I want to take my dog cruising, she loves the short trips we've been on but we always get to poop on land. She's scared to go on the boat (#1or2) as she's been housebroken for a while. What should I do if we are out for days? I'm afraid she'll keep it in which could be really bad when it finally does go plus holding the pee will cause a bladder infection. I'd be happy for her to go on the bow where I can just hose it off. What do you do you un-housebreak a dog??
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Sea dog
Perhaps the scented training pads you can buy at pet stores would help; put them in the desired place, encourage your dog and reward it afterwards. Maybe even acquaint doggie with them beforehand. Or use paper if it was paper trained originally. With a little practice and 'marking', that stanchion will become the approved place.
Perhaps the scented training pads you can buy at pet stores would help; put them in the desired place, encourage your dog and reward it afterwards. Maybe even acquaint doggie with them beforehand. Or use paper if it was paper trained originally. With a little practice and 'marking', that stanchion will become the approved place.
Buy some training pads...
Petsmart carries 'em. They're impregated with a "go here" pherone/scent. Start out by getting your dog to go on the pad on land...reward her when she does. Once she's caught onto that, move the pad to the boat and let her know that's where you want her to go and reward her when she does. Once she's learned to use the pad on the boat, you can replace it with a piece of astroturf sprayed with the same stuff (spray scent also available from Petsmart). When she's learned to use it, put a grommet in a corner of it that you can put a line through...pull it out on a schedule for her to use...when she's done, toss it overboard to clean it off. Once she's learned that you want her to use the astroturf, you won't need the scent any more.
Petsmart carries 'em. They're impregated with a "go here" pherone/scent. Start out by getting your dog to go on the pad on land...reward her when she does. Once she's caught onto that, move the pad to the boat and let her know that's where you want her to go and reward her when she does. Once she's learned to use the pad on the boat, you can replace it with a piece of astroturf sprayed with the same stuff (spray scent also available from Petsmart). When she's learned to use it, put a grommet in a corner of it that you can put a line through...pull it out on a schedule for her to use...when she's done, toss it overboard to clean it off. Once she's learned that you want her to use the astroturf, you won't need the scent any more.
Even our friends need a brake on Board
Sometimes it is hard to teach a new or old dog new tricks. What you are experiencing is just pure confusion on the animals part. Just put yourself in the dogs place. First they take you home and then you wet on the floor and get scolded and corrected and even yelled at time and time again until you get house broken. We even boat broke you to the point of letting you get off the boat and onto land to do your thing. NOW they want me to do it on the boat are they crazy! Now to attempt to work it out. Get an old piece of carpet or cloth and let the animal go on it. Praise the animal when it soils only the carpet and correct it if it soils elsewhere. You can also use puppy pads. Thake the carpet or cloth and fix it to the area of the boat (use rope or cord or a small velcro strip) that you want the animal to use. Take the animal to the same area each time it needs to go. Watch the animal;s water and food intake and figure out a time the animal will need to go. Try to take tha animal to the area between 1 and 3hrs after it eats. More often when it drinks alot until the animal lets you know when it has to go. Praise the animal when it soils the carpet or cloth. Take the animal to the same location on the boat every time it needs to go and let the animal sniff the carpet or cloth until it shows signs of attempting to go. When it shows signs stimulate the animal verbally and praise the action, when the animal soils the carpet or cloth praise the animal. This should over time work for you. Depending on the animal and the age , from a day or two to a week maybe two. You must keep a close eye on the animal for signs that it has to go. To clean the carpet or cloth just toss it over the side (for each stool dropping)let it soak for a short time and place it back on the dog's "POOP DECK" for urine clean it in the same manner but not as often so it stays scented. After this new training and the behavior is altered to your needs you will have to keep an eye on the animal at home to ensure the animal has no mistakes. Again the cloth / carpet training can be used by staking a scented piece of carpet or cloth outside in a selected area works well by just taking the animal to the same spot each time it needs to go.Also a dog can be trained to use a litter box like a cat. The box and supplies can be purchased at any pet shop. Puppy pads can also be used and can be tossed away after each use (can be costly). This like everything else takes time to learn. Just be easy on the animal. It like sailing takes time to learn. Hope this helps. Nice winds to all Mike
