Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz:

I agree, but I do most of those things for my non service dogs. It is a responsibility, but if it meant her son progressing or not, I wouldn't give the upkeep a second thought. You saw what magic Brenny drummed up for that little girl. I just want to fix everything! :)

 

OMG! Actually being witness to the difference in a child's behavior when they're around these dogs is remarkable! I love seeing it.

When we were at CCI for a Workshop, a little boy in a wheelchair, constantly made loud noises [almost like someone screaming in pain], it was so scary sounding. The father had their Service Dog sit-up and he put the boys hand on the dogs head and the boy stopped.......he literally stopped making any noises at all and turned his head towards his dog. It was a miracle!!!!!!

I could not take my eyes off of them...I tried not to stare but I couldn't help myself. It was unbelievable. This allowed the father to start communicating with the boy, who had totally re-focused on the dog and his dad.

I'm a believer in the power of a dog......

[Quampapetet]

Quam: I'm sure you know Roz was talking about having to use Brenda's bark only in a threatening situation. In that case, who would care if you got "thrown" out.

 

 

No, I don't know. You can't tell unless the person states it. I'm sure Roz is a pretty good handler, but I've seen ppl talk on forums before about how they think it is fine for their service dogs to bark in public or they know it is wrong, but don't care or pretend not to care because they don't know how to fix it. So, one can never be too careful! You would not want to have an access problem because the place you want to go in had a barky dog before you. And who trained the dog has nothing to do with it, as I've heard of and seen dogs from programs who became untrained because their owners didn't keep up the training, let the dog do things it shouldn't, etc.

 

Remember we're not the only ones reading this forum; there are plenty of lurkers and this is easily found via Google so lots and lots of ppl see it. We can't be giving the wrong impression of service dogs or saying it is okay if a service dog barks in public. Roz's dog very well may not and my GUESS would be that's the case, but I can't know until she says it just like she can't know until I say it about my dog (my dog does not bark in public except to alert to a knock on the door of a hotel room/cruise cabin, which I allow so I am sure to hear the knock - a non-verbal alert would be best, but she already does those for other things).

[Quampapetet]

Brenda would NEVER bark in public, unless I asked to do so. She's way too smart for that!!!!

 

I love to play the "bark" game at home. I ask her what she did today and give her the hand signal to bark and we have a really funny conversation! Because, before she actually barks, she makes noises that almost sound like words, it's so cute!

 

And now we know, thanks.

 

There is a book out there that teaches dog tricks and one of them is to teach your dog how to talk, as in how to make sounds that sound like English words/syllables. The book is by a well-known trainer who passed away a few years ago, but his daughter still does dog training. They trained/train service dogs, too. His name is Captain something-or-other, I forget exactly. He trained dogs for movies and stuff, too. (I never did try teaching my dog how to talk, though, so I can't say how well it works! The book is very good with lots of info. on other tricks, some of which could be service dog tasks or modified to be service dog tasks.)

[Quampapetet]

Anyone been to Barbados or St Lucia with their dog???

 

Cindy

 

I'm going on a cruise that has those as ports next year.

 

Barbados is a no-go for getting off the ship, as they require dogs to fly directly from the U.K. into Barbados with no exceptions for service dogs (says so right on their Web site, so I never tried to contact them).

 

St. Lucia's rules can be found here: http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/faq/what_are_the_requirements_to_do_to_bring_in_my_dog_cat.htm

 

Included is rabies vaccines are only valid for one year (even if they are the three-year vaccine), you must do a rabies titer no earlier than one month after the rabies vaccine was given, and you cannot enter St. Lucia until six months has passed since the blood was drawn for the rabies titer (as long as the titer result came back adequate - if it didn't, you have to re-vaccinate and wait another month before doing the blood for the titer again, then the six-month wait starts when THAT blood was drawn [again, as long as the result came back adequate]). (There are other requirements, too, like an import permit and deworming just before landing in the country, so check that link.)

 

If you have any questions, good luck in contacting them, as I have not been able to do so at various e-mail addresses or their fax number for months! :mad: If you book any excursions to St. Lucia, make sure they're refundable in case you can't get off with your dog!

