Do Greyhounds Like Boating?

[Guest pjw]

Hi, everyone. I'm a brand new member of this forum and it looks like a welcoming place. I appreciate that you're here.

 

My family of four is considering adopting a rescue greyhound. Before we do, we want to make sure that a greyhound would adapt to and hopefully enjoy our boating lifestyle. On most weekends from April through September, we can be found on the Chesapeake Bay. We have a relatively spacious powerboat that should be accommodating for a greyhound. Some potential concerns that come to mind are:

 

- Susceptibilty to seasickness

- Comfort boarding and unboarding--I understand that even stairs are an issue, though I assume we'd lift him/her on and off

- Comfort with the fairly noisy engines of a powerboat

- Willingness to stay on the confined space of a boat between walks and exercise

- "Bathroom accommodations" on those occasional nights once or twice per season when we spend the night at anchor--we can give these up if needed, but curious about what others do

- (I'm sure there are other factors that I haven't considered.)

 

I appreciate any input and particularly hope to hear from any boaters who have greyhounds. Thanks!

 

P.J.

[GeorgeofNE]

Well, this isn't really an issue specific to greyhounds so much as dogs in general. Many greyhounds cannot swim well, so a lifejacket would be needed. They are also relatively intolerant to heat, so you would need to take that into account. And you would need one with a low prey drive so that it would not be tempted to disembark and go after shore birds, etc.

 

The one and only time we took our female English Setter (a hunting breed) on our boat, she saw birds in the water and walked right over the edge after them, unaware she could not walk on water! As it was November on Nantucket, we were desperate to get her back on board. Wasn't easy--I ended up grabbing a few ha!dfulls of her fur and skin and just yanking her on board.

 

She never went near water again in her life!

[greysmom]

Many greyhounds do accompany their famlies on boating trips. A good fitting life vest is a must - greyhounds have little body fat and many times have trouble staying afloat. They can adapt to just about any circustances, given the time and patience to teach them what to do. I think the hardest thing would be arranging potty trips! There are pads and trays and such that dogs can be trained to use.

 

Make sure you are honest with your adoption group about your lifestyle and what you'd like to do with your dog so they can find you the right match personality wise.

[XTRAWLD]

Kasey was never a great boating dog, he also was never a fan of the water. We tried on a family weekend, and he just wasn't built for it. The water was also rough and he would not settle and lay down on the boat when traveling. His one and only boating experience that day wasn't the best for humans either, so when you do get your pup, make sure to introduce him/her to the boat on a very calm day, and head out for a short day trip. If the dog can't handle that, you'll know.

 

This doesn't mean that all greyhounds can't do boats. They have varying personalities, some are way more courageous and some are more laid back and some are rather timid of motion and noise. Ryder LOVES the water, but I never got him into a boat to check out how he would fare. As mentioned above, ensure that you tell your adoption group about your desire to have a boating dog and the people that know the greyhound the best will be able to figure out if that dog has the right personality for what you are looking for.

 

A life jacket is a must.

I'm also not sure you want to lift a grey on and off the boat all the time. Ryder for example weighs in at 75 lbs. They can usually walk right on like humans do.

No idea about going to the bathroom. We swam out to an island and he went there. Greys (like most dogs) treat their home like their crate and likely will not soil it. Might have to train them to use one part with artificial grass and or pee pads.

Edited October 2, 2016 by XTRAWLD

[Guest rferguson]

Yep on the lifejacket.

 

A friend had his Rottweiler (they swim about as non-well as a grey) jump overboard. He jumped overboard to fish him out--it was a difficult and traumatic experience for the entire family, pack.

 

If your freeboard (waterline to deck) distance is large, consider a recovery system like this, if you don't have one already.

 

Found this. That pup looked happy.

[krissy]

Summit has been out on my In-Laws' boat once. We just went for a short ride to a nearby island (probably about 30-45 minute trip), played on the beach for half a day, and then back. There was no dock at the island so we had to lift him over the edge into the waist deep water and swim him to shore. He was totally fine with it. He's the quirkiest with regard to "weird" things, so although the girls haven't been on a boat before, I doubt they would have an issues with it.

 

Getting ready to board

 

On board

 

We also took him on a ferry on the same trip. No issues there either.

[inaandmax]

Max has gone out in our canoe with us and seems to enjoy it, though there isn't room for him to lie down, so the trips are short (very funny pictures if I can ever figure out how to post them, lol). He has also been on commuter ferries many times and does well. I second (third? fourth?) the life jacket suggestion - our boy swims very well with a life jacket on, not so much without it.

[EllenEveBaz]

No actual greyhound/boat experience here, but when did that stop me? As suggested above, working with the adoption group to get a hound who is comfortable with noise and being away from home would be important. We've had a couple of past folks post adventures and pictures of happy boating with greyhounds; I don't recall any stories about overnight on board. Most healthy dogs should be able to routinely hold pee/poop 8+ hrs overnight. Or you could train your dog to go on pee pads.

 

Getting on and off -- from a dock? shallow water? I wonder if you could get an idea by trying out how a dog does jumping up into a high vehicle or counter. If you end up lifting, consider if it's important for your back whether the dog is 65 or 85 lbs. Keeping the hound's nails short might be important for good traction on the boat.

 

Willingness to stay on the confined space of a boat between walks and exercise

Most greyhounds' activity levels would be a good fit for this. I think a confident hound could learn to love the boating life and going to new places with the family, especially with a nice, comfy bed in the boat.

