Live aboard boat / Dog

[boatman61]

This will solve all your problems..
https://www.smartmarineguide.com/L50887008

[team karst]

We are having a great time with our 25 lb dog on board, now for 2 months straight.
Not sure this has been covered yet:
Our dog, like most all, loves the beach. He is furry and requires about as much fresh water for rinsing as a human. Otherwise, you will be living in a salty/sandy cabin, bed, saloon, whatever.
A catamaran will make things easier. The tramp is a good place to pee; and it eventually gets an automatic sea wash. Same with solid waste, but its gets picked up! Consider how to move the animal up and down off of "dingy docks" with decks 12' in the air. Sometiimes we use a harness with a handle. Some areas a 50 lb+ dog will be difficult to manage.
Ours doesn't bark, so no deterrent value. All in all, if you have the option, I suggest a small, quiet, easy going breed. But, yes, we have to manually transfer the dog up/down the saloon steps. Long legs on the animal help that, but larger dog will come with a price.

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by wingssail

I didn't see anything hateful or miserable in that comment. Maybe point (D) was unnecessary, but mostly the advice given was honest, sincere, and appropriate.

Why is it that people with dogs on boats get their feelings hurt when someone points out the obvious?

"people with dogs on boats" sounds a lot like "you people"...
If something is "obvious", why then does it need to be pointed out?
Anyone refusing assistance to ANY vessel in any sort of distress because there is a dog onboard is
not the sort of person I want to share my lifestyle with.
If you find fault with my views, more power to you.

[Sailing55]

Some poor soul will ask a question and before 10 replies the thread is hijacked by haters, gloom and doomers, and opinionated know it alls.
This used to be a forum of people sharing ideas and information.
What happened?

[Oeanda]

Practically speaking, how does one go about rendering assistance to a boat with a stressed out Rottweiler on board? Just talk nicely to it and hope for the best? It seems like a valid concern and I didn’t see anything hateful at all in the post.

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

Practically speaking, how does one go about rendering assistance to a boat with a stressed out Rottweiler on board? Just talk nicely to it and hope for the best? It seems like a valid concern and I didn’t see anything hateful at all in the post.

If I ever come across a boat in distress captained and crewed by stressed out Rottweilers (absent the dogs owners) I'll find a way to deal with it and you'll be the first person I contact with the results.
Seriously, that is how self sufficient people react to unusual situations.
You folks have a nice day, sorry to have pointed out some rude pointless comments.

[mabowers]

Originally Posted by Sailing55

After 22 years of living on my boat with 3 different dogs, I can't imagine why anyone who loves dogs would condemn a dog to living in a house or a yard.

[emoji106]
Exactly. Dogs want more than *anything* to be with their people. I think my dog would literally rather be in hell with me, than anyplace without me.

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by mabowers

[emoji106]
Exactly. Dogs want more than *anything* to be with their people. I think my dog would literally rather be in hell with me, than anyplace without me.

What so many folks do not seem to understand is how adaptable and loyal dogs are. "Stressed out Rottweiler" is how many people visualize a dog on a boat. What they don't grasp is that being with their family is the single most important aspect of a dogs life. My current dog spent two weeks with me in a house once and was most uncomfortable. Granted she doesn't care to be down below in nice weather, but then the time spent beach combing and foraging balances it out. Dogs don't think like people...
Thanks for the positive input!

[PirateFoxy]

Originally Posted by mabowers

[emoji106]
Exactly. Dogs want more than *anything* to be with their people. I think my dog would literally rather be in hell with me, than anyplace without me.

Have you met my dog?

[PirateFoxy]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

Practically speaking, how does one go about rendering assistance to a boat with a stressed out Rottweiler on board? Just talk nicely to it and hope for the best? It seems like a valid concern and I didn’t see anything hateful at all in the post.

I’d try to bribe the dog with whatever dog-safe food I had onboard - stuff that smells strong like canned tuna is often extra appealing - to go into a section of the deck of the boat where I could pen it in somehow, probably.

That said, dogs often understand when their people need help and so don’t behave the same as if things were normal and someone was intruding. So I wouldn’t count on a dog being a problem just because the dog is there.

