Introducing Macduff. He might only be a youngster but Macduff is a well travelled international sailor dog and a highly accomplished Director of Social Activities on his boat.
He is an amazing little dog with many adventures to share.
Doggy Name: Macduff
Doggy Breed: Terrier Mix
Doggy Age: 2.5 years
Years Sailing: 2 years
Places Sailed: Lake Ontario, NY; Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rhode Island; Massachusetts, Maine, NJ, Virginia, North and South Carolina; Chesapeake Bay; Caribbean Sea as far south as Martinique
How does Macduff handle sailing life?
Macduff has adjusted well to sailing. In the beginning, he wouldn’t go down below while the boat was underway, and he didn’t like the engine running either. As Macduff’s mum points out, “Don’t we all prefer to be under sail?”
These days Macduff isn’t bothered by the engine noise and he gets himself up and down the companionway steps if he needs anything during passage, although he prefers to be up in the cockpit where the action is.
Biggest challenge and how did you overcome these?
Macduff’s biggest challenge has been going to the toilet aboard. When he started sailing with his family they were coastal cruisers on Lake Ontario. Every night they would dock in harbour allowing Macduff the freedom to hop off the boat onto land to do his business of an evening and again before heading off the next morning.
The following summer Macduff’s parents retired and the three of them ventured further afield sailing up to Maine on their new Mason 44. Macduff had a piece of AstroTurf mat on board which he learned to use while sailing the Mason on the Chesapeake.
Macduff’s mother explained that she was worried about walking him on deck during passage, so she placed his Astro Turf mat below on the shower grate, a much safer option. Macduff was unsure about this change and it took him three and half days into the trip before he would go to the toilet in the new designated area. Even then, his mum ended up locking him in the head until he eventually went and was by all accounts a much happier little dog afterwards.
The next day they found a new spot on deck for Macduff’s mat and his parents set a routine of walking him on his leash to the mat first thing in the morning and just before sunset. From that point on Macduff was able to go to the toilet on his mat on deck but when they are at anchor, Macduff lets his family know that he wants to be walked on land by doing his very persuasive Dinghy Dance.
Most dog friendly places you’ve experienced on your travels in your local area?
Yankee Point in Lancaster VA is by far the most dog friendly place Macduff’s ever been and he loves it there. He’s allowed to roam leash free to explore the woods or run and dig at oyster shells on the beach. There are also other boat dogs as well as the owner’s dog for him to play with and he’s made great friends with the other customers and employees. Macduff is so popular here that he had been promoted from Head of Security to Social Director as he is the one that manages to secure many social engagements for his family.
Most dog friendly places you’ve experienced on your travels abroad?
Many people had warned Macduff’s family that the locals on the Caribbean Islands disliked dogs. With a few exceptions they were delighted to find this not to be the case. Antigua and the French Islands were very dog-friendly with most places inviting Macduff into their restaurants. The only place he couldn’t visit was the Deshaies Botanical Gardens in Guadeloupe, but they offered a free pet minding service.
“In Antigua we frequently anchored in an area called Deep Bay which has a long stretch of beach and a nice hike up to an old fort. Once a day a couple of tour catamarans would bring cruise ship passengers there for swimming and snorkeling, and if we were on the beach Macduff would run up to greet the passengers. The first time it happened, we called him back because we thought the tourists and tour operators would object. But Macduff charmed them all so much that the tour operators offered us rum punches to let him stay and play with the swimming passengers.”
NOTE: Don’t let your dog off leash in crowded areas and never let them off leash on Dominca. After the hurricane there have been a high number of abandoned and feral dogs and it is reported at the time of writing that poisoned baits were known to have placed in this area.
Any tips on international travels
1)Follow the rules for importing and exporting your dog;
2) Always check the requirements with the government vet office before you arrive;
3) Organize and scan your dog’s health records so you have hardcopies and electronic copies;
4) Send your records to the next country before you depart and call the vet 24 hours ahead of arrival to give them your estimated time of arrival;
5) Get an export health certificate from the vet if you are leaving a rabies free country; and
6) Most important, be friendly and courteous.
Macduff’s family made sure they had all the required vaccines and tests for the islands with the strictest rules before they left the US. They sent these results to the government vet at their first port of call, Antigua, two weeks before their arrival.
Before going to Montserrat, St Kitts and Nevis, Macduff’s mum obtained the name and phone number of the government vets at these places from the vet in Antigua. Montserrat, as well as St. Kitts and Nevis have quarantine requirements, but they were able to call the vets ahead of time and have the quarantine waived based on how long they’d been on Antigua, which is a rabies free island. They only had to provide an export health certificate from the vet.
The same routine was followed with all the other islands, except for the French islands as they don’t require a vet check to import your dog.
“Yeah, no bull man.”
What’s the longest leg Macduff has travelled and how do you manage his energy, toileting and behaviour on these legs and keeping him safe on larger swells?
Macduff’s longest passage was Hampton VA to Antigua which was thirteen and a half days. Macduff’s family had two dog friendly crew join them who he loved. His mum made sure Macduff had opportunities to interact with the new crew before they left VA. Weighing only 25 pounds he is confined to the cockpit or below on passage but he was able to burn off some energy just hopping between everyone and wrestling in those areas.
Macduff wears a life jacket for the entire voyage and he is tethered with a 20 foot Dyneema lead when in the cockpit. This lead was long enough so that if he jumped down the companionway stairs he wouldn’t hang himself. Once down below, Macduff’s mum would remove his leash.
Macduff always got treats after his walks to the mat (accompanied by a crew member) and he was given something safe to chew on to relieve anxiety. During squalls one of the crew would take him below and bend the rule about no sleeping on the berth; but most of the time Macduff preferred to sleep in the cockpit under the helm seat, where a cushion was kept there for him.
Have you made any modifications on your boat to accommodate Macduff?
No. Macduff’s mum said that they considered netting but Macduff is very surefooted and when they are underway he doesn’t go on deck except for his twice daily supervised walks.
What advice would you like to share with others who have dogs who sail or who are considering having a dog on a boat?
3 Do’s
- Be patient, dogs will adjust as long as they’re with their people.
- Keep nails well trimmed as it helps prevent slipping and sliding.
- Do what you can to make the trip pleasant for your dog by providing comfortable cushions, chew toys or rawhide, and loving attention.
3 Don’ts
- If your anxious or worried, don’t telegraph that to your dog.
- It’s okay to spoil them a little, but don’t make too much fuss about bad weather or big seas, otherwise you’ll teach them to overreact.
- Don’t encourage your dog to swim from the boat. We only let Macduff swim from the beach otherwise he might jump off at inopportune times.
