Personal Flotation Device (PFD)
People are not the only ones who should wear a PDF (life jacket) while boating. You wouldn’t want anything to happen to your dog, would you? Don’t assume all dogs can swim, because they can’t. And those that can swim may not be great swimmers. If your dog falls overboard, will he/she be able to avoid exhaustion or hypothermia before they can be retrieved? Believe it or not, there are PFD’s made just for dogs. My personal favorite is Outward Hound’s Pet Saver Life Jacket that can be purchased on Amazon.com. Make sure the PFD fits securely and allow your dog to practice swimming while wearing it. If your dog has never worn a PFD they may be resistant to it at first. Give them time to get acquainted with it before actually getting him out on the boat.
Fresh Drinking Water
Always have enough fresh drinking water available for your dog. Canines lose fair amounts of body fluid when they pant, so be sure to keep them hydrated. While moving and bouncing boats may not be the most practical place for a dog bowl, an alternative it to allow your dog to drink out of a sports bottle, which are less messy and you can squirt water right into their mouth. Don’t be afraid to force your dog to drink water. Think how much better fluids make you feel on a hot day out on the water.
Sun and Heat
Excessive sun exposure can cause heat problems for animals. Just as with humans, they include sun stroke, heat cramps, and heat exhaustion. Provide a shaded are for your pet. Again, give them plenty of water. Let them take a dip in the water to cool themselves down if necessary. Boat surfaces, such as fiberglass, can get extremely hot in the sun. Dogs absorb heat through the pads on their feet so be sure to protect them.
Bathroom Breaks
Try to train your dog to go to the bathroom in a specific spot. I have found that indoor/outdoor carpeting works best. Train your dog on shore to use it and then just transfer the carpet to the boat. It is easy to clean which is a bonus! Of course you can always take your dog ashore to do his business.
Inexperienced Dogs
If you’ve never brought your dog out on a boat, don’t assume they will enjoy boating. They often prefer still and stable surfaces. A day or so before you plan on taking your dog boating, allow them to get acquainted with the boat while it is still on the trailer or at dock. This is also a good time to let them wear their PFD for the first time. Your next step is to crank the engine since it may be an unfamiliar sound to your dog. Make your first outing on the water a short one just to allow your pet to get acclimated to boat movement. Humans get seasick so there is no reason to think your pet will not do the same. If your dog does become seasick take them ashore right away and contact your veterinarian for advice on how to prevent future episodes of seasickness as there are medications that can be prescribed for this purpose.
Photo of the nautical dachshund from puppypfd’s photostream.
–Dr. Hinson
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Dr. Hinson is a mixed animal veterinarian in Tampa, FL and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

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