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For many crews, the sails are not hoisted and the cockpit cleared immediately after mooring, but the first thing to do is to take the four-legged co-sailor for a short walk ashore. Then it's the boat's turn, followed by a toast to a successful trip and a meal. The dog then lies calmly and relaxed on deck in the evening sun.
At least that's the ideal, but the reality can be quite different. The dog on board jumps onto the jetty - the mooring lines are not yet used - and makes no attempt to come back on board voluntarily. He barks at people passing by and blocks the passage with his basket, bowl and toys. This causes displeasure among other dogless sailors - and rightly so.
As more and more crews are travelling with dogs, the potential for conflict in the harbour is also growing. We asked owner and dog trainer Sonja Schmied from the Dogs-Schmiede dog school in Lübeck how two-legged and four-legged friends can get along in harbour and on the water.
The most important things for the dog are exercise and structure
The key to success is practice and structure. The four-legged friend must feel comfortable in the new environment, then it will remain calm and relaxed. Practising starts as soon as you walk onto the walkway. If the path leads over a steep ramp or unfamiliar surface (e.g. a chequer plate), this can be the first challenge for the boarding dog. It must not be pulled over quickly on the lead, as this would be a negative experience and cause stress for both dog and owner. It is better to explore the new surroundings slowly, confirming with treats as soon as your dog's paws are on the footbridge and playfully showing him the new path.
However, it is important that the dog can generally walk on a lead and listens to basic commands. It should be kept on a lead on the footbridge. Due to the limited space, encounters tend to be problematic. If another dog comes towards you and your own four-legged friend is on the outside, you should position yourself between them as a spatial separation. The next challenge can be stepping on board. This is not a problem via the bathing platform, but if the four-legged friend has to be lifted up or (for larger breeds) boarded via a ramp, practice is required here too. Sonja Schmied recommends practising walking over the plank at home. You can also start with an air mattress to practise movement on wobbly ground. Then start with the ramp on land before actually crossing the gap between the jetty and the boat.
The best place for the on-board dog
Once on deck, a good place must be found for the dog on board. This can be a blanket or a cushion, a place that the dog likes. Positioning is very important: placing it too close to the jetty gives the four-legged friend the feeling that it might have to guard the boat. This leads to other people passing the boat on the jetty being barked at. It is therefore better to look for a place further aft (if the boat is moored bow-first) so that the dog can relax and does not feel under any obligation. However, if he is quickly distracted by neighbours on the jetty and starts barking, even if it is out of pleasure, this can be annoying. Impulse control training generally helps against this.
This can be done playfully, for example when the dog is put down in the meadow, a ball is thrown and he is only allowed to chase after it on command. He may find this very difficult at first, so the ball should only be thrown a few metres at first. However, success can be achieved quickly, so that very curious and alert dogs also react in a more controlled manner in other situations.
A sure sign that the dog can relax on board is when it lies down, puts its head down and does not immediately jump up at every movement of its two-legged carer. This is made particularly difficult by neighbours on the jetty who attract the four-legged friend dozing on deck and may want to stroke it from the jetty. This is a forgivable mistake, because who doesn't like stroking a dog, but you should ask the owner beforehand. If the dog is alone on deck, it is better to move on, because you never know exactly how it will react. Even if the reaction is friendly, a larger dog may scratch with joy when jumping up.
Practising absences with the dog
Dogs feel most comfortable with their carers, which is why it is difficult for them to stay alone. However, the dog does not always have to be with you when you go to the harbour master. Here, too, it is important to practise with short absences. The prerequisite is that the dog has a place to retreat to, such as a basket or blanket on board, where it feels comfortable.
The aim is for the on-board dog to sleep inside the ship while sailing.
A place like this is also particularly important when setting off on a cruise. Here too, start with a short trip first. Take a walk before setting off, then put the dog in its basket below deck. A chewy bone can increase the dog's sense of well-being and create a positive routine. The aim is for the dog to sleep inside the ship when sailing. If short trips work out, nothing stands in the way of longer journeys.
So even longer strokes with a dog work
Preparation for the cruise is simple, but should definitely be taken into account
According to dog trainer Schmied, dogs can sleep up to 20 hours a day (but usually not at a stretch), so a few hours at sea are no problem, provided the animal feels comfortable on board. Nevertheless, good planning is important. Before long days at sea, a long walk is a must, as well as playing, which keeps the four-legged friend mentally busy and allows it to sleep deeply later on. Ten hours at sea is also possible. Afterwards, of course, plenty of exercise on land is important. The cruise should also be planned in such a way that such long days are not repeated too often in succession and, in case of doubt, an alternative destination can be chosen en route if the dog is visibly stressed.
