My wife and I have a Min Pin puppy. A 6 pound dog. We are planing to a ten day cruise on our 34 foot sailboat. You probably already see my delima. Where is the dog going to go? I was considering puting some grass into a 3x5 foot pan and placing it on deck just in front of the dodger. Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? Do you think the pan will work? Thanks
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Have heard of that.
Not sure about the pan, just a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet. With a grommet in one corner you can attach a line and drag it behind the boat to clean it(motor off). We sail regularly with the dog but never more than four to five hours without going ashore. We have never tried to train her to a carpet or the box of "piddle pads" that were a gift. They are scented somehow to encourage the pup.
Not sure about the pan, just a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet. With a grommet in one corner you can attach a line and drag it behind the boat to clean it(motor off). We sail regularly with the dog but never more than four to five hours without going ashore. We have never tried to train her to a carpet or the box of "piddle pads" that were a gift. They are scented somehow to encourage the pup.
Don't know about a pan
but the carpet pad is a great idea if it works. I would put a life jacket on him that has a handle you can get with a boat hook. If you are going to any foreign countries, do your homework about it - some of those places have really restrictive and strange rules about pets. I have heard from some of my friends that it is better not to take animals to places where they have serious restrictions on your cruising if you have an animal aboard. Australia and New Zealand come to mind but I could be mistaken.
but the carpet pad is a great idea if it works. I would put a life jacket on him that has a handle you can get with a boat hook. If you are going to any foreign countries, do your homework about it - some of those places have really restrictive and strange rules about pets. I have heard from some of my friends that it is better not to take animals to places where they have serious restrictions on your cruising if you have an animal aboard. Australia and New Zealand come to mind but I could be mistaken.
Pads on the head
We trained our 12 lb miniature Poodle to go on the puppy training pads. We always keep one pad on the head's floor of our 36 ft boat and he has learned to use it there. After he was trained, we changed to regular senior's pads available at most drug stores for a fraction of the scented puppy training pads. We take our dog for long and short trips and we don't need to take him ashore. This is one of the advantages of having a small dog on board.
We trained our 12 lb miniature Poodle to go on the puppy training pads. We always keep one pad on the head's floor of our 36 ft boat and he has learned to use it there. After he was trained, we changed to regular senior's pads available at most drug stores for a fraction of the scented puppy training pads. We take our dog for long and short trips and we don't need to take him ashore. This is one of the advantages of having a small dog on board.
Port side of deck and washdown pump
My girlfriends pup goes to the same place every time. on the port side of the deck and I use a washdown pump to rinse, now if I'm tied up to another boat, he'll sneak over to someone elses boat and go on theirs....Tim Welsh H34 AKA Cabo Wabo
My girlfriends pup goes to the same place every time. on the port side of the deck and I use a washdown pump to rinse, now if I'm tied up to another boat, he'll sneak over to someone elses boat and go on theirs....Tim Welsh H34 AKA Cabo Wabo
Try training at home
Hi Chris - Most dogs are quite trainable, but we've been unsuccessful in getting our quite intelligent mini Australian shepard to relieve himself on the boat. We've tried the puppy pads and even bought a mat made of quite realistic fake grass with the grommet for dragging in the water to clean. Not much more than a sniff. I tried scraping moss off rocks and putting the stuff on the mat, to no avail. We still row him ashore morning and night when we can, but he has held it for up to 16 hours on longer runs. Maybe we'll try getting him to pee on the mat in the backyard sometime, but bottom line, it's going to require patience and plenty of time back at home before he even considers it on the boat. Best, Trevor
Hi Chris - Most dogs are quite trainable, but we've been unsuccessful in getting our quite intelligent mini Australian shepard to relieve himself on the boat. We've tried the puppy pads and even bought a mat made of quite realistic fake grass with the grommet for dragging in the water to clean. Not much more than a sniff. I tried scraping moss off rocks and putting the stuff on the mat, to no avail. We still row him ashore morning and night when we can, but he has held it for up to 16 hours on longer runs. Maybe we'll try getting him to pee on the mat in the backyard sometime, but bottom line, it's going to require patience and plenty of time back at home before he even considers it on the boat. Best, Trevor
Our dog is litter box trained at home. We started with "piddle pads" but now use newspaper in her litter box. No problem in getting her to use newspaper in motels or on the boat but she prefers going out side.
