Pets on board?

[Lobstah]

When we owned our last trawler, we had a boxer, Sheba, who was the star of the boat club where we slipped our boat.

We presently have 2 boxers, and 2 cats.

How many here have boat pets, and what tricks of the trade have you learned for dealing with them?

*

Jim

 

[Tom.B]

We have one, but TBH, when it comes to boating, I'd almost rather we didn't. Tivo is an amazing life companion, but he's timid about a few things and really upsets our plans sometimes. He's not confident on his feet and won't jump over any gap. It's turned out to be hard to get him to pee on the boat and we've all but given up trying. We've never had a cat onboard, but after having cats and litter for 20+ years, I would NEVER want that in the close quarters of a boat. But that's just me. Bess, I'm sure will comment differently.

 

[Besslb]

Tivo is a great boat dog!* He is very accomodating and easy to handle at 40 pounds.* When we want to anchor over night somewhere secluded, we do usually get a petsitter.* Or we make sure to anchor where there is somewhere to land the dink and pee the dog.* We are still trying to work on peeing on the boat, but there are only a few times when that is even necessary.

BUT.....he gets pretty nervous in a rolling sea, or a big head sea.* And I'm totally sure it doesn't bother him near as much as we think it does.* He will not jump off the boat on the dock, or into the water.* I think that is a huge plus.* I wouldn't want to*have to worry about trying to scoop him out of the water, or as he ages, have him hurt himself jumping onto the dock.

Since you already have the pets, if you want them to share in your boating, choose a boat that will fit the whole family...like with a walk on swim platform to a cockpit area.**Or, can you lift them in and out of the dink?* How do you secure the dink to the boat for the loading process?*How are they in the car to get back and forth to the boat?* Or decide ahead of time that doggie camp is a way to go.

As we are in the heat of our summers here, you should also consider if your new boat will have AC.* and will you be able to run it with a genset while at anchor?*

All things considered, I love having the dog with us.* He forces us to go walking at least twice a day...and he couldn't be cuter when he's chasing the ducks.** By the time we get to go cruising long term, I'm afraid Tivo will be long gone.* So I enjoy the time we have with him now to make tons of memories.

 

[Marin]

We've had a dog the entire time we've had the GB and for two years we had two of them.* We use the boat year round so the GB has been a second home for them.* The younger dog's first trip on the boat was when he was eight weeks old the day we picked him up from the breeder in BC.* Having the older dog to*watch and*learn from, it wasn't long before the puppy lost his fear and uncertainty about things like engine noise, rough water boat movement, dinghy rides, and so on.* So it wasn't long before even in rougher water the dogs' typical position was the first photo.

The older dog passed five years ago and the younger dog has since done a superb job of filling the role of master and commander of the M/V La Perouse, as illustrated in the second photo in which he is being ferried back to his vessel and wondering why I am being so bloody slow about it.*

We will always have a dog in involved in our boating.* In our opinion they bring as much to our boating enjoyment as the boat does.

*


-- Edited by Marin on Monday 11th of July 2011 08:29:12 PM

 

[Woodsong]

This is a sore subject! Last summer my wife and the kids went grocery shopping and ended up coming home with a dog! She is about the cutest thing you could find which is lucky for her or I would have said no.
She is really fun at home and really is smart and listens great but....she sheds like crazy, is timid, hates the boat, gets nervous around people and at medium size she is not tiny. If i could wave a magic wand she would be no more than 20 lbs. and no shedding! Plus I am the one having to take her to shore. Argg......
At home though she is great.

 

[Besslb]

Marin, that is adorable!!* Here's Tivo in our dink.* He's black and in the summer gets really really hot.* Tom gave up his tshirt for the dog....

And two shots of his normal watch positions.

 

[Woodsong]

Bess, that first one with the shirt on....he looks like E.T.!!

Here is ours:

 

[windmist]

I love my 2 Westies but they are a PITA on the boat. The girl dog starts shaking as soon as the engine starts and doesn't calm down for at least 3 hours and if there is the slightest roughness, she will never stop shaking until the boat is anchored. In the PNW, especially up in central and northern BC, there are many places where you just can't get off the boat and we are anchored in one as I write this.

We have a piece of artificial grass on the aft deck for potty times but the dogs are always reluctant to use it but will when there is no other choice.

I would like to leave then home but at $30 a day for a dog sitter rules that out so we take them along.

Ron

 

[JD]

windmist wrote:
I love my 2 Westies but they are a PITA on the boat. The girl dog starts shaking as soon as the engine starts and doesn't calm down for at least 3 hours and if there is the slightest roughness, she will never stop shaking until the boat is anchored. In the PNW, especially up in central and northern BC, there are many places where you just can't get off the boat and we are anchored in one as I write this.

We have a piece of artificial grass on the aft deck for potty times but the dogs are always reluctant to use it but will when there is no other choice.

I would like to leave then home but at $30 a day for a dog sitter rules that out so we take them along.