 

My dog wasn't due until later this month for her rabies vaccine, but that's too late for St. Lucia, so I had to vaccinate her early (in May, I think). I hated doing that, but I want to get off at St. Lucia, so didn't have a choice. A month later I did the first rabies titer (it came back more than adequate) and a month after that I did a second titer for St. Kitts, since that country requires two titers, even though I cannot reach anyone there so don't know if they will waive the six-month quarantine requirement for a service dog that is there for ten hours or less. I guess I will find out that day! :mad::rolleyes:

[Quampapetet]

I had one little boy who had not been diagnosed. His mother and I became pretty friendly. I saw her a couple of weeks ago and she said her son had been diagosed as autistic. I immediately went into my dog mode. Mom said she wasn't sure she wanted the responsibility and upkeep (care) ok, cleaning up the poop for a dog. I wanted to slap her and ask if she wanted to help her son or not. He is only 3, but large for his age. I know he is a handful, but I bet getting a dog would take some of the one on one attention away from mom having to do it all. Anyway, can't force people to do what they don't want to. I know I would be all over it and on a waiting list!

 

Will update move and such later. Our internet service is being a butt of late. Keep loosing post.

 

Everyone have a great week.

 

You have to remember the extra care and stress a mother of a disabled child has on them; it is way more than having a normal child. And parents of Autistics usually get a lot of dirty looks their way when their child acts up or acts differently, so that's stressful, too. Even a pet dog at home could easily get ignored, much more a service dog in public while the mother is trying to deal with the child's needs. Dogs are not babysitters, though some parents treat them like so because they are tired of dealing with their children (that's a fact, sorry to say it, though not every parent is like that, of course). And a three-year-old would be too young.

 

Not everyone is a dog person. And not everyone can afford to have even a pet dog, much less a service dog that requires more/better care. I'm sure the mother would much rather spend the time and money getting her child medical treatments, many of which are not covered by insurance.

[rangeley]

Roz, What chews do you give Brenny??? Wex has tartar and I try to brush but I never seem to get it off.

 

Quam, I'm not to happy to hear about those islands since those 2 are the ones we haven't been to. Anyway it would be to close for the blood and rabies since the cruise is in January. Oh well, maybe someone will watch Wex while we get off for an hour or so. We usually only go to the shops right at the dock. :mad::mad::mad: Usually there aren't any excursions for wheelchairs anyway. How about St Maarten??? You know anything about that?

Edited August 17, 2010 by rangeley

[DisneyKidsDad]

Roz, What chews do you give Brenny??? Wex has tartar and I try to brush but I never seem to get it off.

 

Quam, I'm not to happy to hear about those islands since those 2 are the ones we haven't been to. Anyway it would be to close for the blood and rabies since the cruise is in January. Oh well, maybe someone will watch Wex while we get off for an hour or so. We usually only go to the shops right at the dock. :mad::mad::mad: Usually there aren't any excursions for wheelchairs anyway. How about St Maarten??? You know anything about that?

 

Orson said he would be happy to watch Wexler for an hour or even longer if you take him and his family with you. :D

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz, What chews do you give Brenny??? Wex has tartar and I try to brush but I never seem to get it off.

 

Quam, I'm not to happy to hear about those islands since those 2 are the ones we haven't been to. Anyway it would be to close for the blood and rabies since the cruise is in January. Oh well, maybe someone will watch Wex while we get off for an hour or so. We usually only go to the shops right at the dock. :mad::mad::mad: Usually there aren't any excursions for wheelchairs anyway. How about St Maarten??? You know anything about that?

 

I purchase them from EntirelyPets.com [they're hard to find, although some Vets offices do sell them.] You can find them under Dental Products - Virbac - C.E.T. Enzymatic Oral Hygiene Chews for Dogs. They're amazing. I used to buy the Large Dog size, now I buy the Medium Dog Size [30 chews], I give her two to three a day [she really loves them.] They also make them for cats.

Labs can be pretty aggressive chewers so you may have to watch him while he's chewing them, they tend to want to swallow them while they're too whole to swallow [brenda, then coughs it up and re-chews it]. The chewing is important because it releases an enzyme that cleans their teeth and tongue, removing tartar and bad breath. Once they're swallowed they dissolve in the stomach so they don't cause the usual abdominal problems that Labs can get.

I bring them along on all our trips and cruises.

I heard about them from CCI. At our last class they highly recommended them and I've given them to her ever since.

On Brenda's last check-up the doctor was amazed at the lack of tartar and good breath.

[Quampapetet]

Roz, What chews do you give Brenny??? Wex has tartar and I try to brush but I never seem to get it off.

 

Quam, I'm not to happy to hear about those islands since those 2 are the ones we haven't been to. Anyway it would be to close for the blood and rabies since the cruise is in January. Oh well, maybe someone will watch Wex while we get off for an hour or so. We usually only go to the shops right at the dock. :mad::mad::mad: Usually there aren't any excursions for wheelchairs anyway. How about St Maarten??? You know anything about that?

