# Sailing/Boating Havs?



## Busy Procrastinator (Mar 27, 2014)

We are interested in encouraging Suki to be a water-dog and want to be able to take her sailing and kayaking. Our Pug kayaks on calm lakes only as the bay is too much for him and we don't want him shedding (ugh) or scratching up the boat, plus he freaks out on docks, though he is a great RV dog. 

We started a couple weeks back just introducing Suki to the marina, then the docks, and today to the boat in the marina. She did great, but all we did is love her up. We brought her carrier and at first she jumped right in it and sat there for 5 minutes. 

I don't want a seasick dog, or a scaredy-dog or a jumper! I also need her to relax when there are things we need to do and not be underfoot or chewing lines. She LOVES ropes and I wonder now if we made a mistake giving her rope to play with. 

Any tips from boaters/sailors? What about sea sickness? What kind of swimmers are they? 

I have been so envious of some of the other dogs at our marina that are so well behaved and good natured. I want a dog like that!


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

I don't know of a dog who CAN'T swim, and that includes Havanese. A few of them seem to like it, most don't really love it. We do take Kodi out on my brother's motor boat and canoeing/kayaking, but he always wears a life vest. Even if a small dog is a good swimmer, they are going to tire out before they reach shore if you capsize a long way from shore. But I can see you've already taken care of that part… she looks adorable in her pink life vest! 

Kodi has never shown any signs of sea sickness, nor has he shown ANY inclination to jump overboard, even when he's in a kayak, right at water level. He likes paddling around in water where it's shallow enough to stand, but although he CAN swim, he prefers not having his feet off the bottom.

Kodi's full brother, Jib, lives on a BIG sailboat all summer. So he seems to have taken to the life with no problem at all!


----------



## Busy Procrastinator (Mar 27, 2014)

I am thinking if we capsize a long way from shore we are all in trouble! It is good to know they can be good boating dogs, though. We are a Golden Retriever family at heart, so used to dogs that you can hardly keep from the water! Our old Golden Girl taught our Pug to be a swimming retriever (Pugs usually just sink - so dense, and have no snout, so not made to swim!) Though, like your Kodi, he now really prefers to touch bottom.

I just really want to include her, so we can enjoy her and the things we love in life. 

Thanks for responding with good news!


----------



## Tom King (Aug 2, 2006)

A few of our babies live on a sailboat.

What kind of sailboat? I sail, and used to race, anything that floats, and some things that don't. Pam and I raced a Hobie 21 on the Prosail circuit back in the late '80s. We were also Master Windsurfer instructors.


----------



## Busy Procrastinator (Mar 27, 2014)

Tom King said:


> A few of our babies live on a sailboat.
> 
> What kind of sailboat? I sail, and used to race, anything that floats, and some things that don't. Pam and I raced a Hobie 21 on the Prosail circuit back in the late '80s. We were also Master Windsurfer instructors.


Tom, its a MacGregor 26, though my hubby used to have a Hobie Cat back in the day, and windsurfed, too! Good times!

We have a Hobie Mirage tandem kayak, too, so hoping the puppy will take to that. Because it has the peddled flippers there is a little less room for her to sit with legs busy peddling about in the cockpit.


----------



## Carmenchanwong (Apr 15, 2014)

We're planning to go tubing with Prince this coming Saturday, and I bought 2 different XS life vests. The brown/pink one looks good on him, tight and fit, and the green one cover more of his back, and also cover his boys part.
Which one should I go for ?


----------



## sandypaws (Aug 8, 2012)

I think I'd select the brown/pink one if it's a good fit as you don't want it to be too big so that it can slip off. Hate to sound ignorant, but what is tubing?


----------



## Carmenchanwong (Apr 15, 2014)

sandypaws said:


> I think I'd select the brown/pink one if it's a good fit as you don't want it to be too big so that it can slip off. Hate to sound ignorant, but what is tubing?


you read my mind, Mary. I like the tight fit one, but my daughter kept saying its a girls color. uke:

We're from Florida, and love water sport. here's some information about tubing. 
http://tubingharpersferry.publishpath.com/potomac-river-tubing


----------



## Busy Procrastinator (Mar 27, 2014)

Super cute! I would go for the fit and never mind the color - as my son said at 5 years old when picking out motorcycle gear: "If you are secure in our manhood, you can wear whatever color you want!" He's 15 now and slightly less secure! LOL. 

