If you want to protect your boat seats, you need to be prepared with the right gear. New boaters often overlook the importance of prevention when it comes to keeping their boat in good condition, especially when boating with their dogs.
They often end up learning the hard way with scratches and stains that are difficult to repair. They likely wish they would have taken measures to prevent damage as opposed to having to fix it later.
In this article, we discuss the importance of boat seat protective covers. We also talk about how to protect vinyl boat seats by preparing your dog for your next outing. Continue reading if you want to learn how to keep your boat looking new.
Table of Contents
Prep Your Dog
The key to the best seat protection is preparation. Whether your dog is new to the boat life or they’re as seasoned as you are, they need a bit of special attention before they’re ready to embark. In order to protect your boat seats start with some minor grooming and prevent illness.
Trim Nails
When it comes to how to protect vinyl boat seats, trimmed nails are important. Sharp nails can scratch and rip at vinyl seats, so you want to keep nails short. It’s also important to keep nails smooth by filing the edges with a dog nail grinder.
You can also invest in a pair of dog booties. These will not only protect your boat seats, but they will also give your dog extra traction on board your boat.
Brush Out Loose Fur
Loose fur can make boat seat protection difficult since it can work its way into tight places. For this reason, we recommend giving your dog a long brushing session before disembarking. This will help minimize the amount of loose fur on your boat seats.
If you don’t want to perform your dog’s grooming, you can always schedule with a grooming professional. They will help guide you on the proper grooming techniques to keep your dog comfortable and to minimize shedding.
Prevent Seasickness
Excessive drooling, licking, and vomiting are common symptoms in nauseous dogs. While it’s upsetting to see your dog ill, these symptoms are also detrimental to boat seat protection.
Since 23% of dogs suffer from motion sickness, preventing it is key in learning how to protect boat seats. Start by considering your dog’s history with car rides. If they become nauseous, it’s worth speaking with a vet about anti-nausea medication.
Keep Your Dog Cool and Calm
f you want to protect boat seats, you need to keep your dog comfortable on board. The best way to keep them comfortable is to find effective ways to keep them both cool and calm. In order to achieve this, you have to learn to manage stress and manage heat.
Manage Stress
Stress leads to drooling, pacing, and frantic behavior. All of these are counterproductive to boat seat protection. If your dog is difficult to calm, it may be best to consider hiring a pet sitter for the day. Otherwise, you can talk to your dog’s vet about calming treatments.
A good way to manage stress is to keep your dog feeling safe. For example, always tether your dog to the boat when it’s moving and on rough waters. Also, provide them with a comfortable and protected area to lay down in case they become stressed.
Manage Heat
Consider the weather before bringing your furry friend on board for your next boating adventure. Dogs aren’t able to sweat to keep themselves cool and can quickly succumb to high temperatures.
Overly hot dogs can become frantic, they may pace or sprint around the boat. This can lead to scratches and tears in your boat seats.
Make sure to take preventative measures on warmer days to prevent this. Make sure your dog has access to clean and fresh water as well as a place to lie down and stay out of the sun.
Invest in the Right Equipment
Boat Seat Protective Covers
Another key aspect in how to protect boat seats is investing in the right equipment. These will not only keep your dog calm and comfortable, but they’ll also help you keep your boat clean, dry, and undamaged. Our top recommendations include boat seat covers, dog beds, and potty mats.
BBoat seat covers are a great option when you want to protect boat seats from sharp nails and dog fur. The best boat seat protective covers are even waterproof in case your dog decides to take a dip in the water. You can even leave them in place after your outing to protect against rain, sun, and snow.
Boat Dog Bed
A boat dog bed is an important accessory for boat trips so that your dog has a comfortable place to call their own. Keeping it in a cool and secure place makes it a great spot to teach your dog to stay when the boat is moving or in case of rough water.
We recommend choosing a waterproof bed or purchasing a waterproof cover to minimize water damage and to keep your boat dry.
Boat Potty Mat
If your boating trip is an all-day event or longer, you’re going to need a boat potty mat for your dog in order to protect boat seats. Potty accidents can leave stains on your boat seats and flooring, especially if not cleaned up quickly.
Teaching your dog to use a designated potty mat can not only help them relieve themselves, but it can also be the key to how to protect boat seats. Consider placing the mat in an area that provides good balance and is out of heavily-trafficked areas.
Be Prepared to Protect Boat Seats
If you’re looking to protect boat seats, start using the above tips. Take prevention seriously and keep your dog well-groomed to maximize boat seat protection.
Also, while the best boat seat protective covers will help you while learning how to protect vinyl boat seats, don’t overlook the importance of keeping your dog calm, cool, and comfortable.
Check out our beginner’s guides to get our top tips for new boaters that you can start using on your next outing.
