Nothing beats seeing a narrowboat pass by with a well-seasoned boater’s dog strolling up and down the roof without a care in the world. I’m always in awe—and a teeny bit anxious—when I see this sight, because there’s no way my dog would be so trustworthy. However, there is certainly a place for all dogs on the waterways, no matter if well-seasoned or well-silly!
milla & daughter narrowboat alice elgie
With endless towpaths that mean miles of walking, cruising time that inspires chilling out, and long summer evenings lounging on the front deck or dark nights cosied up in front of the fire; what’s not to like for our four-legged friends?
Personally, I’ve never been without a dog on the waterways and after fifteen years on the canal, I’d like to think we’ve all found our feet and paws. My dear departed dog, Milla, spent most of her life enjoying all that was on offer and despite buying her a life jacket when we first started out, we found she soon gained her boating wings and would opt instead to lie down on the back with her chin hanging over the gunwale catching the cruising breeze or, sitting on the front with our daughter watching the world go by. There is no doubt that in her nearly eighteen years of life, the waterways brought her much pleasure!
milla & daughter alice elgie
Let the Canal & River Trust teach you about safe boating with your dogs
For our little terrier, Pepper, it’s another story. So tiny that I worry about her easily being knocked off the roof by wind, I opt instead to make her a bed on top of the back hatch, attaching her lead to the boat. However, she still has a lot of savvy and when we’re moored, she’s found her place on the bow of the boat, with an added umbrella to protect her from summer rays!
dog princess pepper umbrella alice elgie
It’s unimaginable to me to not have a four-legged friend by my side for narrowboat adventures and if my husband is at the tiller I like nothing better than jumping off at a bridge and taking a stroll with our pooch. I like to speed up and get ahead, especially on a quiet stretch, as it gives me that feeling of being far from the madding crowd and I’ll make sure I’ve always got a bag with me as sometimes I’ll find things to forage in the hedgerows as we mooch, such as wild Mirabelle plums in summer, or blackberries in autumn—perfect for a sweet evening crumble when we’re moored up.
Fancy a Fox Narrowboat Holiday with your pooch? Then read our ultimate dog guide! [insert link:https://www.foxboats.co.uk/canal-boating-ultimate-dog-guide/]
Having a dog by my side is an important addition to narrowboat life and whilst finding one savvy enough to stroll up and down the roof without fear of falling might be slim, finding one who is happy to slot into a laid-back life on the cut, is not so difficult!
Alice Elgie is a wandering writer with an appreciation for time spent in nature: slowintotheseasons.substack.com