 

You should get PetzLife for Wex - it comes in a gel and in a spray. If you use it consistently (every day), it works wonders for cleaning the teeth! I have it, I just am sooooo bad at remembering to use it on my dog. (You cannot use it a half-hour before or a half-hour after the dog eats or drinks.) The spray is easier, but I feel the gel might last longer in the mouth (don't know if that is true or not). I get the regular formula, not the salmon oil one, since my dog already gets salmon oil softgels as a supplement.

 

My dog will be going in for a professional teeth cleaning soon. After that, I hope to remember the PetzLife better so we'll keep the clean teeth clean! :)

 

Yeah, it stinks we can't get off at Barbados, but I'll just use it as a faux sea day since the cruise I'm on doesn't have any sea days. I'm sure I will need a day of rest!

 

Yeah, you're past the time for a January entry to St. Lucia, sorry. If you can cruise a few months later in the year, you'd likely be able to enter.

 

St. Maarten, as far as I have seen online, doesn't require anything special beyond the usual rabies certificate and health certificate. It is another country that never got back to me, even after I got an e-mail address for them from the embassy for the Netherlands (which owns St. Maarten). The only island that got back to me is Dominica and then they didn't really answer my question (what the process of getting the import permit is), LOL. :rolleyes: (They also require the rabies titer, but do not have a six-month wait, in case you are wondering.)

 

BTW, if you're an IAADP member, you get a nice discount on rabies titers! You get half off from Kansas State (reg. price is $50) and then my vet also gave a discount (VCA vet but without using the usual 10% off card because they can't combine discounts), since they had quoted me about $180 and charged me about $130 (which includes the Kansas State discount). I saved more than my membership price in just that vet visit, not to mention I had to do the titer twice and I also get the free Dasuquin from the IAADP offer and on other vet visits I use the 10% off card! Love it!!

 

Oh - and I know that on St. Maarten there is Joyce Prince Tours and she is accessible for anybody who can transfer from their wheelchair (according to her Web site and reviews I've seen on this board).

Edited August 18, 2010 by Quampapetet

[wizard-of-roz]

I'm really thankful that the C.E.T. Chews work so well for Brenda [and, all the other dogs who belong to my fellow workers, in my office], everyone is now ordering them and also swears by them!

The professional teeth cleaning usually requires anesthetic and some risks. I prefer the preventive use of these chews. I always ask my Vet if Brenda needs her teeth cleaned and, so-far-so-good. The "chews" are working for her. My Vet is very impressed by their effectiveness and I'm so relieved she doesn't have to go through the cleaning ritual.

Also, I may have just been lucky......but, once Immigration checked all my paperwork for Brenda [through the ships officer] and, the local officer at gate......we had absolutely no problems entering any of the ports you've mentioned. I was prepared to have Brenda stay on the ship with the Assistant Cruise Director, who had offered to "dog sit" with her and, also, Morey was willing to stay onboard with her. But, I didn't need either one.

 

Complete all your paperwork [as required] plan on going into the various ports and have a back-up plan in the chance that you may get a really aggressive Immigration Officer.

 

Only ONCE, when arriving back in Florida did we have an Immigration Officer pull us aside and he literally inspected the pads of Brenda's paws. It was the first and last time anyone ever did this, in all our travels. You never know what bug flew in their ear that day and, how they'll react to your "perfectly acting" Service Dog.

I find that if I remain "cool, collected, calm and assertive", the "green" officer stays "calm" as well. This particularly young officer really didn't know what to do and thought he'd assert some sort of authority.

 

He wasted about 1/2 hour of our time......and, I simply kept a cool head and a smile on my face......when inside I pictured myself beating him over the head with his "billy club"!

 

It all goes more quickly and with "grace" if you don't say too much and just keep your Immigration and Service Dog Paperwork ready to hand them!!!!!! With, again, that "far-from-intelligent-smile on your face"!

[rangeley]

Thanks for all the info Roz. I'm going to look up those chews and get some for Wex.

 

It's now official ..... We have booked a cruise in January!! WooooooHooooooooo!! And a 10 day too!! Hope Wex can handle 10 days.

So all I have to do for him is the health certificate and the Bahamas form, which I think we have. I'll check on St Maarten and play it by ear.

 

Thanks Quam for all your info, we really appreciate it! :D

 

As for Orson, I think you just went on a cruise.

