Liveaboard Dogs

[S/V Elusive]

A member of our YC in Moss has a Belgium Barge Dog (Schipperke) that seems to do well aboard. I've seen several cruisers/liveaboards that have this type of dog. While I was raised with larger dogs, I can certainly see the advantage of the smaller dog while cruising.

To add to Elusive's comment, that particular Schipperke and his predecessor, also a Schipperke, were very personable off the boat as well. The life vest that the owner obtained for them included a strap on the top that allowed the dog to be easily lifted on and off the boat, as well as carried were necessary.
Wendy, as for grooming, I would think this would be a prohibitive expense while cruising, at least for most people. The process is not that difficult. I have even trimmed the nails on a few dogs we had while I was a kid. If I can do it, anyone can.

[Talbot]

A black labrador has some attributes that make it a strong contender for boat dog. It is a strong swimmer, and most importantly its fur has water repellant properties, thus a couple of quick shakes and it is practically dry, thus no wet dog smell! Most Labs I know (and ours) love travel in the dinghy, and will accept indignities on being transferred from boat to dinghy to boat. They make good guard dogs and are very intelligent

cons: They like a lot of exercise, (although swimming can achieve that), and un-neutered males have a tendency to wander. They are also well known garbage disposal units, able to eat 20 meals a day.

[Tropic Cat]

When we brought our labrador to our new boat (new to us).. she looked at it from the dock, shook her head and 'said' "no way" and walked away. We have yet to get her to come on board.

Maybe she's smarter than she looks?

rick in Florida

[Bev & Bill]

We have really enjoyed the posts and fun this thread has generated. We are moving aboard in a couple of weeks and you have given us food for thought about the different breeds and how they have/have not taken to the sailing life (much like humans).

Thanks again for your great input.

[Richhh]

The problem with dogs is travelling to foreign ports especially former British colonies that even in this modern day have prohibition restrictions due to their inordinate/paranoid fear of rabies. Many of the Caribbean former british colonies make it such that your dog has to be sent to Britain (UK) for a very long quarantine period and only after that quaranteen can enter their islands. If you want to go to the next former colony in the chain .... back to the UK with your pooch for another lengthy quarantine period. As I understand it even Britain has relaxed these draconian requirments .... not so the Caribbean Islands with their 19th century veterinary mindset that apparently has no knowledge of efficacious vaccines.

What size or breed dog? .... any dog you like or that likes you. Match their temperment to your temperment, not the breed.
Cats .... lip hook them and troll them at 3 knots on a 300 pound monofilament leader.

[BC Mike]

There are dogs and there are Border Collies.
Tui and Lenny are my Xs Border Collies. Recently they have been ( from Canada ) to Holland, Germany, England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
No quarantine.
Lenny loves the water Tui does not.
Michael

[Ram]

What IF
the dog stays onboard will most countrys accept this and allow us entry with out making us jump through the hoops?
Ram

[Talbot]

If UK had discovered the dogs, they would have been quarantined for a long time (= very expensive) and you would have had a hefty fine.

There has recently been an introduction of a dog passport to try to ease travel for animals where there are fewer quarantine concerns, but this still requires the pet to visit a vet in that country just before travel, get a form filled out correctly, and then travel via commercial transport into specific ports. travel via a yacht does not qualify

[BC Mike]

That is what Tui and Lenny did.
Michael

[hellosailor]

"Ours has no hip strength and refuses to jump -- don't know why."
Jon, many large breeds, including Newfs, suffer from hip dysplasia and don't like jumping. Then again, when she was young I once looked up into the sky to see my Newf descending from about eight feet, eyeing my slice of pizza. Who knew.<G>
A Newf would be an impractical boat dog only because they're so big, but they are bred to be kept in small places on boats, as working water rescue dogs, and worth considering if the slobber and hair can be dealt with. They were once literally standard equipment at lifesaving stations in the US and UK. Mine literally pulled two of us out of the ocean on the one day we conned her in off the end of a sand spit.
The big stopper is customs & quarantine though, many nations simply won't allow any dog in without a 90-day quarantine. Keeping the dog aboard at a mooring may or may not be acceptable.

[jackiepitts]

I live on board with my Miniature Poodle (Approx. 15 lbs) and he is a great boat dog. I really prefer the standard poodles but decided against them becuase we are on a mooring ball most of the time and lifting a 60 lb + dog on board from a dingie was not for me so I went with a well bred Mini Poodle (after all they were bred to be water dogs). He is 1 year old now and very well behaved on board. I take precautions when we are under way and the grooming is a bit of a pain but he is well worth the effort.
Good luck!

[rsn48]

Well Sun Spot introduced me to a new breed I wasn't familiar with - Entlebucher. I'm an English Springer owner and will be introducing the pup to sailing this summer after my hip replacement healing is over (week 3 1/2 now). I did take him to the boat while tied up when he was a very young pup. I took him down a number of times while I worked on it. He didn't mind the boat but he didn't like the "little bridges" which were like grates, spanning one pier to the other. He could see through the grates and didn't want to walk on them. After about the fourth visit he got over these "bridges."

[Jon D]

As most of you know we moved aboard and have finally begun cruising . Up till know Jetta [our Giant Schnauzer] has only done day trips where the longest she had to hold it was less than 12 hours. Well we finally got away from the dock last week, and just finished her first overnight passage. We went from Cape May to Block Island. The trip took about 35 hours total which was no big deal to us however Jetta has never done her 'duty' on deck before. So as time progressed Jill and I could both tell she had to go but wouldn't, we tried everything, AstroTurf, coiled line, etc, dog would not pee......well time cures all, after many swear words by my wife at me for putting the dog and her, in this position... do I ended up with the dog watch [of course] and after about 24hrs from when she last went, she finally let loose on the back deck, , that changed the tone of the cruise.. we know the dog will go on deck when push comes to shove or the bladder gets too full. Of course praised the heck out of the dog for going now let's see what happens with the next long leg.....

[Talbot]

several overnight trips, and this will become an accepted routine, so dont leave it too long before repeating.