[Sailing55]

[QUOTE=PirateFoxy;3580363]I’d try to bribe the dog with whatever dog-safe food I had onboard - stuff that smells strong like canned tuna is often extra appealing - to go into a section of the deck of the boat where I could pen it in somehow, probably.

That said, dogs often understand when their people need help and so don’t behave the same as if things were normal and someone was intruding. So I wouldn’t count on a dog being a problem just because the dog is there.[/QUOTExactly! A dog on a boat in distress, with say, a disabled or sick owner, will indeed be stressed, but to assume that the dog will try to kill or attack anyone attempting to help is ridiculous. Dogs are perceptive creatures, and body language and calm demeanor will go a long way. Contrary to many peoples ideas, dogs are not stupid, dumb creatures...they can sense if you are trying to help them.
And if a dog is vicious and aggresive, make a loop at the end of your reaching pole, slip it around his neck, push him/her forward, lash the pole down, and attend to the injured/sick person.
The point being it is an obligation to do everything in your power to assist...even if there is a (killer) dog aboard.

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

Practically speaking, how does one go about rendering assistance to a boat with a stressed out Rottweiler on board? Just talk nicely to it and hope for the best? It seems like a valid concern and I didn’t see anything hateful at all in the post.

Apologies for my poorly thought out previous reply...please see my reply to PirateFoxy.

[Oeanda]

I’d certainly try to help, and don’t hate dogs by any means, but have also had a few very bad experiences with them over the years, including having my three year old kid’s face ripped open by the neighbour’s ‘harmless’ dog when he tried to pet it. He later had his pet rabbit eaten in front of him by another harmless dog which ‘would never do that’. Have grown very cautious with dogs, and their owners. So I more or less agree with NoisyKate’s post and didn’t see anything mean-spirited about it. That’s all.

Anyway- it’s probably just irrelevant thread drift to the OP. It’s their life and they’ll do what they are going to do. My parents spent their lifetimes boating the BC coast with a medium sized dog and they managed ok. Now they have a new large dog and are switching to buying a trawler for that reason.

[Sailing55]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

I’d certainly try to help, and don’t hate dogs by any means, but have also had a few very bad experiences with them over the years, including having my three year old kid’s face ripped open by the neighbour’s ‘harmless’ dog when he tried to pet it. He later had his pet rabbit eaten in front of him by another harmless dog which ‘would never do that’. Have grown very cautious with dogs, and their owners. So I more or less agree with NoisyKate’s post and didn’t see anything mean-spirited about it. That’s all.

Anyway- it’s probably just irrelevant thread drift to the OP. It’s their life and they’ll do what they are going to do. My parents spent their lifetimes boating the BC coast with a medium sized dog and they managed ok. Now they have a new large dog and are switching to buying a trawler for that reason.

40+ years ago in another life my 6 year old daughter had fallen asleep on the couch watching a movie when the family cat went into her room, snatched her guinea pig out of its' cage, brought it into the living room and proceeded to eat it! It happened in the blink of an eye and I managed to deal with it before my daughter woke up. We expressed wonder at how the guinea pig managed to escape her cage later that evening...no moral here other than I don't blame cats for being cats.
I try my best to accept that not all folks are good neighbors, either in a winter marina or an anchorage. I have to bite my tongue when listening to a generator for hours on end, or one if those Espar type heaters that sound like an FA18 on afterburners, or jetskis etc., or yes, even a barking dog, but I really think it rude to voice such opinions publicly.
Just my opinion, but thanks for your thoughts.

[PirateFoxy]

Originally Posted by Oeanda

I’d certainly try to help, and don’t hate dogs by any means, but have also had a few very bad experiences with them over the years, including having my three year old kid’s face ripped open by the neighbour’s ‘harmless’ dog when he tried to pet it. He later had his pet rabbit eaten in front of him by another harmless dog which ‘would never do that’. Have grown very cautious with dogs, and their owners. So I more or less agree with NoisyKate’s post and didn’t see anything mean-spirited about it. That’s all.

I don’t think it’s an unreasonable issue for someone to consider - both from the point of view of helping someone and of being helped.

My current dog is quite impressively socially attentive. He only barks if something is unusual and was quite good when my mom needed an ambulance, so I wouldn’t worry terribly much about him being on a boat if I needed help, but I would reconsider a dog that was very territorial.