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

[alexspepa]

!

 

 

Your life with Disney is yours. Stand tall and be proud of yourself and your amazing dog!!!!! Now, go, take on the world!!!!! ♥

 

If this doesn't make you want to go out and kick ass, I don't know what will.

 

I love this freaking thread...NPR and 60 Minutes should do a show about you and Horton Roz.

[Quampapetet]

To those of you who bring a dog first aid kit, what items do you include?

 

Also, do any of you dress your dogs for formal nights? I was reading an article about cruising with your service dog, and the author included a formal ship's photo of their working pooch in a tux. What are your feelings on this subject?

 

Cindra

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

I use the Ruff Wear first aid kit (I assume they still sell them...) and have added a few things like an ear thermometer and a stethoscope and self-study vet wrap bandaging. I also have the Red Cross pet first aid book. I also have first aid apps on my phone and tablets.

 

I don't go beyond bandannas, fancy collars, and barrettes for dressing up a service dog. (If my dog was male, a tuxedo collar would fall under the "fancy collar" category, but she is female, so that means flowers on her collars and such. Etsy is an awesome place to get fancy collars!)

[Quampapetet]

Roz,

 

Thank you for reassuring me that it's ok to dress the dog too. I so look forward to dressing for dinner and I wanted to include Pedro as well. He also has his own suitcase. So far, it's filled with his lifejacket, a coat, a raincoat, a few sweaters and shirts, a collapsible water bottle, travel food bowls, nail clippers and a brush. Cotton balls, antibiotic cream, Visine, and benadryl are usually in my bag, so I guess I'm covered there. Pedro doesn't care for treats and doesn't bother with toys...I know, strange...so I don't have to pack those items. His trainer told us that the only thing Pedro responded to was love. And, he is definitely a love bug.

 

I'm curious, what is the salmon oil in the kibble bags for?

 

 

Cindra

 

Doesn't care for treats or toys? I'm sorry, I thought Pedro was a dog! What species is he actually?! ;) :p I guess he saves you lots of money!

 

Remember not to crush a life jacket (same goes for ones for humans), as this makes them less buoyant. I always took my dog's life jacket as a carry-on on both the plane and ship so it wouldn't get crushed in the luggage.

[Quampapetet]

Workplaces are covered by a different section of the ADA than public access. If you need help, check out the ProBone-O group on Facebook, as they deal with service dog issues (hence the spelling of their name). Do be sure your dog is task-trained to do things for you that directly relate to your disability (assuming your conditions substantially limit one or more major life activities), as dogs just for emotional support or comfort are not service dogs. Remember, no dog has rights; you have rights as a person with disabilities. For public access, allergies and fears of dogs are not valid reasons to exclude a service dog. And allergies to dogs are very rarely disabling, but when they are, both parties must be accommodated (such as seating the allergic person and the person with the service dog on opposite sides of the restaurant).

[Quampapetet]

Pedro had his first of two vet visits for the cruise. Our vet was very up to date on everything we needed and that I had discussed with his assistant. When I asked about over vaccinating, he said it was a moot point. He said it's what is required and all the discussion in the world isn't going to change it. He had to get it. Pedro hardly flinched for the blood draw...but he did wince about five seconds after the microchip was inserted. Delayed reaction? The rabies shot got a whimper out of him. The next visit is four days before we leave, when he will get his booster shots and the certificate. The following day we have our appointment at the USDA office.

 

Microchips can hurt upon insertion due to the size of the needle and the chip (which is the size of a grain of rice), so vets prefer to do them when the dog is under anesthesia for something else, such as spay/neuter surgery, but of course that is not always going to happen. There are now microchips that are half that size and use a smaller needle - I wrote about this in my poor lost post, but it would have been too late for you to get one anyway, I guess! - called Mini Microchips. I got one (in the ISO standard) for my puppy and she didn't even notice the chip being inserted when she was twelve or thirteen weeks old! The vet was amazed! Easiest chipping she had ever done, she said.

 

What is he getting boosters for and why? Does the vet not have records of his puppy shots? I hope you won't have any issues with getting vaccines four days before the trip, as many countries require them to be done no sooner than thirty days before you arrive.

 

What is the blood draw for? Heartworm or something?

