A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about my new boat dog, Cuda. Almost everyone in the Keys loves dogs, and it seems as though everywhere I go people are asking how my puppy is doing.

Well, I wish I could tell you I have the dog training abilities of the Dog Whisperer on TV, and that Cuda is the perfect puppy. The truth is, if I ever get my own dog training TV show, I would most likely be known as the "Dog Screamer." No, Cuda -- NOOOOOOO!!! I have come to the reality it can be very challenging to train a dog when both of you suspect that he is a lot smarter than the "trainer."

Like all puppies, Cuda chews on just about everything that will fit in his mouth. Initially, I was actually concerned he might eat something that might make him sick. I heard horror stories about puppies eating something strange and then requiring surgery to have it removed. Just ask Chris at Cudjoe Sales about his young Lab and the toothbrush. After a few weeks of trying to stop him from eating rocks and seashells, I have relegated myself to the level that, if it is not plainly marked poison (and I mean in really big red letters), it probably is not going to hurt him. Just joking of course -- I still have to watch him like a hawk.

Cuda is definitely living up to his name. He has incredibly sharp teeth and can filet my arm faster than I can say NO BITING! When he started chewing on my wife, I decided it was time to head to the pet store to find something that would calm his insatiable desire to chew. The pet store lady smiled and assured me a big old nasty dried pig's ear would do the trick. She said that one ear should keep a little puppy busy for at least a couple of days. On the drive home it got quiet (never a good thing with a puppy around) in the truck. I glanced over at Cuda and was shocked to see the last tidbit of the extra large pig thing just as it was about to slide down his throat. He had only had it for about 10 minutes... So much for the pet shop theory.

Cuda absolutely loves going to Marvin Key. Like any good retriever, he runs around chasing the birds and fish in the shallow water. He also has the unique ability to find (and eat) anything and everything that is dead and stinky.

Wanting him to be a true boat dog, we took him on a few offshore fishing trips to see how he would do. Cuda seemed to be doing fine and it appeared he had great sea legs (all four of them). However, when the wind and seas started to kick up, I started to become a little concerned. My last dog, Gator, would occasionally get sea sick when the waves got "ruff." I could always tell when Gator wasn't feeling too well as he would hang his head down a little and then his ears would go limp. I affectionately started calling him "my chum dog," especially after I discovered "used" Alpo actually makes great chum for fishing. After a few minutes, he would feel better and was ready to share my sandwich. Now that I think about it, I never did see him spew a sandwich, just Alpo.

Cuda has enough skin for two dogs. The vet assured me he is going to be a big Lab and what appears to be an exceptional amount of loose skin will quickly fill out. Still, I can't remember ever having a puppy with this many extra folds of skin. When Cuda is sleeping on-board and the boat rocks and rolls, you can actually see his body sliding back and forth inside his extra skin. It has to be one of the funniest things I have ever seen.

Boating with a dog requires a little planning to make sure everyone enjoys the trip and the dog is safe. Heat exhaustion and sun stroke can be devastating for humans and dogs alike. I wet my dog down before we even get on the boat, and continue to cool him down with fresh water throughout the day. I also put some ice in his water bowl, which seems to really help keep him from getting hot. We even take along an umbrella so he has some shade from the relentless sun, which reminds me, you shouldn't forget to put a little sunscreen on the dog's nose too.

A leash (rope) and collar are essential to make sure your dog doesn't fall out of the boat when you're cruising along. They now make a device that you can attach to your dog's collar (or your kid), so if they fall out of the boat and get any distance from the boat an alarm in the boat goes off (great idea). I can still recall being devastated when my high school buddies and I were fishing outside the reef and we came across a beautiful young white German Shepherd floating with only his chest cavity exposed above the water. We assumed he must have fallen off a yacht coming down the Keys and then tried unsuccessfully to swim back to land.

The leash can also be handy when you are boating a big fish, as it can keep your pup safely out of the action and prevent him from getting tail slapped, stuck with a dorsal fin(s), or worst yet impaled with a hook.

Of course, the most important thing to remember is to take along a few extra sandwiches, as all of my dogs have eventually figured out how to open the cooler lid. This "new trick" usually occurs while I am busy fighting a fish. Like I said, it appears that my dogs are all a lot smarter than I am.

Capt. Pete Peterson welcomes comments and suggestions sent to petersonventures@aol.com.