Boat Upholstery

[Missi]

Hi all DKers!  I figured someone would have the perfect answer if I finally asked.  Lizzie LOVES LOVES LOVES going to the lake on the boat.  The problem is her nails scratch up the upholstery.  We just bought our new boat last summer and aren’t quite ready to see the interior torn up.  (We didn’t care on our old boat).  Unfortunately, we have left her home this year because of this.  I have tried keeping her nails trimmed and using a dremmel tool on them to no avail.  She HATES having her nails grinded and it still scratches. 

 

So, my question is: Are there boots that would work in and out of the water while swimming that would also protect the boat?   I searched on previous discussions and saw how much everyone likes the muttluks for winter weather, would they work in summer too? 

 

And does anyone know of boots that float?  Because if they fell off in the lake, we’d be in trouble. 

 

Thanks for all of your response in advance!

 

Missi

 

[Pat & "Tucker"]

here is a place that has a good selection. http://www.doggear.net/store/Apparel/Dog-Boots

I recently saw "disposable boots" I believe it was at Pet Smart= they looked like they may stay on while swimming. Check their web site..

[Melissa, Samson & Shelby]

That's too bad that their nails scratch your interior. We have our two doodles on the boat all the time. In fact, we leave tonight for the lake. My doodles don't scratch the vinyl at all. Mine is white, maybe that has something to do with it, but I'm always cleaning it to get any marks off. The white is always getting dirt or something on it. That would be awful if they were leaving marks on it. I wish that I could be of some help. I know that my doodles would be devastated if they didn't get to go out on the boat with us. The kids are my biggest problem, getting dirt or food on the interior, or forgetting to take off their shoes. Good luck!

[Melissa, Samson & Shelby]

Have you tried her on the new boat? Maybe like my boat, their nails won't effect the vinyl?

[BG and Gavin]

Can you set up one seat with a towel and let that be "her seat," restricting her from the other seats, or keeping her on the floor?

[Linda and Murphy]

I hate that Lizzie isn't going on the boat.
SOMEWHERE I have seen plastic covers for the individual nails. I don't know where, but I am sure someone on DK knows. I am so sorry Lizzie isn't on that boat.

[Zoe, Benny and Tyler]

That was also my first thought. I have seen them as well and although they would never be a solution I would consider they might work.

If you google "rubber nail cover dog" you get a lot of links, this is one of them where you can order:
http://www.softpaws.net/about.html

We have a boat as well and for both of my boys towels on the seats work very well. We have no scratches at all. In the cabin of the boat I always put a car seat cover blanket over the bed so that they can lay there as well if they want even when they are wet.

What also works fine for us is the dog boat ladder. They both jump from the boat into the water but we need to pull them out of the water which is not that easy. Therefore I bought the ladder which you can connect with the normal swimming ladder, so that they can get onboard by themselves.

This is company which makes them; http://www.pawsaboard.com/ladder.asp#what
I am sure you can google many online stores which carry them and you can compare prices, because I realized there were quite some differences...so watch out!

[Missi]

Thanks all for the responses! Yes, we took Lizzie out on the new boat last summer after we got it. She did leave marks that we cannot get off in both the light and dark vinyl. She's fine on the floor of the boat, but there's no way to get in and out of the boat without going over the seats. Towels over them would fly off in motion.

Thanks for the links to all the boots. I will have to go look at them. I did look at the disposable boots, but I think they would just tear. The softpaws seem like they might work too.

I love the idea of a doggy ladder! Lifting her up out of the water is very heavy. Not sure if there's room on board though, we only have a 19 ft wakeboard/skiing boat. There's barely room for the passengers, wakeboards, and a cooler!

[Zoe, Benny and Tyler]

You can fold the ladder when not in use, so maybe it will fit :)