Scantlings

Scantlings: Silas. Silas: Scantlings.



How can one not love a lab that got banned from Doggy Daycare because a) he learned how to escape, and b) learned how to release the 'bad dogs' from Solitary!!!

Anyway, he and his owner may come for a sail next summer. What are the chances of keeping a dog like that out of the water? Slim, I would think. Are there pet harnesses that one could use to retrieve him? I have a Beneteau 36.7 with somewhat of an open transom--his owner is a wee thing (so is my wife) and I've had back issues ... that's a lot of lab to get back on board.

Suggestions? Thanks!

R

We ended up buying a large dog life jacket with a handle on the top for our happy mutt. Pike pole to hold her to the boats side. Spare mainsheet clipped in to the life jacket handle and a 8:1 purchase to haul her up with the end of the boom plumbed at the side of the boat . We perfected the dog overboard drill. No affiliation to this company other than being a happy customer. http://www.ruffwear.com/dog_life_jackets8. Picture of my old sailing friend and target of this discussion. Sophie the sea dog. She almost made it to 17 years. We trained her to stay off the furniture at home but it was okay to get on the settee on the boat.Guess where she liked it most?

Ed has the plan. But It would seem if there is enough smarts to get out of jail and free the pound too, you might try teaching ladder climbing. One of the gents with a 320 on the East coast has a pair of good sized dogs and they get out of the water on their own. Pat

Don't you just wave a piece of bacon around and let the dog figure it out???

I'm thinkin' that Ed's got it just right.

BV

Tegwen is a Labradoodle and the Lab side of her make up shines on the water. Whether on the water in the water or driving to the water she is all Lab. So if a duck,seagull or another dog is in the water that is all the cue she needs to hit the surf. The danger is her skill of diving off the docks in pursuit of her ball that she throws into the water. The nearest ramp is 2 slips away and she can handle that distance with this lifejacket. All seawall to that point. So it’s not just about being safe on the boat.