 

Remember to bring proof of your dog's training with you to the USDA office so you don't have to pay for the endorsement! :)

 

Since he was such a good boy today, I treated him to some frozen custard. The best frozen custard stand is just down the street from the vet's office. Pedro loves their vanilla twist almost as much as I did. At first, he wasn't interested, but then I put a dab on his nose. Once he tasted it, he picked up his head and went to town on the cone. I should just get him his own little cup next time.

 

Now that he's been home a few hours, he's seems a bit listless. I'm sure it's from the vaccinations. I'm hoping to see that tail up and waggling tomorrow.

 

Cindra [/b]

 

Wait, I thought he doesn't like treats!!! :p I bet he would love the frozen doggy yogurts I get for my girl at Petco! Some brands come already frozen, so you will find them in a freezer case (at the store we go to, it is in one of the check-out lines), but others come at room temperature, so you will find them with the treats and can also buy them online. I like to get her the ones with pumpkin in them for digestion, but forgot to buy some before this trip we're on (they are the ones sold at room temperature, obviously). She also loves the ones from the freezer case, but I forget what flavor the ones I get are.

 

Yes, vaccinations can make a dog a little out of it for the rest of the day, but as long as he stayed well the next day and later, he should be fine. If he experiences anything unusual, call your vet.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Quampapetet

[Quampapetet]

"The Today Show" on NBC is going to be puppy-raising a future guide dog starting tomorrow (Wednesday)! That should be fun to watch - and I hope their pup makes it all the way through training to become someone's guide dog!!! Oh my gosh, the photos on the show's site of the potential puppies are too cute!!! :D

[Caribbean Chris]

"The Today Show" on NBC is going to be puppy-raising a future guide dog starting tomorrow (Wednesday)! That should be fun to watch - and I hope their pup makes it all the way through training to become someone's guide dog!!! Oh my gosh, the photos on the show's site of the potential puppies are too cute!!! :D

 

Sitting here with my second cup of coffee waiting for it to come on. "Puppy with a Purpose."

 

The puppy promos this week are adorable. Apparently it is a guide dog training program involved. (Not Guide Dogs for the Blind in Calif., but a different organization.)

Edited January 14, 2015 by Caribbean Chris

[Caribbean Chris]

Here are some other items in Raylene's travel & home first aid kit besides those mentioned. (Obviously as discussed with vet in advance...and ashore, we would head for the vet for most issues.)

 

Two cans of plain pumpkin for digestive issues and a can opener (I also mix in plain yoghurt at home and could request some on board ship.)

Benadryl tablets for insect bites

Cerena Tabs prescribed by vet for excessive vomiting or motion sickness

Hydrogen Peroxide (put a small amount in a bottle) and cotton balls for tick bites after removing with tweezers

Dosing Syringe for injecting liquid med down the throat

Thermometer, probe covers, Vaseline in small container

Sterile specimen cup & ladle for catching pee

Plain gauze bandages and gentle paper tape to attach

 

Raylene also dines on fish oil twice daily. I put one capsule in with each dry kibble feeding, along with a teaspoon of Nupro, a supplement, which makes tasty gravy when you add warm water. She's very shiny and gets lots of compliments on her beauty.

 

I also give her various dental treats including Virbac chews. I don't give much in the way of edible treats on trips, just her familiar training treats or kibble as rewards. She had a lengthy vomiting episode last June that required a food change, and another brief digestive upset after a trip in October, so I avoid too much novelty in her diet when we travel. Quam, I must look for those yoghurt treats!

Edited January 14, 2015 by Caribbean Chris

[DisneyKidsDad]

Originally Posted by cruisin_cutie216

Thank you guys so much! I'm feeling much better about it. Honestly, it's true. Its unfortunate that situations are handled this way.

 

I'm thrilled that you and Disney are venturing out. Keep it up! You've got not only the ADA but you've got ALL OF US!!!!!

 

And, careful, because when DKD finds out your dogs name......You will be needing an armed guard when you travel. :(

 

Roz is right. I love that name. As you can tell by my name, we are Disney freaks. If I ever have enough money to name a CCI dog, it would be something Disney related. º0º

[Caribbean Chris]

 

I did have a somewhat unrelated topic. Being that I have Disney as my SD now, the doctor has a note for me describing why I need her, I have an interesting situation. I am going out of town for work in February and we have one girl who is allergic to dogs on staff and my office manager flipped out about me even bringing her in the building. I work in an orthodontist office and even some of my co workers had said that it would be rather odd and make patients uncomfortable if I had her. Any suggestions on what I could do? Sorry for the off topic post but it had been wracking me all day

 