Ron

*Ron,

You might want to read the post I made under Classifieds in Doug's ad for his boat for sale.* It was a reply to Woodsong about sea sick pets.

Maybe the Thunder Wrap would help your Westie.* Any question just email me direct.

 

[Moonstruck]

Willy wrote:

Oh fresh trout just what I thought you might get me

Dayum that was good !!!!!!!*Now leave me alone its time for a nap !!!!!!

-- Edited by Willy on Tuesday 12th of July 2011 04:17:51 PM

*Love it Willy.* That is a real man's dawg.* Not like these prissy things we have.* Here is Troy our rescue dog.* Reminds me of when I had pointer bird dogs.

Our boat dog, Troy, was rescued last November.* He is a great boat dog, but refuses to use his toilet facilities on the boat.* We have pads and chemical attractors that he ignors.* He has held out for 10 hours.* Troy thinks we humans have it backwards because we cook in the yard and use the toilet in the house.* He also thinks that he rescued us.

*


-- Edited by Moonstruck on Tuesday 12th of July 2011 07:45:39 PM

 

[windmist]

JD wrote:

You might want to read the post I made under Classifieds in Doug's ad for his boat for sale. It was a reply to Woodsong about sea sick pets.

Maybe the Thunder Wrap would help your Westie. Any question just email me direct.

------------------------------
If the dogs are antsy or upset with the motion try a Thunder Shirt. Google them. They will change a dogs total personality.

http://www.thundershirt.com/?gclid=CMei-6vw-qkCFchM4AodPkzgwQ

They came from a woman named Tellington who worked with spooked horses.

http://www.barbarajanelle.com/ttact/TA18-THE_TELLINGTON_TTOUCH_BODY_WRAP.htm

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Thanks JD, looks interesting and we'll check into it. We are still in this bay where we can't get off the boat. Both dogs have now gone 24 hours without a poop and are unhappy to say the least.

Ron

 

[JD]

windmist wrote:Thanks JD, looks interesting and we'll check into it. We are still in this bay where we can't get off the boat. Both dogs have now gone 24 hours without a poop and are unhappy to say the least.

Ron

*I had a Pyrenees bitch that went three days once due to a hard head not the lack of opportunity.* Also was*owed buy*a Westie that was a great dog but very stubborn when he wanted to be. Nice boat dog but* we had a sailboat and the PWD is better at going up and down a ladder. or steep stairs.

Wait them out.* That Pyr taught me a lesson.* They will go when they really have to with in reason of course but that Pyr redefined reason for me.

 

[skipperdude]

Her name is Puff she knows out side and outside is out of the cabin.

Deck wash takes care of it.

Little peanuts.

SD

 

[Besslb]

I really want the will to outwait Tivo on the going on board thing.* So far, Tom caves before I do.

 

[Tom.B]

Wait... WHAT?!?!?!

 

[dwhatty]

We have a vicious attack Lab. Here he is on duty in the first pic. His only requirements are to be taken ashore twice a day, fed twice a day and be allowed to shed on the settees at will.

Thinking about getting a more effective attack Lab like the last one in the second pic.

 

[Marsh Rat]

When we lived on our boat we bought a toy poodle. She came aboard at 8 weeks old. My wife taught her to use the puppy pads. It worked well for three years. When we travel Cindy will take her in the ladies room and put a pad on the floor and she takes care of business. She always got a little nervous when it was rough.
We have been living back on shore for the past two years and now she gets nervous as soon as I start the engines. It takes her a couple of hours to calm down and she would rather not use the pad. She holds it until the last minute.
I guess it's all what they get used to. She never would jump to or from the dock to the boat and she doesn't like to get wet. I didn't have to worry about her going overboard much. When I would dive under to clean the running gear my wife said it worried the dog to death she would run around looking overboard wherever the bubbles came up. Very excited when I got back onboard.
Gotta have a dog!

 

[Egregious]

My dogs seem to enjoy the whole thing.* They drink a lot of water so they need to go ashore more than 2X per day, but they are polite and nice whether it be a marina or beach.


-- Edited by Egregious on Thursday 14th of July 2011 09:00:10 PM

 

[Per]

this thread deserves photos, but first a story.

my wife has from the day we got married reminded me that we shall have a dog.

now, i love dogs but also understand the burden it is never to be able to travel anywhere without finding good pet sitters and the dog would need outdoor space (if you have pets i believe you must treat them well) so i was able to put it saying we didnt have a good place for a dog etc. Until we bought a house with a huge fenced in yard... but then we had little kids and i said we shouldnt have a dog with little kids until they were old enough to help with the dog.we also travelled a lot, every summer we spent 3 weeks in europe all over the place with our infant kids.

and so time went by and a few times my wife and children came home with photos and sometimes rescued dogs. i was able to fend it off, the resuced dogs we found a home for at friends house.

until one day the wife brought home a small midsize creature, saying she found it around her office building. took it to the vet and sure enough the dog was seriously in bad shape, had not had any fluids for days etc. we had her treated, vaccinated and got all the papers done.

the dog is named Clara, she was then a 1 year old corky mix. she was house trained from day one.

when we got the boat last year and went on a week mooring vaction, wife did not want to take the dog but i insisted.. so the dog came along and she does get a little nervous intially but she loves fishing, chasing birds and going ashore for potty breaks and exploring the new lands.

we can leave her onboard for hours, she stays. we got her one of those little artifical turf mats, she will pee there if she really have to go and poop too but only if we forgot to take her to the hard mat.