Edited October 15, 2016 by EllenEveBaz

[3greytjoys]

It would depend on the Greyhound; however, IME, I would not consider frequent, extended, power-boating excursions an ideal situation for a retired racer.

 

Greyhounds are different from other breeds. Greyhounds are very temperature sensitive, especially if in direct sun or reflected sun from water and boat materials.

(E.g., Many hounds can't tolerate walks well if air temperature is above the low 70's.) Most Greyhounds have thin fur; no protective undercoat; no protective fat layer; lack buoyancy; and their skin burns easily. (One of our hounds has sun-induced cancer.) Light-colored dogs are at highest solar risk, but black coats absorb heat also. Paw pads can burn on hot surfaces. Their long, thin legs make their balance/stability more challenging in a moving vehicle, more so in a boat on choppy water. Greyhounds are graded off the racing circuit for many reasons but some hounds may have had an old injury that could be painful being jarred in a power boat.

 

Greyhounds are adopted as indoor house pets. During outings, they need to be in a fenced enclosure, or leashed to their human. If on a boat, many dogs jump overboard unexpectedly. Greyhounds (aka: sighthounds) should never be tethered to an object. IIRC, dogs' hearing is approximately four times more sensitive than humans; loud motor noise could be painful, and/or damaging to dogs' hearing over time. Boarding/disembarking could be challenging; a female may tolerate lifting more easily, and better able to handle limited potty space. Agree that a canine life-jacket would be a necessity for any dog.

 

I spent years at a lake house which included about half dozen dogs in the family (Labradors to small dogs). None of the dogs actually enjoyed spending much time in boats. Generally, dogs in boats were discouraged due to accidents and drownings. They were not allowed in the ski boats for dogs' own safety, and to prevent claw damage (and/or nervous chewing) to the boats. The dogs were much more comfortable resting inside the cool, stationary house during the day.

 

Good to have a plan for access to closest emergency veterinary hospitals. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Guest pjw]

I want to offer a belated thanks to everyone for the thoughtful replies. Your input has encouraged us to move forward with greyhound adoption and we have a visit from the adoption agency today. We agree that a life jacket is a must at all times and all feedback has been valuable. In response to 3greytjoys's thoughts, we have a 40-footer with lots of shade and protected space that cruises at about 14 to 18 knots so the experience shouldn't be too jarring, but we'll watch closely. In fact, there's a padded and shady lounge area on the bridge that should be delightful for a greyhound.

 

If all goes as planned our new family member will join us on December 3rd. We'll report back on successes and lessons learned on this topic next boating season!

 

P.J.

[Neal]

This is a great forum P.J as the loads of thoughtful advise on this topic also shows.

I believe 3greytjoys input is valuable on the topic.

Perhaps the adoption agency can also help with a five star boarding/kennels option in your area also. While your greyhound will need to blend with your existing life, there is a distinct possibility that boat life may not suit this most gentle, sensitive and essentially different type of dog.

It may and that would be great truly, but if it doesn't then as a family member there should be a suitable alternative .

In the best interest of you and them.

 

Greyhounds do require a lot of rest time, on comfortable bedding. They are far more vulnerable to overheating in ways that are not always easy to appreciate at the outset. So perhaps planning for a long and successful life with your new addition, some back up plans are needed. I am loathe to leave my hounds anywhere but certain human activities are not best for them truly. I sail here in Ireland but beyond ferry trips, the hounds stay home.

 

They are also i believe the most amazing and fabulous of dogs, and the most wonderful additional to life. They are joy, the best for the best

Wishing you every success with the adoption, always a joy to know another greyhound has found its forever home.

[BatterseaBrindl]

My Hounds don't even like to move around on the couch because the cushions move.

Heaven forbid one of those long skinny legs slips down into a 'crack'

I can't imagine they'd enjoy a rolling boat....

[turbotaina]

I want to offer a belated thanks to everyone for the thoughtful replies. Your input has encouraged us to move forward with greyhound adoption and we have a visit from the adoption agency today. We agree that a life jacket is a must at all times and all feedback has been valuable. In response to 3greytjoys's thoughts, we have a 40-footer with lots of shade and protected space that cruises at about 14 to 18 knots so the experience shouldn't be too jarring, but we'll watch closely. In fact, there's a padded and shady lounge area on the bridge that should be delightful for a greyhound.

 

If all goes as planned our new family member will join us on December 3rd. We'll report back on successes and lessons learned on this topic next boating season!

 

P.J.

 

Sounds like a nice set-up. A group of us hired a pontoon boat one year while at Dewey and took a tour to see the wild ponies on Assateague. The pups enjoyed it just fine, were excited to see the ponies from a distance and settled down and napped when there was nothing to look at. Well, my friend's dog made it her mission to flirt with the captain and insist he pet her while driving

Edited November 1, 2016 by turbotaina

[ZoomDoggy]

 

Sounds like a nice set-up. A group of us hired a pontoon boat one year while at Dewey and took a tour to see the wild ponies on Assateague. The pups enjoyed it just fine, were excited to see the ponies from a distance and settled down and napped when there was nothing to look at. Well, my friend's dog made it her mission to flirt with the captain and insist he pet her while driving

 

My shameless Boo with Cap'n Dan.

 

 

And Boo with Crow, spotting ponies!

 

Edited November 1, 2016 by ZoomDoggy