Crew potty training

Spacewaist

Spacewaist

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 Oct 2002
Messages
339
Location
UK
blog.mailasail.com
New boat for delivery next year. Problem is how to train the dogs to pee & poo in the right place (i.e. not the carpet).

Anyone got any bright ideas as to 1) where to encourage them to so the business and 2) how?
 
Are you talking about your pets or being derogatory about your friends and family?
If the former, dogs don't like to foul on a boat and, personally, I think it a bit unfair to take them to sea for more than 6 hours, although some provide astroturf for them.
If the latter, kneeling down always helps but I doubt you will have carpet in the heads.
 
One method I have heard off is to get a bit of astro-turf, and use that special chemical that you can get from the animal stores which encourages them to use that spot. Once it has been used, you can attach a bit of rope and drag astern to clean.
 
To train any dog, reward for acceptable behaviour and ignore unwanted behaviour. There are plenty of dog training sites to view now.....read, read, read. Go to dog training classes, something I would make mandatory for all dog owners.

Why.....read my website. http://www.angelfire.com/rnb/malcsworld/ I think it I have explained it on Jessies pages. Very briefly, despite being in the countryside, growing up on farms in a dog owning household, when aged 43, and I got a dog, I was TOTALLY WRONG. The hardest lesson I have had. I only got a boat, as an excuse for somewhere to take my dog in the countryside.

To 'potty' train the dog. Get a treat, or toy the dog loves. Buy some astroturf, or other washable surface (e.g. a piece of old carpet) At home, when the dog wants to toilet, take him to it, and wait until he does the business. Reward with treats or toy IMMEDIATELY.

Done correctly the dog will quickly learn to associate toileting with the relevant piece of mat etc.

See toilet training on dog obedience sites.
 
I presume the guy who wrote that provides animals for the real life "Missions Impossible".

Quite worrying really, just hope neither of my dogs have read that.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Tie the leed to the stern rail throw dog overboard and let it swim.

[/ QUOTE ]

Better still.....tie the lead to the owner, thow him overboard so he does't have to step in the sh(one)t....... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Dogs will very quickly learn their place to go, they like routine so after a couple of days you should be able to have them go when and where you want.

Try a piece of astro turf you can tow behind the boat to wash off before adding a bit of bleach and packing in a dry bag, for example. Find a sturdy place to lay it down each morning after the dog has eaten. Dogs take around 24hrs to move food through their system, so times can be pretty predictable.

If the dog gets used to this, he may learn to nudge the dry bag if he needs to relieve. Another method of storage to prevent spills, depending on the size of dog might be a litter tray with astro turf inside or any other material that works. I would not leave it bare, he will slide all over the place on the plastic and dogs do like a good sniff, again, tie this like a bucket and hurl over the side when it requires cleaning. Salt water is a pretty good disinfectant!

We use the trampoline for the dog to relieve, a quick brush with a bucket of water and bleach afterwards and it is as good as new.

Narrative_foredeck_lrg.jpg


As Mainwaring would say, improvise!

Hope this helps!

To keep the dog happy, lots of treats, warm, safe comfy bed that he can retire to at any time in a place he can feel is his, a crate is ideal if you have crate trained him.

Try not to get mad, telling him off because he does not suddenly become a ships dog will only make your job harder, he will associate being told off with being on the boat and no amount of training will work, positive associations only.

Another thing that might help you, if you bought from a decent breeder, like me!, he will have have early newspaper training, I will explain. As a puppy, the bitch will nudge puppies out of the whelping box as they grow to empty. That is her job over, the breeder must then start house training. Dogs will not mess their own space, look up crate training on google.

To get puppies to go to the back the back door and then into the back yard I used a common method using newspaper. Day 1, newspaper by whelping box, each day move paper toward the door, placing puppy on paper and praising when he goes. After up to 10 days he will follow the paper outside and into the flower bed or part of garden you designate his place!

This training will be instilled for life, try putting paper down and he will almost certainly go on it, this will make your job of getting him to go in the same place on the boat easier. Expecting the dog to cross his legs on any passage is IMHO cruel and will limit your passage times, maybe a kennel is best if you can not bear the thought of him going on the boat. This is general and not pointed at you, you understand! Dogs also make a great excuse for rows in the dinghy to the sandbank, beach etc. for early morning/late evening walks, best times of the day for a quiet walk and a view of the anchorage.

Lots of positives, treats and chews, never scold.

Big hint, if you get back to the boat and he has peed in the cockpit in your absence do not scold him, say nothing clean up. If you hit him, the normal chav reaction, he will associate your return with pain, and most certainly wet him self on your return. Putting his nose in it is total fallacy and just cruel, how is he supposed to understand, given his position in the food chain!

You would be amazed how many 'accidents' on the kitchen floor happen not during the day, but at the exact moment the keys are rattled in the front door!

Hope this helps

Amateur dog trainer, occasional breeder and ex-breed rescue!

J
 
[ QUOTE ]
One is called "Teaching Your Dog to Eliminate on Command"

[/ QUOTE ]

I love the American fear of reality, teach your dog to crap on command would be better. Eliminate, eliminate what, take four cushions, eliminate 3 to leave the most comfortable for my afternoon nap, woof!

Eliminate my master over the side cos he thinks I can sh<span style="color:black">it</span> when he says go, I say woof and he does not go running to the heads, well there you go.

Eliminate all chances of being invited on friends boats by scooting on their clean carpets, woof!

Eliminate indeed /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top