Help! My dog won't do her duty while on board. Need suggestions please.

Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
Hi -weird post from my usual technical questions:
Have decided to take our dog cruising so we don't have to kennel her each time. We anchor overnight and don't touch land for 2 days. She does OK on the boat; is house trained and obedient, weighs 60 pounds, but she will not urinate or defecate and we get worried after being out for 2 days. Have tried to proved an artificial turf area on our 34" Hunter, but she just won't go. Doesn't appear to be in pain, but doesn't look happy either after 24 hours. Don't think she is dehydrated, and she eats OK. Normally at home goes 1 -3 times a day. Any suggestions?
Thanks. Ilan
 
Oct 26, 2010
1,883
Hunter 40.5 Beaufort, SC
Try taking the mat to an area where other dogs can do their business on the mat like a dog park or in your front yard if other people walk their dog in the area. Dogs want to "mark" and maybe if they mark it she will later want to mark it as her own. You can also follow her around and when she goes put the mat down on the area to absorb some of the urine so she will identify it. We heard these suggestions and tried this for our well trained dog but she just wouldn't go on the boat no matter what but maybe it will work for you.
 
Oct 1, 2007
1,857
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Hi -weird post from my usual technical questions:
Have decided to take our dog cruising so we don't have to kennel her each time. We anchor overnight and don't touch land for 2 days. She does OK on the boat; is house trained and obedient, weighs 60 pounds, but she will not urinate or defecate and we get worried after being out for 2 days. Have tried to proved an artificial turf area on our 34" Hunter, but she just won't go. Doesn't appear to be in pain, but doesn't look happy either after 24 hours. Don't think she is dehydrated, and she eats OK. Normally at home goes 1 -3 times a day. Any suggestions?
Thanks. Ilan
Sorry Ilan but you need to get off your butt and take your poor pup ashore so she can relieve herself. Dogs are naturally clean animals and will not relieve themselves in a living space, such as your boat. We have cruised with our two dogs for years. They cooperate and hold until we go ashore. A dog that is house trained is humiliated to use a stupid pad. Sorry but it is an emotional topic.
Rick
 
Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
I have a dinghy but cruise some remote islands where "getting off my butt" is not an option as there is no place to land and distances such that diverting elsewhere for a bathroom call is not feasible. I was hoping there was a humane solution to allow a live aboard animal that might share the experience with us. I don't consider making the "poor pup" hold for the vagaries of wind, weather and snail like pace of sail boats appropriate either.
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Get a cat. They like to go in a box.

Just kidding,.. my golden retriever got motion sick driving, and I was very disappointed I could not get her on the boat.

Greg
 
Dec 31, 2016
319
Beneteau Oceanis 351 Charlottetown
We started taking our 4 dogs sailing this year, I hear your pain. My wife bought a 'pee pad', they wouldn't go at first, so after googling, wifey found that anyone's pee will do...……………...you get the drift? ( I have the best wife!)
 

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RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,739
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Maybe if you have a swim platform with astroturf? My 62 Lb. standard poodle had to "see a tree" twice a day. I would put him in the dinghy and motor or row to an island. Any island would do even a tiny few hundred square foot one. As soon as I hit shore, over the side he would go, sniff around a bit, relieve himself and hop back aboard. I did not have to leave the dinghy.
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He would never pee on a dock either, had to see a tree. Cruised with him for years. Cancer got him last year and I miss him terribly.
 
Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
Thanks everyone for your kind replies; I will keep working on it and hopefully will be able to make it happen as going ashore is sometimes not feasible and I don't want her to suffer. Video was great but I wonder if they were just lucky. I do know that in humans, holding it in forever can cause bladder damage so that it loses its contractility and I worry it could be the same for dogs. We had a dog that used our whole house as a toilet; this one won't go anywhere except grass!
 
Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
Thanks everyone for your kind replies; I will keep working on it and hopefully will be able to make it happen as going ashore is sometimes not feasible and I don't want her to suffer. Video was great but I wonder if they were just lucky. I do know that in humans, holding it in forever can cause bladder damage so that it loses its contractility and I worry it could be the same for dogs. We had a dog that used our whole house as a toilet; this one won't go anywhere except grass!
@Ilanortho my nieces' pup won't go on anything but grass also. So we got a 12" x 20" tray and strapped it over the anchor locker door. Cut some "sod" from the back yard and no problem. Lasts about a week but you need to put fresh water on it.
 
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Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
We started taking our 4 dogs sailing this year, I hear your pain. My wife bought a 'pee pad', they wouldn't go at first, so after googling, wifey found that anyone's pee will do...……………...you get the drift? ( I have the best wife!)
Actually tried the "drift" part before your post and pooch was not at all impressed!
 
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Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
@Ilanortho my nieces' pup won't go on anything but grass also. So we got a 12" x 20" tray and strapped it over the anchor locker door. Cut some "sod" from the back yard and no problem. Lasts about a week but you need to put fresh water on it.
Great idea; I'm going to try this! I'll actually cut up sod from where she peed on land. Hope my wife doesn't notice next time she looks at the yard.
 
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Jun 11, 2011
1,243
Hunter 41 Lewes
BTW it's a small breed Shorkie I think, and it was a "boot mat" that was used.
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,374
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
Just a note. My dog hates the rain and especially thunderstorms. I've seen her refuse to go outside because it's raining too hard or there's thunder. She will hold everything for a couple days. I used to freak out about it but she has made it clear it's her decision and she is fine with it. She can clearly let me know if she is not OK with something! So honestly, I don't think two days is a big deal if they don't want to go for two days. You are not torturing them. It's their choice. Something to think about.

dj
 
Jul 4, 2015
436
Hunter 34 Menominee, MI; Sturgeon Bay WI
Just a note. My dog hates the rain and especially thunderstorms. I've seen her refuse to go outside because it's raining too hard or there's thunder. She will hold everything for a couple days. I used to freak out about it but she has made it clear it's her decision and she is fine with it. She can clearly let me know if she is not OK with something! So honestly, I don't think two days is a big deal if they don't want to go for two days. You are not torturing them. It's their choice. Something to think about.

dj
Interesting! Thanks. Ilan
 
Jun 14, 2010
2,081
Robertson & Caine 2017 Leopard 40 CT
Just a note. My dog hates the rain and especially thunderstorms. I've seen her refuse to go outside because it's raining too hard or there's thunder. She will hold everything for a couple days. I used to freak out about it but she has made it clear it's her decision and she is fine with it. She can clearly let me know if she is not OK with something! So honestly, I don't think two days is a big deal if they don't want to go for two days. You are not torturing them. It's their choice. Something to think about.

dj
I disagree -- you have trained them not to go inside and they treat the boat that way. If you don't take them ashore that is your choice (not theirs) and it's cruel to make them hold it unnaturally. Just my humble opinion.

PS - Fear as a motivator is not the same as free choice.
 
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TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Small dogs are better at this, we’ve found. Still, we take them to shore several times a day. They live for that and it wears them out ( I live for that state )
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