Sometimes it is hard to teach a new or old dog new tricks. What you are experiencing is just pure confusion on the animals part. Just put yourself in the dogs place. First they take you home and then you wet on the floor and get scolded and corrected and even yelled at time and time again until you get house broken. We even boat broke you to the point of letting you get off the boat and onto land to do your thing. NOW they want me to do it on the boat are they crazy! Now to attempt to work it out. Get an old piece of carpet or cloth and let the animal go on it. Praise the animal when it soils only the carpet and correct it if it soils elsewhere. You can also use puppy pads. Thake the carpet or cloth and fix it to the area of the boat (use rope or cord or a small velcro strip) that you want the animal to use. Take the animal to the same area each time it needs to go. Watch the animal;s water and food intake and figure out a time the animal will need to go. Try to take tha animal to the area between 1 and 3hrs after it eats. More often when it drinks alot until the animal lets you know when it has to go. Praise the animal when it soils the carpet or cloth. Take the animal to the same location on the boat every time it needs to go and let the animal sniff the carpet or cloth until it shows signs of attempting to go. When it shows signs stimulate the animal verbally and praise the action, when the animal soils the carpet or cloth praise the animal. This should over time work for you. Depending on the animal and the age , from a day or two to a week maybe two. You must keep a close eye on the animal for signs that it has to go. To clean the carpet or cloth just toss it over the side (for each stool dropping)let it soak for a short time and place it back on the dog's "POOP DECK" for urine clean it in the same manner but not as often so it stays scented. After this new training and the behavior is altered to your needs you will have to keep an eye on the animal at home to ensure the animal has no mistakes. Again the cloth / carpet training can be used by staking a scented piece of carpet or cloth outside in a selected area works well by just taking the animal to the same spot each time it needs to go.Also a dog can be trained to use a litter box like a cat. The box and supplies can be purchased at any pet shop. Puppy pads can also be used and can be tossed away after each use (can be costly). This like everything else takes time to learn. Just be easy on the animal. It like sailing takes time to learn. Hope this helps. Nice winds to all Mike
Just a thought
Hose off the deck to clean it but consider placing the waste in your own head or porta-potty and treat it as you would human waste. Please. Everyone will apprieciate the effort. Especially if you plan on doing any swimming or snorkeling while cruising. Maybe an answer would be to train your pet to use cat litter products and remove as solid waste. Please remember the environment. Good luck and good cruising
Hose off the deck to clean it but consider placing the waste in your own head or porta-potty and treat it as you would human waste. Please. Everyone will apprieciate the effort. Especially if you plan on doing any swimming or snorkeling while cruising. Maybe an answer would be to train your pet to use cat litter products and remove as solid waste. Please remember the environment. Good luck and good cruising
No need to do that, Brian...
Marine sanitation laws apply only to HUMAN body waste. Even the hard-core environmental extremists who favor "no discharge" have never pushed for saving waste from pets aboard.
Marine sanitation laws apply only to HUMAN body waste. Even the hard-core environmental extremists who favor "no discharge" have never pushed for saving waste from pets aboard.
Good luck
We have been sailing with various dogs aboard for many years [decades] and have yet to 'retrain' a pet to go on the boat. We have tried everyting suggested here with zero results. We still take our pets, but when they are aboard, we make sure we can take them to land at least two times a day. Otherwise they surely suffer, and could sustain real health problems. Trying to force them to go just does not work and is unfair to the animal. Their reluctance is testimony to their loyalty to the good training you gave them. Good luck Ron B LHP Fl.
