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what dog?


mucky

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Definitely not a border collie. Ours has taken an advanced "getting in the way" course and has a telepathic interface, so he knows where you want to go before you do, and wants to get there first. They do tend to be very high maintenance (we are on our second) and demand lots of walks and attention. Wouldn't be parted from him though.

Long hair means lots of hair to cope with.

I guess a big dog means lots of food to carry on the boat.

Graham

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Having been a dog rescuer in the past, I decided that since I was new to living on a boat, I would go for a pup so he/she could learn as I did. I also decided, for the first time, to pick a particular breed. I ended up with a Cairn Terrier (photos to follow). She is small, tough, fearless and doesn't moult at all (fantastic after owning a Labrador!)She has ridden untethered on the roof since she was 12 weeks old and loves it - even through the deep locks when she rides alone as I am single handed. She adores cruising and loves exploring new tow paths. She isn't perfect (when squirrel hunting all bets are off and her personal best for avoiding capture is 4.5 hours!)She loves everybody - people, dogs, cats... and has no inbreeding health issues. Oh and most important - I love her!

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I agree with you Liam. We have just managed to hand back my son's boxer, after fostering him for a year or two and I am enjoying the peace, lack of dog hair and dog sh*t, but I do think I would like a little boat dog and I would go to the dogs home first to try and find something suitable. But I have heard that it's all untrained Staffies these days and I wouldn't want one of those. A narrow boat requires a narrow dog, the smaller and sprightlier the better.

We have a Staffie and we are the third owners (keepers.) She is absolutely brilliant. Someone in the past has trained her a little. She loves the boat and especially the locks where she can meet people.

 

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww348/partymarty143/keyring1.jpg

http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww348/partymarty143/riostoned.jpg

 

What do you think.

 

 

Added another http://i734.photobucket.com/albums/ww348/partymarty143/DSCN0324.jpg

 

Martyn

Edited by Nightwatch1
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JRT for us -

 

Prior to Dennis we had a large very hairy but very lovable Golden Retriever - we vowed after 16 years with him we would never get another dog - but succumbed when we saw Dennis at just a few weeks old.

 

It's a personal choice thing but I can't imagine sharing what small space there is on a boat with a large breed dog... so it's a small one for us - takes up very little room is very portable and easy to yuk out when he falls in the cut (Yes he's done it twice!!)

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JRT for us -

 

Prior to Dennis we had a large very hairy but very lovable Golden Retriever - we vowed after 16 years with him we would never get another dog - but succumbed when we saw Dennis at just a few weeks old.

 

It's a personal choice thing but I can't imagine sharing what small space there is on a boat with a large breed dog... so it's a small one for us - takes up very little room is very portable and easy to yuk out when he falls in the cut (Yes he's done it twice!!)

Yes i agree. We had two JRTs before the Staffie. They both lived long and enjoyed boating, well we think they did. They never said.

 

Martyn

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I have a JRT. She is small enough to fit well into the space but 'big' enough to make a noise should anyone come onto the boat. She is friendly and happy and adaptable to whatever is going on... a ten mile walk or a day snoozing in front of the stove. She is happy to be part of any plans. A perfect boat dog.

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tell me what breeds are great for boat life, and what characteristics of what breeds are good for living on a boat?

 

Small and fiesty - but enough about the wife....

 

Poppy 4kg watchdog... and a nice fit into the boat.

team3.png

 

Bonnie 44kg back-up watchdog who is also a nice fit into the boat!

team2a.png

 

We never get any problems from scrotes.

team1o.png

 

Mick and Mag's

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Okay, anybody got any thoughts on a whippet on boat? I'm seriously considering on finding a dog to join Thea and me on Cobbett. The whippets I've met in past seem nice but I'm not sure how they will fit in with my part-time job, a gentle quiet cat and my dislike of smelly things other than Ellen, Thea and sheep fleece! Also the dog needs a sense of humour living with me and Thea as it's never quite what Ellen calls 'normal'

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Okay, anybody got any thoughts on a whippet on boat? I'm seriously considering on finding a dog to join Thea and me on Cobbett. The whippets I've met in past seem nice but I'm not sure how they will fit in with my part-time job, a gentle quiet cat and my dislike of smelly things other than Ellen, Thea and sheep fleece! Also the dog needs a sense of humour living with me and Thea as it's never quite what Ellen calls 'normal'

 

Whippets would tick all the right boxes for me if I was looking for a boat dog.

 

They are:

1. Small.

2. relatively cheap to feed.

3. Short haired, so they don't smell too bad when wet

4. Very loyal

 

But I am not sure how they would cope with being left alone on board for long periods.

 

I have a 15 year old, fairly large, rescue dog - He is as thick as 2 short planks and hates water but still manages to fall in the cut regularly.

If he gets off the boat in/near locks he is always on the wrong side of the canal to get back on. He is long haired and it takes about 2 hours for him to dry off after falling off the counter.

 

By contrast, my previous dog was a sheltie/sheepdog cross. She was highly intelligent and knew exactly when to jump off the boat and where/when to get back on - a real pleasure to have aboard.

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Bassett hound!

OK they are not very easy to train but they are perfectly capable of learning if you use the right techniques. And it has to be said that they are not strong swimmers so you should really put one in a jacket when on the move....

 

But their temperament is perfectly suited to life on the cut. They are very laid back but capable of fun (and mischief). They are just about the least threatening dog to look at but a growl from one is a rumble of seismic intensity. They rarely bark unless on the scent of a hare.

The most important thing is that they will not stand for being left alone so make sure you either get two or mark up dog friendly pubs on your maps.

If you keep a Bassett fit it is an excellent companion and very snuggly.

 

The lookouts!

4966602071_04e790ee52.jpg

 

Oh..the effort!

4966600775_bd73eea7e8.jpg

Edited by Morat
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Bassett hound!

OK they are not very easy to train but they are perfectly capable of learning if you use the right techniques. And it has to be said that they are not strong swimmers so you should really put one in a jacket when on the move....

 

But their temperament is perfectly suited to life on the cut. They are very laid back but capable of fun (and mischief). They are just about the least threatening dog to look at but a growl from one is a rumble of seismic intensity. They rarely bark unless on the scent of a hare.

The most important thing is that they will not stand for being left alone so make sure you either get two or mark up dog friendly pubs on your maps.

If you keep a Bassett fit it is an excellent companion and very snuggly.

 

Stepdaughter has a Bassett that has just enjoyed his first boating holiday!

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http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4966677929_c5bb83acc5_s.jpg[/img

 

3 of 4 Italian Greyhounds bit smaller than a Whippet and will sleep all day if left to there own devices.

 

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4966677929_c5bb83acc5_s.jpg[/img

 

3 of 4 Italian Greyhounds bit smaller than a Whippet and will sleep all day if left to there own devices.

Done the link wrong again must try harder.

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Okay, anybody got any thoughts on a whippet on boat? I'm seriously considering on finding a dog to join Thea and me on Cobbett. The whippets I've met in past seem nice but I'm not sure how they will fit in with my part-time job, a gentle quiet cat and my dislike of smelly things other than Ellen, Thea and sheep fleece! Also the dog needs a sense of humour living with me and Thea as it's never quite what Ellen calls 'normal'

 

Whippets can be very sweet, but seem to come in two varieties: Shaky Bag of Nerves and Placid. The placid ones are great but I'm not keen on the neurotic ones.

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4966677929_c5bb83acc5_s.jpg

 

3 of 4 Italian Greyhounds bit smaller than a Whippet and will sleep all day if left to there own devices.

 

 

Done the link wrong again must try harder.

 

You missed a ] off the end

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