Introducing a dog to the boat

[Guest]

 

(Any excuse for a picture)

 

 

 

that's a great picture!

 

We took the opportunity when we were in France this year to give Dennis a few lessons in the pool at the Gite, though I did worry about the affect the chlorination would have on him so he wasn't in too long at a time. About as long as he would need to swim to the side if he fell in again.

 

Looking at that pool though I guess that must be chlorinated so perhaps my concerns were unfounded?

[comfortably numb]

We were lucky as our dog took to it well but it helped that she was over the excitable puppy stage (10 months old from a dogs home) . We bought a cruiser stern principally because of her as we didn't want to be tripping over her and she loves to lie/stand and watch the world go by.

 

Her first outing was on a hire boat on the Mon & Brec and the only problem was she was unnerved by the banging about in locks, and when the hull of the boat scraped along the bottom on some shallow sections on the southern end of the canal.

 

She loves swimming but will only go in when told she can and never directly from the boat. I think that when working locks provided you can stop them running about then they shouldn't be in danger of falling in and ours loves to 'supervise' when we are locking. If she stayed on the boat in locks she was initially nervous but has now got used to it.

 

Just be mindful of the dangers but as relaxed as you can, and provided you train the dog properly she will be fine I'm sure. It's amazing how adaptable dogs are.

[Ray T]

 

that's a great picture!

 

We took the opportunity when we were in France this year to give Dennis a few lessons in the pool at the Gite, though I did worry about the affect the chlorination would have on him so he wasn't in too long at a time. About as long as he would need to swim to the side if he fell in again.

 

Looking at that pool though I guess that must be chlorinated so perhaps my concerns were unfounded?

 

Martin, never had any trouble with Millie's skin and chlorinated water - a bit cleaner than the cut! In fact after coming out of the pool her coat is smooth and sleek. It also has an added advantage - gets rid of the dogie smell for a while.

 

This is just my personal opinion but I am wary of Millie going in the cut due to Weill's Disease etc, but perhaps I am being a bit dramatic? Who knows?

Edited September 29, 2013 by Ray T

[Guest]

 

Matrin, never had any trouble with Millie's skin and chlorinated water - a bit cleaner than the cut! In fact after coming out of the pool her coat is smooth and sleek. It also has an added advantage - gets rid of the doggie smell for a while.

 

This is just my personal opponion but I am wary of Millie going in the cut due to Weils Disease etc, but perhaps I am being a bit dramatic? Who knows?

 

Cheers..

[Penelope]

Our Cavalier is also called Lola! She is great on the boat and as others say yelps with delight as we drive into the marina

She fell in a couple of times when we first got the boat, and as both times were from the stern she will not get off the boat herself from there now, she has to be lifted off. She has no problem getting off at the bow though!

 

For us one of the main benefits to her of being a boaty dog is that she gets to meet tons of other canines which she doesn't at home. She was quite fearful and submissive when meeting other dogs, but now loves to meet and play with passing dogs.

 

Boats and dogs are great together!

[Doorman]

This is just my personal opinion but I am wary of Millie going in the cut due to Weill's Disease etc, but perhaps I am being a bit dramatic? Who knows?

No, you are being considerate towards her. Weill's disease is a real and present danger in the canals and especially stagnant waters. That's why we have Paddy inoculated annually against it.

[little duck!]

Thank you all so much for your replies, i am even more excited now! 6 more sleeps til she is ours! I will post pics when we have them and you can see how adorable she is, but then aren't they all! I quite like the idea of doggy swimming lessons as it may set my mind at rest too, however i cant quite picture her ears in the water!

 

Our 1st border collie was as soft as a brush, we spent a lot of time on holiday in Anglesy and she liked to paddle and join us playing in the sea ( i was 4 when we got her, brother was 8). One day we went to visit friends on the mainland at their very large caravan site, there was a large lake with steep sides. After a day of muddy exploits my dad decided to clean her off by dropping her into the lake. Instead of swimming to the nearby jetty she panicked and tried to get out of the steep sides, dad had to haul her out. Years later (and i mean years) we visited agian she was fine walking around the site, then we got to the top of the hill she saw the lake turned on her heel and fled, finding her way back to the caravan despite there being several hundred there!

 

I realise form all your replies that being a boating doggy owner puts us in a nice club of like minded people who adore their pets. We intend to train Bella well and have several books relating to the breed full of useful information on training but i think for me i will find it hard as she is just adorable. Still to this day an image of my 1st collie haunts me, i had asked mum to buy me pink wafer biscuits (vivid memory this!) when i discovered that i didnt like them i fed them to Penny, mum caught me and i was yelled at and dog was put in yard, the look on her face...... such sadness and that look which begs you to forgive her. I still feel guilty 30+ years later!

[Guest]

No, you are being considerate towards her. Weill's disease is a real and present danger in the canals and especially stagnant waters. That's why we have Paddy inoculated annually against it.

