Image source – https://www.flickr.com/photos/garryknight/34546900454

With ever changing surroundings to explore, endless walking routes along the towpaths and plenty of dog-friendly amenities at your “doorstep”, canine companions can undoubtably live a life of luxury on the water.

Having your beloved pooch by your side as you ‘em-bark’ on a journey through the UK’s waterways is a real delight. However, there are safety precautions that need to be considered. After all, living on the water is completely different to on land!

Here’s how your four-legged friend can live happily and safely on a narrowboat.

  1. Do a Test Run with Your Dog

If you’ve recently started to consider living life afloat with your dog, they’ll inevitably need time to adjust to their new living quarters.  Give them the opportunity to get onto your canal boat while it’s at a boat mooring so they can familiarise with the difference in movement.

They will also need to adjust to the change in space and their new surroundings. Make the transition as easy as possible by bringing some of their home comforts, e.g. their bed or a blanket with familiar smells, so the boat feels more homely. Doing this can help prevent your dog from becoming anxious, which can be very dangerous on a boat.

  1. Get a Canine Lifejacket

Lifejackets are a health and safety must for all boaters, this includes dogs. How often your pooch wears the lifejacket will come down to how their behaviour/training and whether they enjoy water. There are a surprising number of dogs that dislike water or aren’t the strongest swimmers, so if this is the case for your dog, a lifejacket could save their life. And even if your dog does enjoy water, they get tired from swimming just like we do – you can never be too careful.

To guarantee a safe and proper fit, make sure the jacket is tailored to your dog’s exact shape and size. Check the lifejacket has a handle on the back before purchasing as this will make it easier to lift your dog on and off your boat. Reputable sellers such as Marine Warehouse sell quality assured lifejackets for a number of breeds.

3. Develop a Plan for Your Dog Going Overboard

Even if you are very careful, there’s always the chance that your dog could fall into the canal. And if this happens, you need to have a rehearsed plan that will bring them back to safety.

For example, step one would be to cut the engine. Do not attempt to jump in after your dog as animals, like humans, can start to panic, which could drag you underwater. Instead, calmly call your dog over to the boat and lift them out of the water by their lifejacket handle. Be sure everyone on your boat is aware of this plan and knows what their exact role is.

4. Create a Doggy First Aid Kit  

It’s likely you’ll already have a human first aid kit onboard, but what about your four-legged friend’s health and wellbeing? Remember, visiting a vet or pet shop isn’t as straightforward when living on a boat, so keeping topped up on the necessities is essential. And the best way to do this is by creating your very own doggy first aid kit.

Your kit should include the following:

  • Flea and tick medicine – protect your dog (and yourself) against diseases all-year-round as these pesky parasites can survive in colder months too.
  • Treatment for motion sickness – yes, dogs can suffer from this too! Symptoms can be reduced with anti-nausea drugs, but be sure to check with your vet on which treatment is best for your dog and the correct dosage.
  • Any prescription medication – have a steady supply of any medication your dog is currently taking to prevent constant trips to the vets and risk running out.
  • Dog sun screen – just like us, dogs can get burned from sun exposure. If your dog enjoys lazing in the sun on deck, regularly apply sun screen to sensitive areas (nose, lips ears and belly) to prevent sun burn and the development of skin cancer.
  • Antibiotic ointment and bandages – offer protection against any potential infections from cuts or scrapes
  • Injection booster log – keep a record of when your dog’s annual booster injections are due to eliminate the risk of potentially fatal diseases such as kennel cough, distemper and parvovirus.
  1. Invest in Training

A dog’s safety often comes down to one attribute – their training. And for living on a boat, adapting this to suit their new environment is crucial. Adam Delderfield, founder of Delders Dogs, a dog and puppy training provider, believes specialised training is required to guarantee your pooch lives a healthy and happy life onboard:

“Recently at Delders Dogs we had a couple who lived on a narrow boat with their little Jack Russell Ben. We had to adapt training slightly and re-think some of the normal procedures”.

He continued, explaining how boundary training is crucial for ensuring dogs only get off the boat on command and stopping them from jumping off chasing after other furry friends: “This teaches the dog not to cross a certain boundary. Normally this would be a front or back door. For Ben this was the edge of the boat, we wanted him to know he cannot cross the boats edge or try and jump off without being told its okay to do so”.

Adapting your dog’s toilet training for boat life is crucial, as it’s not always possible to stop and let them do their business. Adam Delderfield revealed how Delders Dogs managed to toilet train Ben completely aboard the boat: “We taught him to use a litter tray that had a cut of grass/turf in it. This meant he was still learning to go on grass but the boat could still be moving and they didn’t have to stop unnecessarily”.

Dogs can make wonderful companions on a boat, but their comfort entirely depends on you as their owner. If you’re well prepared, they can live wonderful, happy and fulfilling lives on the water.

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