Dogs onboard

Interesting thread this, as we are dog owners and have been living on board boats for over 4 years with our dog. Yes I agree that not everyone likes dogs and SOME dog owners can be lazy and selfish when it comes to training and cleaning up after them (we use bio degradable bags) ... But you could also say the same about some parents and their ill behaved brats that leave rubbish behind. And yes, we have seen some of this behaviour from boat families as sad as it is.

I will say however that having a dog on board requires a lot of thought and planning and it is restrictive but for us we are willing to accept that and adjust accordingly. Franco (the dog) crossed the Atlantic with us in Dec 2022 and is here in the Caribbean. He will also sail back to the UK with us when we have had enough of here.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
As a teenager learning to fly I also learned to hate dogs. The chief instructor used to bring his lab flying whenever he was instructing and it was docile for most of the flight but would sit up and start licking my ear on final approach! Pretty sure he had trained it to do it but by god it was annoying.
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Maybe a "blind dog" which licked the correct ear to bring you in for a perfect approach?
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Picking up animal faeces is never something a sane human should do. Even worse to put it in a non permeable (read non biodegradable) plastic bag so it can be buried in its own ecosystem for eternity! Madness.
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it's just shit. Every living thing produces it... your mum cleaned up yours, someday a nurse will probably do the same again. Unless you're a vegan your food produces it and someone cleans it up... if you are, it probably grows in it.

It's smelly and unpleasant, so you don't want to be spreading it around too much but it's not radioactive, or even particularly toxic... just needs containment and disposal.
Picking up poop is much less unpleasant than servicing a sea-toilet!
 
Whaup367 said:
it's just shit. Every living thing produces it... your mum cleaned up yours, someday a nurse will probably do the same again. Unless you're a vegan your food produces it and someone cleans it up... if you are, it probably grows in it.

It's smelly and unpleasant, so you don't want to be spreading it around too much but it's not radioactive, or even particularly toxic... just needs containment and disposal.
Picking up poop is much less unpleasant than servicing a sea-toilet!
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Oh really!
science.
 
Whaup367 said:
Yes, really. If an article starts with a question, the answer is no...



Would you mind clarifying what your issue is? You got the point, yes? Was my comment somehow offensive?
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You didn't read it so here is the conclusion to this research paper (article) :
our study suggests that the contamination of urban streets with dog faeces containing MDR microorganisms represents a problem for public and environmental health.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
You didn't read it so here is the conclusion to this research paper (article) :
our study suggests that the contamination of urban streets with dog faeces containing MDR microorganisms represents a problem for public and environmental health.
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Yes, I got your point. There's a risk. Their study "suggests" that contamination in urban streets represents a problem (I don't think we were talking about urban streets though, were we?)

Doesn't say there actually is one. Is limited in scope (note, for example that fresh faeces doesn't contain toxicariasis parasite eggs, they take weeks to develop but are potentially the most serious risk... and are unlikely to develop on a pontoon...).

What's the actual level of illnesses from pet poop in the UK? Only thing I've found is "uncommon", and that was including minor "symptoms usually disappear by themselves over 2-3 days" ones.

So yes, it's just shit. Pick it up in a strong biodegradable bag, pop it in your pocket, stick it in a bin. No big deal.

No insanity required.
 
Buck Turgidson said:
Oh really!
science.
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Since a dog doesn't sterilise its arse, any dog owner's home is going to be at risk from the nasties mentioned. That's a (tiny) risk I'm prepared to take when visiting a dog owner, but I don't expect to take it when I'm out for a walk. Those constantly exposed should clean up after their pets and, if they aren't prepared to do it, they shouldn't have pets.
 
AntarcticPilot said:
When I was taking flying lessons, any dog that licked my ear on approach would have had to learn to fly without an aircraft VERY quickly! I should say that I never even got as far as going solo, and it's too expensive a hobby to keep it up.
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I live quite close to an airfield, so the concept of flying lessons has drifted through my mind. Expensive, as you say, and probably more so as you get older, like learning to drive. Still, in appropriate circumstances, and having got to the stage of flying solo, maybe a very hard landing could be cheaper than a one-way flight to Dignitas? ;-)
 
Stemar said:
Since a dog doesn't sterilise its arse, any dog owner's home is going to be at risk from the nasties mentioned. That's a (tiny) risk I'm prepared to take when visiting a dog owner, but I don't expect to take it when I'm out for a walk. Those constantly exposed should clean up after their pets and, if they aren't prepared to do it, they shouldn't have pets.
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Unfortunately does not apply to cats because people do not "walk" them (in the usual euphemism). And we already know about the rather nasty Toxoplasma gondii ... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxoplasma_gondii
 
jamie N said:
I don't like dogs, and cannot understand any sane person, particularly yotties, wanting the burden of something that smells, shits, bites & kills children at its own convenience and adds to the complication of life. If I'm on my boat, I don't want to factor in a visit, or any action actually, that requires thinking "Oh, but the dogs got to shit/eat/walk/sleep".
At our marina I've twice been told that when a dog has growled at me that "It's OK!"
No it's not, I don't like dogs and don't see why I should have to tolerate someone else's toy in a non dog specific communal place. I expect to see dogs when I'm out walking, when I'm at the beach where the b'stards are encouraged to shit in the same area that kids play, I do expect them there, but on a pontoon in a marina; bugger off.
Korean & Viet restaurants have a good policy with them, as well as a variety of sauces.
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Get therapy. Or a dog. Meant to be very calming.
 
capnsensible said:
If people truly care about dogs, why would they take them on a boat? Sorry folks I just don't get that.
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Ours absolutely loves being onboard, she gets incredibly excited when we walk down the pontoon to the boat. (not pissing on the way)

when out, she spends her time looking at the birds, she's completely fascinated by seals 😂 and swims with us when we go in.

We started off with a square of fake grass, but she didn't ever use it, she has her routines she always gets a long walk before we go onboard, we haven't slept onboard for more than a week at a time with her, and only use walk ashore berths so she still gets loads of land walks.

I'd say why have a dog and not take it with you?

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davethedog said:
Interesting thread this, as we are dog owners and have been living on board boats for over 4 years with our dog. Yes I agree that not everyone likes dogs and SOME dog owners can be lazy and selfish when it comes to training and cleaning up after them (we use bio degradable bags) ... But you could also say the same about some parents and their ill behaved brats that leave rubbish behind. And yes, we have seen some of this behaviour from boat families as sad as it is.

I will say however that having a dog on board requires a lot of thought and planning and it is restrictive but for us we are willing to accept that and adjust accordingly. Franco (the dog) crossed the Atlantic with us in Dec 2022 and is here in the Caribbean. He will also sail back to the UK with us when we have had enough of here.
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Agree with all of that. Our dog has done 3 Atlantic crossings with us. She will probably be doing a 4th next year
 
capnsensible said:
If people truly care about dogs, why would they take them on a boat? Sorry folks I just don't get that.
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Our Spanish WATER Dog is much happier aboard than on land. She has been on board from 3 months old and it is her home. Never had an accident (dog related…) yet after seven years!!!
 
dslittle said:
Our Spanish WATER Dog is much happier aboard than on land. She has been on board from 3 months old and it is her home. Never had an accident (dog related…) yet after seven years!!!
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I do know another Spanish Water Dog called Eric. I will happily concede that he does seem to enjoy the liveaboard life. And he is in the sea at every opportunity..... :)
 
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