Nothing is more exhilarating that the smell of the sea and the wind in your hair as you sail carefree under a warm sun. If you enjoy boating, there’s no reason not to take your best friend with you. After all, dogs love going places with their owners.
Most dogs enjoy water, they are instinctive swimmers and very few dogs are afraid of the water (except during bath time!). Nothing beats a warm summer day out on a boat at your lakefront home with the companionship of your dog. Dogs are an important part of most families and a holiday just isn’t a holiday if you leave your first mate at home. Safety is important on a boat and it is especially important if you take your dog along with you. There are a few simple things you can do to make sure your day out on sea (or the lake) doesn’t turn into a scene from Titanic.
The first thing you should do before sailing with your dog is to get him a canine life jacket. You can find doggie life jackets at most boating stores and pet shops. When buying a life jacket for your dog make sure it’s a good fit. Even though most dogs can swim, high seas or fatigue can cause drowning in even the most avid of swimmers, so don’t risk it, get your dog a life jacket. Even if your dog doesn’t drown if he goes overboard for any reason, excessive fatigue can cause numerous problems.
The second thing you should do is not to encourage your dog to drink water from the lake or sea. Freshwater lakes are often contaminated from factories and boats and contain harmful organisms so never allow your dog to drink water from a lake. Take fresh drinking water with you on your trip and give that to your dog. As the atmosphere out on sea can be hot and dry, your dog is at risk of getting dehydrated so make sure there is ample drinking water available to him at all times.
The third thing you should do that doesn’t readily come to mind when you’re thinking about dogs is sunscreen. Just as we need sunscreen to protect ourselves from harmful rays, so do some dogs. Short haired breeds of dogs can get easily sunburned and you should use a light SPF sunscreen such as SPF-15 on your dog. On unusually hot and sunny days a higher SPF factor may be warranted. Make sure you choose a neutrally scented sunscreen so it doesn’t irritate your dog.
The fourth and final thing you should put into consideration is that your dog will need to relieve himself somewhere. Take plenty of doggie waste bags and paper towels with you on your trip as well as an odor neutralizer to clean up after your dog. If you can train your dog to use puppy pads this is ideal as it will make cleaning up after the dog much easier. Clean up after your dog immediately to reduce the risk of feces born diseases and odor.
Taking these four simple tips into consideration can help you make the most of your boating trip. Your dog will enjoy the fresh air and time spent with you and exercising basic safety precautions should ensure a safe and pleasant day out on the lake or at sea.
Content courtesy of Pet-Super-Store via DiscoverBoating.com
Re-posted by Scott Freerksen “The Lake Guy”