Pets

Farley’s Friday – Grooming While Cruising

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 12 Comments

 

Farley here!

My owner, Kristina, has decided she doesn’t have time to write about me. She’s too busy writing her book. So . . . I’ve stolen her laptop and am going to write my blog. My paws are a bit clumsy, but I can do it. I know I can.

Farley Guarding Kiting Gear on a Beach in the Bahamas

How do you like my hair cut above? Too short, I think. But it’s too hot in the Bahamas for me to have long hair. Plus, I get covered in sand and get itchy. I just wish Kristina had taken lessons in clipping my hair. Once she gave me a bald spot on top of my head. Good thing I’m a dog and don’t care.

So what’s in my grooming kit?

  • Nail clippers (Kristina does this weekly so the quick recedes, and she doesn’t hurt me.)
  • Large scissors
  • Small scissors blunted at the end (for around my eyes and ears.)
  • Toothpaste and brush (Not my favourite, but if I get an infection in my mouth, Kristina can clean it.)
  • Clippers   (For my winter haircut)
  • Brush (One suited for my coat – you might be different and need a specific kind.)
  • Comb
  • Ear cleaning fluid (I hate this, but I get ear infections from too much time in salt water and this prevents them.)
  • Cotton swabs (For cleaning the inside of my ears without hurting me.)
  • Shampoo
  • Conditioner (It’s embarrassing when she conditions my hair, but at least I smell nice.)
  • Towels (So I don’t have to use human towels. They get testy about that. They also get annoyed when I’m wet and jump in their bed.)

Woof Woof.

Here’s what Kristina has already written about me. Lucky me – she may have given up writing my blog, but she does spend a lot of time getting my stuff ready for sailing.

 

Going Sailing: Medical Kit For Dogs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 6 Comments

Our dog Farley, spends his winters in the Bahamas on our Lagoon 380 S2.

We’ve entered the part of the year where we need prepare for the season. This includes provisioning for Farley. In Going Sailing With Your Dog? I gave a high level list of what to bring on a cruising boat.

Today I’ll focus on his medical kit.

The soft cone stops Farley from fussing with an injury on his front leg.

Before entering the Bahamas, Farley needs to get a health certificate. This has to be done right before we cross, so I don’t leave anything critical until then. Sometime during the summer, I have a discussion with Farley’s vet about what he needs for the upcoming season. If your dog required any medication, it’s best to order early. Sometime the vet won’t carry a six month supply.

For Farley we bring

  • Doxycycline – for lyme’s disease. This horrible disease can be cured, but only if you have the right medication.
  • Advantix – some years are worse than others in the Bahamas for ticks.
  • Heartworm pills
  • The cone of shame, both a soft one, as shown in the photo and a hard plastic one.  They can be stored flat underneath a bunk.
  • Ear cleaning fluid. Farley tends to get ear infractions when he swims in salt water. The fluid seems to held reduce this.
  • Antibiotic ear drops – for a serious infection
  • Antibiotic eye drops – for a serious infection
  • Muzzle – in case of severer injury, it might avoid a dog bite.
  • Shampoo – think lots of sand! I put this under medical and not grooming as I believe it keeps Farley from having skin issues.

There are  items from our medical kit that we could use for Farley.  This includes large bandages, scissors, gloves,  and antibiotic cream. I never give Farley medication from our kit unless a vet tells me it’s okay.

Before I leave for the season, I talk to my vet and make sure I can contact them while I’m away. There are vets in the Bahamas, and my experience there has been very good, but when sailing away from civilization, sometimes the only way to get a consult is through email

Please remember, this is what I bring based on what Farley needs. It’s best to consult your vet to get the right things for your dog.

If you have other items you bring, please let me know.

Going Sailing with Your Dog?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ Leave a comment

. . . then here is a list of things to bring if you plan to cruise with your pup.

Farley on the deck of Mattina.

Farley, my wheaten terrier, has spent three winters on our Lagoon 380 S2 catamaran and is about to start his fourth.

This week Farley’s permit to enter the Bahamas arrived in the mail, and it was a good reminder for me to prepare for the season.

Farley can’t to this on his own, so I get to do it for him.

After a few weeks in Florida, we’ll sail across the Gulf Stream and spend the winter in the Bahamas. I created list  below from my experience in the Bahamas. I’m sure there are other things you need to consider for sailing to other countries.

Before each season, I review what I use for Farley at home and assume I won’t be able to get the items while I’m sailing.

Farley’s Provisioning List:

  • Dog food and treats
  • Medical Kit
  • Grooming Kit
  • Extra leashes and harness
  • Safety gear
  • Toys
  • Permit to enter Bahamas
  • Health certificate – including proof of immunization for rabies, distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, leptospirosis, adenovirus and coronavirus.

I’ll expand on some of the items above in future blogs.

Did I miss anything you might bring?

Patient Dogs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 5 Comments

 

It amazes me how much patience a dog has.

We landed at a camping site north of Lake Superior on the Ontario side, and a squirrel ran by. The dogs, of course, wanted to chase it.

While we got the campsite ready, we leashed the dogs – keeping the squirrel population safe.

Forty-five minutes later, with no sighting of the squirrel, we let the dogs off-leash. The second we were free, they sprinted to the tree the squirrel was hiding in, and circled its base. The squirrel remained safe, but our dogs were doing their duty and protecting us from this scary forest monster.

Before being let off-leash, the dogs sat waiting by the picnic table, pretending they weren’t interested in anything. Did they trick us? Is it their nature to be strategic? . . . Or, were they resigned to being on a leash and saw no point in reacting until they were free?

Your guess is as good as mine.

I love the entertainment a dog provides our family!

 

FARLEY GOES TO THE DOG PARK

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 4 Comments

Dog parks are a great place for dogs to play and socialize with other dogs. Farley, our wheaten terrier, travels often. He’s covered the east coast of the US 5 times, driven from Panorama BC to Ottawa, ON,  and driven from Ottawa to Winnipeg 6 times.

You get the idea . . . he travels a lot. This means he is often at a dog park where he’s the unknown dog.

We’ve had some great experiences and some not so great.

One of our favourite dog parks in Delaware, USA.

The one issue we look out for is a dog park that doesn’t have a lot of transient dogs. We’ve found that a park full of dogs that aren’t used to a new comer can be a problem. Farley has been the recipient of aggressive, territorial behaviour.

I’ve learnt when entering a new park for the first time, to talk to the other dog owners and see what works best for introducing our pup to others. We’re the newcomers so we need to adapt to the others. After that, it’s all fun and games.

This week Farley is representing a dog park the he’s never been to, but has friends in the neighbourhood. The Doylestown Dog Park has posted Farley’s photo as their cover photo. Check it out if you get the chance.

Dog Papers for the Bahamas

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

Heading to the Bahamas again this fall means a lot of prep work has to happen. This includes getting our dog ready for cruising.

Farley, our wheaten terrier, needs his papers to enter the Bahamas. This winter will be his fourth time in the Bahamas and he’s getting used to the routine.

To get his papers, I mailed our application, along with $10 to the Bahamas. Once they receive this and are happy, they mail back permission papers. I bring these with me when we visit the customs office upon entry into the country.

Farley had to have his rabies, distemper, etc. shots and he’ll have to see a vet right before we cross the gulf stream. The Bahamians require that he has a health certificate right before entry. This can be tricky because usually we are waiting for a weather window to cross the Gulf Stream, and we’re never sure until the last-minute whether we are going to cross.

So far we’ve been lucky and been able to get an appointment with a vet in Florida on short notice. Once I explain what we are doing, I’ve found the vet’s office are happy to sneak us in for a quick visit.

Why do we do all this? So Farley can to this . . .

 

Summer Exercise for Dogs

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 9 Comments

If you can get your dogs near water, it’s a great way to exercise them without over heating them.

Farley (Wheaten Terrier – 4 years old) loves to dive.

Piper (Border Terrier – 4 years old) is learning to swim. She tries not to go too far out. At the beginning, she wouldn’t even put her paws in the water, so we’re making progress.

Murphy’s (Rottweiler – 8 years old) big breakthrough was stepping on the back of the boat. Farley had to show him it was okay.

Each dog has their own fears and limitation and it’s up to us to figure out what they are and give them the opportunity to overcome them and enjoy the water.

Is It Ever Too Early Too Teach Your Dog To Sit?

~ Kristina Stanley ~ 2 Comments
We said, ‘SIt.” We didn’t’ say where.

#Dogs

Nope, I don’t think so.

Our wheaten terrier, Farley, arrived at our house when he was 8 weeks olds. The first command we taught him was SIT. We did this in a gentle manner.

  • Watch the puppy.
  • Right as he starts to sit, say, “Sit.”
  • Praise the puppy with a calm pat to the head.
  • He’ll figure out the meaning of the word in no time.

But how does this stop him from jumping up on people? Make the dog sit before petting him – EVER.  This will teach the dog not to jump on people. You need the help of your friends and family. A new puppy is cute, and who doesn’t want to pick him up. But, he has to learn he can’t jump on people, so before your friends, family or strangers pet or pick up your pet, make sure the animal sits first.

Wheaten Terriers are well known for jumping on people, but even a Wheaten can be trained not to jump. I believe this is as important for small dogs, as it is for large dogs.

I also used the SIT command to stop my pup from begging. When he first arrived in our home, and we sat at the table to eat, he was told to sit. We never feed him from the table, and he doesn’t beg. This makes it easy to bring him places, like happy hour on the beach, and he won’t bother other people.

The trick is consistency. It’s hard to resist the cuteness, but if you can, you puppy will become an easier to live with adult dog.