Ahoy, Fluffy

How to Keep Pets Safely Afloat

Ed Johnson of Washington knows from experience that waxed fiberglass decks and running dogs don't mix. His 125-pound Great Dane, Isabella, made quite a splash when she plunged unexpectedly into the Potomac. Isabella now sports a bright yellow life jacket whenever she is topside on his 35-foot sailboat.

Aboard kayaks and cruisers, on lakes and oceans, a growing number of boaters like to take their pets along for the ride. It seems simple enough -- just plop Fido or Fluffy on board and push off. But do so without adequate preparation and you may find that your pet either cowers in a corner shaking with fear, or brazenly dives into the water, pouncing on unsuspecting ducks or dolphins.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid those unexpected splashes or splats.

Before You Push Off

• Order an ID tag for your pet that includes your boat's permanent marina location and slip number as well as a phone contact for when you're afloat. (Cell phones will work close in, but their range is short and coverage is spotty.) Or consider having an ID microchip implanted in your pet. The chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted at the scruff of the neck and contains a number linked to a national registry.

• Have your pet fitted for a personal flotation device (PFD), available at most boating stores for $20 to $80 (see Details, this page). Regardless of how good a swimmer your pet is, a sudden dunking can cause panic, and a brightly colored life jacket with a handle on top will make the animal easier to see and retrieve.

"Getting a panicky animal out of the water is difficult, because their survival instinct takes over and they will claw at any solid object -- which is usually you," said John Paul Landry of Temple Hills, whose exercise classes for dogs emphasize water safety. He recommends getting your pet used to the PFD in small steps -- "a couple of minutes in the back yard, then on a walk, then maybe in a pool."

• Teach your dog basic safety commands, such as "on boat," "off boat," "stay" and "sit." Good luck finding any verbal command a cat will pay attention to.

• Obtain seasickness medication for your pet if necessary. "The first time out is not the telltale," warned Jody Findlay, a supervisor at Alexandria's West Marine store, who lives aboard a 40-foot houseboat with her Rottweiler, Kohl. Often, in time, pets will become conditioned to the motion, but sometimes medication is needed.

While the same medications used for humans -- Benadryl, Bonine, Dramamine -- also work for pets, consult your vet. Whatever you do, don't let animals take refuge in the V-berth -- that's where motion is felt most. A nest of secured cushions or a carrier near the boat's center of motion will help skittish pets feel safe.

Training

• Introduce your pet to the boat in incremental steps. Ideally, begin the exposure when the animal is young. When Frank and Nancy McCabe of Solomons, Md., decided to take their two cats on a seven-month cruise on the Intercoastal Waterway, they invested time to make the felines feel at ease. "First we took them to the boat and just sat below with them. The next time, we turned the engine on but stayed at the dock," said Nancy McCabe. They gradually worked up to a day sail, then a weekend, then a week-long cruise.

• Teach your pet about the properties of water. Dip their paws in it. On calm days, the water around the boat can look like an inviting shiny floor.

• Be alert even at the dock, because surprisingly, that's where many accidents happen. Terri Parrow, vice president of Internet operations for BoatU.S., a boat owners association, was washing the deck of her 33-foot sport-fishing boat docked in Friendship, Md., when one of her Jack Russell terriers slid down the soapy catwalk, jumped on the gunwale and tried for the dock. He missed and landed in the water.