Why Did You Choose Your Dog , Cat , Bird etc ?

[delmarrey]

Because this breed was taken out of Africa just to be on boats, chasing rodents. And he thinks he's a cat too. He's EZ to get in/out of the dinghy, doesn't eat much and guards the boat verbally from his station.


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[SailFastTri]

Originally Posted by River Cruiser

She was trained by prisoners at Leavenworth state prison, part of the Safe Harbor rescue group. She is boat trained;-) has to go ashore twice a day. She has some vision in one eye enough to see shadow & light, has a great nose to help her in familar places but if something is moved she'll walk into it. Always take her out on a leash for walkabouts, if no leash on when we go out she goes to the car, knows it's ride time. She is the best behaved pet I've ever had.

That is nice to read. Thanks for sharing that.

[SailFastTri]

We chose our whippet without regard for boating. He's no water dog, but he swims and has no fear of the water even though he lacks insulation and buoyancy. We keep a PFD on him when he's not below.

When we started bringing him on the boat he was so well behaved it was as if he was saying "see? no reason to leave me home anymore". He is the perfect boat dog. He dozes in the cockpit even in rough waters and high winds. The only time he gets active aboard is when he hunts flies in the cockpit. That's great entertainment for all aboard, and he's actually quite effective at snapping them out of the air in mid-flight.


Whippets are couch potatoes 99% of the time, but he does love walks and an occasional good run on the beach or a grassy area. They have a very strong prey drive, so most whippets shouldn't be let off leash unless they are in an area far from traffic, as they will chase any animal that moves and if it runs away they will lock-in like a missile and catch it. They are medium size, light weight for their stature (easy to handle in/out of the boat) and very affectionate. They are also very low-maintenance "wash and wear" dogs, with a thin short coat (dog coats are recommended in cooler weather). They also don't shed much.

[itamgshred]

Interesting topic. Having a pet is really a matter of happiness to me, too. My dog, too brought some joy in my life.

[CaptainTurtles]

This is my little guy, Fletcher. Mister works away at times and I wanted a companion! He's a cockapoo, a Cocker Spaniel and Toy Poodle cross. Perfect for us, as the toy in him will keep him small, and cocker spaniels are great water dogs, which he sure is!

He's only sailed for one day and he was GREAT. Just curious and as long as he was up near us he couldn't care where he is. We put his bed out on the helm so he was sheltered from the wind and he slept most of the time. He's about 9 months old now =)

[belizesailor]

Didn't choose mine -- they were part of a "package deal" (SWF w/ pets & plants). Ultimately, we went cruising with 3 cats and a parrot.

[mikefossl]

We chose out Miniature Schnauzer for size, allergies and temperament. He fit right in on the boat. The breed has a great ability to fit in in any situation and thrive on being an intimate part of the family.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by delmarrey

Because this breed was taken out of Africa just to be on boats, chasing rodents. And he thinks he's a cat too. He's EZ to get in/out of the dinghy, doesn't eat much and guards the boat verbally from his station.
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Hey! I used to have one of those -- it came with the "package deal". Unusual looking dog, but great personality.

She (the dog) was adopted by friends in Guate City...now she is living the pampered life, at a higher altitude cooler climate, with a gaggle of live-in staff to take care of her.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Hey! I used to have one of those -- it came with the "package deal". Unusual looking dog, but great personality.

She (the dog) was adopted by friends in Guate City...now she is living the pampered life, at a higher altitude cooler climate, with a gaggle of live-in staff to take care of her.

The nice thing is he likes being on the boat unless were in nasty weather. Then he has a hiding spot way back in an aft berth.


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[Nicholson58]

My favorite subject to bore you with!!!

We looked for Sid when I missed our Siamese. We both had allergies and the Standard Poodle is all hair - no fur. He picked us out at the breeder; sat on our feet whenever we looked at another pup. He sailed, hunted, boated, Michigan fan, anything. Died in Jan at 15. He ahd many tricks; ballance the cookie on the nose etc but the best one was, "Go Shake On Grandma" This would send a soaking wet dog a great distance to find my mother and shake like heck next to her. The silly red poodle is pretty nice too. She and we miss him.

[Celestialsailor]

Nellie is a great anti-theft device. Just take something you don't want to have stolen and give it to her and tell her that it is hers. You can see from the picture if you try to steal it, the possibility of adopting the name of "Lefty" is greatly increased...

[ardoin]

Mini-schnauzers. For all the same reasons as the other schnauzer owners. One loves to swim, the other would prefer to stay dry.
A boat isn't a home without a schnauzer or two.