# Dog ladder for hunting boat?



## Salmonfever (Jan 24, 2008)

What does everyone use for steps/ladders to get your dogs in the boat? I haven't found anything that is great, especially in deeper water, and would appreciate recommendations.

Thanks.


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

I'm interested too. I see Avery just released a new one for $79.99 on cabelas site. My dog climbed a stock ladder on a pontoon this weekend. It was flat out though.


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## dthur (Sep 3, 2006)

I have a Cabels's First Flight model, don't think they make them anymore, but it works great in deep water. Heavy and big, but that helps hold it down and in place on the boat. A lot of them around and for sale, I paid $40.00 for mine, no sharp edges for the dog to get hurt on. 

http://waterfowlgunner.blogspot.com/2012/08/duck-dogs-and-ladders.html


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## lastflight (Aug 16, 2005)

I have tried several different ladders for my boat. The Beavertail worked well once the dog learned to use it. The issue I had with it was when hunting in open water the boat is always rocking which caused the ladder to move a lot. I wanted something that really "clamped" to the transom and wouldn't move in waves. I ended up with the Load-A-Pup HD ladder. I did replace the cable supports with solid aluminium flat to keep the ladder rigid (but now it will not fold.) I have been happy with this ladder in all but the roughest conditions. You do need to put your hand on the back of the dog's head in deep water, but it beats lifting them up without a ladder.

http://www.gundogsupply.com/load-a-pup-hd-dog-ladder.html


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

I am in the market and interested as well. 



adam bomb said:


> I'm interested too. I see Avery just released a new one for $79.99 on cabelas site. My dog climbed a stock ladder on a pontoon this weekend. It was flat out though.


Adam Bomb, I am in the process of teaching my dog to "climb" as well. I am basing it off of the simple training methods used by tactical K9 trainers. You simply start on dry land with larger ladders on a not so steep incline (just go and check out what's available at your local playground) and help them at first so they build confidence and get the hang of what a "good climb" is. Command "climb," and when they use each step and make their way up you can reinforce with praise by saying "good climb." I transitioned to water this past weekend, and my dog and I would swim up to the ladder on my pontoon boat and he knew exactly what to do. With a bit of help getting on the first step, he did a half dozen good climbs, and I'm hoping by the end of summer he can learn to do it by himself, or at least with the help of somebody doing a quick grab to the ridge of his neck. There is no doubt dogs can climb ladders, I've seen dogs climb vertical rope ladders--IMO it's all about the repetition and building your pup's confidence.


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## Salmonfever (Jan 24, 2008)

With the Load A Pup HD do you put the platform in the water or above it? I've only seen it above the water which seems like it would be harder for the dog than if it were 3" below water. 

Have you ever used it on the side of the boat instead of the transom? any issues with the dog hitting the prop?


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## lastflight (Aug 16, 2005)

Salmonfever said:


> With the Load A Pup HD do you put the platform in the water or above it? I've only seen it above the water which seems like it would be harder for the dog than if it were 3" below water.
> 
> Have you ever used it on the side of the boat instead of the transom? any issues with the dog hitting the prop?


I set the ladder height so it is a few inches into the water. This is the reason I modified it with solid support arms instead of the stock cable arms. The boat movement will cause the platform to "swing" a little with the stock cables.

I have only run the ladder off the transom. My duck boat is a 21' deep-v so the ladder would not be nearly close enough to the water mounted on the side of the boat. If you have a lower freeboard boat, jon or mod-v, you could probably do it. The engine is always off when the dog is boarding to avoid any prop issues.


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## jabelism (Oct 29, 2011)

I use the War Eagle dog step. It fits on the mounting track on my war eagle. It is solid and very well made. I think I would have got a multiple step one if I didnt have a war eagle.


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## huntmore (Feb 27, 2013)

I could never find one I really liked so my brother and l both use converted tree stands . His mounts to the bow of the boat. Mine slips over the rail as I use it on different boats .







this is mine in the middle of Fabing it . I'll try to load some pic of the finished product tonight.


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

Fortunately for me my new boat has a drop or hunt deck on the transom. So it makes a great place for the dog to hunt from and get back in the boat. With a hunt load the drop deck sits about 1 1/2" above the water line. Makes it easy for the dog to get her paws up on and then I just push on the back of her head and she pops right in. If were in shallow enough water (2' or so) she jumps right in without help. Before I had this boat I made a ramp/platform that I clamped either to the transom or the side gunnel and it worked great. No step, just a small 10" x 16" long platform. Enough for the dog to get their paws up on. It folded up and locked in place for motoring.


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## BangBangBang (Mar 30, 2011)

I'm trying this out this year:
http://getwag.com/dog-ladder-for-duck-boat/

First use last weekend in fisher bay was quite successful. My dog is 75lbs and went right up it. we were in 3-4 feet of water so he could still touch on his hind feet. we don't ever hunt deep water but I'll try that out some time soon anyway.
This ladder is real light and I stow it in the space under my front deck.


