Dogs on Board...

[HappyDayz]

Prior we have had two Staffies and different times.

 

Both breeds are boatable. JRTs as they are small and manageable, Staffies as they can be a deterrent to potential boarders. But knowing how friendly Staffies are their bark is worse than their lick.

 

Martyn

But not their 'aft end', their bodily functions can be close to a bio hazard!

 

A freind of mine had one that if anyone sat on his comfy chair, could clear the room on demand - phewee!

 

Alan

[Nightwatch]

I used to get the blame for the dog. I'm at an age where I couldn't argue. So George theStaffie it was you. No wonder you had that smile.

[gazza]

Gert big 47kg lump of a rottie is our boating companion.

 

He's been on since a pup, now 8 years old, absolutely loves it.

[gazza]

 

4 years ago,the boat was pre paint job and a year before his complete ban from venturing out of the cockpit. clumsy git wnet DOB at Great Barford meaning i had to jump in to rescue the floundering hound.

 

 

 

A slightly dark shot on the way to the Dog in a Doublet, no one is allowed on the roof now its been painted!!

[Pykebird]

Always had big Dobson the boat, at one time 3 of them! They all had their place and as I'm om my own 99% of the time they always were well behaved. I could leave the boat anywhere and never get any kind of trouble.

Sadly the brain tumour got the best of my big fella a month ago, has left a huge gaping hole in my heart

Edited July 15, 2016 by Pykebird

[gazza]

Always had big Dobson the boat, at one time 3 of them! They all had their place and as I'm om my own 99% of the time they always were well behaved. I could leave the boat anywhere and never get any kind of trouble.

Sadly the brain tumour got the best of my big fella a month ago, has left a huge gaping hole in my heart FB_IMG_1465315771240.jpg

Lovely looking hounds, my old man reckons a proper dog is one you don't have to bend down to stroke!

 

No words will really help with your loss, you probably know that anyway, but if it's any help I feel your pain. It's 7 years 6 months since we lost our last one and 10 years since our lovely little Sheltie went. Both are often in my thoughts, which, when all said and done is why we have em, they enrich our lives like people can't, and even though it's mega hard when they go it pays never to loose sight of that.

[ditchcrawler]

How do you manage with heat in the boat on hot days? Leaving the dog alone etc?

Try leaving a Max-Min thermometer on the floor and see what sort of reading you get even on a hot day, obviously you need a little extra ventilation other than what the gills and mushrooms give. I am talking Narrowboat, I dont know what a cruiser would be like.

[gazza]

Try leaving a Max-Min thermometer on the floor and see what sort of reading you get even on a hot day, obviously you need a little extra ventilation other than what the gills and mushrooms give. I am talking Narrowboat, I dont know what a cruiser would be like.

Can be Ot.

 

We leave the hatch open, tent up but roll the sides up. Curtains shut to give a bit more shade. All our dogs have survived OK with this sort of regime.

 

Walking is kept to a minimum when the mercury is rising as well.

 

If on shoreline or underway I click on the fan only on the plinth heater, this draws cool air from the bilge and boneheaded is most appreciative

[Lord Gadbury]

Evening,

 

My dog loves boating, now she has realised the bit between 'Boat and Shore' is wet, very cold and you can't walk on it, you just get very cold, and have to get yourself out.

 

Question for all you dog owners:

 

I have an American Bulldog, getting loads of bad press ( American Bulldog (types)), have any of you got experiences of meeting an ABD ?

 

I had GSD before, first time with any bull breed, and I am very happy with her 5th carer at 18 months old, had her now for 2.5 years, I avoid labradors ( they roll over on sight ),

[kawaton]

On 21/06/2016 at 09:15, cuthound said:

Having read this thread with interest, there really is only one type of dog to have on board, and that is a "cuthound". Buster was a GSD/Collie cross rescue dog from the RSPCA who we got at 6 months old. He had his first boat trip cancelled due to the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001, so his first trip was in the August of that year.

 

He took to boating straight away, and would either help with the locks, staying still until told, despite distractions from people and other dogs, or he would sit in the "Cuthound Seat" over the gas bottles on the semi-trad shareboat we had then, helping Dad to steer.

 

He died just over a year ago, and we now have Zeus, the apprentice cuthound. He looks like it will take the full 5 year apprenticeship for him to become a fully fledged cuthound, as he cannot be trusted to help at locks and barks at dogs on the towpath or on other boats

 

Here are a few photos.

 

The original Cuthound helping Dad to steer.

 

 

 

Catching a few rays on a sunny day.

 

 

 

In the Cuthound Seat with Mum

 

 

 

The apprentice caught red pawed in a chair.

 

Both were large dogs, which is not problem on a narrowboat, providing there is a wider "passing space", such s where the corridor crosses the galley. If not, either you or the dog had better learn to reverse!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Cuthound

You have a semi trad boat I believe......

how does Zeus get on climbing the stairs upto the stern? Never taken ours onto a semi trad and the steepness of the stairs concern me.

Edited August 13, 2017 by kawaton

[frahkn]

1 hour ago, kawaton said:

Hi Cuthound

You have a semi trad boat I believe......

how does Zeus get on climbing the stairs upto the stern? Never taken ours onto a semi trad and the steepness of the stairs concern me.

We have a full trad with a tug deck - so steps at both ends. Our retriever has never had any difficulty with either.

This is a cautious dog who cannot be persuaded to use a gangplank or cross pierced metal bridges.

[cuthound]

9 hours ago, kawaton said:

Hi Cuthound

You have a semi trad boat I believe......

how does Zeus get on climbing the stairs upto the stern? Never taken ours onto a semi trad and the steepness of the stairs concern me.

The semi-trad in the photo was our last shareboat. 

Buster used to leap up the steps without problem until he was 13, then he began to struggle with has the steep steps onto the semi-trad deck.

When we bought our own boat we went for a modern, rear engined trad, with gentle steps along side and onto the top of the engine. Buster managed these with ease,  but unfortunately died a year after we got the boat. The only problem with this arrangement is that the dog cannot climb onto the roof, however as Zeus is reactive to dogs on the towpath, this is probably a good thing.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2017 by cuthound
Spillung