Just got back from a week on a canal boat hired from Clifton Cruisers in Rugby I can recommend them 100% and they have two beautiful GSD as well.
The dogs were welcome, the boats were well equiped and warm, and it was -7 and inch thick ice on the canals last week.
The owners appear to be a Dad, Mum, adult kids and grandson, about 6 boats 2 to 8 berth and resonable we are definately going again next christmas.
We put Whistler (cocker) in a life vest as he was cold, and we were chugging along first day, my OH caught a glimpse of something behind. Whistler had jumped off the boat and was legging it up the tow path after us. He was on a lead whenever on deck for the rest of the holiday. Jake (BC) spent his time walking side to side on the aft deck spying ducks. Its was great. Jake slept anywhere, we were recommended to bring throws and we did and beds. but Whistler cried all night the first night, so we put up a crate that we had with us just in case, put his plastic bed in that and did not hear a peep from that night on.
They had a walk for about an hour at 7ish, a tow path walk whilst one of us chugged along twice a day. A walk when we parked, a pee walk at 10ish and we all slept like logs.
It was a fantastic break about £600 and we only spent an extra £50 on food other than what we took with us. Oh we had booked a 6 berth so if it was a smaller boat less money, next year we have a smaller one.
So anyone wanting a dog friendly holiday I recommend Clifton Cruisers unreservedly.

Ooh thanks - we often go canal boating but can't always take the dogs if we are going with friends. All three of ours have managed to fall in, but 2 learned their lesson and never did it again!

i went on a canal boating holiday last year and loved it so relaxing  i went on a friends boat just 3 of us on a 62 foot boat i didnt take my dog but i wished i had she would of loved it

We are going on a canal boat for the first time in April. It is near Skipton in North Yorkshire on the Leeds-Liverpool canal. Taking our Bichon Frise and really looking forward to it. What are the facilities like for eating out, as for pub meals and bar access??  All the companies that I looked at take up to 2 dogs so it must be a dog friendly thing to do.
Deb

I have never seen so many dogs, every boat had one or two. There are loads of pubs, little post offices, coops. The canal tow paths are great I have also seen hundreds of pooh bins, sometimes green not all red like down here in the south.
My OH and I cannot wait to go again it will be our third next time. Can I suggest a log lead - and a life vest. Whilst our two can swim well IF they fall off they would have to be off a while whilst you stop the boat and go back it does not have brakes. I would leave my OH without a life vest to "doggie Paddle"  but not my dogs!!!!
I would also suggest (Im sorry if Im a pain) a shepherds pie or something pasta for the first meal, you can chuck it on when you are unpacking its easy in a tin foil dish that you can dump and you are all cosy.
Also loads of plastic bin sacks, get a good canel map it shows ever water point, places to empty your bin, pub, shop everything and every bridge number so you always know exactly where you are in relation to bins ect.
A tank of diesel lasts three weeks so leave the engine on tick over as often as you can or your lights really dim overnight. Especially on tick over using the microwave as it pulls a lot out of the batteries.

(Cant stop being a MUM!!!!)

We used to have a narrow boat just so that all the dogs could come on holiday with us. Unfortunately due to my husbands arthritis getting so much worse, the maintenance got too much. Loads of boat owners have dogs, it is great for the dogs and I would sometimes get off the boat with the dogs and walk them along the towpath while my husbands chugged along next to me. Great holidays.

Yes we would "pull over" under a bridge and either my OH or I would walk up a bridge or two then swap over and it means the dogs are virtually outside 24/7. The only time we restricted them to downstairs was through a lock, ours are still not 100% "grown" and I think you need 100% recall to let them off the boat whilst going through locks. Fine in tunnells but a bit wimpey - and that was only me!!