Where Do They Go To The Bathroom?

     An oft asked question about sailing with our two dogs is "Where do they go to the
bathroom when they're on the boat?." The simple answer is - They're still in training!  Before leaving to go cruising, Janet attempted to teach Max & Bailey to use a 2' x 3' piece of Astroturf. The humorous part of this experiment was watching her chase them around the yard at our previous home, trying to slide this mat underneath them while they were "in the act".  With some fanfare, Janet finally succeeded in getting their "scent" onto the training mat. 

     Some background information may be helpful.  Since they were puppies, our dogs have been trained to go to the bathroom on "command.".  This has come in handy on several occasions and we're hoped it would help with training on the boat.  We only put the mat down when it is time for them to go - just like letting them go outside when we lived in our house. The mat is placed on the cockpit floor for that purpose and then rinsed after each use.  

     You may be asking yourself, "Why the cockpit?"  We chose the cockpit because of the security for the dogs inside the cockpit foot-well. The dogs  use the mat primarily when land is not an option -- offshore or on passages. The last thing we want is to lose a dog overboard because they went forward to use the bathroom. We'll trade that risk for the temporary inconvenience of using the cockpit. The preference, however, is a short trip ashore where possible. 

     Getting them into the dinghy for those trips to shore was another obstacle we had to overcome.  With the addition of a swim platform and an inexpensive set of Rubbermaid stairs, the dogs have mastered that technique quite well.  How you get your own dogs into the dinghy maybe easier than our method, but with dogs that weigh close to 100 pounds, we prefer that they do it without any heavy lifting on our part.  

     While getting them into the dinghy has become an easy affair after more than two years of cruising, we continue to struggle with 'potty training' on the boat.  Bailey has begun to realize the possibilities of Astroturf while offshore.  Max, however, still refuses to go.  Discussions with our vet are always encouraging.  She assures us that Max will go when he absolutely has to -- so far, his record is almost 60 hours without relieving himself.

     Other cruisers have had mild success by getting the scent of other dogs on the Astroturf.  More dramatic measures that we've heard of include making a 'sod box' - a piece of grass sod held in a wood frame.  Some sailors praise the use of cat litter boxes, as well.  The best results come from those sailors who introduce their dogs to the boat when they are puppies.  The bottom line is finding something that works for you, your dogs, and your boat.  

     Is it really worth all that effort to have your dogs aboard?  Our answer is, "absolutely yes."  Leaving them behind was never an option for us.  Relearning to use the restroom while sailing isn't only limited to the dogs.  There have been several  offshore passages when even Janet and I had trouble using the restroom.  There's nothing more humorous than trying to remain seated on a toilet while the ocean's motion is trying to launch you across the boat.   I'm sure we'll all be better trained before this adventure is over.