Boating With Your Pets 101

Just as you pet-proofed your house and garage, you'll need to pet-proof your boat. Assume that your pet can -- and will -- get into trouble. You can't foresee everything, but you can train yourself to look at your boat as a cat or dog might. What smells interesting? What has fascinating moving parts? What looks or smells like food? Where's a good place to hide?

You'll need to install a litterbox for your cat. Attach it firmly, and use shock cord to keep it secure. Make sure to use clumping litter; the non-clumping kind can create big messes in choppy waters. However, you should keep the clumping litter well away from the bilge pump, which can get clogged [source: Drummond].

For short trips, you may not need to have a bathroom area for your dog. It's a good idea to have one on longer trips, however. You can use newspapers, or you can invest in a dog toilet. This is typically a small patch of synthetic grass attached to an absorbent, anti-microbial base [source: Animal Planet]. Your dog can sniff around just as it would on a walk. Needless to say, unless you want the phrase "poop deck" to take on a new, literal meaning, you'll still need to have a large supply of plastic baggies handy, as you would on a walk. Everyone on board will thank you.

You'll also need to make your pet boat-friendly. Give your pet a chance to get used to the boat. Weeks before the planned trip, start making visits to the boat -- either in the dock or on the trailer. Take a tour of the boat with your pet carefully leashed or harnessed. Let your pet sniff around, explore and get used to being on the water.

As you're getting your pets acclimated to the boat, you can also help them get used to their PFDs. Read on to learn all about them.

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You must have a pet flotation device (PFD) on hand w­hile boating with your pet. Each pet on board should have its own PFD. A PFD act as a life jacket and protects against hypothermia in case your pet is in cold water for a long time [source: Animal Planet].

Give your pet a chance to get used to wearing its PFD long before you board the boat. Let the pet wear it at home -- just for a few minutes at first. Increase the amount of time the pet wears the PFD as your departure date approaches. By the time you get to the dock, the PFD should seem familiar and unthreatening to your pet.

Many dogs like to swim. Make sure your dog has a chance to try swimming in its PFD before you leave the dock. Dogs should wear their PFDs at all times on board.

A cat's onboard behavior, on the other hand, is much harder to predict. Cats have deeply personal -- and therefore dramatically different -- responses to water. Some boaters say that their cats find lifejackets more hindrance than help [source: Drummond]. Before boating with your cat, answer these questions: How healthy is your cat? How well does it swim? How does it react to being in water? At a minimum, it's a good idea to have a PFD handy for your cat.

All pet flotation devices should have a handle on the back that rests between your pet's shoulder blades. That's so you can lift the animal out of the water if the need arises. Before getting into the boat, make sure you have practiced this maneuver a few times so you and your pet can get used to it. You want to make sure you're strong enough to rescue your pet if you need to. Your pet also needs to feel somewhat comfortable with being carried like this -- or comfortable enough not to squirm violently.

Finally, don't forget your own life vest. A big, wet dog is heavy enough to pull you into the water, and dog owners have been known to drown attempting to pull their pets aboard boats [source: Stacey].

Now that you've got your PFD, you're ready to head to the dock, right? Not so fast. Keep reading to find the other ways you must protect your dogs and cats.

Dogs usually like water. Som­e breeds, like Labrador retrievers, are traditional boat dogs. But that doesn't mean you can take them on boats without considering their safety and well-being.

Many dog owners assume their pets can swim, but a short doggy paddle in the pond is a far cry from swimming through strong currents in open waters. Your dog may not be strong enough or fast enough to swim alongside your boat. Leaner dogs may struggle more, since fat is more buoyant than muscle [source: NRS]. Short-legged breeds can also have problems swimming.

Some dogs can't wait to get into the water. That makes them great boating companions, but those waterlogged pups can also pose safety risks. Make sure your dog is securely leashed when you first get on board [source: Animal Planet]. The other end of the leash should be in your hand, not tied to the boat. The dog should know you're in control and that you're close by. Once you've made all the necessary preparations for departure from the dock, you can reward your dog with a swim.

What else do you need?

Boating with dogs can be a great time. Boating with cats? Now, that sounds crazy. But some people do it -- and some cats actually like it. Read all about it on the next page.

You've probably noticed on trips to the vet that cats don't enjoy being in motion they can't control. Cars are loud, they move unpredictably -- to a cat, anyway -- and they upset a feline's finely tuned sense of balance. The poor cat may spend the entire journey loudly announcing its displeasure.

Now, imagine that cat on a boat as it rises, falls and rocks with the shifting water. The cat may be even less comfortable, and you have no way of pulling over and reassuring it. That doesn't mean you can't go boating with your cat. Many people do, and many cats come to love the water. But you must commit yourself to helping your cat get used to the boat.

What do you need for a seafaring cat?

Now, how do you keep your kitty safe? Read on.

Boating can be hazardous for pets. A few safety pointers to keep in mind:

Boating with pets takes patience and preparation. But when you and your best friend are out on the water, you'll be glad you did it.

To learn more, visit the links on the next page.