Sailing with a dog can be a very rewarding and joyful experience. After all, this treasured pet feels more like a member of your family than a loyal and affectionate companion. You’ve probably asked yourself, “Should I bring my dog sailing? How could I ever just leave him behind?” This article will help you decide whether or not having a dog on your sailboat is worth it for you, and fair for your dog.
Realities of Sailing for a Dog
Most dogs seem to really enjoy sailing and all that it encompasses. There are new and exciting places to explore, there are strange and compelling scents everywhere, and there are new people and other pets to meet all the time. Is your dog truly up for the adventure or will the unknown tend to stress your dog out? Only you can make that call. Below are some facts of life about a dog’s life aboard a sailboat.
Know Your Dog’s Temperment
The first aspect of sailing with a dog is his/her temperment and personality. Does your dog socialize well? Your dog will be just like any other crew aboard. If you have a needy, unhealthy or generally unhappy dog, this is going to put a strain on all of the other crew. For example, dogs get seasick, just like people. Would you know what your dog needs in this situation? Is your dog able to share space with others, even when it’s not comfortable or convenient? There are a miriad of questions you should ask of yourself before committing your dog to your crew.
Dogs Have Limited Mobility on a Sailboat
There are many things that a dog is going to have to deal with while on a sailboat. Wave action causes the boat to roll, and under sail the decks will be uneven and at times slippery. You and I have two feet and two hands to support our efforts to remain balanced and in control. We can also reach out to a lifeline or a shroud if we lose our balance. Dogs on the other hand have four paws which have claws. This foot design is meant for sand, earth, grass, or mud etc. You need to consider whether or not your dog will be able to move about the cabin and on the decks, and quality of life he will have to endure if movement around the sailboat isn’t possible while sailing.
Dogs Should Be Trained
Anothe aspect of having a dog aboard is the dog’s ability to be trained. Just like any other crew, your dog will need to understand and follow commands. Your dog needs to stay when told. He needs to find his bed when told. He needs to stop, be gentle, pee and poop when told. A dog that can not take instruction or follow commands is going to be a real liability on the sailboat. In an emergency or urgent situation, you need to know that you can rely on your dog to follow all the commands he has been taught.
Limited Energy Output on a Sailboat
Dogs require certain levels of physical and mental exercise each day. For some people, satisfying the needs of an energetic dog is the motivation they need to get themselves more active and engaged in their community. On a sailboat, your lifestyle changes greatly compared to that of land. This also means that your own physical exertion levels change. This is often the point of getting a sailboat. Relaxation.
For your dog, however, this lifestyle change may not be the best thing for him. Where he once was taken for a walk each morning and evening, he now spends most of his time on the boat. Will your dog be able to adjust to a reduced energy output lifestyle? Is it fair to him?
After considering some of the personality and lifestyle challenges that are inherent with sailing, you’ve decided that, Yes, your dog is indeed joining you.
Awesome! You are joining a growing community of sailors who love and enjoy their pets, and would never look back on the decision to include them in their travels.
Dog Safety
There are some safety issues to consider when taking your dog sailing. Just like any human crew member, your dog will need a lifejacket, first aid resources, protection from the elements, and a doggy-suitable emergency protocol to follow in the event of a crisis or abandon ship scenario.
The life jacket you choose should have a handle or two, it should be brightly colored and it should have reflective surfaces for visibility at night. It also should be fitted properly since your dog will be wearing it for most of the day. The ‘Outward Hound Granby Splash Dog Life Jacket‘ is a great option and Amazon.com carries one for around $20. I really like this lifejacket because it meets the above criteria and for its variety of sizes to fit almost any dog.
XX Small 11-14″ Girth, up to 11lbs
X Small 15-19″, 11-18lbs
Small 19-24″, 15-25lbs
Medium 22-29″, 20-50lbs
Large 26-35″, 40-70lbs
X Large 31-42″, 70-90lbs
Another tip is to shop around and buy a few different lifejackets. Dogs tend to get weary of the fit of just one jacket and it’s good to have a rotation in case hot spots or irritation develops on the dog’s skin under the jacket.
Dog Overboard
Face it, dogs are going to struggle to move around and steady themselves on a sailboat. The purpose for the lifejacket is in case the dog falls in the water. But what then? How do you get a dog-overboard back on board?
Getting a dog back on board depends on a few factors. If you have a small dog, say under 30 pounds, you could reach over the side with you boat hook and attempt to hook the handles of you dog’s lifejacket. You could also use your tender to go get the dog and pass the dog up to the sailboat from the tender. Whatever action you choose, please do not jump in the water after your dog. That just puts you and your dog in jeopardy and makes a tense situation far more serious.
If you have a larger dog than 20 or 30 pounds, you can use the mechanical advantage of your sailboat rigging to get your dog back on board. You will of course have to cease all sailing efforts and strike sail for this to be possible.
For example, you could attach a hallyard to the handle of the dog’s lifejacket and hoist him up the side of the boat using a winch. I know of some sailors who will run the hallyard down the length, and off the end of the boom. They swing the boom over the side of the boat, directly above where the dog is in the water. The halyard is then lowered to where it can be attached to the dog. When the halyard is hoisted, the dog will rise out of the water. Because the boom is supporting the dog’s weight, it will swing back towards the cockpit where the dog can be deposited.
Dog Designed First Aid Kit
A quality First Aid kit designed around pet specifics is essential aboard a sailboat. The link above is for a kit that contains all the usual first aid kit stuff, but I really appreciate the Veterinary Otoscope and the digital thermometer. There may be situations where you are days or even weeks from a veterinarian. Any equipment that you have for diagnosing health issues in your dog is totally worth the minimal space it takes to stow it.