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## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

huntmore said:


> I could never find one I really liked so my brother and l both use converted tree stands . His mounts to the bow of the boat. Mine slips over the rail as I use it on different boats .
> View attachment 217924
> this is mine in the middle of Fabing it . I'll try to load some pic of the finished product tonight.


Nice ladder! Where is your shorthair from? I also duck hunt with a black and white shorthair


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## huntmore (Feb 27, 2013)

I own a black and white ticked female and a solid liver male both are from beaver creek kennels in coopersville mi . Were did yours come from?


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## gooseblood82 (Oct 7, 2014)

huntmore said:


> I own a black and white ticked female and a solid liver male both are from beaver creek kennels in coopersville mi . Were did yours come from?


Mine came from sharpshooters kennel in Wisconsin ...I've seen beaver creek , nice dogs I really like the black in the short hairs


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## flighthunter (Nov 21, 2005)

huntmore said:


> I could never find one I really liked so my brother and l both use converted tree stands . His mounts to the bow of the boat. Mine slips over the rail as I use it on different boats .
> View attachment 217924
> this is mine in the middle of Fabing it . I'll try to load some pic of the finished product tonight.


I have the same set up, works well and very sturdy. just a thought, I put carpet over mine, I was nervous about dogs pads catching in the diamond tread.


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## huntmore (Feb 27, 2013)

I worried about the same thing . So I knock down all the sharp edges with a grinders and add a thin rubber mat that water could drain through. So far no problems.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

BangBangBang said:


> I'm trying this out this year:
> http://getwag.com/dog-ladder-for-duck-boat/
> 
> First use last weekend in fisher bay was quite successful. My dog is 75lbs and went right up it. we were in 3-4 feet of water so he could still touch on his hind feet. we don't ever hunt deep water but I'll try that out some time soon anyway.
> This ladder is real light and I stow it in the space under my front deck.


This ladder looks great. The website says it's collapsible, but I'm wondering how that works..... Could you let me know? Thanks


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## BangBangBang (Mar 30, 2011)

Yea, they basically mean that the legs (that go against the boat) can be unscrewed and aligned parallel to the ladder.

While that is true, it's too much fumbling for me in 85 degree sunlight. 
I just keep the legs in place now and stow the ladder up into the space under my front deck on my 1648. It fits most of the way in there and just the top of the ladder and those legs stick out.
I'll have to get a pic and put it in here.

Doing it the way I am, it's quite nice- the ladder is set to go, when I shut the engine off, I just grab the ladder and put it on the port side portion of the bow. Those legs are in the exact spot they need to be (due to shape of boat at that spot, one support leg is in further than the other in order to reach the side of the boat and keep the ladder straight) and it's just done and ready for the dog.

My boy has totally gotten used to it now and goes right to it and up it.

I still haven't tried super deep water. I will do that one day.

A couple other things I did/learned: the top few steps have rubber inserts to help with buoyancy. A dog's nails can push those out if the nails are long enough to go into one of the little holes in the step.
The other thing is those suppport legs that go against the gunwale- they have rubber square caps on them. Those too can come of and get lost.

I solved both issues in 30 seconds with a little bit of 3M hi strength 90 spray glue stuff.
Now the caps and the foam inserts are glued in place.

Also, this thing is nice and light.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

BangBangBang said:


> Yea, they basically mean that the legs (that go against the boat) can be unscrewed and aligned parallel to the ladder.
> 
> While that is true, it's too much fumbling for me in 85 degree sunlight.
> I just keep the legs in place now and stow the ladder up into the space under my front deck on my 1648. It fits most of the way in there and just the top of the ladder and those legs stick out.
> ...


Thanks bud. One more question. My boat is a 16' composite river skiff. Its gunwales are a plastic material. Do you think this ladder would damaged them at all? I don't mind a bit of rubbing and abrasion, but I'm wondering if it applies a kind of pressure in the wrong spots that would crack something. 

Thanks


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## BangBangBang (Mar 30, 2011)

Lamarsh said:


> Thanks bud. One more question. My boat is a 16' composite river skiff. Its gunwales are a plastic material. Do you think this ladder would damaged them at all? I don't mind a bit of rubbing and abrasion, but I'm wondering if it applies a kind of pressure in the wrong spots that would crack something.
> 
> Thanks


No, not at all. It's light, the legs that touch your gunwale have that rubber boot on.
When the dog climbs, it hardly seems to pressure the boat at all.


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

BangBangBang said:


> No, not at all. It's light, the legs that touch your gunwale have that rubber boot on.
> When the dog climbs, it hardly seems to pressure the boat at all.


Excellent. Now I just gotta pop the dough on one.


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