Pets on board cruising boats

[tdamico]

Does anybody out there presently live aboard or has lived aboard a boat and also had pets? How in the world would you make provision for your dog to "do their business" while cruising when availability to land may not be for days or weeks? Any tricks or tips?

[gonzo]

The ones I've seen do it on deck or in the cockpit. The pet owners throw the "done deal" overboard and throw a bucket of water to clean.

[seanconnett]

A quick search on Google returns many articles on "cruising with pets". As much as I love sharing sailing with my dogs I am always reminded of their last visit when I'm pulling their hair from out of my bilge pump. I think it's worth it though.
As for my methods of providing for their "comfort" a small patch of "astroturf" carpet reminds of them of a walk on the grass and produces good results.
Sean

[J & J]

I took a piece of good quality astro terf had the edge whipped so it would not frey. It was cut to the shape of the bow. My dog learned to go on it and then I would just dump it and when moving slow as in sailing it had a grommet for a sail installed and dragging it for a while kept it clean. No more shaking dog she let me know when it was time and we went to the anchor locker and got the yard out for her to go.

[gonzo]

What do you do within the three mile limit or at an anchorage?

Well you put the dog food remnants in a bag or in a bucket of cat litter. And i don't dump my holding tank in the ancorage. However I don't think they should let people with dogs closer than three miles of the city park. Also what about the land lubbers that let their dog dump all over the back yard and you have to breath the fumes every day. Oh and the citys dump treated waste in the ocean all over the USA so maybe a little dog poo now and again really is not that much of an enviromental disaster. Boot key in Marathon Florida has a hospital on the harbor and what runs out of that pipe is scary. I'll take the dog poo any day over that.