We have a French Bulldog. He’s our best friend and we want to take him everywhere. But being a brachycephalic breed (short snout) it means he’s not all that good in the heat. That means we have to be ultra-cautious when taking him out on our pontoon boat, as things can get very hot.
We have a stepped approach to making sure our dog keeps cool when on our boat, and those numbered tasks are listed below in bold. You can then scroll down further for a little more detail on each point including recommendations on any accessories you might consider buying.
- Groom his excess hair off before the trip
- Make him wear a cooling vest
- Keep him in the shade
- Give him a gel cooling mat to lie on
- Provide a constant supply of fresh water in the bowl
- Use a water spray to cool him down
- Protect his paws from burning on vinyl
- Get him off the boat and into the water
Now let’s get into a little more detail on those points, with my guide on how to keep a dog cool on a boat.
8 tips for keeping dogs cool and from overheating on a boat
1. Groom his excess hair off before the trip
You will hear from dog owners who suggest shaving your dog before a boat trip. That’s a non-starter for our own dog, as he’s a short-haired breed and it would make him look ridiculous!
Most dogs will shed their winter coat in the warmer summer months as part of their own self-cooling mechanism, but that doesn’t mean they can’t do without a little help.
We have a product called the Furminator de-shedding tool (view Amazon prices). It’s dead simple to use, and with a couple of strokes through his coat, we can remove any excess hair from him that could contribute to him over-heating.
Another side benefit to grooming and de-shedding before a boat trip is that you will reduce all those irritating dog hairs getting into your boat food and onto the boat seats!
2. Make him wear a cooling vest
One of the best investments we ever made for our dog is a cooling vest. It doesn’t look like much but works a treat and just needs to be kept damp to work.
All you do is run it under some water, squeeze the excess out, and then place it on him. It can bring his temperature down significantly and keep him much cooler when in the sun. It also reflects the sun’s rays, rather than absorbing the heat.
If your dog is like ours, he will be jumping in and out of the water too which keeps the cooling vest damp and working throughout the day.
The one we own is called the Ruffwear Cooling Vest on Amazon. Take a look at the excellent reviews from other dog owners for confirmation on how well this can keep your boat dog cool.
3. Keep him in the shade
We have a Bimini top on our pontoon boat which offers enough shade for us to put the dog boat bed (click here to see which we use) and keeps him out of the direct sunlight when required.
If you don’t have a Bimini or similar, then look for ways in which you can create enough shade with deck covers.
If you are moored or anchored up, the direction of the sunlight is going to change and you might get spots that aren’t shady. And if your dog is like mine, he might have a spot he simply wants to sit in, despite it being in the glaring sun.
You can keep your dog cooler in this situation with some strategic sheets or an umbrella.
4. Give him a gel cooling mat to lie on
Don’t ask me how this works, they may as well be witchcraft, but the benefits are insane. Essentially, it’s a mat that your dog can lie on in the shade, but if feels constantly cool to help bring their temperature down.
The mats are comfortable to lie on and have a special gel inside of them that cushions and cools your dog for up to 3 hours. Once the dog gets up, the gel will take around 20 minutes to “re-charge” itself back to a cool temperature.
Like I said, witchcraft.
You don’t have to soak it, you don’t have to put it in a cool box, it simply works.
You can see the one that we use to stop our dog from over-heating on our boat (and also at home) on Amazon. It’s called the Green Pet Shop Dog Cooling Mat on Amazon.
5. Provide a constant supply of fresh water in the bowl
Keeping your dog hydrated is one of the most important factors in keeping them cool. Keep their water bowl topped up, and if you can, have a supply of cold water from a cooler box on board.
We keep water bottles in our cooler that are wedged between ice block packs to keep the liquids as cold as possible.
Handy Hint: Elsewhere on the website you can see the 13 best dog boat accessories you will need for your trip to make the day so much easier.
6. Use a water spray to cool him down
Another tip is to spray your dog with cool water when he starts to get hot. It’s inexpensive, simple, and works.
Just use one of those cheap plant water sprayers and spray a fine mist as and when required.
Our dog is a bit of a clown and thinks this is a game, with him always trying to catch the spray. It’s fun, so why not let your kids be in charge of this particular task?
7. Protect his paws from burning on vinyl
Now this really depends on what type of boat you own. Our pontoon boat used to have vinyl flooring, and it was really hot on our dog’s paws… and our own feet!
We found that using carpet flooring on the deck worked way better.
If you don’t have that option, and let’s face it, it’s an expensive upgrade or change to make, simply lay towels or sheets down on any vinyl flooring to stop nasty burns to the paws.
You can intermittently dampen the towels or sheets too, with a water spray or by dipping them into the water – just make sure you squeeze excess water out first though!
8. Get him off the boat and into the water
And lastly, and probably the most obvious suggestion; get him into the water.
Nothing cools your dog down more than a proper drenching.
However, we have a French Bulldog, and this is a breed who cannot swim, so we can only do this once we’re beached up in shallower waters.
But with larger dogs who love to get in the water, encourage them in as much as possible. You might want to consider getting a doggie life jacket for peace of mind.
Being in the water will bring their temperature down far quicker than any other tip in this guide, so make use of it!
Conclusion
Boating is fun for all the family, and that includes man’s best friend. We take our dog everywhere and always make sure that we are prepared for all occasions.
But, hot weather and dogs are never a good mix unless you have a solid plan in place to keep your dog cool on your boat.
I am sure there are other tips you can think of, so if you do have any further advice I would love to hear them!
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We’ve had loads of experience taking our dog out on our pontoon boat, and here are some additional guides you might find useful:
