missingtheboat Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Wondering whether there are people on the forum that have experience of having a dog aboard a boat with a traditional stern? I know there is not a lot of space out back but is there enough room for a dog to mooch around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 No. At least not safely. We have always lifted our dogs onto the cabin roof where they have been quite happy to lie down close to the steerer but without the risk of getting in the way at the wrong moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Depends on breed of dog. Also depends on build of boat. Some traditional decks are bigger then others. Also are you thinking of a trad with a boatman's cabin or an engine under the floor (it affects the access) from the cabin to the deck. Will you have seats welded on the back deck. Our old boxer hated it and our current boxer loves it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john6767 Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Our dog lies on the rear deck most of the time, or she stands and looks down one side of the cabin. Tried her on the roof she does not like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingtheboat Posted April 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Just now, Tonka said: Depends on breed of dog. Also depends on build of boat. Some traditional decks are bigger then others. Also are you thinking of a trad with a boatman's cabin or an engine under the floor (it affects the access) from the cabin to the deck. Will you have seats welded on the back deck. Our old boxer hated it and our current boxer loves it. Yes, I can see that there are a few different things to consider, and I'm not even sure that the dog would want to spend a lot of time outside anyhow - I'm just interested in how other people have got on in case there are things I haven't thought about to think about! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 1 minute ago, missingtheboat said: Yes, I can see that there are a few different things to consider, and I'm not even sure that the dog would want to spend a lot of time outside anyhow - I'm just interested in how other people have got on in case there are things I haven't thought about to think about! Also forgot to mention that the steel can get very hot in the summer. Also consider the lead, I have seen people trip over a lead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingtheboat Posted April 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 3 minutes ago, john6767 said: Our dog lies on the rear deck most of the time, or she stands and looks down one side of the cabin. Tried her on the roof she does not like it. ...and it doesn't cause you any problems? I've seen a few trad sterns that look like they would easily accommodate a dog bed of some sort under the tiller. I'm sure it depends on the temperament of the dog. Just now, Tonka said: Also forgot to mention that the steel can get very hot in the summer. Also consider the lead, I have seen people trip over a lead. ah yes, a very good point. I don't think he would tolerate being lifted up onto the roof. He's a lurcher and generally content to laze around most of the time - when he's not haring around a field of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 2 minutes ago, missingtheboat said: ...and it doesn't cause you any problems? I've seen a few trad sterns that look like they would easily accommodate a dog bed of some sort under the tiller. I'm sure it depends on the temperament of the dog. ah yes, a very good point. I don't think he would tolerate being lifted up onto the roof. He's a lurcher and generally content to laze around most of the time - when he's not haring around a field of course. @dmr has Lurchers and a trad. I have seen dog beds on the boatmans hatch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 I see dogs sitting in the well decks like figureheads, watching where they are going. Please don't tie a dog with a lead on a boat, if they fall off they hang. Better to let them swim free. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingtheboat Posted April 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 10 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said: I see dogs sitting in the well decks like figureheads, watching where they are going. Please don't tie a dog with a lead on a boat, if they fall off they hang. Better to let them swim free. ...another good point, I don't imagine him needing a lead really - we only need one when he's near a road. I can imagine he would be very happy on the well deck given how content he seems just staring out of the window at passers by when at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy D'arth Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Just now, missingtheboat said: ...another good point, I don't imagine him needing a lead really - we only need one when he's near a road. I can imagine he would be very happy on the well deck given how content he seems just staring out of the window at passers by when at home. Another plus is the dog is away from the engine and can get inside when required. Most don't like lying on top of a thumping diesel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray T Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Our JRT / Border Terrier cross wears one of these when on the boat. Dog Harnesses | Ruffwear UK Not cheap but then what is your dogs life worth? Easy to grab pooch by hand or boat hook. One issue we came up against was when our previous dog fell off the boat, we had a job persuading an oncoming boat to stop. They couldn't see the dog in the water. Mrs. T had to go to the bow and yell at the people to stop the boat. Drill is the same as man overboard, first of all put your boat in neutral and hope there is not a strong wind blowing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingtheboat Posted April 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 5 minutes ago, Ray T said: Our JRT / Border Terrier cross wears one of these when on the boat. Dog Harnesses | Ruffwear UK Not cheap but then what is your dogs life worth? Easy to grab pooch by hand or boat hook. One issue we came up against was when our previous dog fell off the boat, we had a job persuading an oncoming boat to stop. They couldn't see the dog in the water. Mrs. T had to go to the bow and yell at the people to stop the boat. Drill is the same as man overboard, first of all put your boat in neutral and hope there is not a strong wind blowing! This is a really great idea. He has a K9 harness already with a handle but he'd probably slip out of that one. It's good to know there are harnesses like this available - look perfect. Thank you very much for the tip!