My office is in my home and I have not had to deal with workplace accommodation for a service dog, so I am not an expert and can't offer advice. But my understanding is that it is not as simple an issue as entering a business as a customer, and there have been court cases where employers won and employees were legally barred from bringing dogs to work. In your position, I would consult an attorney who specializes in disability and/or labor law to determine how Federal and state laws might apply to my case. My training organization has a list of specialist attorneys to offer, and perhaps yours would also.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Caribbean Chris

[DisneyKidsDad]

Workplaces are covered by a different section of the ADA than public access. If you need help, check out the ProBone-O group on Facebook, as they deal with service dog issues (hence the spelling of their name). Do be sure your dog is task-trained to do things for you that directly relate to your disability (assuming your conditions substantially limit one or more major life activities), as dogs just for emotional support or comfort are not service dogs. Remember, no dog has rights; you have rights as a person with disabilities. For public access, allergies and fears of dogs are not valid reasons to exclude a service dog. And allergies to dogs are very rarely disabling, but when they are, both parties must be accommodated (such as seating the allergic person and the person with the service dog on opposite sides of the restaurant).

 

The only emotional support that the ADA recognizes as Service Dogs are the ones for PTSD for our wounded warriors. CCI just received a grant specifically for training of these dogs.

[wizard-of-roz]

The only emotional support that the ADA recognizes as Service Dogs are the ones for PTSD for our wounded warriors. CCI just received a grant specifically for training of these dogs.

 

I am so proud of CCI for taking on such a wonderful training program. What these dogs will be doing for their handlers is nothing short of a miracle for them.

 

I got to watch a dog "sweep" the handlers room before he entered it. The dog is checking to make sure that no one is hiding, making the handler feel safe to enter. The dog will alert the handler if he suspects someone is in the room. Then the dog and handler can go for help.

[wizard-of-roz]

Originally Posted by cruisin_cutie216

Thank you guys so much! I'm feeling much better about it. Honestly, it's true. Its unfortunate that situations are handled this way.

 

 

 

Roz is right. I love that name. As you can tell by my name, we are Disney freaks. If I ever have enough money to name a CCI dog, it would be something Disney related. º0º

 

I know that sometimes I do call Horton "Goofy!"

 

As it is when people ask, "what's his name" and I tell them "Horton", they ALWAYS get a big smile on their face!:D

[wizard-of-roz]

Fairbourne, we haven't had an Aruba update. Hope all is well!

[fairbourne]

Hi everyone. Aruba is fine, she's such a big girl now I've had to order a larger working puppy coat for her!

 

I took her to visit one of my friends yesterday and we went out for lunch to a newly opened tea-room. They'd not had a guide dog visit before, but we were made very welcome and it was quiet so it wasn't too long before Aruba settled down for a nap! Default position for her, under the table, and as it should be, as it showed the lady who owns the tea room what guide dogs, and the trainee pups are supposed to do.

 

As we left she and her assistant were keen to find out all about Aruba and her training work. They also asked me the oft asked question about giving Aruba back. They also didn't realise that because these dogs never have human food, that's the reason we can take them into restaurants and they never bother with what's on the table.

 

I don't know if I've told you the story of the lady who works at the Guide Dog training centre who we met when we were there for a visit. This lady has been blind since birth and has recently retired her 5th guide dog. She refuses to have another working dog until this much loved boy is no longer around and she can't cope with two dogs on her own. Anyway, the story I told these two ladies at the cafe was the one about when she had her first guide dog. She was in her early twenties and still living at home with her mum and dad.

 

Well you can imagine she desperately wanted the freedom that most other young ladies have at that age. So she enquired about getting a guide dog and she thought if she could get this help, not only would she have the independence she craved but she might also be able to have her own apartment.

 

Well, this is exactly what happened - the guide dog gave her that much coveted independence. However, and this is the lovely bit of the story - she'd been living in her own place for about 6 months, not far from her folks, and with the help of her guide dog walked to work every day, managing just fine. One day she was telling her dad how awful the roadworks were on one particular road and that they seemed to be taking ages for them to get finished. He said " oh I know, they're a right nuisance". Well, she turned to her dad and wanted to know exactly how he knew that as he would not have been walking down that road. He then had to admit that he had been following her to work, and back home from work, every day as he was not convinced that a "mere dog" could get his daughter safely to and from work! So he was well and truly found out, and was promptly banned from following her ever again! That was over 30 years ago and he never did follow her again! In fact they would help her look after her retired guide dogs when she had a new working partner. Sadly they are no longer around, hence the reason she can't have two dogs.

