Sailing with a large dog?

[flyingwelshman]

I'm sure this has come up a few times - and I have used the search function (but I seem to get all of Sailing Dog's posts as a response) - but how would you suggest dealing with a large dog on my boat?

My dog, Jolson (a mostly border collie + everything else), weighs about 70 lbs. He loves the water but only if his feet can touch the bottom. His only experiences on a boat were once in my canoe - which he hated, and one night on my boat at the marina - which he didn't mind.

The challenge is getting him back aboard when we are not at a dock. I have a freeboard of about 3'. We do not have a transom gate or swim platform.

I'm sure that Jolson's claws would shred my dinghy.

I want to take him cruising with me but I can't think of how to deal with his toillette. I'm really not keen on the astro-turf solution.

Does anyone have any suggestions for getting him back aboard while at anchor?

There is a doggy ramp that attaches to a swim platform, but I don't think it would be anywhere near long enough with my freeboard. Is there another devise that would do the trick?

I thought of some kind of sling, but Jolson would freak.

Anyhow, any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated.

[kwaltersmi]

My dog, a 65lbs golden retriever, has no problem climbing a boarding ladder. In fact, she even climbs up a 7' step ladder into the cockpit when I have the boat on the trailer in my backyard.

I would suggest that you get your dog use to using steps/ladders. You'd be surprised at how capable dogs are once they overcome the initial fear and apprehension associated with new tasks.

[flyingwelshman]

Originally Posted by kwaltersmi

My dog, a 65lbs golden retriever, has no problem climbing a boarding ladder. In fact, she even climbs up a 7' step ladder into the cockpit when I have the boat on the trailer in my backyard.

I would suggest that you get your dog use to using steps/ladders. You'd be surprised at how capable dogs are once they overcome the initial fear and apprehension associated with new tasks.

How old was your dog when she started climbing ladders?

I know that Border Collies are really good at that sort of thing, but Jolson is 7-years old, and you know what they say about old dogs and new tricks.

[sandsailor]

get a harness to help you train her to climb.
if nothing else you can hoist her up with the boom

[sailaway21]

With all due respect, you searched the forums and you still posted this thread? You're a nice guy so I'm just going to leave it at that and go roll in the snow to dull the pain. Here's hoping to a productive outcome.

[Cruiserwannabe]

While I have used a Lift-n-Aid Mobility Dog Harness for our malamutes,one was a senior and an other young and energetic it worked well hoisting and aiding on powerboats 40 footer steel hulled (chartered)
for us it came down to animals choice,we found that our pets really did not enjoy this as much as we wanted them too so we had to decide what was best for them and in our case it was working our plans around them,boarding which was the hardest thing I think I have ever done
at one time we rented a handicap accessible oceanfront house just so the dog could come,or staying with a realitive has worked other times
guess all Iam saying is that sometimes what makes us happy does not always make our pets happy but google the lift n aid it works well for lots of needs.

[tdw]

Originally Posted by sailaway21

With all due respect, you searched the forums and you still posted this thread? You're a nice guy so I'm just going to leave it at that and go roll in the snow to dull the pain. Here's hoping to a productive outcome.

When I first saw this thread my immediate reaction was "Oh No Not Again" but what the heck. Soggy Doggy threads are usually good for a laugh.

I think dear Sway that it's how to dispose of those 'productive outcomes' that is the gist of the problem.

[T37Chef]

Originally Posted by flyingwelshman

(but I seem to get all of Sailing Dog's posts as a response)

Now that is freaking hilarious LOL

[Freesail99]

Originally Posted by tdw

When I first saw this thread my immediate reaction was "Oh No Not Again" but what the heck. Soggy Doggy threads are usually good for a laugh.

I think dear Sway that it's how to dispose of those 'productive outcomes' that is the gist of the problem.

I hear ya, I had to log out to compose myself

[Newport41]

We have a dog life jacket for our collie cross. He can swim for hours without it, but the handle on the back makes getting him aboard easy. I can lie on deck and pull him up by the handle on the back of the life jacket. He's 74lbs, if that's too heavy for you than perhaps you can hoist him aboard with a halyard. I have to assume you have some methode for getting an unconscience adult back aboard, maybe you can apply that.

As for everyone who dreads reading a thread that's been done before, you sound like by grandmother the way you complain. If you've been through the subject before how about you just don't click on the thread in the first place. For all you know new information might come from new members