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

[Piscescruiser]

One more try for a photo of Brenda...

[wizard-of-roz]

I'll send it to you roz, but I want pictures too!

I have some new ones of my cutie to share.

 

I love the cake idea. And, please share the pictures.

[wizard-of-roz]

One more try for a photo of Brenda...

 

Thank you Patty. She worked on this for a while until it would post. She's got 3 Pugs.....they're not Service Dogs but they're so loved and give back so much. They're Adrian, Rocky and Gulliver.

Here's Miss Brenny at 10 1/2 years old. Obsessing over the ball. She won't move an inch until I throw it. And, then she leaps in the air to catch it before it falls. She's a wild woman and I love it!!!!

She's wearing her CCI vest and proud of it!!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Also, Cindy, I'm sorry I kept asking for your email. You did send it, it went to "junk" mail and I never saw it. Thank goodness "Sunshine", sejnt it, or I never would have found it.

Isn't Brenda cute? I would have said a resounding "NO" if you would have asked me years ago. She has totally changed my thinking about Black Labs and I never even knew there was such a thing as an "English Lab". Short/stocky/big square head.....I love them!!!! - Now! And, I'm used to the shedding and so are my sinuses. I'm so used to it, I just need a good vaccum, rubber gloves and I'm good to go!!!!!

I warn all visitors to look out for the fur. If they don't like it, they can move on!!!!! :p

[Quampapetet]

We had the same thing happen to us last year in Tortola. There were two other servive dogs on the ship with us. We all had to go to one of the clubs early in the morning. A woman came in and checked all the paperwork and held out her hand for $20 per dog. She never even looked at the dogs. They could have been potbelly pigs and she would not have noticed.

 

Did you know in advance that she was going to ask for $20? 'Cause what if you didn't have the cash on you, as many ppl on a cruise ship might not?

 

 

I've been sick and then also this past weekend my best friend was visiting from out of state, so I haven't been able to get on this board in a few days. (We did some cruise excursion planning together, though, so that's gotta count as something, right?! :p)

[Quampapetet]

Quam, can you please send this "NOVEMBER 2nd" regulation or law that you say is coming forth. Is it from the DOT? [My brother worked for the DOJ] easy to confuse.

Yes, like I said it is the DOT's new regulations. I've posted them on here before, like I've said before, but here they are again:

http://www.regulations.gov/search/Regs/home.html#documentDetail?R=0900006480b13912

 

I'm curious about what the "new" laws will entail and just how Service Dogs and cruising will be affected. I will be at CCI in a few weeks talking about cruising with our SD's and I'd like to inform them of this.

 

It doesn't appear that Princess is aware of any new requirements either.

 

I hope you're feeling better now. I have sinus issues too and this weather we're having is not helping.

 

Yeah, sinus issues are not fun! I thought I was done with it just before my friend came to visit this weekend, then when she left it came back! At least I wasn't really sick when she was here (except sweating at night).

[Quampapetet]

Now I don't feel so bad, we weren't asked for "the bribe" money!!!!

 

And, with the forms we fill out, I swear they mean "hogs" not "dogs!"

 

Pretty funny stuff! :rolleyes: :D

 

I'm sure it wasn't bribe money; some countries require dog owners to pay for getting their dog into the country. Some countries waive this for service dogs (like Turks & Caicos, otherwise it would've been a $50 fee!), but apparently Tortola doesn't.

[Quampapetet]

he will be almost 11 in 2 years :-( time flies and I wish he could work forever but Guide work is much more demanding than service work I think ....

 

It depends on what the dog does. Some service dogs "only" retrieve items and open doors or whatnot (tasks only when verbally asked for them) while other service dogs are always on duty so they can alert to medical attacks (such as seizures) or to sounds (for the hard of hearing), the latter two of which could be more demanding than guiding due to the dog never being off-duty. Some service dogs do mobility work, which may or may not involve some form of guiding, so that's at least as demanding as guide dog work.

