Does anybody live aboard with a dog?

[nb Innisfree]

 

Cheers Phil. As I indicated earlier we are off later today to see some pups (JRT's) - if we reserve one it will be just four weeks away before they can leave their mother, so that will be long enough in our minds to be without one. Everybody is different and I appreciate some might want to leave it longer but we know already it's the right time for us, besides we need something to bring this ruddy cat down a peg or two.

Go for it mate, I reckon Dennis approves.

 

I have just reread your thread about losing Dennis and tried to read to my missus 'Rainbow Bridge', posted by Ray T. Jesus I couldn't do it without cracking up, I had to hand it to her to read for herself. I'm an absolute believer in life after life for all living things not just humans, there are so many near death experiences with folk reporting having met up with their 'dead' pets and the joy experienced by all.

 

Call me daft if you like but I'm convinced.

Edited February 5, 2014 by nb Innisfree

[Mick and Maggie]

We have two wire haired fox terriers 5 and 14 years old. They love the boating lifestyle. We have a couple of lifelines restricting the dogs when on rivers and we let them walk up and down the roof on the canals. Always keep their collars on as its easier to extract the dog with a boat hook. A boat with out a dog is like a pub without beer.

[notaminga]

Two border terrorists, a collie and a lurcher - we must be mad!

[Daiboy]

I have my Minty, a Westie, to keep me company. Seems to like similar position to yours Loubyscooby.

 

Sorry about the loss but get another one soon Southern Star.

 

Edited February 6, 2014 by Daiboy

[Guest]

Does this look familiar to any one?

 

[mattlad]

Does this look familiar to any one?

 

Reminds me of a collie we had when I was a nipper. He used to roll in smells so strong you could chew them!

[Phil Ambrose]

Crazy Maisie still does this, Fox poo is her favourite, followed by Deer dung then Goose, Swan or Duck. Yuk!

Phil

[bostin01]

My pair seem to be coping!

 

Obviuosly not liveaboard.....................yet (lol)................. this could be my back up plan!

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2014 by bostin01

[StarUKKiwi]

Oh all these cute photos!

Note though to remember. cats have staff, whereas dogs have owners!

Our four love being onboard - 14 year old cats have a new lease of life, although I don't know how much time we have left with them - kidneys are starting to go

[nomad - tuttle hill]

we have a small terrier , very good on the boat , loves walking on the roof as we travel the canal , looks after the boat at the locks guards the boat well !

 

loves the coal fire at night

[Mick and Maggie]

I'm sat here watching the old girl Abbey. She is an indomitable character. I suppose as dogs go she has been around for quite a long time. In that time she has obviously observed us at close quarters. She is aware of every slight inflection in our voices. So for instance, whispering about going to the vet is sure to alert her. Not only that she observes what we do and more to the point, she knows exactly when we are scheduled to do it.

 

If we decide to have a trip to the shops when we should not be going to the shops she is instantly placed on high alert. Now, because the dog suffers from anxiety attacks when left alone we have to organise our outings whilst she is having one of her frequent siestas.

 

As I write, 09:45 she is up and around early. Her day tends to start much closer to 11am than 10am. I have just laid out her food. She sidled up, gives it as close a visual inspection as her old eyes will allow. When she finally decides that we are not trying to poison her. She carefully extracts one tiny piece to conduct further taste tests upon. So, she makes a unilateral decision that today the fare on offer is not up to the expected standard. So now, she has to make a judgement call. Ignore, eat or bury. She decided to go for the latter option.

 

With consummate ease the old girl decides that the carpet can be rearranged to cover the food. A quarter of an hour later and after much pushing and thrusting with her nose. The dish has made two laps round the coal scuttle. But the task is still unachieved. Its at this point she becomes a bit irritated. There are several short pauses while she re-evaluates the situation. A further short bust of nose shuffling round the bowl leaves her even more frustrated.

 

A change of plan, is required so she decides to lay alongside the dish guarding the contents from our other dog Poppy. Poppy starts much earlier in the day and has long since had her breakfast. in fact her dish has been washed and dried ready for future use. The old girl decides that a short walk might help. She paces up and down the boat. Returning to look at the food bowl once more. Even more pacing is obviously called for. On her return, there is a low whimper of frustration before a further futile round of carpet nuzzling.

 

She has a drink from her water bowl. before contemplating the situation once more. Conducted this time from a position in front of the stove. A new strategy is decided upon. She eats half the content of the bowl. Thereby reducing the amount of food to be buried. A further protracted round of nose shuffling of the carpet round the bowl. However, even with the amount of consumables reduced by half, the task remains unachieved.

 

Its at this point I am brought into the equation for persuasion. She places herself in my line of sight. With occasional glances at the food bowl. However, I choose to remain ignorant of her commands. Now there is an added, whimper or two. With more frequent glances at the food bowl. I still have not made eye contact. Now, there is a small whimper which comes with a light and delicate touch of a paw on my shin. I still choose to ignore the request.

 

The ultimate weapon is now deployed, when a hairy chin is placed gently upon my knee. I can see in the midst of the hair, two dark eyes, (one is slightly milky from the onset of a cataract) which are in close proximity to a small dark nose. There is a small pleading whimper, from the hairy and cute monster. I acknowledge and she immediately looks at the food bowl, before returning her gaze to me once more. "OK" I say, getting up I place the bowl out of reach.

 

With a sidelong glance, she heads for her bed. She begins to turn round and round in circles. She makes several turns in the opposite direction before resuming back to circling the other way again. There is an unsatisfied plop of her rear end, before I am placed in her gaze one more. She returns to circling again, first this way and then that. Followed by another unceremonious flop to her haunches.