 

[magicbus]

We leave in the morning for a two week cruise with a 12 year old blond lab, an 8 month old black lab, and a Main Coon cat. They all spent the night on the boat as a test. The pup pooped and peed as soon as she was "outdoors" which is why we have an astro-turf mat and a salt water wash pump. That 12 year old peed but stopped there so she will take some "educatin'" We took the cat to fuel up the other day. First he was scared and then watched things out the window of the PH and finally puttered around in the engine room while I checked oil levels. Should be interesting because we will be on mooring balls or the hook for 2 full weeks. I will let you know what experience teaches me!

Dave

 

[waterhawk]

I'm really interested in this topic, fun to read about others going through their issues and burdens for the beloved pets,,, like I do!

I've got a Lab and a Weimreiner both right at 120lbs... and they go everywhere with me always, we all have seperation anxiety... I travel on the dirt for my job, so I'm in hotels a lot and my 30' trailer a lot, so I have been through those hurdles...

So, now I am transitioning into my new lifestyle, that was long in coming and pursued, to living aboard...

And frankly, I'm concerned about my girls* and want to follow a working procedure to transition them to living aboard tooo... Would be interested in details of any of that process you all went through....

*

Also, I've heard a lot about artificial turf... has anybody tried a box with 'real' grass?

Would it be impossible with the salt spray even if you used a green house lid when not in use for any overspray?* or is that just too much?* I know it would be heavyish,, but you could rig a plastic liner underneath, anybody tried that? Don't see many house plants on any cabin pics...

 

[Egregious]

waterhawk wrote:
And frankly, I'm concerned about my girls* and want to follow a working procedure to transition them to living aboard tooo... Would be interested in details of any of that process you all went through...

Also, I've heard a lot about artificial turf... has anybody tried a box with 'real' grass?

*Raised our dogs around boats.* Small boats at first, then bigger boats.* Seems like once they sense that the boat is "home" then they are OK with it.* But ours are around 40 lbs and so reletively easy to get in and out of the dinghy, and in a marina they just jump in and out at will.

As for the turf, ours won't use it.* I wish I knew how to tell them it is OK.* They will hold it as long as it takes until they get to shore, although the young one whizzed on the deck a few times when he was a pup.

 

[JD]

Egregious wrote:They will hold it as long as it takes until they get to shore, although the young one whizzed on the deck a few times when he was a pup.

*And if you praise them for doing it with a reward they will continue to do it.

 

[sunchaser]

It sure is nice to not have a dog aboard.

 

[dwhatty]

sunchaser wrote:
It sure is nice to not have a dog aboard.

As much as I love my dog (not to mention that I really love my wife who loves the dog even more than I and insists upon him cruising with us), the dog has scratched the gelcoat, left hair all over the place and has just about ruined the new setee cushions. If a guest did this to the boat, I would have something unprintable to say and that guest would never set foot aboard again.

This on top of the dog having to be taken ashore regularly no matter where we are anchored and what the weather. Mud banks, sand, rain and dogs are a great mixture!

Did I mention that I love my wife.

 

[waterhawk]

JD wrote:Egregious wrote:They will hold it as long as it takes until they get to shore, although the young one whizzed on the deck a few times when he was a pup.

*And if you praise them for doing it with a reward they will continue to do it.

*Yeah,,, it's amazing what some people can do, even with older dogs, with a bit of a standard, consistent process...

 

[waterhawk]

dwhatty wrote:sunchaser wrote:
It sure is nice to not have a dog aboard.

As much as I love my dog (not to mention that I really love my wife who loves the dog even more than I and insists upon him cruising with us), the dog has scratched the gelcoat, left hair all over the place and has just about ruined the new setee cushions. If a guest did this to the boat, I would have something unprintable to say and that guest would never set foot aboard again.

This on top of the dog having to be taken ashore regularly no matter where we are anchored and what the weather. Mud banks, sand, rain and dogs are a great mixture!

Did I mention that I love my wife.

*true love there!!!* Seems like you like your wife Ok too....

 

[Codger2]

dwhatty wrote:.. the dog has scratched the gelcoat, left hair all over the place and has just about ruined the new setee cushions.

******** My God, man! Have you no love for your boat?

 

[Larry M]

Lock your wife and your dog in the forward cabin for 8 hours.* Who's glad to see you?

 

[dwhatty]

Larry M wrote:
Lock your wife and your dog in the forward cabin for 8 hours.* Who's glad to see you?

*And who gets an indeterminate stretch in the doghouse?