 

So, when I'm asked the "how we can give Aruba up", I sometimes tell people this story and it does show just how much difference a guide dog can make to someone's life.

 

Aruba is still stealing stuff. She's moved on from the slippers, or maybe we've been being more careful in putting them away! To scarves .... She ripped one of my favourites into shreds at the weekend .... She got such a row! She's so sneaky with it too. And twigs and sticks, oh my goodness she's in her element when she's running around the garden with a stick in her mouth. All of which she is not supposed to do! And the more I chase her, the more she loves it!!! LOL! So no chasing, just ignore, but it's hard when she's eating the twig!

 

 

DKD, please tell me this is just a faze??? I don't remember we had any of this with Max and Poppy. Maybe she's bored? I don't think so, she's just a sneaky thief! And I think she may be about to come into her first season, so this is going to be fun!

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi everyone. Aruba is fine, she's such a big girl now I've had to order a larger working puppy coat for her!

 

I took her to visit one of my friends yesterday and we went out for lunch to a newly opened tea-room. They'd not had a guide dog visit before, but we were made very welcome and it was quiet so it wasn't too long before Aruba settled down for a nap! Default position for her, under the table, and as it should be, as it showed the lady who owns the tea room what guide dogs, and the trainee pups are supposed to do.

 

As we left she and her assistant were keen to find out all about Aruba and her training work. They also asked me the oft asked question about giving Aruba back. They also didn't realise that because these dogs never have human food, that's the reason we can take them into restaurants and they never bother with what's on the table.

 

I don't know if I've told you the story of the lady who works at the Guide Dog training centre who we met when we were there for a visit. This lady has been blind since birth and has recently retired her 5th guide dog. She refuses to have another working dog until this much loved boy is no longer around and she can't cope with two dogs on her own. Anyway, the story I told these two ladies at the cafe was the one about when she had her first guide dog. She was in her early twenties and still living at home with her mum and dad.

 

Well you can imagine she desperately wanted the freedom that most other young ladies have at that age. So she enquired about getting a guide dog and she thought if she could get this help, not only would she have the independence she craved but she might also be able to have her own apartment.

 

Well, this is exactly what happened - the guide dog gave her that much coveted independence. However, and this is the lovely bit of the story - she'd been living in her own place for about 6 months, not far from her folks, and with the help of her guide dog walked to work every day, managing just fine. One day she was telling her dad how awful the roadworks were on one particular road and that they seemed to be taking ages for them to get finished. He said " oh I know, they're a right nuisance". Well, she turned to her dad and wanted to know exactly how he knew that as he would not have been walking down that road. He then had to admit that he had been following her to work, and back home from work, every day as he was not convinced that a "mere dog" could get his daughter safely to and from work! So he was well and truly found out, and was promptly banned from following her ever again! That was over 30 years ago and he never did follow her again! In fact they would help her look after her retired guide dogs when she had a new working partner. Sadly they are no longer around, hence the reason she can't have two dogs.

 

So, when I'm asked the "how we can give Aruba up", I sometimes tell people this story and it does show just how much difference a guide dog can make to someone's life.

 

Aruba is still stealing stuff. She's moved on from the slippers, or maybe we've been being more careful in putting them away! To scarves .... She ripped one of my favourites into shreds at the weekend .... She got such a row! She's so sneaky with it too. And twigs and sticks, oh my goodness she's in her element when she's running around the garden with a stick in her mouth. All of which she is not supposed to do! And the more I chase her, the more she loves it!!! LOL! So no chasing, just ignore, but it's hard when she's eating the twig!

 

 

DKD, please tell me this is just a faze??? I don't remember we had any of this with Max and Poppy. Maybe she's bored? I don't think so, she's just a sneaky thief! And I think she may be about to come into her first season, so this is going to be fun!

 

Your story of the blind lady, her Dad and her dogs was so, so sweet. I loved it.

 

Now, Aruba's bad habits sound so familiar. Brenda would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER take anything of mine and especially would NEVER take her own toys and be destructive with them. Horton is such a brat and thief. He steals my stuff; socks/shoes/panties/slippers/scarves, etc., etc. and runs off with them and will only stop when I "fake cry!" Sound ridiculous, well, it is! He steals, I put my hands up to my eyes and pretend I'm crying.....he then stops, sits [with the goods in his mouth] and I can walk over to him and take it. He keeps cocking his head from side to side to figure out what's wrong with me and gets his attention totally diverted.

