Pets Ahoy! Boating with Pets
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Welcome Aboard! Docking with Dogs
Docked boats provide a perfect learning environment for pets. This is the time to establish a routine.
We immediately let our pets know when they are allowed on deck, where it was appropriate to eliminate (see the Poop Deck section on the next page), and the difference between playtime and naptime. Keeping your pets on a regular feeding schedule will go a long ways towards avoiding any accidents.
This is also the time to establish a boarding protocol. The most dangerous time for pets and their people is getting from the dock to the boat (and vice versa). Ask me how I know…
Train your dogs to stay calm when departing or embarking. A long leap between the dock and the boat while holding a pet is treacherous. Ramps can be purchased to help a pet board safely, and no-slip mats can provide footing on the slick fiberglass of a freshly-waxed boat.
