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We did a lot of cruising with our old dog (schooner) hence our name! I've got to admit having a dog that's friendly when your onboard and not friendly when your away is an amazing security boon. There's really no way to get around a barking dog which is silent, inconspicous and is certain to leave you with all of your fingers.
That's simply too much risk for a burglar when he can simply silently board another boat. And you can't negotiate with a dog like you can with a captive or surprised crew. In third world (developing?) countries dogs are treated as animals and if someone has a dog, it's usually a dog that has a simple duty of going for the throat of anyone who approaches. Vets in the states look at dogs and say how cute they look. Vets in other countries first question is whether they'll bite. Even if you tell them the dog is friendly, the vet won't believe you, and they have lots of scars which back up their distrust.
The downside is the dog will be very dirty (especially when trying to walk them on mud) and sometimes they refuse to be unpotty trained, which can potentially mean they are going to get unhealthy. They also can potentially become dangerous in rough passages when they start to flip out. Doggie downers will help out with that and are a good idea. Be prepared to feel incredibly guilty either way.
Schooner would hold it for 24 hours despite walking him around and finally he would go up on the bow as it had a bit of dirt from the anchor around it. I'd look at all of the tricks, even picking up some quick dirt in a tray from a marina yard. It will naturally grow grass in it from residual seeds and that's the best bet for a stubborn dog. Of course, if you can make him use the home depot floor mat, then your golden. I think the perfect size for a dog is about 40-45 lbs. Small enough that you can easily pick them up if you have to but big enough that when they come growling you get a bit nervous.
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