General Info: Golden Retrievers good travel companions at sea?

[TiburonTom]

I have a golden retriever who is 5 years old. I would like to take her to sail around the world. Are there any of you who have this breed on board? If so, do the Lagoons work well with dogs? Looking at a Lagoon in the 38 - 45 foot size range. Is there a way to get them to go potty somewhere safe for them and easy to clean? Wondering if the front mesh area can be used in some way? Thanks for any advice out there!

[nuku34]

How does the dog feel about your plans?
Aside from the practicalities of dog poo, etc, have you investigated the regulations concerning bringing dogs into foreign countries. Hint: its a nightmare.

[sesmith]

We have a golden that sails with us everywhere up on the Great Lakes. She's great on the boat, but we broke her in as a 5 month old pup. That said, I can't imagine taking a dog on a world cruise. Everything becomes about the dog...all decisions. FWIW, ours will not go on a grass mat on the boat, so sailing days are kept short (less than 8-10 hrs) when cruising...because of the dog. Some people do it, though.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by TiburonTom

I have a golden retriever who is 5 years old. I would like to take her to sail around the world. Are there any of you who have this breed on board? If so, do the Lagoons work well with dogs? Looking at a Lagoon in the 38 - 45 foot size range. Is there a way to get them to go potty somewhere safe for them and easy to clean? Wondering if the front mesh area can be used in some way? Thanks for any advice out there!

The answer for global cruising is NO. For coastal cruising , maybe.
The problems raised by having pets on board are confronting even if you comply with the vaccination and microchipping. There are times when the dog will not be allowed to leave the boat for the duration of your stay in another country, there are diseases, wild animals that might harm your dog, countries with religions that might cause people to harm your dog, marinas that will not allow boats with pets to enter, climates that will cause your pet huge discomfort. The list is long. Coastal cruising with a dog aboard here in Australia is reasonably easy (apart from not being able to go ashore with pets in National parks).....but it still requires you to get the dog into the dinghy and ashore on a regular basis, my friends had two Labrador dogs that they took coastal cruising here for many years with some success but those dogs hated being at sea if the weather got frisky.

[rslifkin]

I agree with the comments about coastal vs ocean crossing. When I was a kid, we boated with a golden retriever. She was great on the boat, but not a big fan of rough weather and she was always slightly on edge if we were under way.

We boat now with a standard poodle. He's a great boat dog. Very surefooted (with sneakers for grip on the fiberglass decks) and generally loves every minute of being on the boat. Rough weather is fun for him, so he'll tolerate more than we will. He's also got a drum for a bladder, so 12-14 hours without getting off the boat isn't an issue for him when necessary. We got lucky, as he was 5 before he ever saw a boat, but he fell in love almost immediately. The only thing is that he's never been quite as happy to be left alone on the boat as at the house.

[Jim Cate]

Other note: Years ago whilst in the Sea of Cortez we met a mid size monohull with two grown goldens on board. The dogs seemed happy enough, but the ENTIRE below decks area was plated with dog hair... and it stank of dog. We're fond of dogs, and these were pleasant beasts, but the boat was uninhabitable (IMO) for humans.

Point is that besides the overwhelming red tape encountered going foreign with pets, they shed, they smell, they have veterinary needs that may be hard to service, they have diet supply issues in some places, there are diseases that they may have no immunity for, and the waste issue can be severe with some dogs.

Ann and I long ago decided that no pets would be on board, but YMMV.

Jim

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Other note: Years ago whilst in the Sea of Cortez we met a mid size monohull with two grown goldens on board. The dogs seemed happy enough, but the ENTIRE below decks area was plated with dog hair... and it stank of dog. We're fond of dogs, and these were pleasant beasts, but the boat was uninhabitable (IMO) for humans.

Point is that besides the overwhelming red tape encountered going foreign with pets, they shed, they smell, they have veterinary needs that may be hard to service, they have diet supply issues in some places, there are diseases that they may have no immunity for, and the waste issue can be severe with some dogs.

Ann and I long ago decided that no pets would be on board, but YMMV.

Jim

That's one of the big things we appreciate with our poodle. He rarely smells (pretty much only if he's wet) and he sheds less than most humans. He's also a couch potato, so living with him in a confined space is pretty easy compared to some dogs.