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Puppy Based Question
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| souweine |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 10:48 AM
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So, my wife and I have a 10 week old lab puppy. We are coming up on boating season here, and I am looking for suggestions on boating with a puppy/dog.
Safety, comfort, etc. I am sure some of you folks take the dogs out.... do you have any advice?
Thanks!
Joshua
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| LabCab |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 11:01 AM
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Labs are the best boat dogs. I would never worry about mine drowning but getting one back onto the boat when full grown is a challenge. You might consider putting a harness type collar or one of those PFDs for dogs on your dog just for something to grab on to.
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| ioptfm |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 11:30 AM
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BIggest thing is to start them at a very early age if possible
Tom
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| ugageo |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 12:09 PM
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A harness-type collar makes water retevial easier. Although labs are great swimmers you should get a life vest and most have handles for retrieval. Let your new pup get use to it by putting it on and keeping the pup occupied w/a favorite toy.
BTW-Watch out for your back as your pup grows.
Mike |
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| kamie |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 12:28 PM
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Clip their nails
teach them down / stay / come
get a life vest - while dogs can swim, they can also drown
don't forget fresh water and a bowl
start slow, let them play on the boat, play on the boat with the outboard running but tied to the dock. then move the boat a bit at idle or let the boat drift so they get used to the movement. some dogs take to it like a duck, to water, others aren't so keen about it. Always reassure the pup, they will get bolder. Take short trips at first, pups like kids and a lot of adults I know have very short attention spans, and keep toys handy.
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| burtim |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 2:15 PM
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I had my Golden Retriever in the boat last summer. I was out early in the morning trolling when I heard a splash. She had jumped in while we were in the middle of the lake. I think she got a bit scared by it. The hardest thing was just getting her back in the 13'. I would use a pfd or her car harness next time. She's 2-1/2 yrs old.
A BW and a dog. What could be better? That's livin'.
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| MW |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 4:55 PM
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I've had dog's (lab mixes), and they became "Boat Dog's", like "Kamie" said, don't forget the bowl and drinking water, towel helps too. The dog might not like the boat at first but, as mentioned "Short trip's" to begin with. I also had "doggie PFD's" on them for the "Handle" to grab, and dog's can get tired swimming too. I'd wait on putting the pup in for it's 1st dip though, a small shallow pond is best for training at first, make sure the dog has "Dog Tag's" on at all times.
Matt |
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| Turpin |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 6:08 PM
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On the subject of PFD's, I have a 3 year old lab that is extremely fit and loves the lake. Last year I bought a pfd for him as he would not stay out of the lake to rest. I put the pfd on him and when he went into the water, he became very unbalanced and flipped over. Thinking I was a dummy and put it on up side down, I checked it but pfd was worn correctly. I rechecked the weight for the pfd and my lab was well within the chart other words was it wasn't to much flotation. I so far have not found what he needs which is less flotation on the sides but big enough to go around his big barrel chested torso and doesnt move around. My lab did not see a boat before 2 years old and took to it like fish to water but then again he is very high strung. I use an absorber http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/...e_absorber this cloth can be use to dry the dog or for him to set on it is easily dried and cleaned. They can be found in almost any automotive section of almost any store. Puppies don't always like a lot of wind in the face so he will probably stay under your feet.
Edited by Turpin on 05/05/09 - 6:10 PM
1963 13' Sport 50hp Evinrude
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| nvaccaro |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 6:18 PM
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Like others have been saying, start them early. I am a contractor and have a chocolate lab. My framing contractor gave her to me as a puppy. Since she was six weeks old, she has come to work with me just about everyday and obviously whenever I go out in the Montauk.
Her name is Bella and last year, at he age of 3, she jumped out the boat in a no wake zone to go after a couple of ducks. She came back when I called her, but it was difficult to get her back in the boat.
Labs are great. I keep a ladder by the side of the boat in the backyard carport. She runs up the ladder and sleeps in the boat during the day. Don't worry, she wipes her feet first!
Good luck with the puppy.
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| TexasOutrage |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 7:06 PM
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My chocolate lab would jump from the boat anytime I approached marsh grass. A 105 lb mud covered dog is difficult to get back into the boat. Many duck boats have a floating ladder/platform for them to swim up on.
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| Turpin |
Posted on 05/05/09 - 7:16 PM
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I'm thinking about doing a modification on my swim ladder that would have a detachable submersed platform, so when the mutt is with me he can get himself into the boat. A view of my current ladder is at the bottom of my personal page
1963 13' Sport 50hp Evinrude
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| MW |
Posted on 05/06/09 - 12:03 AM
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Also check infant's "PFD's" in a small pool, I bought what I thought was the best one made and it also flipped over face down, with the little one inside.
Edited by MW on 05/06/09 - 12:05 AM
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| ConB |
Posted on 05/10/09 - 8:25 AM
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When the water warms up, take the pup to the beach to let it get used to being in the water and that swimming is fun.
Not All retrievers like the water.
Con
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| CES |
Posted on 05/10/09 - 8:46 AM
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Here's a picture of my first mate Oscar. When I fly, he's my co-pilot, when I drive in the truck, he's my navigator and of course when I am in the Whaler, he's my first mate (that's only when my kids aren't with me).
CES attached the following image:
[22.38Kb]
Edited by CES on 05/10/09 - 8:46 AM
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| souweine |
Posted on 05/10/09 - 10:41 AM
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Thanks for all the comments! I'll let you know how it goes.
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| wezie |
Posted on 05/11/09 - 7:51 AM
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The ladders for getting large dogs back in are nice. Can find them in boat suppliers and sometimes on line used.
I have been taking a small dog on short trips to get her used to the boat as suggested here.
She seems ok so far, but all day may be too much, at this point. We walked around a small island last week. She got into shallow water at times. I slipped on the rocks. 4 Paw drive seems better.
As the water warms, we will try her at swimming.
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| souweine |
Posted on 05/26/09 - 10:50 AM
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Update.... Bailey did awesome!
We took her out on the Erie Canal for our first trip. less than 10mph... no wind. she did great. She was very excited about the moving water around the bow. We had to hold her tight.
This past weekend we went out on a local finger lake. she pretty much just sat down and fell asleep while we were under way. (under the bench, as promised.)
She's not sure about swimming yet (either off the boat or shore) but that will come I am sure!
Another question.... How does everyone handle bathroom breaks for the dog?
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| CES |
Posted on 05/26/09 - 11:32 AM
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We stop off on land a few times and let Oscar run around and find a spot. Of course, there's a lot of open land where we go so there's not a problem of Oscar going on someones back yard.
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| MW |
Posted on 05/26/09 - 1:30 PM
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A small sand bar, or island work's here, a quick walk while at the bait sta. or gas dock work's too, anywhere you would stop work's for them too (bring a plastic bag and paper towel's in case of a "Yard Yodel" at land fall).
Matt |
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| souweine |
Posted on 05/18/10 - 11:55 AM
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Well, it's been a year now. I thought I would bump this back up the list and ask another dog question.
Bailey is now an expert boater, but she now weighs 75lbs. I am very concerned about pulling her out of the water this season!
Any ideas or suggestions on dog ladders? I bought one from cabelas and it won't really work.
Thanks guys!
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