We learn something every day; never knew the dogs could be inoculated against Weill's. That'll be another increase to the vet's bill

[Neil2]

Nothing really to add to all the good advice offered except the comment about tunnels - the first time we did a tunnel we forgot to put the lights on inside and the dogs completely freaked. They still don't like the experience but I'm sure other dogs don't bother.

 

We all like dog pictures don't we...

 

 

One word of warning, a few years ago we were waiting to enter a lock on the Thames and there was a brand new Sea Otter narrowboat in front of us. Suddenly a chocolate labrador came flying, and I do mean flying, out of the front cratch and started swimming away from the boat. The two owners went absolutely bananas but after much hysterical screaming and shouting they managed to get the pooch to swim back and dragged him on board. He obviously thought this was great fun, but as we drew alongside in the lock the couple were clearly overwrought by the experience. It turned out they had only had the dog a few weeks and had no idea he could swim - they just assumed because he had never experienced water he wouldn't go near it.

 

He was well and truly anchored to the boat the next time we saw them...

[Guest]

They still don't like the experience but I'm sure other dogs don't bother.

 

Dennis our JRT get's a little anxious in tunnels and broad bridges.

 

I think it's a combination of the sudden change in the sound of the engine note and of course the change in ambient light even with the cabin lights on. But to be fair I'm not a huge fan of long very narrow/low tunnels either and get a bit a tense sometimes too so maybe some of that transmits to him.

[Doorman]

We learn something every day; never knew the dogs could be inoculated against Weill's. That'll be another increase to the vet's bill

Our vet includes the inoculation when Paddy goes in for his Parvovirus and Kennel Cough jabs. As far as I know, it's all part of the deal.

 

One word of warning, a few years ago we were waiting to enter a lock on the Thames and there was a brand new Sea Otter narrowboat in front of us. Suddenly a chocolate labrador came flying, and I do mean flying, out of the front cratch and started swimming away from the boat. The two owners went absolutely bananas but after much hysterical screaming and shouting they managed to get the pooch to swim back and dragged him on board. He obviously thought this was great fun, but as we drew alongside in the lock the couple were clearly overwrought by the experience. It turned out they had only had the dog a few weeks and had no idea he could swim - they just assumed because he had never experienced water he wouldn't go near it.

 

He was well and truly anchored to the boat the next time we saw them...

 

That's looney Labs for you!

 

We brought our Paddy's brother Max to see our boat at a previous marina when he was still a pup. Without any warning, as soon as I let him off his lead he charged along the 60' jetty and did a splendid dive into the marina. He'd never been in water previous to that occasion. Completely nuts, all of them!

[Morat]

Our new addition to the family is a Basset hound and with little legs and big bodies i doubt she will be a good swimmer!

 

Neither of ours swim well, and one doesn't swim at all. The lifejacket with a handle is definitely required, she won't be able to jump on or off the boat until 18months old and will need to be carried up and down stairs. All bassets should be kept on level ground as much as is humanly possible until their front legs have developed fully or they can end up with nasty bow legs and a permanent problem.

 

Spot (in my picture) is a lazy jumper and has fallen in several times because her back end hasn't made the full distance. This is followed by a tail first vertical entry into the water. Usually she bobs back up after a few seconds, once she ended up under the base plate and I had to pull her out. This was while wearing a jacket.

 

Myrtle (Spot's larger full sister) hates water with a passion and jumps any gap with maximum power. She has fallen in less often, but her classic manoeuvre was trying to turn round on the slippy ledge above a lock sluice inlet (forgive the terminology!). She had her front paws on the ledge (underwater) and the rears on the bank. When she had finished drinking she didn't reverse but tried to do a 180 on the spot so her rear legs slipped off the ledge and she was soon sucked partly into the lock sluice. I had her jacket within 2 seconds of her falling in or she would have been sucked right into the tunnel.

 

Bassets are not water dogs! But on the upside they're very happy to let you get on with boating while they sleep for hours and their natural pace means you'll be moving about the same speed as the boat when you walk them on the bank - if you keep them away from the most interesting smells (everything smells interesting to a Basset). They're also very calm when other boats/dogs pass you by. Our Bassets just love to stand and stare at dogs on passing boats. The other dog is often barking and jumping all over the place but Bassets have a very impressive "Bovvered?" face.

 

Our Bassets are happy in tunnels but can get anxious in locks. They'll sleep through a lock if you do it well. They don't like the boat banging into things or sudden bursts of throttle... good training for the steerer

Edited September 29, 2013 by Morat

[Arthur Brown]

If you worry about the dog, they will sense it and worry about anything or nothing. If you walk on the boat as if it's home then they will be at home too.

[Neil2]

Our first dog, now sadly departed, once got himself trapped upside down between the boat and the canal side - we had left him tied up outside while we were inside having lunch and thought it safe enough. A passing duck carcass was enough to lure him in though and it was only the prompt action of a nearby boater that stopped him from drowning. We've never left the dogs unattended since.

[lockedout]

Nothing realy to add...

 

We cruise around with three dogs on the boat - One older Rottie and two young Border Terrorists.

