Living afloat with dogs

[Squeezy]

@ DMR, small steps, slowly. As for the barbed wire adventure, been there....several times. I always had rough coated lurchers before these two and they had much, much tougher skin. I should have listened to the bloke who advised me to marry a vet if I was going to get smooth coated hounds!! Squeezy

[luctor et emergo]

Get a cat instead. Much easier. Nicer for kids to.

 

None of my cats have ever sat in front of me, licking their unmentionables, and then tried to lick my face....

[sueb]

Cats go walkabout when you want to go cruising which can delay you somewhat. Our dogs have been fine on the boat but our daughters dog, an Akita / Alsation cross didn't like water. He had trouble coping with locks and would put his head inside the back doors so he couldn't see the walls moving.

[Squeezy]

A friend of mine describes cats as 'furniture with an attitude problem'! Horses for courses I guess )

[Leni]

None of my cats have ever sat in front of me, licking their unmentionables, and then tried to lick my face....

 

Really???? You've been lucky then, that's all I can say! Of my four, there are three who will regularly do that!

 

My son's boat cat has been with him on the boat since she was a few weeks old. She also goes 'home' in the car with him to Wales, where her sister lives full time apart from occasional visits to the boat. Before they travel he gives them a dose of Zylkene, which is suitable for cats and dogs, and which is supposed to calm them down when facing stressful situations. You can get it from a vet, or buy it on t'internet.

[Mandy]

I was hoping to show you my happy live aboard Cairn Terrier but I can't figure out how to post a picture! I started off by leaving her just for a few minutes and then praising her hugely and now I can leave her for several hours and she just sleeps. I do leave the radio on though so she isn't too disturbed by outside noises. Re heat, it's nothing like a car as you are sitting in cool water (well, not you - unless you have a leak, but your boat is!) However I do shut the sunny side curtains and leave windows open.

[FORTUNATA]

I'm currently looking after my German Shep buddy full time now as his owner is on holiday in Vegas. Normally I walk him at nights but now I call days as well as he's on his own. Today in the heatwave, I washed his blankets, changed his carpet and shampooed and groomed him. He smells now of lemon and looks fine. Happy too as he'd hate kennels.

Now I have to set the alarm and feed the dog it made me wonder how come I don't do it for money. It allows dog owners to have a holiday and the dog doesn't fret in the process.

This dog I always walked free of charge as it's a family connection. She says she'll pay me this time, though, as it's more involved and I'm taking care of the house a bit. After I go back to my boat and the dog is tucked in.

Usually dog walking is voluntary but maybe a handful of people make money doing it.

 

Hi Yes I do leave my dog on board by himself. What did you do with your dog before you had the boat? When I lived on terrra firma the dog could get into the garden via a dog flap so was used to going out when he wanted.I work full time and sometimes long hours so have just got a dog walker. I let him out before work, then he gets 2 walks about 4 hrs apart with the dog walker them I come home. I do leave him on his own if I go shopping or out for the evening. Just try leaving her for a little while and then build up that time. Hopefully she wont bark or wreck the place but I wish you good luck.

[fee666]

Hi Fee, yes we have an English Bull Terrier. She is a typical bully, very stubborn & quite lazy so not a big fan of walks, but once out & about she gets into it. Throw other people & dogs into the mix then she is in her element! She is extremely sociable & a real attention seeker

Boating appears to suit her perfectly so far but at home she likes to have a mad run around now & again, it hasn't happened on the boat, yet

 

Always nice to meet a fellow bullie owner! she sounds just the same as my Tig. he hasn't managed to do a bullie shuffle on the boat either.

the only problem we have is that he can not swim and hates his life jacket!

He does a very good sink! though as we found out when he fell of the back, so now he stays attached to his harness when on the back just incase!

Edited May 23, 2012 by fee666

[Canal Rat]

Bodie and Sky

 

Can't post the pic. Must be too big or something.

 

Yeh, 2 is company.

 

Bodie (on top) totally hates water. She can swim but only if she really has to. Ever watched a dog try to walk on water ......... ?

 

Sky is the opposite. She is a water baby. Will happily swim up and down the canal for great distances. Another favourite of hers is jumping in for stones thrown. Not bothered about bring the stones back she just loves jumping in. I'll have to get some vids posted on youtube.

 

I leave the TV on timer when I go out and I haven't really had any problems. Sky will only settle on the boat. Anywhere else and she just sits at the door waiting to come back to the boat. Think she is just affraid she might not see the water again.

 

For info: I use nappy bags for the dogs. Sainsbury's Basics. Bag of 100 for £ 0:18

Edited May 25, 2012 by Canal Rat

[carlt]

Can't post the pic. Must be too big or something.

[Canal Rat]

Thanks for that Carl

 

 

Edit: Forgot to mention, Morrisons Saver Nappy bags, £0:12 for a bag of 100

Edited May 28, 2012 by Canal Rat