Last updated: May 28, 2025
Boating With Your Pets
On #NationalLoveYourPetDay, Learn how to safely take your pets boating with you.
The 5 words your dog always loves hearing “Wanna go on the boat?”. If you enjoy boating, there’s no reason not to take your best friend with you. After all, dogs love going places with their owners. Safety is important on a boat and it is especially important if you take your dog along with you.
Let’s start with the basics for what you need to know when taking your dog boating:
- Invest in a K9 Life Jacket
- Visit the boat with your pet prior to your trip
- Develop a plan in case your pet goes overboard
Life Jackets for Dogs
You can find life jackets for your pet at most pet shops or boating stores. Remember when buying a life jacket for your dog make sure it’s a good fit. Even though most dogs can swim, high seas or fatigue can cause drowning in even the most avid of swimmers, so don’t risk it, get your dog a life jacket.
First Aid
Make sure you have a stocked pet first-aid kit aboard. The Humaine Society of Amercia suggests the following items
- Absorbent gauze pads
- Adhesive tape
- Cotton balls or swabs
- Fresh 3% hydrogen peroxide to induce vomiting
- Ice pack
- Disposable gloves
- Scissors with blunt end
- Tweezers
- OTC antibiotic ointment
- Oral syringe or turkey baster
- Liquid dishwashing detergent (for bathing)
- Towels
- Small flashlight
- Alcohol wipes
- Styptic powder
- Saline eye solution
- Artificial tear gel
- Phone number, clinic name, address of your veterinarian as well as local veterinary emergency clinics.
Going to the bathroom onboard
Take plenty of dog waste bags and paper towels with you on your trip as well as an odor neutralizer to clean up after your dog. If you can train your dog to use puppy pads this is ideal as it will make cleaning up after the dog much easier.
Keeping your pet hydrated
Bring plenty of water on board your boat for your pet. Long days on the water could leave your dog dehydrated. We suggest buying a collapsible bowl such as the one’s listed here on Chewy.com. It is suggested that you do not allow your pet to drink water from the lake or sea.
Sunscreen
Just as we need sunscreen to protect ourselves from the sun, so do some of our pets. Sunscreen should be applied to the dog’s belly and inside the hind legs. Most breeds of dogs can get easily sunburned, it is recommended to use a light sunscreen such as SPF-15 on your dog.
Taking these simple tips into consideration can help make your pets first boat ride one that they will cherish. Just remember to plan ahead, train, and prepare your pup for the adventure!
Have a great photo of your pet on the water?
Submit your photos to Marketing@southernboating.com for a chance to be featured in our April 2020 Issue of Southern Boating Magazine.