A dog, like any other crew aboard a sailboat, will require protection from the elements. In sunny tropical climates, the snout and belly are particularly susceptible to sunburn. Be SURE to use dog specific sunscreen. If you use human sunscreen, you may run into problems. Dogs are unable to resist the mango coconut infused ingredients of human grade sunscreens, and they will sniff and lick their coats if they smell these alluring scents. Sunscreen will upset your dog’s stomach, and this means dog vomit cleanup in your cockpit or decks.
I prefer spray on sunscreens for their ease of coverage. Plus you don’t have to deal with clumping fur or hair when using a cream based sunscreen. Epi-Pet Sun Protector Spray for Pets found at Amazon.com is a great product at a reasonable price. Like any sunscreen, be cautious using this when swimming near coral reefs. Sunscreens are a contributing factor to coral reef degradation. Also, because this is a spray sunscreen, make sure to never spray at your dog’s face. Always spray onto hands and gently press into face area, being careful to avoid the mouth, snout and eyes.
Dog Friendly Emergency Preparations
Emergencies may happen and you need a plan for dealing with them. Earlier in this article I explained how to handle the relatively common “emergency” situation of dog-overboard. In the most extreme case, you could be called to abandon ship into your life raft. Most inflatable emergency life rafts are made with people in mind, not dogs. Because dogs have claws, this poses a real risk to the integrity of your high pressure inflated raft.
One feasible option is to install a vinyl or carpet flooring liner to the emergency raft. The first step would be to use paper to line the flooring of your raft. With a paper stencil drawn and cut out, you can overlay this pattern to make a custom fit flooring that can withstand your pet’s claws. This is also a great idea because in an emergency, you may track in broken glass or other sharp object with your footwear.
Provisioning for Your Dog
Food and water are obviously on this list. Make sure the dog food is properly stowed away from direct sunlight. Some people like to use zip lock or other resealable bags for dog food. These are great because they can kind of take the shape of whatever container or locker they are stuffed into, and they keep the dog food relatively fresh – as opposed to storing it in the dog food bag itself.
The disadvantage of resealable plast bags is that they can only be refilled a couple of times before they wear out. The track that is pressed to seal the bag often gets dog food dust in it, and the bags don’t seal well.
There is a sailboat friendly and dog food friendly solution! Check out the Viddles Vault. This container keeps dog food fresh, keeps food smells sealed inside, is easy to fill and scoop out of. It comes in a variety of sizes to suit your dog’s needs and to suit the space you have aboard for your dog’s provisions.
One thing your dog may need is a way to cool down. Summer, or a tropical climate, can be a real challenge to our furry family members. Water is of course paramount when cooling a dog, but there are additional ways to bring the temperature of your dog down.
One fantastic solution is to offer a cooling mat for those especially hot days. Cooling mats such as these do not require power, refrigerants or water. They provide cooling for up to 3 hours. This is more than enough time to treat an overheating dog and keep his temperature regulated. When these cooling pasds need a “charge up”, simply remove the pad to a shaded, cooler area and with non-use, the pad will be ready again after about 20 minutes.
Pet Passports: International Pet Travel
Sailing with your dog on board does have some added complications when travelling internationally. Just like people need passports, there are documents and certifications you need for your pet. Because every country has different guidelines and restrictions, it is not possible to go into any amount of detail here.
There are several websites that do offer detailed and current information on importing and exporting your pet to different countries. One such international pet travel site is bringfido.com Be sure to familiarize yourself with these stipulations when putting together your sail plan.
The Poop Deck: Potty Training Dogs on a Sailboat
Dogs can have significant trouble learning how to use the “loo” while aboard a sailboat. It is not uncommon for a dog to simply refuse to void his system on a boat, no matter how many strategies you use. This is not good, and can lead to health issues such as bladder and/or kidney infections.
Many sailors prefer to take their dog to shore each morning and evening, but that is not always going to be possible.
One of the most successful methods for sailboat-training a dog, is to use an indoor training mat. Amazong has several to choose from, but the one I have found to be effective for most dogs is PETMAKER’s aritficial grass bathroom mat. This mat simulates grass, and provides a little bit of area for your dog to do the “poop dance”. If you have a larger dog who does a larger dance, you may want to lay two of these side by side. Once the dog has done his business, these mats can be rinsed off in the sea and hung to dry until next time.
To get your dog accustomed to the pee mat process, try implementing it while at home, or at least on land for as many sessions as you can. The dog needs to develop an association to the mat first, then bring the mat onto the boat and establish a consistent ‘business’ area. Of course this is not a sure fire method for boat training your dog, and of as they say “your mileage may vary.”
Vaccines and Other Medical Preparations
At most ports of call, you will find that a quaranteen is imposed on your dog until you can show sufficient disease interventions. Common vaccinations listed below should be sufficient for most ports of call, but be sure to check with your vet on any developments or international standards of care/prevention as these are subject to change yearly.
- C5 vaccination including , Distemper, Kennel cough, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza, & Bordetella
- Rabies booster
- Coronavirus
- Titer test (very important)
It may be a good idea to get your dog microchipped as an additionaly preparation step. Being thorough with your pet’s health and his impact on other animals in various ports of call bodes well for your admittance into any country you visit.
Summary
Including a dog in your sailing adventures is such an amazing opportunity. Sailing with a dog is not without its challenges and complications, but for those who choose this lifestyle, there is truly no looking back. Be sure before you set out, to examine your dog’s temperment to see if he can handle life aboard a sailboat. Take the time to properly train your dog. Buy and use a lifejacket that your dog can tolerate. Learn about and practice emergency situation mitigation, and finally, take you dog’s health seriously by vaccinating and documenting him fully. Sailing with a dog can be an amazing and rewarding experience. Your dog’s best life just may just be on the open water!