Dog on the boat?

[jetskipro550]

Dogs on the boat are great....spending hours cleaning up dog hair in the carpet is not!

[LS-One]

Love dogs have three, no dogs on boat.

Learned my lesson years ago when our Cocker Spaniel jumped in the water when we were not looking (off the houseboat) swam out and retreived the fishing float thinking it was a tennis ball. After digging the fishing hook out of her belly and a tangled mess of fishing line, that was the last doggy trip.

[WakeGirl]

David,

Have someone keep an eye on the pooch while you're pulling somene.

When we had our first inboard, we only had one lab that we always took on the boat with us. She loved it, but the problem is that she thought that she was a rescue dog & would try to bail out the back when the rider would fall. It's hard enough to drive, keep the kids where they need to be, watch the rider, watch for other boats....there's enough stuff to keep you occupied without adding a dog to the mix. So that's why we got our second lab. He stays home with her now & they keep each other company while we're at the lake. JM2C

[pennery]

I agree with Tracie on that one. Our last dog (lab) would do the same think so I put him on a leash attached to the pylon. After a while he got the idea. But still everytime the boat stopped he had to go in the water and he would swim circles around the boat until we told him to come in. Then we grabbed his collar and lifted him in.

He would even want to sit in the boat when I was cleaning it.

[WakeGirl]

I will tell ya', when we started leaving the girl at home with the new boy, it was hard to look at her that whole first summer. The look of betrayal on her face while we would get the boat ready.....

[Stanley Wheelhouse]

dog, wife, what is the difference?

[WakeGirl]

Ouch!

Pennery,

I forgot to compliment you on your boy. He looks completely at home.

[VinRLX]

Pennery, love the pic of the dog w/fish!

We didn't take our old pooch in the boat during her later years, though she was in our other boats prior. Our new pup has yet to grace the Malibu and, though I'm a dog lover, not sure she will. So far while we ski she is perfectly content to wait in the yard or take advantage of the view from our bed.

[Birm]

We have always taken our dogs, but they are small dogs and since they are short hair Schnauzer's they don't shed. They have been lake dogs since they were weened. If they need to go to the bathroom they swim to the shore and when finished they swim back. We've never had a problem with any scratches or tears, but like I said they are small dogs.

I don't think we'd take them if they were big dogs like a lab or something like that unless I had a pontoon or something. THe bu isn't made for that.

Nice looking dogs!

We were intent on bringing our Boxers on the boat once we got it. We even bought booties for their feet, and had them prancing around in the house to get use to them. However, when we picked up the boat I too became really anal, really quick about keeping it clean. I have yet to bring the dogs out with me. I may bring one of them at some point, but right now I am just enjoying the boat being clean!

Edited August 30, 2006 by Birm

[krakdaddie]

Dogs have a difficult time getting back on the boat in the water.

Have to give an assist on to the swim deck

my favorite assist is when we r loaded to surf...then she can just walk right up the sunken platform

-krak

[mikeg]

Our 90# lab always goes with us. Yeah, the dog hair is a b****, but it's something we put up with. We clean daily with a lint roller and that TV rubber bristled brush and a 12v vacuum cleaner. The cleanup at home does take quite a while 2 hours to vacuum all the hair and detail out the boat.

The dog wears booties and a life vest (www.ruffwear.com). We have never had any problems with the vinyl or scratching the gel coat. She got used to the booties right way. The first time was entertaining wathcing her "high-stepping"! Now when we take out the booties, she sits a lifts her paw for us.

So the downside for us is extra cleaning. The upside is she's a blast to have along and we don't have to hire a petsitter or use a kennel.

[Sunset_Bob]

Nice looking dogs!

We were intent on bringing our Boxers on the boat once we got it. We even bought booties for their feet, and had them prancing around in the house to get use to them. However, when we picked up the boat I too became really anal, really quick about keeping it clean. I have yet to bring the dogs out with me. I may bring one of them at some point, but right now I am just enjoying the boat being clean!

Thank you! We lost the bigger one last year to cancer. Broke my heart to loose him. The smaller one is his son and we still have him but he is getting old.

We have a black & silver Schauzer who is now a year old. He's going to be a great lake dog also, Loves to go out in the boat and swim.

We always started ours going out in the boat as puppy's and they are just part of the family.

[WakeGirl]

Now that is a great picture.

[auto]

Bulldogs don't swim that well or do ggod in the heat, but it was the perfect summer evening

[vlxjeff]

I have a friend down in Texas (infrequent crew member) who has a couple Schauzer's. The oldest one is a real boat dog. This picture was from the Texas WOW this summer.

[aneal000]

We have an airedale terrior. I wanted a lab but the wife (being the smarter of the two of us) researched dogs and came to the conclusion the Airedale was a waterdog (webbed feet like the lab) and didn't shed. We got her as a puppy and she has been a great dog. We trained her early to "go pottty" on the swimplatform and even now we can go out for 2-3 days and she knows to go to the swimplatform to do her business. We had her on every one of our Malibus and as a 70 pound dog with big paws/claws she never hurt the vynil.