We have been sailing with various dogs aboard for many years [decades] and have yet to 'retrain' a pet to go on the boat. We have tried everyting suggested here with zero results. We still take our pets, but when they are aboard, we make sure we can take them to land at least two times a day. Otherwise they surely suffer, and could sustain real health problems. Trying to force them to go just does not work and is unfair to the animal. Their reluctance is testimony to their loyalty to the good training you gave them. Good luck Ron B LHP Fl.
Rons thoughts are my experience
Our Sheltie at one year old, took to the astro turf pad readily. However, the next season she didn't, requiring off boat time.
Our Sheltie at one year old, took to the astro turf pad readily. However, the next season she didn't, requiring off boat time.
Our two pups are posing these problems
We have studied all of your suggestions. Thanks everybody. This summer, on the boat, is still a crap shoot.
I'M SORRY. Seriously, we just might have to let our pups stay with our children when we vacation on the boat. (And I can't call them 'animals')
We have studied all of your suggestions. Thanks everybody. This summer, on the boat, is still a crap shoot.
I'M SORRY. Seriously, we just might have to let our pups stay with our children when we vacation on the boat. (And I can't call them 'animals')Let's really put it in perspective...
Why is it yuckier to drop your dog's waste overboard than it is to hose 10 lbs of seagull and duck poop off your deck and swim platform? Shouldn't you collect that and flush it down your toilet too?
Why is it yuckier to drop your dog's waste overboard than it is to hose 10 lbs of seagull and duck poop off your deck and swim platform? Shouldn't you collect that and flush it down your toilet too?
doggie litter
There are litter boxes and litter for dogs, not the clay-based stuff common to cats. You will find it at Petsmart (although I hate to plug them as they treated me very poorly back when I worked for them.)
There are litter boxes and litter for dogs, not the clay-based stuff common to cats. You will find it at Petsmart (although I hate to plug them as they treated me very poorly back when I worked for them.)
And Peggie,
to add to your point. Many years ago, a friend of mine answered the question about his feelings about retro-fitting a holding tank into his 'simple' boat. He said "How many fish in the ocean? Do fish poop?"
to add to your point. Many years ago, a friend of mine answered the question about his feelings about retro-fitting a holding tank into his 'simple' boat. He said "How many fish in the ocean? Do fish poop?"
10 lb of seagull and duck poop??!!
Hmmm...must be a sh!tload of birds (pardon the pun) in that area. Now on a more serious note: I'm no marine biologist but it seems to me that aquatic bird waste is part of the marine ecosystem whereas waste from humans and pets is not. The issue isn't the quantity of the waste (think how much waste a whale generates in a day!) but its impacts on the environment. Impact is affected by the source, composition and concentration of the waste, the location and time of its discharge and other mechanisms such as wind, current and tidal flushing. I also disagree with the argument that since it's not illegal to toss pet waste overboard then it's OK to do so. What ever happened to common decency or the spirit of the law? I could go off on a rant but I'll leave it at that. Peter H23 "Raven"
Hmmm...must be a sh!tload of birds (pardon the pun) in that area. Now on a more serious note: I'm no marine biologist but it seems to me that aquatic bird waste is part of the marine ecosystem whereas waste from humans and pets is not. The issue isn't the quantity of the waste (think how much waste a whale generates in a day!) but its impacts on the environment. Impact is affected by the source, composition and concentration of the waste, the location and time of its discharge and other mechanisms such as wind, current and tidal flushing. I also disagree with the argument that since it's not illegal to toss pet waste overboard then it's OK to do so. What ever happened to common decency or the spirit of the law? I could go off on a rant but I'll leave it at that. Peter H23 "Raven"
Waste from pets is not part of the ecosystem???
