365 Boatdog days

It’s a year since our ‘new’ furry Boatdog came aboard. She is her own character – nothing like her beloved furry predecessor Cola and definitely with a mind of her own.

She spent the first six and a half years of her life as a breeding bitch, producing 4 litters of cockerpoo pups in that time for her breeder. Then last year she came aboard for a totally different way of life, afloat cruising the country. 

Since joining nb Preaux whilst moored in Northamptonshire, she’s become quite a seasoned cruiser in her first year. In her first 12 months aboard together we’ve travelled on the Grand Union, Coventry, Ashby, Trent and Mersey, Bridgewater, Rochdale, Macclesfield, Leeds and Liverpool, Selby, Fossdyke and Stainforth and Keadby Canals. We’ve cruised on the River Aire, the Rufford Arm, the tidal Trent, Aire and Calder and Calder and Hebble Navigations, and descended 50foot to the River Weaver on the Anderson Boatlift, and ascended again (after a quick trip to Northwick to buy milk!). 

There are times when it’s hard to know Boatdog is aboard. She curls herself up small and sleeps in interesting places. If there’s a storm going on or fireworks outside she’s likely to be found hiding in the (dry) shower cubicle – the place she appears to find safest on such situations. 

At all other times water is not her chosen habitat, unlike her predecessor she loathes getting wet. Cola would swim, swim, swim but not his successor. She’s to be found tiptoeing round puddles on the towpath but on the occasions she has fallen in she can swim like an otter with an expression of total disgust! 

Her first plunge came near Wheelock on the Trent and Mersey when she hurtled down the towpath and flung herself onto the back of the boat going so fast she couldn’t stop. Her second dip was a misjudged jump between two boats moored together on the Coventry Canal Because she’s small there’s no large splash to alert us to dog overboard, just a little ‘plop’ and the realisation she’s missing.

She may be small but she can be feisty when she doesn’t get her own way proving a bit of a nuisance to others when they’ve kindly offered to look after her when there were situations she just couldn’t join us at like work, a family funeral or a hen party – sorry Lesley, Jonny and Chris but thanks for putting up with her. She even howls and sulks if left with the Skipper sometimes and often flatly refuses to walk on the lead if she doesn’t feel like it. 

She loves looking at what’s around us, is hugely sociable with dogs, children of all ages, and is particularly friendly to anyone in a wheelchair. As our rear hatch is convex and covers the full width of the boat she doesn’t feel safe sitting up there when we cruise so I’m looking at how we could have a dog bed made which would be shaped so it would be completely stable for her. For the moment she makes do with Cola’s porthole which has now become her view of the world as we travel. 

She’s small enough to fit in the sink for a bath and puts up with my attempts to clip her with immense patience. Every so often I find a groomers and book her in so she looks like a dog again for a bit and not a moth-eaten hearthrug!

She’s not a barker although the other night when a group of youths were banging on the side of the boat she produced a remarkably loud and welcome bark which surprised them, me, and from her expression, her too!

She now understands that cafes and pubs are fun places often with fuss and treats on offer and has dragged me into many an establishment to check it out. Once in, when she’s been made a fuss of and eaten whatever treats are on offer, she’s happy to settle under a chair and go to sleep until we move making her an ideal companion. She is excellent, undemanding company (if she’s near me and not near any of her dislikes). She knows who likes her and who doesn’t, generally staying  away from those who aren’t fans.

She does share the same name as our younger daughter, which can make life confusing at times, but we differentiate by adding ‘furry’ in front when referring to the dog! I wonder sometimes if I should have changed her name – she seems to respond well to ‘biscuit’! 

Dislikes: getting wet, loud noises, squeaky dog toys, fireworks, loud bangs, mud, being out of my sight. 

Likes: hurtling round grassy fields at full speed often going so fast she somersaults, tummy rubs, fish, being groomed, meeting people and dogs and horses, chasing squirrels, sitting so close to the stove she nearly singes, and I’m hugely glad to say her other like seems to be, me. The feeling, I’m glad to say, is mutual. I’m hugely grateful she’s here. Even if I’m just in her life for food, cuddles and walks, I’m grateful she gives me a reason to get up and go on each day.