Crab Dogs

[JimRockfish]

Do any of you have dogs that go crabbing with you? I raised daughters that didn't particularly like getting up at 0430 but I always had some great crabbing buddies., starting with my trusty 'ole boy Barclay. We got Barclay, a mixed Lab, from the York dog Home (pound) when I was stationed in England. We brought him back to MD in 1983 and that dog LIVED for crabbing every Saturday morning. His double-jointed tail rotated in a circle (called him chopper-boy) and he would leap in the air when I started loading up the gear and hitching the boat. Barclay's big treat was jumping off the boat and swimming in large circles with a trot-line tied to his collar after we were done, so I could reel him back in. He died in his sleep one night at age 15. About 7 years ago, I was burying June Bug, another great old pound-dog, when another stray ended up on our farm. Spencer, named after Spencer Creek, is a big female lab that goes out with me crabbing now. She was a skinny- starved old goose-duck dog that had probably reached the end of her usefulness. Poor thing couldn't even climb steps because she had been kept in a pen, had bad heartworm, hadn't even been fixed, although the vet said she was at least 10. He said she was definitely an abandoned bird-dog, had seen many like her and cautioned me that she probably wouldn't live for more than 2 years because of her heart. Anyway, that was 7 1/2 yrs. ago and Spencer may be lumpy an limpy but she still crabs with me and loves riding in the truck. When we go out surf-fishing, Spencer digs a hole in the sand and jumps up every time I reel one in.. to check it out. I may have to lift her up into the truck but she's always ready to go. Any of you guys have a crab dog?

[Burchbeer]

JimR,

Nice story. I have no such dog. Got a dog, not a crab dog. But I do have 2 boys at 8 and 10. (Started late). Oh my god..........................What was I thinkin.

I drive, they do a lot of eveything else.
:p

[mikie]

My yellow lab loved to go on the boat for anything. She'd go crazy running up and down the washboard watching the line. She'd go in the cull box and grab crabs and "throw" them around the boat. Had to put a stop to that when she "threw" one past my wife's leg and it stuck in the side of the motor box by the point on the end of the shell.
Another day, was crabbing in the creek in front of the house when a guy on the shore yelled over to me, pointing over past the boat - I turned and looked, the dog had gotten bored and jumped off and was swimming home!!
If we went by a row of floats, she would jump in and retrieve them, traps and all. Too many stories to tell - one of the hardest things I ever had to do was put her down. Probably get another one when I have the time to devote to her.

[b.dog]

great stories,them dogs always own a pc of you.i have had some gun dogs but no crab dogs, take my black dog with me sometimes but she don't care much about the crabs and i worry she may get a crab earring some time. wife says she is good luck so i named boat blackdog just in case. hey i always wondred if you could train a dog to smell / point crabs. they use them on water to locate dead drown vict.s. just think a CRAB POINTER !now there's a dog. bdog gone

[Dave Jr.]

My kids; 3, 4 and 6 have been "hounding" me for a puppy for a few months. We just moved last July to a smaller house on 2 acres and I don't see a reason they shouldn't have one. I want to wait until the Spring weather hits so the training will be easier on me in the warmer weather. :)