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Our two Boston Terriers, "Triton" and "Minn-Kota"
enjoy a day out on the water just as much as we do. I am often asked by
other anglers how they should prepare to bring their best friend on the
boat with them. The first thing to remember is to get your pup familiar
with the boat and wearing a life jacket before bringing them on the
water.
On the Boat
Allow them to
investigate the inside of your bass boat. If you see that they want to
chew on an area, you may want to use a spray deterrent such as "Bitter
Apple to prevent them from that habit.
Life
Jackets
Safety is just as
important for your best friend as it is for you. There is an array of
lifejackets out there for dogs. Your pup may not be too keen on wearing
the lifejacket at first. Allow them to sniff the lifejacket before you
put it on them. When you do put it on your pup, offer them praise and a
treat. Also, allow them to wear it in the house to get used to it. When
"Triton" first had his life jacket on he was like a turtle on it's
shell.
I started both of our pups
with an Outward Hound Life Jacket. They come in an assortment of bright
colors (orange, yellow, lime green), a reflected ribbon tape, Velcro
and buckle fasteners, a handle on the top (to help pull your dog out of
the water), and a d-ring to attach a leash (I also attach an id tag just
in case as well).
With our female Boston Terrier, "Minn-Kota" I waited until she was full
grown to invest in a more whimsical printed life jacket. I purchased the
Louie Print offered by Paws Aboard. It has similar features as the
Outward Hound life jackets but also come in an assortment of other
prints including polka dots.
You can purchase a life jacket for your pup online or in a store. I find
that actually going to a store such as Petsmart is the easiest as you
can make sure you pick up the right size for your pet.
I also like to
personalize their life jackets with assorted patches. Both of our pups
have the BASS Federation patch adorning their jackets as our hearts are
with the BASS Federation. For a small pup life jacket, we found that
purchasing the BASS patches from Bass Pro Shops were a perfect scale.
They also sell an assortment of other great patches including Shimano,
Catch & Release, etc. You could also see if your local tailor could make
you a personalized patch with your pup's name on it.
Attaching Patches
Layout the life jacket in front of
you or place it on your pup to see where you would like
to align the patches.
Have two, 3" pieces of masking tape ready to use as
patch placement guides. Place one on the left side of
the patch and the other on the right side. It may be
helpful, to use a piece of masking tape on the top and
the bottom of the patch as well.
If you had put the life jacket on your pup to align the
patches you will need to remove it for the next step. It
is best done on a hard flat surface, preferably a table.
I use Liquid Stitch to apply the patches to the life
jacket. This can be found in the craft/sewing sections
of your local craft stores or Wal-Mart. Lightly, outline
the patch with glue being sure not to apply it directly
on the edge as when you press down the glue will spread
(I usually leave about 1-2 cm's between the outline and
the edge of the patch). Also, lightly fill in the center
of the patch using a zig-zag motion. Hold the patch by
the edges, and carefully place it within the guidelines
of your masking tape. Firmly press the patch down for
about a minute or two. If you see any excess glue coming
out from the edges, use a slightly damp cloth to wipe
off thee excess.
After the patch seems to be sticking to the lifejacket
on it's own, I usually put a heavy book on top of it for
an hour or two to insure it is securely attached.
Supplies
It is always good to be prepared for
taking your pup out on the water. This is just a general list to give
you an idea of what to bring with you. We have a Tupperware container
that we keep the dogs supplies in (a beach bag would also be suffice).
-
Life Jacket(s)
-
Baby Sunscreen:
as funny as this sounds, if your pup has a lot of
white on their heads-they can get sunburned.
-
Water Bowl: a
fabric travel bowl is the best as you can fold it up
and store it in a zip lock bag and the let it air
dry at the end of your trip. However, some dogs are
particular when it comes to drinking from
these! If you do purchase one, test it out! A sturdy
plastic bowl is also suffice. Also, be sure to have
plenty of cool water for them to drink.
-
Cookies/Treats:
to reward your pup or for them to enjoy a snack.
-
Toys/Chews: to
keep your pup occupied if they should become bored.
-
Beach/Bath Towel(s):
in case your pup decides to go for a swim, or for
him/her to lay down on.
-
Spray Deterrrent:
such ad Bitter Apple (found at Petsmart) to keep
your pet from chewing on your boat.
Weather
Take into consideration the weather with your pup's
breed characteristics. We do not take our pups out when it is above
85-90 degrees. Usually taking them out early in the morning or later in
the afternoon is the best time.
First
Trip on the Water
Be sure to keep the first trips out short. Also
provide praises to your pup so he or she knows they are ok and you are
enjoying having them out there. It is important to also set boundaries
as you will most likely have rods with lures on your front deck. Be
cautious!!! Using the treble hook guards might be a good idea and they
can be purchased at Bass Pro Shops as well.
First and foremost, take it SLOW!!!!
Pups seem to respond to this differently. Make sure you reassure them
with praise. Triton and Kota both enjoy sitting on our laps while we are
running. I do not recommend tying the leashes to a part of the boat
because if for some reason they are ejected overboard they could be
dragged and possibly strangled.
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