Yo Ho Ho Gotta Go
Will, I have been training dogs for over 30 yrs for the Fed Gov. What everyone is telling you about piddle pads, carpet and such is correct. Try the next time at home or on land when the dog pitches a loaf or waters the the grass try to capture it on a piece of carpet or rag. Clean off the item with plain water and place it in the area that you want the animal to go on the boat. Everytime you need to take the animal out go to the area that yopu placed the rag or carpet. Sooner or later the animal will go where you want it to go. Remember it will take time but it will work out for you in the end. Control the food and water intake. Give the animal 1/2 to 1 full hour to eat than take it to the area about an hour later to go. Watch for signs that the animal needs to go and take it to the area. When it comply's with what you want it to do in the area praise the dickens out of the dog. If it messes up , clean up the mess and take the mess and dog to the area while verbally correcting the animal.If the animal coplys praise it. You can also do this in a litter pan if the animal is small. What you want it to do most of all is to go on deck not below deck. There is no animal out there that can ot be trained for this. It is up to you to train the animal and that will take up some of your time. The time spent now will be rewarded to you later. Also keep in mind that a puppy usually can hold off one hour per month living. This is if the animal is six months old it should be able to hold off for six hours. Dogs do not like to lay in it's own mess. You might also like to consider to kennel cage the animal during sleeping hours, some of the newer cages are made of a nylon material and fold up for storage. Don't give up on the dog! Good winds tis himself the Fish
Will, I have been training dogs for over 30 yrs for the Fed Gov. What everyone is telling you about piddle pads, carpet and such is correct. Try the next time at home or on land when the dog pitches a loaf or waters the the grass try to capture it on a piece of carpet or rag. Clean off the item with plain water and place it in the area that you want the animal to go on the boat. Everytime you need to take the animal out go to the area that yopu placed the rag or carpet. Sooner or later the animal will go where you want it to go. Remember it will take time but it will work out for you in the end. Control the food and water intake. Give the animal 1/2 to 1 full hour to eat than take it to the area about an hour later to go. Watch for signs that the animal needs to go and take it to the area. When it comply's with what you want it to do in the area praise the dickens out of the dog. If it messes up , clean up the mess and take the mess and dog to the area while verbally correcting the animal.If the animal coplys praise it. You can also do this in a litter pan if the animal is small. What you want it to do most of all is to go on deck not below deck. There is no animal out there that can ot be trained for this. It is up to you to train the animal and that will take up some of your time. The time spent now will be rewarded to you later. Also keep in mind that a puppy usually can hold off one hour per month living. This is if the animal is six months old it should be able to hold off for six hours. Dogs do not like to lay in it's own mess. You might also like to consider to kennel cage the animal during sleeping hours, some of the newer cages are made of a nylon material and fold up for storage. Don't give up on the dog! Good winds tis himself the Fish
Good advise, thanks
But for many of us, these guys are family members, not animals. But again, thanks.
But for many of us, these guys are family members, not animals. But again, thanks.
Puppy Poop
Get an indoor/outdoor "grass" type entrance way mat, attach a line to it. Place it at the rear of the cockpit sole. Encourage the pup to "go" there. Then toss it over the side, dragging it in the water at the end of the line to clean it. Good Luck!
Get an indoor/outdoor "grass" type entrance way mat, attach a line to it. Place it at the rear of the cockpit sole. Encourage the pup to "go" there. Then toss it over the side, dragging it in the water at the end of the line to clean it. Good Luck!
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