Will i be safe?

[geauxcruise]

Hello everyone. My name is Louie. I am 12 years old and 12 pounds of love and fluff! I am new to the forum, (and I'm all paws), so please bear with me. I have some concerns and questions and have searched here and on the sister forum, but did not see what I need to know.

My Mom and Dad are preparing to take their cruising dream trip of a lifetime. I heard them say that our "Land" home is under contract and is going to be sold on June 23rd, and then we are getting a new "Floating" home!! In fact, they are out right now looking for a good one. They said our target shove off date is Oct 1st. Plan is to head east from Orange Beach, AL where we live now and work the Florida Coast down to the Keys and then possibly winter over in the Bahamas. Dad says we have no particular agenda, place to be, or a time to be there, and the trip may last up to a year or even longer!!! I cant wait. My dad has been boating his entire life and has owned both inshore and offshore vessels, so I am confident he is a good safe Captain. But this is going to be his first "Live-a-Board" type of vessel. So I have some questions and concerns about me - LOUIE!!!

My parents love to socialize in the marinas, go to nice restaurants, do the night life scenes, visit different places, go shopping, fishing, snorkeling, etc. Sometimes I get to go, but sometimes I cannot go. What should they do with me when I cannot go? Will I be safe on the boat from strangers? I know they will confine me to the Salon area and keep me out of site. I am also not a "Yapper", meaning I do not bark all the time. (I hate it when my friends do that.) Will I be safe alone in Marinas. What about when we are anchored out and they need to take the Dingy and leave me? Should we make friends on neighbor boats so they can watch out for me? What about if we are anchored all alone in a bay or cove? What do other moms and dads do for their little guys like me? Any tips or advice from you experienced moms and dads would be greatly appreciated.

I bet a lot of you guys, (Loopers), have seen me before on the ICW around the Orange Beach/Pensacola waterways. We are always out and about in our beach boat and I like to stand right on the bow. We were the ones who always waived at you and wished it was us living the dream! On the land I am known as, "Louie the Lover". (I have a special Teddy Bear, so you can figure out the lover part!!!). But now, I think I want to be called, "Louie the Cruiser Dog". Thanks for your time guys, and I hope you have great advice for my mom and dad.

 

[High Wire]

Welcome aboard Louie. Treat your family right and have fun.

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Are you pad trained?

 

[Comodave]

Our dog loves to go on the boat. We have had him onboard for 45 days so far. No problems and he is 75 pounds. It would be much easier with a little dog, but we like big boys... is your dog crate trained and pad trained? If not, start training now. Radar stays alone on the boat and just sleeps when we leave him alone. We try to take him everywhere we go, but that isn't always possible. He loves to meet everyone.

 

[Bacchus]

Louie...
You will have a great time
Being on the boat not much different than staying home when they are out...you'll get used to it quickly.
Marinas are a great place for dogs to socialize...you're cute and will have no problem making lots of friends.
Have the folks work with you to find a place you and they are OK with you going potty aboard...it will be a lot easier on those long days and those rainy days or nights its not pleasant taking a dingy ride.
Also let them know the dingy is ypur boat and when they go ashore ypu get to go most of the time. When you make friends invite them to go ashore with you and you can go with their folks sometimes as well.
Have the folks get you a comfortable life jacket if you don't already have one.
Some days if not too far ashore it's fun to swim in w mom and/or dad...just make sure they wear their life vests also in case they get tired...you will do better than they will...let them rest and walk around before swimming back to the boat.
Keep us updated how you like being aboard

 

[BandB]

Have the folks get you a comfortable life jacket if you don't already have one.

Wifey B: If you've never worn one, might be a good idea to wear it around the house some, just to get use to it. When you're use to being naked, adjusting to clothes might be hard, but you can do it.

 

[RT Firefly]

Woof, woof.,
Arf, yap Bow-wow.

 

[BandB]

Wifey B: Another question. Do you swim?

 

[geauxcruise]

Thanks everyone for your quick replies. And yes, I already have a nice life vest from my other boat life. So I am use to it. Concerning being potty trained, they are working on that. But I am not happy with one thing. They brought me a brand new piece of this Astroturf stuff to potty on. But I think it is used already!!! YUK!!!

 

[geauxcruise]

Yes Wifey! I'm a good swimmer!!

 

[markpierce]

There is always risk, but death is certain. Enjoy life as it comes!

 

[Bacchus]

But I am not happy with one thing. They brought me a brand new piece of this Astroturf stuff to potty on. But I think it is used already!!! YUK!!!