 

The Rottie preceded the boat ownership, but spent several holidays on hire boats and was no problem at all - she is such a laid back dog that she takes it all in her stride. She isn't a huge fan of walking the plank, preferring to take a leap of faith. She is a good swimmer, so doesn't bother with a lifejacket even on the Thames, she is also too old and wise to fall off (Famous last words!)

 

The Terrorists arrived post boat ownership and have known it since they were brand new. They love being on board, but are sometimes a bit worried about getting on and off, they don't like the slippery stern deck when it is wet. 'Er indoors says they have to wear lifejackets when on the Thames, but not on the cut (and who am I to argue?).

 

We do get some amused looks when people see all three of them lined up on the stern deck watching the bubbles disappearing behind us.

 

They can be a PITA - but we wouldn't be without them

[spannerman]

When we introduced Winston to boating life, he was a 4 month old pup and we haven't had any problems other than a reluctance on his part to use the boarding plank. He wears a buoyancy aid when we are on the move as the handle on the back comes in very useful when he falls in (he is a Labrador after all) . We use a 50' training lead attached from the centre line tee stud to his buoyancy aid which stops him running off when we are working through locks etc. We also have "corkscrew" type spike to attach a short lead for when we are moored for any length of time.

We have stable doors on front of the boat and keep lower halves shut so he cant get out and run off but at the rate he is growing i shall have to find another solution sooner rather than later.

[comfortably numb]

Protection against Weill's Disease is usually included in the dog's annual booster injections. We made a point of asking our vet because our dog Laylah loves swimming in the cut, and my photo of her here is of her outside Baddesley Wharf on the Coventry Canal between Atherstone locks 6 and 7.. She's standing in the waters edge waiting for me to throw a stick in again

 

In that hot summer weather we had it was a great way for her to keep cool and I often felt like joining her.

[ditchcrawler]

I would suggest that you include in her training that she doesn't get off the boat until you tell her to, the same with the car. Stay in until told to get out.

No, you are being considerate towards her. Weill's disease is a real and present danger in the canals and especially stagnant waters. That's why we have Paddy inoculated annually against it.

Is it?

[Skye]

I have two border collies, Skye absolutely loves going on boats, yet her daughter Rona, hates it, shakes from the minute the engine starts.

We are quite good at training and recognise that under certain controlled techniques Rona will stop her dislike. But I'm not willing to put her through it now a land / dog lover is willing to take her for my hire periods

[8 Hairy Feet]

Yep a solid sit/stay is essential,

Once she gets the hang of it make sure

you proof it where there are distractions.

[Doorman]

Is it?

According to ROSPA Weil's disease is a real and present danger to both humans and animals.

 

"Although human infection in the UK is minimum it is still worth taking preventative measures to decrease the possibility of contracting it"

 

I believe that it was Carlt who once described how a dog belonging to one of his friends suffered a horrific death from contracting Weil's disease.

 

Even though the last reported figures in 2006 were only 44 humans diagnosed with the disease, I would hate that Paddy was also victim to the infection and given that he's still in training for the Olympic swimming team his risk factor is somewhat increased.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Doorman

[Ray T]

According to ROSPA Weil's disease is a real and present danger to both humans and animals.

 

"Although human infection in the UK is minimum it is still worth taking preventative measures to decrease the possibility of contracting it"

 

http://www.ehow.co.uk/about_5262962_weils-disease-dogs.html

 

Worth reading.....

 

Quote

 

"Leptospirosis, also commonly known as Weil's Disease and Fort Bragg Fever, is an infectious disease that affects dogs, cats, humans, rodents, pigs and other animals. It damages the liver and kidneys of its victims. Some strains of the disease are increasing in the frequency. These particular strains are being seen more often by veterinarians, while those most commonly vaccinated against seem to be decreasing".

Edited September 30, 2013 by Ray T

[Guest]

Protection against Weill's Disease is usually included in the dog's annual booster injections. We made a point of asking our vet because our dog Laylah loves swimming in the cut, and my photo of her here is of her outside Baddesley Wharf on the Coventry Canal between Atherstone locks 6 and 7.. She's standing in the waters edge waiting for me to throw a stick in again

 

In that hot summer weather we had it was a great way for her to keep cool and I often felt like joining her.

 

It's certainly included in Dennis' - his vaccination record confirms this.

[Doorman]

8 Hairy Feet, on 30 Sept 2013 - 09:08 AM, said:8 Hairy Feet, on 30 Sept 2013 - 09:08 AM, said:

Yep a solid sit/stay is essential,

Once she gets the hang of it make sure

you proof it where there are distractions.

 

We tried this with Paddy but his alcoholism got the better of him!

 

 

Edited October 1, 2013 by Doorman

[little duck!]

So it is less than 24 hours till we have our dog- in fact we were debating how early is too early to pick her up in the morning! This has been a very long week and i dont know how much sleep i will actually get tonight, its better than Christmas! One worry i do have as i know it is very highly likely, is that she will cry tomorrow night when we go to bed, what do we do? Let her cry or try to comfort her? If we go to her wont this start a bad habit?