From whence do you think our pets sprang, if not wild animals? Is there any real difference between doggie doo and fox, skunk raccoon, possum, bear, wolf, bobcat and any other wild animal poop? Do wild animals poop in the woods? Does it run off into water? And what about all the stray dogs and cats...are they not part of the ecosystem? Are they any different animals from our pets? And when it comes to "doing the right thing," I found it interesting that Brian recommended hosing any doggie waste that can't be picked up off the deck into the water...he doesn't seem to have a problem with that, only with disposing of what CAN be picked up overboard. What's the difference (not picking on you, Brian...no one else picked up on that either)? No one seems to have a problem with hosing a holding tank spill off the deck or allowing the bilge pump to flush it overboard either...but what's the difference between doing that and flushing the toilet directly overboard? Don't say quantity...either you're totally committed to "doing the right thing" or you're not...you can't have it both ways. And what's more, if the dog does something that can't just be picked up in a paper towel and dropped in the head, there isn't one among you who wouldn't hose it off in a heartbeat, without a single thought for the environment. I DO hope y'all realize that I'm only havin' a little fun on a rainy Sunday afternoon with nothin' better to do than pull a few chains to see what rattles.
From whence do you think our pets sprang, if not wild animals? Is there any real difference between doggie doo and fox, skunk raccoon, possum, bear, wolf, bobcat and any other wild animal poop? Do wild animals poop in the woods? Does it run off into water? And what about all the stray dogs and cats...are they not part of the ecosystem? Are they any different animals from our pets? And when it comes to "doing the right thing," I found it interesting that Brian recommended hosing any doggie waste that can't be picked up off the deck into the water...he doesn't seem to have a problem with that, only with disposing of what CAN be picked up overboard. What's the difference (not picking on you, Brian...no one else picked up on that either)? No one seems to have a problem with hosing a holding tank spill off the deck or allowing the bilge pump to flush it overboard either...but what's the difference between doing that and flushing the toilet directly overboard? Don't say quantity...either you're totally committed to "doing the right thing" or you're not...you can't have it both ways. And what's more, if the dog does something that can't just be picked up in a paper towel and dropped in the head, there isn't one among you who wouldn't hose it off in a heartbeat, without a single thought for the environment. I DO hope y'all realize that I'm only havin' a little fun on a rainy Sunday afternoon with nothin' better to do than pull a few chains to see what rattles.
Doggie floaters overboard?
TWENTY SECONDS ON THE SOAPBOX Gee, hope your not anchored next to me when you start dumping dog turds in the water! GROSS!! What's next, dirty diapers? But, let's face it, mankind is darn near a fungus on this poor little planet anyway, we've polluted the hell out of the place, killed-off more species than you can count, trashed the rain forests, decimated fish populations in the oceans, even unleashed chemical and biological warfare agents on ourselves, so what's a few dog floaters worth in the grand sceme of things? I say live it up, we're likely down to the last few hundred years of existance on the planet anyway, so we might as well enjoy it! (dog turds and all) And hey, I live in Kalifornia, what else would you expect?
TWENTY SECONDS ON THE SOAPBOX Gee, hope your not anchored next to me when you start dumping dog turds in the water! GROSS!! What's next, dirty diapers? But, let's face it, mankind is darn near a fungus on this poor little planet anyway, we've polluted the hell out of the place, killed-off more species than you can count, trashed the rain forests, decimated fish populations in the oceans, even unleashed chemical and biological warfare agents on ourselves, so what's a few dog floaters worth in the grand sceme of things? I say live it up, we're likely down to the last few hundred years of existance on the planet anyway, so we might as well enjoy it! (dog turds and all) And hey, I live in Kalifornia, what else would you expect?
If it is not done in the head.....