You want something that pooch can't squirm or fall out of, as well as something you can grab onto to fish him out of the water, if needed. You also want to make sure it is weight tested. You will probably need a bigger one soon. 

Our puppy LOVES boating and kayaking already, she is just about ready for a swim trial.


----------



## ShamaMama (Jul 27, 2015)

We're thinking of taking Shama canoeing for a few hours when we go on vacation in the Boundary Waters later this month. She has a life jacket, and I still need to orient her to the scene (locally and with a lot of treats). Do you have any suggestions? My dream is that she'll just lie there and take it all in. My nightmare is that she'll bark incessantly (like she does when she sees animals on TV or in real life) and/or that she'll jump out of the canoe. We don't have to take her as we'll have her ex pen with us at the AirBnB "adorable, tiny, 2-bedroom cottage" (with fenced-in yard!) I just think it would be so fun to have her along. (And imagine our photo shoot!)


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

Sarah, my daughter, and her hubby have joined the Concord YC in Knoxville and have a Matilda20 that they are going to take Kosmo out on this summer. I will post pics taken from shore when this happens next month. Zoey will be posted next to my lawn chair on shore.


----------



## krandall (Jun 11, 2009)

ShamaMama said:


> We're thinking of taking Shama canoeing for a few hours when we go on vacation in the Boundary Waters later this month. She has a life jacket, and I still need to orient her to the scene (locally and with a lot of treats). Do you have any suggestions? My dream is that she'll just lie there and take it all in. My nightmare is that she'll bark incessantly (like she does when she sees animals on TV or in real life) and/or that she'll jump out of the canoe. We don't have to take her as we'll have her ex pen with us at the AirBnB "adorable, tiny, 2-bedroom cottage" (with fenced-in yard!) I just think it would be so fun to have her along. (And imagine our photo shoot!)


I think you'll have to play it by ear. I'm sure Kodi would rather be with us than left behind. I suspect the girls would feel the same way, though now that we have 3, they haven't had any boating experience themselves!!!


----------



## Heather's (Jun 18, 2012)

My husband takes the furkids for walks on the SF bay lands so they can run. My DH said Scout took off running after some geese. Scout jumped in the water and started swimming toward them. He had never been in water. My husband said he jumped in to get him because he knew I was not going to be happy. 😉 I guess they are natural swimmers. 😊


----------



## Henry&Kate (Mar 29, 2017)

this thread makes me want to have a boat again just so I can get Henry a life vest and go boating!


----------



## ptgrin (Feb 17, 2018)

Busy: My husband and I are long-time sailors. We had a shepherd/lab dog for 14 years who hated our boat (34ft), and so we left her home much of the time with our two working 20 year old daughters. When we got Piper this past February, we were determined to help her love sailing and living aboard our boat (currently a 38 ft. Hunter). We started having her wear her new lifejacket at home for a couple of weeks, and with many treats, hurrays, and new dog/people friends on the dock, she had a great but exhausting time. Memorial weekend was equally positive, with 2 chilly day sailing trips out to Lake Michigan. She did great for all of it. We are thrilled. Here is a photo of her napping in the cockpit:


----------



## ptgrin (Feb 17, 2018)

*Boating with a Havi*

Here is another photo taken this past weekend of Piper sitting on my husband's lap in the cockpit of our boat. After 3 weekends, she is comfortable, and loves being outside much more than being down below in the cabin (even with us)!


----------



## Marni (Apr 1, 2017)

​


ptgrin said:


> Here is another photo taken this past weekend of Piper sitting on my husband's lap in the cockpit of our boat. After 3 weekends, she is comfortable, and loves being outside much more than being down below in the cabin (even with us)!


Looks like for puppy Piper, it's a wonderful life. I think I would like to be your dog! :surprise:


----------