 

I am once more the object of her gaze. So I move her bed a little closer to the stove. Then I gently lay her on her side after plumping up her bed. There is a contented sigh, as she lays back once more. The eyes close just as the blanket is tucked in at the edges.

 

Arranging my day, is such a tiring task. I know my place and so does she.

 

[Ange]

A lovely post Mick & Maggie - greenie duly awarded.

 

This evening I was laid on the sofa with Millie next to me. I absent mindedly stroked her belly, which she usually loves, but she's obviously feeling a bit crotchety this evening because I get the full Elvis (teeth bared). Big sigh, because I really don't want to do it, but we've agreed being up on the sofa is a privilege and she can't do that so she's sent to the floor. We both agree she has to stay there all evening to learn her place.

 

She walks up and down the boat, has a drink of water then tries to come back up. We send her back down. She sighs then takes her position sitting in my sight line with her most endearing look - the Cojack. She has one ear up in corgi mode and one ear down in JRT mode and her brown eyes steadfastly bore into me. I can't concentrate on the book I'm reading. Every time I glance up those eyes are boring into me. No whimpers, no whines, just silent pleading. It felt like hours but was probably only about 10 minutes before I said to Dave "ok, I'm sure she's learned her lesson - let her back up"

 

We know our place.

[station tug]

edited because i double posted..

Edited February 8, 2014 by station tug

[station tug]

heres some pics of my dogs....i was only going to have my two working dogs on the boat but i was mythered by friends to breed a litter so i kept a bitch pup back and had a dog pup returned at 9 weeks because he was to much for the family that bought him...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2014 by station tug

[Nightwatch]

Beautiful dogs, as I've mentioned before.

[Guest]

A lovely post Mick & Maggie - greenie duly awarded.

 

This evening I was laid on the sofa with Millie next to me. I absent mindedly stroked her belly, which she usually loves, but she's obviously feeling a bit crotchety this evening because I get the full Elvis (teeth bared). Big sigh, because I really don't want to do it, but we've agreed being up on the sofa is a privilege and she can't do that so she's sent to the floor. We both agree she has to stay there all evening to learn her place.

 

She walks up and down the boat, has a drink of water then tries to come back up. We send her back down. She sighs then takes her position sitting in my sight line with her most endearing look - the Cojack. She has one ear up in corgi mode and one ear down in JRT mode and her brown eyes steadfastly bore into me. I can't concentrate on the book I'm reading. Every time I glance up those eyes are boring into me. No whimpers, no whines, just silent pleading. It felt like hours but was probably only about 10 minutes before I said to Dave "ok, I'm sure she's learned her lesson - let her back up"

 

We know our place.

 

Ah yes.. the art of doggy emotional manipulation, they are masters at it and learn it at a very early age.....sent to me via. FB last week.

 

[Woodstock]

This dog might just be a stretch too far on a narrowboat

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2554418/Meet-Freddy-7ft-1in-11st-growing-The-Great-Dane-whos-big-walked-dark-dogs-wont-scared.html

[Nightwatch]

This dog might just be a stretch too far on a narrowboat

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2554418/Meet-Freddy-7ft-1in-11st-growing-The-Great-Dane-whos-big-walked-dark-dogs-wont-scared.html

He's a big lad!

 

Martyn

[Sas]

"For various reasons we are favouring a newly bred puppy rather than a rescue, even though yes the 'right' thing to do would be to get a rescue dog".

 

 

Forgive me for butting in, as a newbie to this forum / message boards in general - note: I can't even figure out the quote thing!!. We are currently looking to buy a short wide beam with a view to cruising in a year or two.

 

Having spent a very pleasant hour or two following the 'interiors' thread I then discovered this one, which is close to my heart!

 

We had a collie/terrier cross for 18 years and waited AGES to get another, for various accommodation reasons. The jobs we did meant that the (potential) unpredictability of a rescue terrier plus the tremendous amount of time required to socialise him/her( which we didn't have) wouldn't be fair on the dog. Consequently we decided to go for a Parsons Jack Russell from a breeder 12 months ago.

 

To say he is a 'character' would be an understatement, but he makes me laugh at least 2 or 3 times a day and he LOVES the water - swimming in a nearby lake whenever he gets the chance.

 

What I'm really saying is - go for it, you'll wonder how you lived without a dog for so long otherwise!

[Loafer]

I wouldn't be without either of my two dogs. One of them even does the cooking.

[Simple Things]

Beautiful post mick and maggie. Very Heart warming.

 

I've just been down on my very unfinished rescue nb with my rescue gsd. It was a lovely time. Both sat there under the pramhood part undone in the rain watching the ducks and whatever else that moved. It was a bonding time as many are (particularly outside). Can't wait till my boats finished and we spend more time doing the same. She will love it. I hope more than me.

[Bobbin]

Hi, Firstly I am so sorry about your loss, and I well know the void left by a much loved pet. Although I don't live on my boat I do spend a lot of time on her. I have a Staffie bitch and although she wasn't too keen at first she is now a real "Boat" dog. So much so she loves to visit my friends on their boats and will gladly come along if I am crewing for friends as well. But she was knocked into the cut by my friend's a Great Dane while playing happy daft along the towpath, my friend fortunately saw what had happened an quickly dragged her out, She did manage to swim and keep her head above water. Dogs don't have to be on a boat to fall in!! If I am going through locks and bridges I always shut her in the cabin, she has also got a Dog Lifesaver jacket that I have altered to fit her.