 

Cindy

[Quampapetet]

Ten days - nice! What ship and itinerary?

 

I just got the K9Grass in the mail yesterday, so that's set to go for our upcoming cruise (and any that we might do after that - this is too expensive to ditch!). I have enough potty pads left over from last time that I don't need to buy more (I bought extras last time thinking I'd test out the grass pre-cruise, but I never did. And I brought way more pads than we actually used on the cruise - better way more than not enough!!) Oh, but I do have to cut the grass down to size, as the size it came in is a foot too wide (4' instead of 3' wide, but the length of 6' is just right). I think I am also going to cut it into rectangles the size of the pads to make changing the pads easier than having to roll up the length of it (last time it was cut down the middle, but was two 6' long pieces). It might pack better cut up, too, though this grass I think is shorter than the other grass, as it is rolled up in the shipping box smaller/tighter than I was ever able to get with the other roll of grass.

[rangeley]

Quam, Well I asked about most of the islands, but they are St Lucia, Barbados, St Maarten, St. Thomas, Nassau, Martinique. I think one day is sailing around the Pitons in St Lucia. Last year we had a box with dirt and grass, which worked out fine. I'm sure we will get the same this year. Wex had no problems with it. How long before we go do I need to send the Bahamas permit in??

 

Cindy

[wizard-of-roz]

Thanks for all the info Roz. I'm going to look up those chews and get some for Wex.

 

It's now official ..... We have booked a cruise in January!! WooooooHooooooooo!! And a 10 day too!! Hope Wex can handle 10 days.

So all I have to do for him is the health certificate and the Bahamas form, which I think we have. I'll check on St Maarten and play it by ear.

 

Thanks Quam for all your info, we really appreciate it! :D

 

As for Orson, I think you just went on a cruise.

 

Cindy

 

Wahoooooo!!!! Love the anticipation part! What ship? I'm so glad that you're enjoying your time with Wex and that he's becoming a "frequent cruiser!"

[wizard-of-roz]

Ten days - nice! What ship and itinerary?

 

I just got the K9Grass in the mail yesterday, so that's set to go for our upcoming cruise (and any that we might do after that - this is too expensive to ditch!). I have enough potty pads left over from last time that I don't need to buy more (I bought extras last time thinking I'd test out the grass pre-cruise, but I never did. And I brought way more pads than we actually used on the cruise - better way more than not enough!!) Oh, but I do have to cut the grass down to size, as the size it came in is a foot too wide (4' instead of 3' wide, but the length of 6' is just right). I think I am also going to cut it into rectangles the size of the pads to make changing the pads easier than having to roll up the length of it (last time it was cut down the middle, but was two 6' long pieces). It might pack better cut up, too, though this grass I think is shorter than the other grass, as it is rolled up in the shipping box smaller/tighter than I was ever able to get with the other roll of grass.

 

Quam, I've got the artificial turf [and, you know how Brenda is trained on her 5x5 box on our patio, which is artificial turf on sod, with a truck oil drip pan, underneath] well, I want her to go potty inside the hotel room. STOP! Before everybody goes ballistic and nauseaus at the thought......I want to set something up in the bathroom.

I was thinking of putting the turf on puddle pads, on the bathroom floor, tossing the puddle pads after use and then rinsing off the grass in the shower when we leave. I'll bring some extra large garbage bags to place the grass in - so it's not visible to the publc. What do you think? Any better ideas?

We'll be in a Las Vegas Hotel [there's no chance of having a patio] so, we'd have to use the "turf" inside the room, preferrably in the bathroom.

Any suggestions on how you would set it up? Brenda will us the "grass" wherever I put it. It's just a matter of where to put it and, of course, the most sanitary way.

We'll be staying in a hotel that does not have easy access to a potty area. It will be quite a long walk to get to a door that leads out to a gravel area, in their garage. This hotel was not our first choice but family does "trump" Service Dog convenience. [i so prefer the cruising thing.] Going "potty" on a cruise ship is so much easier than high-rise hotels.

[rangeley]

Wahoooooo!!!! Love the anticipation part! What ship? I'm so glad that you're enjoying your time with Wex and that he's becoming a "frequent cruiser!"

 

 

Roz we are going on HAL Noordam. Now the long wait begins.

 

Cindy

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz we are going on HAL Noordam. Now the long wait begins.

 

Cindy

 

We're leaving in November and it seems like it's been forever since our last cruise in January [love cruising in January!]

And, I love HAL ships. They have the nicest crews and their ships are some of the prettiest in decor. I think they do one of the very best Afternoon Tea's.

