Boat Dogs: Life Aboard with Canine Crew

If there’s a canine in your cockpit, there better be biscuits on the boat.

The dog on our cover this month is Pickles, a purebred Jack Russell terrier who is unmistakably a boat dog. With more than 30,000 ocean miles under her paws, Pickles is a seasoned sailor.

Not long ago Pickles was anchored off Fanning Island in the central Pacific, about 1,200 nautical miles south of Hawaii. She sails aboard Sugar Daddy, a Gunboat 66 owned by Bruce and Nora Slayden, who are seven years into a circumnavigation with only the Indian Ocean left to complete their voyage.

“She’s a great boat dog,” Bruce Slayden wrote in an e-mail. Pickles has jumped into the water to play with sea lions in the Galapagos, swimming after them when they surfaced at the transom steps and looked her in the eye. She enjoys surfing and riding on the couple’s standup paddleboards and even recognizes the sounds of whales and dolphins—barking to alert her crew when she hears them exhale. Pickles swims confidently, though she’s slipped off the tender a couple of times and once slid off the catamaran’s bow while at anchor.

Dogs, along with cats, parrots and other animal companions, bring a special warmth to life on the water. They add personality to a voyage and keep the days lively, even when the routine becomes monotonous.

John K. Hanson Jr., publisher of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors, has long celebrated boat dogs in his publication. From the magazine’s launch, a Boatyard Dog column has been a reader favorite—proof that dogs are woven into the fabric of maritime culture. Hanson remembers his early boat dog, a golden retriever named Fagin, who was featured in the very first issue and struck a chord with readers for his enthusiasm and love of the water.

Fagin’s popularity extended beyond the magazine. Hanson recalls an anecdote about a reader in Poland who first wrote to compliment Fagin and later sent another letter describing how a boat built from plans in WoodenBoat helped him sail to freedom. Small moments like that underscore how a beloved boat dog can connect people across the globe.

Fagin has since passed, and today Hanson’s crew includes a miniature Labradoodle named Penne and a Jack Russell terrier called Roger—continuing the Boatyard Dog tradition. The magazine expanded the idea into events as well; when Hanson launched an annual boat show in Rockland, Maine, one of the most popular features became the Boatyard Dog Trials, a playful competition that celebrates the whimsical side of boating with pets.

Asked about a favorite breed, Hanson says with a smile, “You can’t go wrong with a black dog—they look great in the front seat of a truck or in a towboat.” But whether black or golden, purebred or mixed, there’s a dog for every vessel, every salty kid and every adult who talks to both their dog and their boat.

Boatbuilder Dick Pulsifer favors Pembroke Welsh corgis. He laughs when asked if they make good boat dogs: “They certainly are. Ours go for the ride and race to see who can jump on the dock first, then bark at you. They’re not wimps—cold, snow or wet don’t faze them as long as they’re with you.” Pulsifer’s current corgi crew—Hudson, Hanna and Eleanor—have all been to sea and many of them swim on their own.

Pulsifer fondly remembers Duncan, a corgi that once leapt from a stern deck and swam ashore mid-voyage. He was later retrieved by another skiff but refused to ride back with his owner for the rest of the run home. It’s the kind of stubborn, independent behavior that gives boat dogs their character and their stories.

On our own boat, a black Labrador retriever named Skipper has become part of the crew. We brought her home at eight weeks old and by the next month had her aboard Clam, our 42-year-old Boston Whaler. While not every Lab is instantly drawn to water, Skipper surprised us by taking to swimming almost immediately, paddling like a little river otter and proudly claiming a tough blue fender as her favorite toy. When she smells or sees water she races about in anticipation, and she loves to sprawl on the foredeck in the sun.

Boat dogs create memories, lighten the mood and hold a unique place in maritime life. They can be guardians, companions, comic relief and loyal first mates. Whether they’re chasing sea lions, dozing on deck or greeting visitors at the dock, these animals help shape the experience of living and traveling by sea. They become part of the family and part of the crew—and a few biscuits tucked into a pocket will make any voyage better.

Related articles

• Send us your pet photos
• Pampered pooches
• A first mate with nine lives

This article originally appeared in the July 2010 issue.