Taking Your Dog Out Boating - An Essential Guide

Want to take your beloved dog out on the boat with you? Below are 5 top tips to help you with taking your best mate out on the water with you.

1) Consider taking your dog out on a trial run first. See how your dog goes with being on the water and with being on a boat. You don't want to have a big trip planned only to find out your dog has other ideas.

2) Encourage the dog to come on board the boat and make him/her feel welcome. Offer the dog praise and perhaps a few food treats once on board. This will encourage the dog to see the boat as a nice place.

3) Once you are off on your boating trip, it is a good idea to harness or secure your dog down if it moves around a lot. You don't want your dog jumping off the boat once you are at high speed. Worse still you do not want your dog jumping off the back when you don't notice or your dog may become lost at sea. A dog lifejacket is another thing to consider. They are cheap and will help your dog swim. Many people use them anytime they take their dog swimming as it helps with buoyancy.

4) Plan rest breaks if possible. You do not want your dog doing it's business on your boat deck so consider a short stop every hour or so. If this is impossible consider setting aside a place on board where the dog can go. You could put something down such as a plastic liner to save staining your deck. Keep bringing the dog to this point every hour or so and it will soon realize it is the place to go. Remember once the dog has done it's business there give it lots of praise and encouragement.

5) Keep all gear on board stowed in a correct location. Misplaced hooks are a common hazard for dogs so make sure these get put away safely. Also try to hide your bait or your dog may just decide to eat it all when you are not looking.

Sticking to these points will ensure your boat voyage with your dog will be both a safe and rewarding trip.

James Fletcher is a boating and fishing enthusiast. His website is a great source of boating and fishing knowledge. Find more usefull boating and fishing tips at:

http://www.freeboatingtips.com