[rangeley]

As you can see, HAL is our favorite. The crew is a big factor. We did one Princess cruise on the Crown. The ship was beautiful but we didn't care for the crew and to many people! We like a smaller ship. We also like the older crowd (cuz we are old) and less kids. One thing I hated on Princess was the balcony floor. That blue plastic stuff killed my feet!! We have been on so many HAL cruises now, we hate to change. I would like to check out the Celebrity Solstice, but the itinerary's aren't that great. Maybe in the future they will change them.

[wizard-of-roz]

As you can see, HAL is our favorite. The crew is a big factor. We did one Princess cruise on the Crown. The ship was beautiful but we didn't care for the crew and to many people! We like a smaller ship. We also like the older crowd (cuz we are old) and less kids. One thing I hated on Princess was the balcony floor. That blue plastic stuff killed my feet!! We have been on so many HAL cruises now, we hate to change. I would like to check out the Celebrity Solstice, but the itinerary's aren't that great. Maybe in the future they will change them.

 

 

I love HAL too [Morey, not so much.] He loves Princess [he thinks they have the best food] and the only way I can get him to cruise as often as we do, is to take Princess. And, then he only likes a few of their cabins so, I have to book in plenty of time so that we can get the cabin he likes.

Hey, isn't life all about Morey and Brenny? :rolleyes:

[wizard-of-roz]

Well, Miss Brenny's at the Groomer today. My life in the office without my Service Dog is weird. Even driving back to the office without her in the car feels so "empty!"

I like turning my head from my computer and seeing her laying near me. Usually with one of her "stuffies" under her head. She takes them out to play with and then she just rests her head on it.

She "bops" me on my leg to let me know that it's time to go outside and see if the kids [from the Kindergarten classes] are out and about. She likes to watch them play. Or, she'll just stick her nose on my leg, stare at me with those amazing eyes and plead with me to stop working and lets go smell the smells outside.

God, I love her! I get tears in my eyes just talking about her. I can't stand being separated from her..........."wipe up my face" and, get back to work. I can't wait to pick her up at 2:00pm.

Thanks again, as always, for listening!

[Garfeimao]

With 176 pages to this thread, I gave up trying to find if anyone taking their service dog on a cruise had done so in Europe, so I thought I'd just ask.

 

So, has anyone taken their dog to Europe, either via plane or cruise, and are there countries to avoid and those that allow service dogs more readily?

[wizard-of-roz]

With 176 pages to this thread, I gave up trying to find if anyone taking their service dog on a cruise had done so in Europe, so I thought I'd just ask.

 

So, has anyone taken their dog to Europe, either via plane or cruise, and are there countries to avoid and those that allow service dogs more readily?

 

It was in 2002.....We flew to Washington D.C., then to Zurich, Switzerland. The most difficult part of the trip was finding a place to potty in D.C. and then getting our dog into a cab in Zurich. Finally, we got a gentleman to take us to our Hotel and we then rented a car and drove all over Switzerland/Germany/Italy and France.

Flying back was a bit more difficult. We were "overly" searched...even Brenda's Vest was patted down.

We travel with the Intl. Health Cert., Letter from CCI, Brenda had a Blood Titer Drawn before we left. Onboard the flight she was given only a few ice chips to either chew or lick. I did not feed her until we landed in Zurich.

Hope this helps.

[Quampapetet]

Quam, Well I asked about most of the islands, but they are St Lucia, Barbados, St Maarten, St. Thomas, Nassau, Martinique. I think one day is sailing around the Pitons in St Lucia. Last year we had a box with dirt and grass, which worked out fine. I'm sure we will get the same this year. Wex had no problems with it. How long before we go do I need to send the Bahamas permit in??

 

Cindy

 

Sounds like a fun cruise! Mine is from Puerto Rico and goes to St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and St. Maarten (no sea days) so is similar to yours.

 

Send for the Bahamas permit NOW! The time varies on how long they take to get back to you - longest I ever had was three months and shortest was two weeks. For December/January, I send in mine at the beginning of August so I'm sure to get it in time. Remember to write "Service Dog" on it so they know why you're not sending in the fee (the permit is free for service dogs, but for pets it is $10).

 

http://www.bahamas.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Bahamas_Application_to_Import_Domestic_Animals_in_TIOTB.pdf is the form to send in, in case you don't already have it.

 

I don't know anything about Martinique. But I like the name, LOL!