This manifests itself in different ways. A first indication is that he won't lie still, runs up and down or howls. But smacking, excessive yawning or sneezing can also be signs of stress. Some breeds are also prone to so-called spontaneous dandruff: white spots form in the dark coat within a few moments. This phenomenon usually passes quickly. However, such signs should be taken seriously and a break on land is advisable.
Training and structure are important for most dogs
Of course, there are also the four-legged friends who won't leave their owner's side, even without a lead, even if another dog comes towards them. Those who, once sent to their blanket, stay there and lie on deck under sail without the crew having to worry that they are about to jump outboard because of a passing seagull. For these exceptional talents, the leash requirement can be relaxed somewhat, and deck training, impulse control and dinghy lessons are not so crucial here either
For the vast majority of dogs, however, training and very clear structures and rules are important because they give them the security they need to be able to relax on board. If this doesn't work, if the dog barks at other dogs or people, doesn't like going on board, is stressed or aggressive, then training sessions at a dog school may be the solution that saves the day. This is because many of the skills that are important in the harbour and on board can be practised at home on land. However, they may not be directly transferable afterwards, so practice on the dock, on and below deck is still essential.
The right equipment for your dog on board
With the four-legged friend also comes some additional equipment on board
Another important factor for successful cruises with dogs is the equipment for the animal. If the dog is on deck, a lifejacket should be worn. This keeps the four-legged friend afloat in an emergency, increases visibility and provides a handle on the back to fish it out of the water. This handle can also be helpful in everyday life if the distance between the jetty and the pulpit is very large. Trainer Sonja Schmied advises taking the dog in your arms and holding it with the other hand. However, this is not always possible if you have to hold on yourself. In this case, small four-legged friends can be tucked under your arm or simply handed over by the handle of the lifejacket. With a little practice, they will stay still and not fidget. Then the ascent is done in no time at all.
However, wearing a lifejacket can also disturb the dog at first, so it should be familiarised with it gradually. Leashes, toys, poo bags and baskets should be taken for granted both on board and on land. A folding ramp can also be very helpful for larger breeds. Models that are also available for getting into the boot of the car are suitable here. They are lightweight and don't take up too much space.
If the dog bucks, nobody can enjoy the trip
A special towel can help to dry the dog after going ashore and thus minimise the spreading of sand below deck. Special water bowls, which do not spill over even when the boat is moving strongly, also help to keep the boat dry below deck. A sufficient amount of food for the planned trip must of course also be taken along - not every supermarket has the right variety.
All these things need some space on board. But they serve the well-being of the dog. This is not only important for reasons of animal welfare, but also has a direct impact on the quality of everyone's leisure time. If sailors show too little consideration for their furry co-sailor, he will increasingly perceive his stay on board as stressful and not lie relaxed on deck in the evening sun or happily climb on board after his morning walk. If the dog then bucks and barks, nobody can enjoy the trip any more.
The biggest mistake: Long trips without sufficient practice
The biggest mistake would therefore be to push through ambitious sailing plans without sufficient practice: Hectic on board, chaotic casting off, and only dropping anchor late in the evening. The dog urgently needs to go ashore, but has never travelled in a dinghy before. Now, however, there is no harbour nearby, so it has to be a scramble. Worst case scenario!
Small successes instead of ambitious goals
You should also practise sailing in the dinghy in the harbour. You can even try getting into the dinghy with the dinghy on land first. The vast majority of dogs even enjoy it. However, you can't know without training. Instead of setting your four-legged friend (and therefore the crew) overly ambitious goals, small training successes are important. For example, if you just want to prepare something on board, such as trimming the rig or putting away the forecastle: take the dog on board, put it in its place and simply spend time together on the boat, even if the lines are not cast off. After just a few hours on board, your four-legged friend will feel secure and become noticeably more relaxed.
And only sailing dog owners can understand the joy when their four-legged companion sleeps completely relaxed on the side of the deck for the first time. And only they know the contradictory mixture of feelings of anger and pride when the neighbour on the jetty attracts and strokes the sleeping dog. Anger, because the dog suddenly goes wild with joy from the deepest calm. But pride because you can understand your neighbour's affection for your four-legged friend. Of course, your own dog is also the best and cutest. On land anyway, but even more so on board.
Tips from a dog trainer
Sonja Schmiedt is a dog trainer and owner of the Dogs-Schmiede dog school in Lübeck. She provided us with expert support for this story. Most of the skills that dogs need to master on board can also be practised on land. Nevertheless, the first few times on board are important so that the animal can explore its surroundings in peace. A relaxed dog will also not disturb other sailors by barking or whining. If not everything works straight away, it is important to recognise your four-legged friend's stress signals and ensure relaxation through practice and routine. Structure is the most important thing for dogs. This applies to recurring routines such as going for a walk, going into the basket, chewing bones as a reward and laying down as well as spatial aspects, i.e. a safe place to retreat to on board. In difficult cases, expert advice can also help.
- Further information: dogs-schmiede.de
