Izzy is a Jack Russell Terrier and has lived aboard with us for four and a half years, since she was six months old.  Izzy is only 9lbs, so she is easy to care for. We have crossed oceans and coastal cruised in that time. So, let’s talk about some things we have learned along the way.

Shore Time

The more time on shore, the better for everyone aboard. We run/walk almost daily and Izzy rides in her rover (stroller) because the asphalt can be hot and we try to run three miles every day. That is a lot for her short legs. If we can’t run, we swim – Izzy too. We put on her life jacket, and in we go. We use that time in the water to remind Izzy how to climb the ladder.

Safety first!

Climbing up the ladder was the very first thing we taught her. Swim around and then point her towards the ladder and up she went. She is a smart girl.

Going ashore with Izzy

Going ashore with a dog isn’t too complicated.

Izzy likes to run off-leash when she can. We let her trail her leash for easy retrieval. The most amazing place to let her run is on a sand bar and uninhabited islands are Izzy’s favourite. There is so much for her to sniff.

We are always on watch for any local dogs; when we see them, we watch their body language. If we don’t like what we see we lift Izzy up into our arms.

Returning to the boat can be a bit of work depending on the on-shore adventure, beach, or just land. On the beach trips, we make her swim out to the dinghy to clean off most of the sand that has stuck to her hair and paws, then give her a couple of dunks in the sea and then a good rinse off. It’s just a freshwater rinse with the hose on the sugar scoop, so she doesn’t smell or get itchy from the salt.

Then we do a quick drying-off game. If you see us running around the boat, it’s the “dry the Izzy” game.

If we aren’t anywhere near a beach and it’s a walk on land, then once on board we put a dab of soap on her paws and scrub them clean. All that is to help keep sand, grit, dust and salt at bay (because she does sleep with us).

Going ashore without Izzy

If we go ashore and don’t want to take Izzy, we leave her inside the boat with the hatches cracked open and the door propped open to allow the breeze to flow through. We put sticks in the door so that she can’t open it (don’t tell anyone that we leave the boat unlocked!).

Ocean crossings

We all get a little stir-crazy on long passages. We use kongs (plastic toys that you can put treats in) to give her. Almost-empty peanut butter jars are also great for her to clean out, but keep a close watch as they can get their head stuck! Hide and seek with treats works well also. We don’t give her the run of the boat while underway. She is either attached to us, or inside.

At anchor

When we are anchored Izzy has the run of the boat. We put netting around the boat to help keep her from falling in. Sometimes, we have to block the sugar scoops because she likes to go down and bark at the fish. She will also say hello to everyone who comes anywhere near us. Izzy goes down when the sun goes down, so don’t worry about anchoring next to us.

Equipment

Leashes and harnesses: we always use a harness. We have a waterproof collar and harness with a leash. This makes our lives easier to grab and go when we leave the boat. No wet and stinky equipment.

Food

We started with a lot of dehydrated food for her and are down to the last couple of weeks’ worth. I bought a bag of kibble, to begin with. You can find kibble everywhere, but we are particular about what we feed her. If you ask Izzy, she will say “ah Mom, have chicken for me every night”. I am toying with making her food. What are your favorite dog recipes?

Mess

It does take some work to sweep and vacuum-up her little white hair. You would think it would blow out the hatch, but unfortunately only essential things do that!

Vets and Medication

We subscribe to homeagain.com, which gives us a 24/7 medical hotline. We use local vets wherever we are and do essential grooming onboard. We buy heartworm pills with flea and tick preventative a year at a time. There is no room on board for those pesky critters. We also have a first aid kit for Izzy, just like for us, with pills for a number of dog ailments.

Potty Time

We have a plastic storage box with a fake grass mat that Izzy uses underway. We hook a leash onto the door handle so that she can only stay in the cockpit. If the weather isn’t good, we put the potty box inside for her. It did take some patience to teach her to use it.

At anchor, she goes on the trampoline and her “business” falls right through into the sea. She can walk on the netting without her toes falling through. We visited a dog on another boat, and she taught Izzy how to potty on the trampoline. Just watching and sniffing the trampoline was all it took. We came home, and Izzy went straight to the trampoline and did her business. Thank you, Sadie!

For Ford and I, having Izzy on our journey with us is the only way we would have it. Izzy brings us joy and laughter and she keeps us moving.

Michelle Shultz
SY Athena

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About the Author

Michelle, partner Ford and Izzy the Jack Russell have been sailing together for the past five years. They live on their Fountaine Pajot catamaran Athena with the “less is more” mentality – the more you have, the more you break. They call it sailamping (camping on a sailboat).

They have sailed the Caribbean, the East coast of the United States, crossed the Atlantic twice and gone through the Panama Canal and are now in French Polynesia. They say they are sailing until they cannot physically and if that takes them around the world – then it’s a bonus! In the future, they are planning to sail through the South Pacific to New Zealand and Australia.

Michelle wrote a very useful article about entering French Polynesia with a dog on board and the pre-arrival paperwork and tests required: Sailing to French Polynesia with a fur-baby on board

Follow SY Athena’s adventures at:

• @travelindigenous
• #izzyssailingadventures
• michelleshultz.com

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.

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