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerbeerbeerbeerbeer Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 1 hour ago, missingtheboat said: ...and it doesn't cause you any problems? I've seen a few trad sterns that look like they would easily accommodate a dog bed of some sort under the tiller. I'm sure it depends on the temperament of the dog. ah yes, a very good point. I don't think he would tolerate being lifted up onto the roof. He's a lurcher and generally content to laze around most of the time - when he's not haring around a field of course. Dmr has a similar make of dog if not the same, he’ll hopefully be along to say how his happily sleeps under the tiller. But doesn’t like getting wet in locks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frahkn Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Our goldie has the freedom of the boat as normally both front and rear doors are open. She usually stays on the back deck. Although the deck is small (even for a trad) and both she and I are large, we seem to manage ok. She is never on a lead but is not excitable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingtheboat Posted April 24, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 10 minutes ago, frahkn said: Our goldie has the freedom of the boat as normally both front and rear doors are open. She usually stays on the back deck. Although the deck is small (even for a trad) and both she and I are large, we seem to manage ok. She is never on a lead but is not excitable. Good to know, I expect we'll be doing much the same. He'll wander around and sort himself out on the whole I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frahkn Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 1 hour ago, missingtheboat said: Good to know, I expect we'll be doing much the same. He'll wander around and sort himself out on the whole I'm sure. If, like me, you have your engine in an engine-room; consider fitting a shield over the belts and wheels. I have one, without it she couldn't pass through the engine-room safely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 9 minutes ago, frahkn said: If, like me, you have your engine in an engine-room; consider fitting a shield over the belts and wheels. I have one, without it she couldn't pass through the engine-room safely. Seconded. A dog can really mess up a nicely polished vintage engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonka Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 30 minutes ago, MtB said: Seconded. A dog can really mess up a nicely polished vintage engine. But you have got rid of the Beta Tug Engine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain_S Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 Ours spends a lot of time on the back deck. Can be a bit worrying, as she can slip downstairs without being noticed. Also, she has fallen in once: not sure how, but only spotted by a very wet dog on the towpath! When we had more than one dog, they were banned from the back deck, as it was too easy for one to push another one overboard (probably accidentally! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zenataomm Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 In life, if any outcome can happen, eventually it will. The fact you ask the question indicates you recognise the danger and that the dog not necessarily will. Your question "I know there is not a lot of space out back but is there enough room for a dog to mooch around? " is indicative of your priorities. Others may be asking things like: - If my dog falls off the back, will the steerer of the boat following always see it and avoid chopping it up? Will I always see it and have time to throw the prop into neutral to avoid chopping it up? I'm not going to labour the point, simply, please don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cuthound Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 6 hours ago, john6767 said: Our dog lies on the rear deck most of the time, or she stands and looks down one side of the cabin. Tried her on the roof she does not like it. My GSD/Collie cross used to lie on the counter. My GSD couldn't be trusted not to leap off, so we always had to cruise with the cabin doors closed. Too early to tell with the current 8 month old lab. In my view it is the best place for them, provided the steerer is steering from the correct position of inside the hatches. However if the steerer stands on the counter the dog becomes a trip hazard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 2 hours ago, zenataomm said: Others may be asking things like: - If my dog falls off the back, will the steerer of the boat following always see it and avoid chopping it up? Will I always see it and have time to throw the prop into neutral to avoid chopping it up? Or perhaps:- If I trip over the dog and fall off the side of the counter will the dog always see it and have time to throw the prop into neutral to avoid chopping me up? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bod Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 "Space, how much do you need?" Swampy's favourite place, laying on the starboard deck, watching the water go by. Bod 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted April 24, 2022 Report Share Posted April 24, 2022 I had two large Labs, well one was more than large and they would sometimes lay on the rear deck, well no one else was using it. They would come up as they pleased and never tethered, I have seen one with the back end go overboard while the head was in a noose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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