed.

Getting a smaller dog was made a bit easier knowing that information, and as I’ve aged, I know a big dog isn’t for us any longer,

[Olddan1943]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

We have always pretty much had dogs, and now we don't so we could cruise. We actually found a good home for our Lab after determining that I'm sure she would have tolerated it, but she would have been miserable as a boat dog. She was a farm dog and used to the freedom, and as big as she was and as much as she sheds, we would have been miserable too.

Anyway we are considering another dog, but think a small breed would be better and looking forward to suggestions.
We have had a couple of Yorkies in the past and they are our only small dog experience. The Yorkies were fierce, brave little buggers and as loyal and loving and protective as they come, great watch dogs. They were about as dumb as a box of rocks, and never really house trained. so we don't want another Yorkie.

I was thinking maybe a Schipperke as they were bred to be on boats, but I have never seen one actually so I know nothing about them, and looking on line they are about $2,700 or so.

So a couple of questions, first where do you get a Schipperke? Go online and pay $2,700 then I'm sure several hundred more to have it flown?
We are in Jacksonville Fl.
Secondly and maybe more importantly what are the places that showing up with a dog is nearly impossible, by that I mean where are the places that want extensive quarantine intervals, excessive paperwork, or just put a dog down?

I know it will be a pain, but if it's just not feasible, then we won't get a dog, just to have to give it away later, cause I still feel guilty for doing that already

Look for one of the many Rescue organization or the dog pound.

[fatherchronica]

Our Lab loved cruising. Our Feist terrier loved a lot of cruising aspects, but was scared of the diesel noise.