Best boat pet/mascot?

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by minaret

Lol! Maine Coons and Manx aren't really normal cats at all, are they?

I had a friend once who had one with seven claws on each front paw, it was mutated and huge. It used to stalk my Rottweiler/Malamute mix when we'd come to visit. He was terrified of that cat! The cats favorite thing was to wait for him to fall asleep and then pounce on him from up high. He wouldn't go to sleep in that house after a while!

April was like that! At 18 pounds, she had our 90 pound lab shivering in his paws! I was just a game to her but he never quite got it. Of course, there was that one time when she came flying down the stairs and launched herself at him like a lion after a wildebeest on the savanna, poor River dropped on the spot! He spent the rest of the night sitting between my daughters legs for protection -- I guess he thought it was personal!?!

[minaret]

Originally Posted by SmartMove

April was like that! At 18 pounds, she had our 90 pound lab shivering in his paws! I was just a game to her but he never quite got it. Of course, there was that one time when she came flying down the stairs and launched herself at him like a lion after a wildebeest on the savanna, poor River dropped on the spot! He spent the rest of the night sitting between my daughters legs for protection -- I guess he thought it was personal!?!

Lol! Like this-

[minaret]

Good lord! Might need a bigger boat for this one...

[Talbot]

For those who want a cat, but can't face vet bills, sand trays, import problems and worry about them wandering off.

There is a solution

Click here

[zeehag]

minaret--now you k now why i had to get this formosa--my ericson was too small for my cat.....

[BlackOak]

I have fish, they live under my boat when at anchor. I dont have to feed them, clean up after them, take them to the vet, or worry about leaving them under the boat for a few days/weeks when I go back to civilization. Dont get me wrong, I like critters, but I found local fish easiest to care for.

[zeehag]

blackoak--i also have fishies under boat--and they love cat food...the only problem is the fishermen know they live under my boat and beeline for my boat every day....so i loose some pets daily and as they see fit for bait and dinner....

[mikefossl]

nuff said.

[tamicatana]

Cats, of course, are the traditional ship's critter (other than rats):

Purr-n-Fur UK | Cats in Wartime | At Sea - Ship's Cats

Thanks to Astrid for the link

[Drifter33]

Originally Posted by minaret

Me too. Coolest dog ever. Cane Corso. Unfortunately mastiffs die young.

Minaret, sorry for your loss. He's a great looking dog. I have an English Mastiff and I am looking for a boat. I just got him for my daughter in March and my idea of the perfect boat for my family has since evolved. Any recommendations on things that help or hinder with such a large breed on a boat?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by tamicatana

Cats, of course, are the traditional ship's critter (other than rats):

Purr-n-Fur UK | Cats in Wartime | At Sea - Ship's Cats

Thanks to Astrid for the link

Lol, nice! This is Sgt. Stubby, histories most decorated war dog (there have been many). Read a book called War Dogs to be enlightened on the dogs historical role in conflict. Mind blowing, especially WWI dogs. Back then dogs were trained to perform autonomously on the battlefield, finding wounded men lost in no mans land and dragging stretchers back from the lines being common roles. They had gas masks and everything! A Doberman won the Silver Star for clearing multiple pillboxes during the landings at Salerno in WWII. The war department tried to take it away, saying its wrong to give such a high decoration to a dog. All the vets who were there said they would turn in their decorations as well if they did! Cats may be the traditional ships critter, but we all know who mans best friend is!

[Mimsy]

We have a 2 year old on board and that is pet enough for us right now.
Our friends on Bettie Del Mar have the greatest boat mascot ever- Sid Vicious the Hedgehog. Bettie del Mar: What About That Hedgehog?

[tamicatana]

Another consideration is that it's fairly irritating to be in an anchorage and having to put up with the yapping of the dogs.

[zeehag]

omg doggie yapping and barking for no earthly reason--thankyou for mentioning tht aspect of on board pets especially those with whiney dogs and all the barking noises that go with insecurity in goggiedom...please train your mutts to shut up when you are n0t on board. is worse than screaming misbehaved kids in a decent restaurant.
yes they ARE trainable. if my momma could and can still train dogs, so can you. at least cats do their work in silence.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Drifter33

Minaret, sorry for your loss. He's a great looking dog. I have an English Mastiff and I am looking for a boat. I just got him for my daughter in March and my idea of the perfect boat for my family has since evolved. Any recommendations on things that help or hinder with such a large breed on a boat?

Get a big boat, but not so big that you can't get him from the dinghy to the deck! Start sailing him very young, dogs usually do well. Solve elimination issues early, training on a piece of AstroTurf when he's a pup will help. Congrats, mastiffs aren't for everyone, but they sure are amazing animals. An English is a good choice, but damn they're big!