Pets On Deck Part II

Wow! We had such a great response to last week’s article: Top Ten Tips for Boating with Pets. We asked for photos of your pets and you answered!

First and foremost, we want to give a shout-out to Robert Austin, who graciously gave us tips from his real experience:

“We have sailed over 50,000 miles with Labrador retrievers aboard. There are a couple of comments I would make:

Make sure the life jacket has a good and secure strap around the chest, and that there is a “handle” (fabric webbing) which you can grab ahold of, or easily get a boat hook into—then use for hoisting aboard. I would add that retroreflective fabric on the life jacket will make finding easier at night should one go overboard.
As for the “do the duty”, we found that house broken dogs do much better with their elimination issues if a scrap of carpet or “pee pad” is forward or aft deck—not in the cockpit. The dog tends to see the cockpit as an extension of their living space—and will be reluctant to “soil this”.
In our sailboats, we had a safety harness (the life jacket) and a tether to clip on a jack line—for the dog, just as we did for ourselves when crossing oceans. We also put 2 x 2 fishing net along the bottom of the lifelines, to make the chance of falling over far less (Never had a dog go overboard even in hurricane force winds and seas to match).
The dog needs a secure place to sleep. At times in sailboats that even means a “lee cloth” for the dog’s bed.
Dogs can hear dolphins long before we hear or see them. We found many times our lab would trot onto the foredeck alerting us about those wonderful mammals long before we realized they were near. “

Thanks again to Robert—looks like we’ll need to update our top ten list.

And here is your array of onboard pets:

(use the left and right arrows to view the pictures)

Susanna and Lounging Lilly

Yellow Lab Lilly lounges on a center console in Florida with her best pal Susanna.

Jordan and Charlie find some shade

Jordan and Charlie are all smiles as they find a shady spot on deck.

Totally Tubular

Charlie takes a breather after a tough day of tubing.

Coco Leads the Way

Big things come in small packages. Just ask Coco, she’ll tell you.

Demanding Dogs

Garry Spencer, a member of the Antique Outboard Motor Club Incorporated, says many members bring pets to meetings. Garry is the Evinrude General Interest Group Leader and Florida Chapter Newsletter Photographer and says this has always been a favorite picture. This sassy poodle was captured at Big Sand Lake, Florida.

“Cat” Dog

This pup looks happy to sit on his catamaran and watch the world go by.

Swim Test Complete

Toodles takes his new lifejacket to the test.

Homeward Bound

Zoe takes in the scenery aboard m/y The Family Business, a 61-foot trawler.

Pepe takes a peek

This pretty kitty LOVES to live aboard. Check meow-t.

No Swimming, No Problem

This pup doesn’t like to swim, so her owners taught her to climb on a float. Looks more luxurious than swimming to shore.

Weather Watchers

These dogs keep one eye on the horizon.

Accessories Aboard

This pooch is looking fly in her swimsuit and lifejacket.

Getting Comfortable

All smiles here! Morgan gets comfortable with her owners on a floatie.

Suns Out, Tounges Out

No shame here! Sam is letting it allllll hang out!

Bone Voyage!

Nola and Basil aboard the Bone Voyage. Points for a great boat name!

Buddy

Buddy relaxes in the shade of the bimini.
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Thank you so much to everyone who submitted photos! Your pets look great on deck!

Planning a boating excursion with your dog (or cat) this weekend? At Southern Boating, we believe that pets are a part of the family and should be treated as such.

However, boating with pets isn’t without challenges and additional precautions will keep your furry friends safe and sound.

Here are ten tips for boating with pets:

Acclimation
The first time your pup comes aboard, it probably isn’t wise to go deep-sea fishing. Pets, like people, need to acclimate to the movement and feel of any vessel. Start slow and progress. Not all pets will be comfortable right away, so use baby steps (or in this case, puppy steps).

Swim Test
Some pets love the water. Others may need time to adjust to swimming. Take it slow and test out your pet’s reaction to the water well before you head out to sea.

Lifejackets
Be sure to purchase a lifejacket for Fido if you have concerns about your pet’s swimming strength or stamina. There are a variety of places to purchase lifejackets for your pet. Make sure that the lifejacket fits properly so your pet doesn’t slip out accidentally.

Pet Overboard!
Speaking of lifejackets and swimming—make sure you have a plan in place if your pet does happen to go overboard. Ideally, this should be thought of and discussed before your pet steps on board.

Water, water everywhere…
but not a drop to drink! Your pet, like all people, will get thirsty. Bring plenty of fresh water and make sure your pet knows where to find it.

Identify
This might be a no-brainer but make sure your pet is identifiable.

Throwing Shade
Okay, so more like providing shade. The sun’s rays are even more powerful on the water, so make sure there is ample shade for your pet. Or you may want to invest in a pet sunscreen—sunscreen for humans often includes zinc, which is harmful if ingested, so pet sunscreen is best.

Boarding
If your pet is larger or older, you may want to have a boarding ladder. This can also be helpful for getting your pet back on the boat from the water.

Seasickness
We’ve all been there. An occasional bout of sea-sickness is nothing to worry about, but if your pet gets sick regularly, they might be better off staying on land. You can also discuss motion sickness medications with your veterinarian.

Answering Nature’s Call
Okay so we saved the grossest one for last—but don’t let it deter you from a day on the water with your best friend. Many housebroken pets will be reluctant to go on board your boat but they can be trained to use carpet scraps, wee-wee pads or litter boxes placed in the cockpit.

It takes a bit of time to prepare your pet for the boat—but, after the first few trips, all should go smoothly. Go slow, drink water, have fun.

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Do you have photos of your pet on board? Send us a picture to info@southernboating.com to see your pet on our website next week!