Just consider it one of your land potty spots - I'm sure lots of others use the same place - just mark it as YOURS and everyone that visits will know.
You might invite a marina friend thats already trained to visit your "pad" to show you how to use it...then you can reclaim it by over marking.

 

[JDCAVE]

Jenny says:

"You will be safe, because the humans will want to be safe. you will be fearful of your first journey on the skiff, but will soon realize it means a walk on shore, so bonus! You will go to so many exciting places! Just jump in and love the ride!"



Jenny

 

[Salishseer]

I'm not cruising with Calypso these days, but theses guys/gals (in case of Calypso) could be cousins!! Calypso is a Portuguese Water Dog (aka a Portie)

[sorry - gotta figure out how to attach an image -- it is on my drive, -- no URL, per se.]

 

[Peter B]

I'm not cruising with Calypso these days, but theses guys/gals (in case of Calypso) could be cousins!! Calypso is a Portuguese Water Dog (aka a Portie)

[sorry - gotta figure out how to attach an image -- it is on my drive, -- no URL, per se.]

Just choose 'advanced' when posting, go down to 'manage attachments', click on choose a file, browse to where it is on your drive (in photos presumably), then click choose or select, add each pic wanted same way, you will see their files appear top left in that attachment window. Then close that window. Go down to the first 'Submit reply' button below the window showing the pic files, and then click on that - they should all appear then when your post comes up. Sing out if that doesn't work. Or ask mum or dad to do it for you, as doggie paws and computer keys are not a good fit.

 

[Islanddreamer]

Cute post. Louie spells and punctuates quite well.

 

[Wxx3]

Louie,

I read your whole story before i scrolled down and saw how super cute you are.
You can swim, so you'll be fine.
Bacchus and many above have given some really good advice.
So welcome aboard.

Richard on Dauntless

 

[Benthic2]

A typing dog ?!!?!?!? My advice to your mom and dad would be to hire you an agent !!

 

[Salishseer]

Here's Calypso's pix.... they could well be cousins. Since Calypso was about 6 mos old, she regularly took herself thru the doggie door to swim in the pool, even late in evening...finally had to put the board in at night.

 

[Salishseer]

Cousins... 3rd try...

Here are the Calypso pix, I hope.

Thanks for the help -- Peter B!!

 

[Larry M]

We've moved 2 dogs aboard. Same as bringing them home (both were rescue dogs). We set boundaries, made a safe area/cave for them, slowly worked through the separation anxiety and basically turned it into one big training session. Holly we rescued this past December 20 and we took off on January 21. She's adapted well. No accidents nor has she chewed/clawed through anything. If anything, she's better socialized than most dogs, if for no other reason, the scenery and locations are always changing.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
One thing, although somewhat morbid, I think is worth mentioning is wildlife. Gators, sharks, eagles, tarpon and even large barracudas may look upon smaller pets as prey. Don't use your pets as bait! Even though it may seem cute to see little "Puddles" paddling happily around the boat in his/her life jacket....Just sayin'

In the last couple of weeks we've been visited by larger (7'+) bull sharks, at times up to 8 in number. Feeding frenzies are just that and anything in the water is fair game.

 

[geauxcruise]

Thanks to everyone. And Calypso, WOW!! You are beautiful. Single?

 

[dhays]

It sounds like the question is will the dog be safe when left on the boat by themselves. Sure. I assume you leave the dog at home alone when you go out. No different on the boat.

 

[geauxcruise]

It sounds like the question is will the dog be safe when left on the boat by themselves. Sure. I assume you leave the dog at home alone when you go out. No different on the boat.

Thanks Dhays. That is all we wanted to know. One poster on the "sister" forum, suggest that we sit back and wait for Louie to die!! Then go cruising. ??? Check it out, same title and location.

 

[McGillicuddy]

Thanks Dhays. That is all we wanted to know. One poster on the "sister" forum, suggest that we sit back and wait for Louie to die!! Then go cruising. ??? Check it out, same title and location.

I would respectfully suggest that you consider that poster to be an a$$hole.

 

[mbevins]

If we were to run a poll I'd bet there are A LOT of boat dogs on this forum.

 

[geauxcruise]

I would respectfully suggest that you consider that poster to be an a$$hole.

Maybe if I ever get a chance, i will let him see what an "old dog about to croak" bite feels like!!! :lol: Barf Barf!!

 

[geauxcruise]

If we were to run a poll I'd bet there are A LOT of boat dogs on this forum.

Agree!! And if asked, I bet 99.99% of them would say, they are happy, having fun, and all they want to do is please and be around their parents, no matter where they call home!!

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Still not enough coffee...What the heck is the "sister" site?