 

Also, larger dogs have a shorter lifespan than smaller dogs, so a lap-sized hearing dog is going to be able to work longer and live longer (generally) than a large guide- or mobility dog.

 

We are going to go pick up our new baby today :-) a Male Yellow Lab!!!! We will puppy raise for Guide Dogs of the Desert . It is a great way for me to give back the gift of sight to a fellow blind person :-) I cant think of a better thing to do !I will come back and post pics soon

 

That's really great! I didn't know they let ppl who have an active guide dog do puppy raising.

 

OK CRUISE ???????s

Mexican Rivera - Mazalan puerto and cabo

WHAT DO I NEED - health cert yes I know but I herd from DCL that I needed to have a 1 year rabies instead of a 3 year - does anyone who has sailed with their dogs know if this is the case ? Do I really need to re vaccinate Denver ? I hope not :mad: I would think a 3 year shot is fine ????

Also does anyone know if the health cert has to be USDA endorsed or is a regular international interstate health cert from my vet ok ?

Anything else I would need ?

 

Is that just Mexico? I don't know much about those places, so sorry for not knowing if they are different countries or not! :o

 

For Mexico, go to this USDA page and scroll down to "Pets" and then look for "Dogs and Cats" which lists a .PDF as being current as of June 2010:

 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/animal_mexico.shtml

 

I'd tell you what it said, but my computer has some weird issue where it won't open .PDFs without downloading them anymore, grr. It started when I installed the latest version of Acrobat when I got CS4. :rolleyes:

[DisneyKidsDad]

Did you know in advance that she was going to ask for $20? 'Cause what if you didn't have the cash on you, as many ppl on a cruise ship might not?

 

 

I've been sick and then also this past weekend my best friend was visiting from out of state, so I haven't been able to get on this board in a few days. (We did some cruise excursion planning together, though, so that's gotta count as something, right?! :p)

 

We did not know in advance. I guess I could have gotten cash from the ship. But I gotta tell ya...$20 was alot to pay to spend time on Tortola.

[S.S. Cruisers]

Mornin' all:

Thank you Patty. She worked on this for a while until it would post. She's got 3 Pugs.....they're not Service Dogs but they're so loved and give back so much. They're Adrian, Rocky and Gulliver.

 

Here's Miss Brenny at 10 1/2 years old. Obsessing over the ball. She won't move an inch until I throw it. And, then she leaps in the air to catch it before it falls. She's a wild woman and I love it!!!!

 

She's wearing her CCI vest and proud of it!!!!!

Roz: Such a pretty girl! And I know that stance and glare well. My nephew, Strike, Chocolate lab does the same thing. You would think they would take a break, but no. My sister has to put the tennis ball up on the column of the patio to get him to stop. Love them slobbery tennis balls rubbed on your legs and hands! But wouldn't trade them for anything!

[wizard-of-roz]

Mornin' all:

 

Roz: Such a pretty girl! And I know that stance and glare well. My nephew, Strike, Chocolate lab does the same thing. You would think they would take a break, but no. My sister has to put the tennis ball up on the column of the patio to get him to stop. Love them slobbery tennis balls rubbed on your legs and hands! But wouldn't trade them for anything!

 

Thank you, she's got fur like a stuffed Teddy Bear, so cute!

We're now using an "orange" rubber ball that we bought in the pet store. They're a little pricey but their bounce is amazing. And, the slobber doesn't stay on as well!

 

I've lost a few of them while playing onboard, on the Promenade Deck with her. Actually, it's Brenny's fault because she literaly "spit" a ball between the rails and it bounced right into the ocean......:p;) Then, she walked over to the rail and very gingerly looked over the side....[there's, of course, no way she could have gone over], but it was very cute to watch [you could almost see the disappointment in her eyes, as she stared at me, as if to say, "go get it for me!"]

[rangeley]

Roz, That Brenny is a doll. She does remind me alot of Bailee. She actually kinda looks like her. Bailee too loved the ball more than anything. She used to throw it to us just like Brenny does. And the way she stared at it, just like my baby, except Bailee used to stare and do a dance from one front leg to the other. And if you didn't pick it up and throw it in a certain amount of time, she would pick it up and throw it at you til you did. Too funny!!