Hey, If it is not done in the head, it goes over board. If you are going to legally collect dog crap.... you best start providing every person aboard with thier own Flight bag. I am sure that you wouldn't want puke in our waters either. I say, good idea, lets fill our landfills with the bags of crap and puke that would not inpact the vastness of any body of water. On a serious note, if all of us had dogs and we collected all the crap that was on the deck, would it have any significent change in what the land based treatment plants already dump? I think there is ecology and also common sense. I wish there was a school for common sense. Next thing you know we will have to take a shower before can we swim in the ocean/lake. r.w.landau
Hey, If it is not done in the head, it goes over board. If you are going to legally collect dog crap.... you best start providing every person aboard with thier own Flight bag. I am sure that you wouldn't want puke in our waters either. I say, good idea, lets fill our landfills with the bags of crap and puke that would not inpact the vastness of any body of water. On a serious note, if all of us had dogs and we collected all the crap that was on the deck, would it have any significent change in what the land based treatment plants already dump? I think there is ecology and also common sense. I wish there was a school for common sense. Next thing you know we will have to take a shower before can we swim in the ocean/lake. r.w.landau
The thing about soapboxes is
They can sometimes be too rickety to support a position. When in an anchorage, odds are that the dog can be taken ashore. It's during long passages that getting the dog to do his business aboard is most likely to become an issue. Besides, this entire argument has been based on the same premise that most environmental extremists take about boat toilet waste: that every "potty break" includes fecal matter...when in fact, unless somebody has a digestive upset, on average only 1 in 5 flushes does...and often fewer than that. It's no different for dogs...they mostly only have to pee too.
They can sometimes be too rickety to support a position. When in an anchorage, odds are that the dog can be taken ashore. It's during long passages that getting the dog to do his business aboard is most likely to become an issue. Besides, this entire argument has been based on the same premise that most environmental extremists take about boat toilet waste: that every "potty break" includes fecal matter...when in fact, unless somebody has a digestive upset, on average only 1 in 5 flushes does...and often fewer than that. It's no different for dogs...they mostly only have to pee too.
They won't even let dogs SWIM in the water here!
Believe it or not, we aren't even allowed to let our dogs SWIM in the lake where I keep my boat, so the whole idea of washing poop off the deck into the water vs. picking it up kind of makes me chuckle. (I know you guys are talking about boats on the ocean, but the concept is the same) Yep, early in 2002 a couple of lawyers in San Francisco filed a law suit to stop us dumb hicks from letting our dogs swim in the lake (my Lab was way bummed!), figuring we needed to be saved from ourselves. The bright side of the story (?) is that their original suit had also sought to prohibit humans swimming in the lake, along fuel powered motors. As you can imagine, the locals just went nuts, first because the lake is very popular with us all and because it is also a huge source of income due to all of the tourism bucks it generates. That would have gone down to nearly zero had they pressed it, along with dropping property values as many people buy homes up here to be close to their boat in the summer. Our local water district finally got them to drop everything but the dog swimming part. The fact that the lake holds large stocks of trophy bass, rainbow trout and other fish, along with huge quantities of ducks and geese seemed to not bother them, but the dogs just had to go. (sorry!) So, you can see why I think this whole thing is kinda funny. Anyhow, sorry for the feeble attempt at sarcasm in the first posting. (I gotta start using those emoticon things more!) Jeff
Believe it or not, we aren't even allowed to let our dogs SWIM in the lake where I keep my boat, so the whole idea of washing poop off the deck into the water vs. picking it up kind of makes me chuckle. (I know you guys are talking about boats on the ocean, but the concept is the same) Yep, early in 2002 a couple of lawyers in San Francisco filed a law suit to stop us dumb hicks from letting our dogs swim in the lake (my Lab was way bummed!), figuring we needed to be saved from ourselves. The bright side of the story (?) is that their original suit had also sought to prohibit humans swimming in the lake, along fuel powered motors. As you can imagine, the locals just went nuts, first because the lake is very popular with us all and because it is also a huge source of income due to all of the tourism bucks it generates. That would have gone down to nearly zero had they pressed it, along with dropping property values as many people buy homes up here to be close to their boat in the summer. Our local water district finally got them to drop everything but the dog swimming part. The fact that the lake holds large stocks of trophy bass, rainbow trout and other fish, along with huge quantities of ducks and geese seemed to not bother them, but the dogs just had to go. (sorry!) So, you can see why I think this whole thing is kinda funny. Anyhow, sorry for the feeble attempt at sarcasm in the first posting. (I gotta start using those emoticon things more!) Jeff
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