On the flipside we invited the wife's bosses down to the lake last weekend and they brought their dog - a something spanial - pretty dog, but OMG. He was on the boat for 2 days and ruined it! By sunday I was literally picking hair out of my food! I didn't realize how nice it was to have a dog that didn't shed until we spent a weekend with one that did! Nothing a powerwasher, vacuum, steamcleaner, sticky roll, (repeated monthly) won't clean up!

[LS-One]

We have an airedale terrior. I wanted a lab but the wife (being the smarter of the two of us) researched dogs and came to the conclusion the Airedale was a waterdog (webbed feet like the lab) and didn't shed. We got her as a puppy and she has been a great dog. We trained her early to "go pottty" on the swimplatform and even now we can go out for 2-3 days and she knows to go to the swimplatform to do her business. We had her on every one of our Malibus and as a 70 pound dog with big paws/claws she never hurt the vynil.

On the flipside we invited the wife's bosses down to the lake last weekend and they brought their dog - a something spanial - pretty dog, but OMG. He was on the boat for 2 days and ruined it! By sunday I was literally picking hair out of my food! I didn't realize how nice it was to have a dog that didn't shed until we spent a weekend with one that did! Nothing a powerwasher, vacuum, steamcleaner, sticky roll, (repeated monthly) won't clean up!

Is that a real one ? It looks stuffed...

[aneal000]

Is that a real one ? It looks stuffed...

My big fuzzy bear! Yep she's real, and now stuffed with some Ti in her rear leg...

[Brad B]

Guarding my vest

[oneramirez]

We have an incredibly well behaved Belgian Shepard that we'll take out with us occasionally. We throw a blanket over the seats in the bow playpin area and she just kicks it up there all day. Keeps the hair mainly on the blanket and she loves sitting right in front of me all day with the wind blowing on her.

We also have a very large German Shepard/Retriever mix. He doesn't go, as he's NOT well behaved. He likes to ignore us and act dumb when he doesn't want to obey. Our other dog responds with a quick look or whistle. This one requires a strong yank on the leash. Not too compatible with boating...

Edited August 31, 2006 by oneramirez

[VinRLX]

Tony, nice pic of the pooch. BTW, love what your decorator has done with the place.

Brad, always good to have the dog guard your vest. Nice shot of your toe ring as well.

[mikeg]

Dogs have a difficult time getting back on the boat in the water.

Have to give an assist on to the swim deck

I've designed a folding step that straps on the swimstep. It has gone through 3 modifications now and my lab is now able to climb onto the swimstep unaided. Is there any interest out there for such an item? I am proceeding with the 4th generation which should get it right. I would then have to find someone to manufacture (read: sew) it professionally. Any thoughts would be helpful.

[jpk]

My Chow Chow comes on the boat occaisionally for non-wakeboarding cruises. We have some booties like others have mentioned and she wears a life jacket. The dog is well behaved and can't do any damage with the paws covered. As long as your dog is properly trained and disciplined so that it knows to stay in the boat and where it can sit, you shouldn't have any problems. (If you don't have full control over your dog, then maybe bringing your dog in the boat isn't your only problem.)

Fur is easily picked up by hand or with a vacuum, and they don't get any furrier than a Chow. However, it sounds like some have breeds with very fine hair that gets embedded into the carpet, so your results may vary. I think the booties are a must as even clipped nails could leave a mark in gelcoat or vinyl at any time.

We've taken the dog out on wakeboarding days, but she gets very worried about folks in the water. It's instinctive for them. She sits on the floor next to the drivers seat and stares back at the rider in shock. We don't want to stress the dog out, so we don't do that anymore.

[WakeAndSno]

Dogs have a difficult time getting back on the boat in the water.

Have to give an assist on to the swim deck

I've designed a folding step that straps on the swimstep. It has gone through 3 modifications now and my lab is now able to climb onto the swimstep unaided. Is there any interest out there for such an item? I am proceeding with the 4th generation which should get it right. I would then have to find someone to manufacture (read: sew) it professionally. Any thoughts would be helpful.

I'm interested. Can you explain the step?

[mikeg]

Dogs have a difficult time getting back on the boat in the water.

Have to give an assist on to the swim deck

I've designed a folding step that straps on the swimstep. It has gone through 3 modifications now and my lab is now able to climb onto the swimstep unaided. Is there any interest out there for such an item? I am proceeding with the 4th generation which should get it right. I would then have to find someone to manufacture (read: sew) it professionally. Any thoughts would be helpful.

I'm interested. Can you explain the step?

Without giving away the farm (so to speak), the step will sit on the swimstep strapped down ( +/- 18" wide x 18" deep x 6" hi) when not in use. It does not project below the swimstep at all. Releasing a strap allows the step to unfold into the water. 2 rods are installed at this point for rigidity and you are done. The only part of the step that remains on the swim step when deployed is the 18x18x1" hi nonslip platform. I have a teak swimstep. Can those with the fiberglass swimstep explain to me how the swim step attaches to the transom. Is there a gap between the swimstep and the transom (the teak swimsteps seem to have a gap (space) that varies from 1/2" -1" )?