 

Cindy

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz, That Brenny is a doll. She does remind me alot of Bailee. She actually kinda looks like her. Bailee too loved the ball more than anything. She used to throw it to us just like Brenny does. And the way she stared at it, just like my baby, except Bailee used to stare and do a dance from one front leg to the other. And if you didn't pick it up and throw it in a certain amount of time, she would pick it up and throw it at you til you did. Too funny!!

 

Cindy

 

Cindy, aren't they so cute with their habits. If I don't pick-up the ball right away she does the funniest "pounce", like she's attacking it and she'll spit it even further. It's a riot to watch. I'll try to catch it on video and pass it on.

 

On another note; we're now using the "ramp" for Brenny to get into my SUV. She's started presenting with more and more "refusal's" when we'd go to load. She doesn't hesitate to get out [and, that's a big jump] but, she's been more resistant to getting in. I don't make a big deal out of it. I've had the ramp since she got sick a few years ago and it looks like it's going to come in handy again. We're loading from the back and she walks through to the back seat, where she can lay down. I keep the ramp stored right next to Morey's wheelchair.

 

I'm happy to keep her well and make her senior years as easy as they can be.

[sunshine426]

I love to watch Rich play ball with Sandy. He has her sit until he releases here then she races for the ball toss. Using a "chucker" throwing devise, that ball just flys. She likes it if she can get in on one bounce. Then she brings it back, spits it out, sits and just quivers until he starts the whole thing over. Me, I just chuck the ball and let her go.

[wizard-of-roz]

With her "addiction" to the ball, what do you think? How much is too much?

 

I literally have to go to the ball, place it in the "chucker" and walk back to the door, to enter my office. While she's following me and staring. She's so obsessed that she'll trip over the step to enter or she'll bump into a wall, while following every move I make, waiting for me to release the ball.

 

I drop the ball and allow her to hold it in her mouth while we walk through the back of the office to the front, where my office is.

 

I know that with dogs like Brenda [ball obsessed], trainers can use "the ball" as a reward for a job well done, rather than food.

[rangeley]

Well Wex went to the vet and had all his shots for the year and the trip. We gave him a rabies shot even though he didn't need it until next year. The vet said there is no worries about giving him the shot yearly if we need to. Of course he has an ear infection (nothing new) and she gave us some other meds to try. She said the old meds could burn his ears and thats why he fought us so much. He still doesn't the new ones, but there is a big difference with the new ones. The other ones, he would go absolutely nuts, running around and rubbing his head on the floor. It seems he can handle the new ones better, maybe no burning. He was 1lb overweight, so John is having a fit! He'll get over it. We are going to put him on Cosaquin (sp) cuz we get it free from IAADP. So he is all set, hopefully.

 

I ordered the cake (instead of making one) for the 35th birthday party. I will try to get a picture of it to post here.

 

My Bailee was also ball obsessed. We would have to make her stop or she would go all day. But we could never take it away from her cuz she would look for it all day and night, so we would just tell her no more and she would run around with it and play herself. Yesyerday we watched a puppy in training and he was obsessed with toys so we hide them before he got here. Now Wex would rather have belly rubs instead of toys. He does love plastic water bottles. Sometimes if we can't get him to run, we give him a bottle and he runs like crazy with it! It's amazing how different each one of them is.

 

Cindy

[sunshine426]

I've got Cooler home. Her trainer emailed me with !!! and *** and everything else, she is retrieving keys already!! Yea for Cooler, but I am not really surprised as she has been picking up cell phones and remotes at this house for awhile!! Keys are a little tricker and yea for this little gir. She is now 5 months old and so cute and so smart, and so far, not rotten.

well, not too rotten!!!

Edited October 11, 2010 by sunshine426

[Quampapetet]

We did not know in advance. I guess I could have gotten cash from the ship. But I gotta tell ya...$20 was alot to pay to spend time on Tortola.

