Does anyone have a suggestion for housebreaking a puppy during summer boating season?

Question

Summer is upon us and so is boating season.

I am bringing home an 8 week old pup this week and plan on crate training him immediately.

But I am having abit of a dilemna in trying to figure out what do with the pup while we are boating. We generally boat for 3 to 6 hours at a time. I obviously do not want the pup confined in his crate during that time.

I am considering using puppy pads while on the boat but am concerned that this will s***w up his crate training.

If you have experience bringing a puppy on a boat for the first time and I you handled it, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks much

Answer 1

I'll be doing the same thing when I get my dogs on the boat for the first time. I had planned to have them around in the boat while I work on it in the yard to get them use to it. They will want a place to go so I plan to pick it out for them now as when I'm with them on the water (and all the excitement, they get so wound up when the big "balls" (buoys) come by!!) they will already know. Pads are great ideas but keep them out of spray areas. Make sure to walk them well before you get going and beach them when you can. When taking your boat out you probably are going someplace as opposed to 6 straight hours of throttle so you can plan for them. Dogs love boats like dogs love cars. Just make sure you have a good strong plastic bag to store soiled pads in or your boat will not be as pleasant a place. It kills me to see how people leave pampers (or heave pampers) and dog waste bags all over the beaches and harbors. Then they complain because dogs are not welcome. We can walk dogs on our beach except during the summer months, so the fencing along the beach has 50 or more old bags of dog dookie hanging from them. Some people have no sense. As for crates, never crate a dog on a boat or an accident could be tragic beyond belief. The thought is too horrible to even imagine in an overboard scenario. Besides, dogs LOVE boats as much as you. Your puppy will adjust and dealing with a little occational accident is hardly a big deal. As for my home, I would rather clean up the occational accident then to crate my babies but then I don't have such nice stuff as I have to really worry.