[Quampapetet]

Quam, I've got the artificial turf [and, you know how Brenda is trained on her 5x5 box on our patio, which is artificial turf on sod, with a truck oil drip pan, underneath] well, I want her to go potty inside the hotel room. STOP! Before everybody goes ballistic and nauseaus at the thought......I want to set something up in the bathroom.

I wouldn't do it and the hotel prob'ly can legally tell you not to do it for sanitary reasons.

 

I was thinking of putting the turf on puddle pads, on the bathroom floor, tossing the puddle pads after use and then rinsing off the grass in the shower when we leave. I'll bring some extra large garbage bags to place the grass in - so it's not visible to the publc. What do you think? Any better ideas?

 

We'll be in a Las Vegas Hotel [there's no chance of having a patio] so, we'd have to use the "turf" inside the room, preferrably in the bathroom.

 

Any suggestions on how you would set it up? Brenda will us the "grass" wherever I put it. It's just a matter of where to put it and, of course, the most sanitary way.

Are you sure she'd use it indoors? She has been trained to not "go" indoors.

That's how I set up the potty on the ship - put garbage bags down on the balcony floor (though this next time I'm trying to figure out a better material than that, or to just not have anything at all - I can always spray the disinfectant right on the balcony floor if a pad leaks), put the pads down next to each other (overlapped one edge [the non-absorbant area] underneath wherever pads met each other), and laid the grass on top. Then you pick up the solids off the grass with your poop pick-up bags and you dispose of the pad(s) that soaked up the liquid (the room steward left a garbage bag on the balcony every day and took the filled bags away).

This time, since I'm not disposing of the faux grass, I'll be rinsing it off and spraying disinfectant on it (it is called "Spectrum 24" and comes ready-to-use in a spray bottle - no diluting with water in a bucket). The disinfectant kills fungi and such in 30 seconds and kills viruses (even MRSA, so this stuff is GOOD!) in 10 minutes. It is safe enough to be used in one's kitchen and around animals (I got it from SmartPakEquine.com). I bring it in a carry-on-sized suitcase (but I check it as luggage on the plane, though I do carry it on and off the ship because I need it right away and need it debarkation morning, of course).

 

We'll be staying in a hotel that does not have easy access to a potty area. It will be quite a long walk to get to a door that leads out to a gravel area, in their garage. This hotel was not our first choice but family does "trump" Service Dog convenience. [i so prefer the cruising thing.] Going "potty" on a cruise ship is so much easier than high-rise hotels.

 

 

 

 

Have you checked out the area on one of the satellite map sites like Google Maps, Bing Maps, Yahoo! Maps, etc.? I chose my Vegas hotel by what I could use hotel points at and using the satellite images I found little grassy areas in the corners of the parking lot where my dog could go. I stay in hotels a good deal (most of my trips are land trips) and getting a room by the elevators is helpful.

 

The longest walk for a potty I've had in a hotel was, I think, when I was at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge 'cause they put me on the opposite wing from the elevators and, even though I was in the first section of that wing, it was still not a short walk, plus from the elevators to the door and then to the area I used for pottying (by the bus stop) added a little bit more. It was doable, though, even with a mobility disability. And, it being by the bus stop, was convenient so the dog could potty before getting on the bus (after her breakfast) and after getting off the bus (after the parks, before her dinner).

 

You just have to sometimes be creative with finding a potty spot, like using satellite imagery or asking other ppl if there's any grass/mulch/dirt spot nearby, but they can be found.

[Quampapetet]

With 176 pages to this thread, I gave up trying to find if anyone taking their service dog on a cruise had done so in Europe, so I thought I'd just ask.

 

So, has anyone taken their dog to Europe, either via plane or cruise, and are there countries to avoid and those that allow service dogs more readily?

 

I haven't been to Europe since before I had a service dog, but I know somebody who has flown to Europe with service dogs a few times. She loved Italy, where she even got into the churches and Vatican and stuff with her service dog.

 

The UK and Ireland have stringent regulations on bringing a dog into the country, including a six-month wait after the rabies titer and a six-month wait after the dog has been in non-approved countries (which some of the Caribbean countries, like the Bahamas, are categorized as). Some other countries in Europe may have strict regulations, too.

 

Not all countries may have access laws for all types of service dogs. I hear that in England, it is illegal to take an assistance dog (what they are called there) on an escalator and it is very much so frowned on (but not illegal) to use prong collars. Also, in many countries, it is legal for pets to be taken into public places they are normally barred from in the States, so your dog will have extra distractions with pet dogs around.

Edited August 20, 2010 by Quampapetet