 

The island was that bad? Or you just were mad that you had to pay?

[Quampapetet]

I've lost a few of them while playing onboard, on the Promenade Deck with her. Actually, it's Brenny's fault because she literaly "spit" a ball between the rails and it bounced right into the ocean......:p;) Then, she walked over to the rail and very gingerly looked over the side....[there's, of course, no way she could have gone over], but it was very cute to watch [you could almost see the disappointment in her eyes, as she stared at me, as if to say, "go get it for me!"]

 

LOL, I'm picturing her performing a scientific study on how long it will take the ball to fall into the ocean - and if it'll bounce back after! :p

[Quampapetet]

On another note; we're now using the "ramp" for Brenny to get into my SUV. She's started presenting with more and more "refusal's" when we'd go to load. She doesn't hesitate to get out [and, that's a big jump] but, she's been more resistant to getting in. I don't make a big deal out of it. I've had the ramp since she got sick a few years ago and it looks like it's going to come in handy again. We're loading from the back and she walks through to the back seat, where she can lay down. I keep the ramp stored right next to Morey's wheelchair.

 

Have you had the vet check her for hip/elbow problems or arthritis? I read a story recently about a police dog who came down with arthritis and he was successfully treated with his own stem cells - he's back to work now! :) I'm sure it was ridiculously expensive treatment, but worth it, especially for a police dog (he was a drug-sniffing dog, I believe, and found a large stash once he was back to work after his treatment) keeping our streets clean.

[Quampapetet]

Well Wex went to the vet and had all his shots for the year and the trip. We gave him a rabies shot even though he didn't need it until next year. The vet said there is no worries about giving him the shot yearly if we need to. Of course he has an ear infection (nothing new) and she gave us some other meds to try. She said the old meds could burn his ears and thats why he fought us so much. He still doesn't the new ones, but there is a big difference with the new ones. The other ones, he would go absolutely nuts, running around and rubbing his head on the floor. It seems he can handle the new ones better, maybe no burning. He was 1lb overweight, so John is having a fit! He'll get over it. We are going to put him on Cosaquin (sp) cuz we get it free from IAADP. So he is all set, hopefully.

 

Sorry, but overvaccination is indeed something to worry about. It can cause dogs to get sick, die, or have a shorter life span. If it wasn't a problem, there wouldn't be a huge issue over it and there wouldn't be studies being set up/done to prove how long the vaccines actually last. A lot of vets would prefer vaccinating because of the almighty dollar, unfortunately, and some vets don't keep up on the current/correct info. (like one I tried once who told me there has never been an issue with the Lyme vaccine, which is wrong).

 

Ear infections are often caused by skin allergies, which can be caused by the food you feed the dog. You might want to try figuring out what he's allergic to (starting with switching out the main protein - chicken is the most common allergy - and grains and such) so you can stop feeding it to him.

 

Just keep track of his weight often enough and you'll not have a problem.

 

I get the Dasuquin from the IAADP offer. (I got Cosequin 'til they started offering the Dasuquin, which is similar but has a few more good things in it - I forget what the differences are now, since that was a couple years ago I compared them, but there is also Dasuquin MSM, the next level up from Dasuquin, though I don't recall if that is part of the offer or not.)

[Quampapetet]

so far, not rotten.

well, not too rotten!!!

 

I'm sure you'll fix that up real soon!!! :D

[rangeley]

Quam, It's only the rabies shot we are giving him, not anything else. Many people who do not get their dog to the vet on time, have to get rabies every year. We talked to our vet about it because I had seen you write about vaccinating before. It is completely safe for rabies. We also discussed the Cosequin, the Dasuquin does have more things in it and he doesn't need those things at his age.

[sunshine426]

:d

i'm sure you'll fix that up real soon!!! :d

:d:d:d:d:d:d:d

[sunshine426]

Rotten I say. Not really. Super energetic and very curious. Doing well on leash and staying focused on me. Off to hospital visitation today.