Comments on: Getting A Big Dog To “Go” On A Boat–Is It Harder?

By: Clowie

Clowie — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 13:57:06 +0000

I’d never thought about that side of things when you live on a boat, but I think I’d have trouble learning to ‘go’ on the boat because it’s a floating home.

By: Gloria

Gloria — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 07:08:57 +0000

Honey is one smart dog and I think she sees the boat as her living quarters. She doesn’t want to potty where she lives but boy 33 hours is insane.

By: Groovy Goldendoodles

Groovy Goldendoodles — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 20:53:21 +0000

I think it makes perfect sense. When you talk about living on a boat – I think the bathroom routine is always going to be the most popular question once they realize you have Honey. Since dogs usually don’t “do” where they live – I believe that’s what Honey thinks when it comes to the boat.

By: Callie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom

Callie, Shadow, and Ducky's Mom — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 16:10:31 +0000

Your theory makes sense to me; but the important thing is that dogs don’t theorize, so what we think might as well fly out the window. BOL. All I can suggest is keep trying to “boat train” Honey. She’s a smart girl; one day she’ll “get it”. 🙂

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 15:45:32 +0000

Oh, what a sweet girl Honey is. That 33 hours is impressive! I really don’t know what Ace would do. He’s never been on a boat for more than 2-3 hours. It sounds like you are making things work by getting her to land every day.

On a related note, my cats refuse to use the litterbox in the car. I drove from North Dakota to San Diego with them, about 14 hours in the car per day and I was impressed the chose to hold it until we got to the hotel every time even though I gave them several chances to use the box. But that’s no 33 hours!

By: Jodi

Jodi — Tue, 31 May 2016 22:04:53 +0000

I can’t imagine holding it myself for 33 hours nor could I imagine my dog doing it either. Even though I swear Sampson is part camel, because he has gone up to about 20 hours once, but at that point I put my foot down and ‘made’ him go outside (it was raining). 🙂

I’m really not sure how you can get a well trained dog to potty somewhere they are sure they are not supposed to. I wonder if you made a sort of ‘litter’ box with dirt and grass from a park that would have some ‘smells’ on it? If it was actual dirt and real grass, would it make a difference?

By: Pamela

Pamela — Tue, 31 May 2016 21:14:31 +0000

In reply to Jan K.

Dogs are absolutely complex creatures. And your crew backs that up for sure.

Honey really likes to go in the snow. But she’d never go on the porch no matter how much snow we got.

Every dog really does have their tolerances. Just like people do.

We recently installed a composting head in the boat. As you can imagine it takes more management than a marine head–which takes more management than a flush toilet on land.

We find that some of the people we mention it to say, “Cool, I’d love to have one.” And other people turn a little green at the thought. Just like pups, some are more fastidious than others.

Hey, maybe I need to teach Honey to use the composting head. 🙂

By: Pamela

Pamela — Tue, 31 May 2016 21:09:54 +0000

In reply to Blueberry's human. My first female dog was also a scent marker. She even lifted her leg. But not, not Honey. It is probably another part of why some people find it so easy to train their dogs to go on board.

By: Pamela

Pamela — Tue, 31 May 2016 21:06:52 +0000

In reply to All Things Collie.

If only…

Honey used to bark to tell us when she wanted to go outside when we were in a house. Sometimes even when she just wanted to play or laze in the yard. But she isn’t crazy about the dinghy and she does not ask to go to shore. So I can’t imagine she’s think to hold it in hopes we’d take extraordinary steps.

On the other hand, I obviously don’t know what I’m doing. So maybe you’re right. 🙂

By: Pamela

Pamela — Tue, 31 May 2016 21:01:43 +0000

In reply to Lara Elizabeth.

Like humans, every dog is different. And yes, fastidiousness is definitely part of this whole thing.

I wish I knew more about the dogs whose people swear they took to pottying on the boat with no stress.

Perhaps we could hire Boca to be a tutor? Honey does like to learn from other dogs. 🙂