Best Small Boat Dog?

[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

I shouldn't go here, but if you are considering the possible necessity of eating it you are again thinking cat. Not only would a dog's loyalty be hard to swallow. Cat is the tender choice. The other other white meat!

I first took the OP's comment about eating the dog as a joke, but if that's his real thinking I wouldn't recommend any pet!

A pet for companionship involves caring and emotional attachment, and if the OP doesn't feel that -- then he's not a worthy owner. If he does feel that, eating your companion (a dog or cat) is one notch below cannibalism, IMHO.

Taking the emotion out of it dogs and cats will cost far more for care and feeding than emergency rations of the canned and freeze-dried variety.

[NewMoon]

Scrappy, our 17-lb Border Terrier, was about as fine a small cruising companion as one could want. She spent most of the summers from 1999-2012 on board in BC and/or SE Alaska, and enjoyed it immensely. She always loved to get out and walk, and would happily go a couple miles or more, but could stay on board our 26-footer for days at a time with no problem. No need to take her ashore to go potty.

BT's don't shed a great deal (especially if you hand-strip them occasionally, which I have finally learned how to do with our present 11-lb BT). They have wonderful friendly personalities, especially for a small terrier. They love people and other dogs (Scrappy loved our Himalayan cat as well). They are enthusiastic about chasing after small critters, and are not car smart, so need to be on a leash when walking anywhere near cars.

Being terriers, they do have their own view of things. They don't live only to be by your side or comply immediately with your every wish, but they are great and very interesting little friends. Their first two years or so they're pretty energetic and rambunctious, and they do benefit from basic obedience training.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Melani

Hey Blue Crab,
Labradoodle can be small, wont shed hair, not black and very smart.
Loves chasing birds off the boat and dosent eat too much but I still cant get him to make coffee. Loves help though.

Oh dear, we seem to have one that's the opposite. 40kgs, malts daily, chases birds off the end of the jetty and but forgets to stop, looked like a Disney cartoon. Also smart - can untie a bowline with teeth and paws means you have to be careful how you tie him up. Loves the slipway including the mud and likes rolling in fox poo - what is that about.

Pete

[The Garbone]

Gotta go with the Jack suggestion. Once they figure out the geometry of jumping up the companionway you can play fetch for hours. Ours is a good watch dog, as in he goes nuts if dogs walk by, people, well he could car less.

[Sandero]

Westhighland White Terriers are super. Mine love the boat and boating (one passed).

[westwinds]

Keeshond, the original canal boat dog.
Canal Dog
Keeshond - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Some other canal dogs, mostly mixed breeds:
Canal Dogs | Spitalfields Life

[Ukeluthier]

Originally Posted by Tomi

I have had a Jack Russell and they are a great dog but require LOTS of exercise. What about a Bichon? Smart, agile, loyal, hypoallergenic, and easy to carry ashore when necessary!

My power-boating in-laws have a Bichon Frise that they take boating with them every weekend and on some week-long cruises. It is trained to go on an absorbant disposable pad that clips onto a special frame on the afterdeck. The dog seems very happy with that arrangement.

She is very sociable, doesn't shed and not too yappy, but she's really a pampered lap dog... very satisfied with minimal exercise.

[Cheechako]

Is that a small boat or a small dog?

[Ukeluthier]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Is that a small boat or a small dog?

I think Bichons average around 20-25 lbs, so the dog is small.

My in-laws' boat, on the other hand is quite large... a SeaRay 52.

EDIT: Doh! I see now that you're talking about the original topic heading.

[Ocean Girl]

Scupper barks at people and dogs and hates to be away from us and any action.Here he is when I threw him below to stay out of the way while we were hip tying to another boat.


His good outweighs his "pita" 1000 to 1



I know this doesn't help you much Blue, but I had to do some bragging. I hope you find your little guy like we did, he really gives us a lot of joy.

[Bestathook]

I have a ShiTzu that only barks at intruders, doesn't shed, weighs about 10 pounds, and loves to live on my sailboat, or just ride on the bow seat of a canoe. Her breed was bred to be companions to people, and she does it very well.

She lets me know of intruders, then I take over, which is really all any dog can do.

We refer to her as "little friend of all the world" (out of Kipling). With very light body and dark face, she is a "chick magnet", and almost any woman who is near her stops to pet her. Oh, how I wish I had known that when I was younger.

[carlylelk]

Originally Posted by jeanathon

I shouldn't go here, but if you are considering the possible necessity of eating it you are again thinking cat. Not only would a dog's loyalty be hard to swallow. Cat is the tender choice. The other other white meat!

C'mon people, let's recognize humor when it hits us in the face!

[slowshoes]

We love all kinds of dogs and have two wirehaired mini dachshunds ourselves. They're great boat dogs - we have a 32 footer and don't feel the least bit crowded with them aboard.

These are pics from the internet (my wife and I have stayed true to form in our terrible camera technique when taking pics of our dogs), but our boys pretty much look like these guys.

[Cheechako]

I love daschunds... long hair being my favorites. never seen the wire hair variety before. Ours are part cocker so... bigger and a little funny looking! .... little short but thick legs and long bodies..

[westwinds]

Originally Posted by Ukeluthier

I think Bichons average around 20-25 lbs, so the dog is small...

My Bichon is 15 pounds, but gets carsick very easily. That's why I mentioned in a previous post that I thought the keeshond, the Netherlands barge dog, was a good dog as temperament is the same; however, the Bichon is not a good watch dog. The Keeshond was said to not have a problem with seasickness. I was recently talking with a neighbor that has two Bichon dogs that he takes everywhere by car with no problem. Better test the dog for seasickness before committing to ownership. Not only is cleanup a problem, but the dog is miserable.