 

Otherwise he will run around the living room, into the kitchen and around and around until he's either destroyed the evidence or I give up! Finally, I got so frustrated I put my hands to my eyes and faked crying and he did the above. It was so weird to see his reaction and my kids [who were watching the whole thing] couldn't believe it.

 

Such a bratty thing to do. And, I'm sure if the trainers had found him doing this before he graduated he would have been held back a few months to train this out of him.

 

I think this habit needs a lot of "set-up's". Where I'll leave things laying about, catch him in the act of stealing and scare him to death until he stops. This is not a good thing to do, I can't imagine Aruba doing this to a blind person. Not good at all!!!!

 

I'm sure between your trainers and you Aruba will be talked out of her bad habit very shortly!!!!!

 

Aren't the pups who are going into the training program spayed or neutered before PuppyRaising?

 

Thanks for the update.......love that little monkey!

Edited January 14, 2015 by wizard-of-roz

[alexspepa]

 

Aren't the pups who are going into the training program spayed or neutered before PuppyRaising?

 

Ok this brings up a question I have been wanting to ask - I am sure that it is much easier if a Working Service Dog is spayed or neutered; however isn't that counter-productive for breeding better and better Service Animals?

 

I'm pretty sure for instance that cattle and sheep dogs are more expensive if they are the offspring of Champions in their field, correct?

[DisneyKidsDad]

Hi everyone. Aruba is fine, she's such a big girl now I've had to order a larger working puppy coat for her!

 

I took her to visit one of my friends yesterday and we went out for lunch to a newly opened tea-room. They'd not had a guide dog visit before, but we were made very welcome and it was quiet so it wasn't too long before Aruba settled down for a nap! Default position for her, under the table, and as it should be, as it showed the lady who owns the tea room what guide dogs, and the trainee pups are supposed to do.

 

As we left she and her assistant were keen to find out all about Aruba and her training work. They also asked me the oft asked question about giving Aruba back. They also didn't realise that because these dogs never have human food, that's the reason we can take them into restaurants and they never bother with what's on the table.

 

I don't know if I've told you the story of the lady who works at the Guide Dog training centre who we met when we were there for a visit. This lady has been blind since birth and has recently retired her 5th guide dog. She refuses to have another working dog until this much loved boy is no longer around and she can't cope with two dogs on her own. Anyway, the story I told these two ladies at the cafe was the one about when she had her first guide dog. She was in her early twenties and still living at home with her mum and dad.

 

Well you can imagine she desperately wanted the freedom that most other young ladies have at that age. So she enquired about getting a guide dog and she thought if she could get this help, not only would she have the independence she craved but she might also be able to have her own apartment.

 

Well, this is exactly what happened - the guide dog gave her that much coveted independence. However, and this is the lovely bit of the story - she'd been living in her own place for about 6 months, not far from her folks, and with the help of her guide dog walked to work every day, managing just fine. One day she was telling her dad how awful the roadworks were on one particular road and that they seemed to be taking ages for them to get finished. He said " oh I know, they're a right nuisance". Well, she turned to her dad and wanted to know exactly how he knew that as he would not have been walking down that road. He then had to admit that he had been following her to work, and back home from work, every day as he was not convinced that a "mere dog" could get his daughter safely to and from work! So he was well and truly found out, and was promptly banned from following her ever again! That was over 30 years ago and he never did follow her again! In fact they would help her look after her retired guide dogs when she had a new working partner. Sadly they are no longer around, hence the reason she can't have two dogs.

 

So, when I'm asked the "how we can give Aruba up", I sometimes tell people this story and it does show just how much difference a guide dog can make to someone's life.

 

Aruba is still stealing stuff. She's moved on from the slippers, or maybe we've been being more careful in putting them away! To scarves .... She ripped one of my favourites into shreds at the weekend .... She got such a row! She's so sneaky with it too. And twigs and sticks, oh my goodness she's in her element when she's running around the garden with a stick in her mouth. All of which she is not supposed to do! And the more I chase her, the more she loves it!!! LOL! So no chasing, just ignore, but it's hard when she's eating the twig!

 

 

DKD, please tell me this is just a faze??? I don't remember we had any of this with Max and Poppy. Maybe she's bored? I don't think so, she's just a sneaky thief! And I think she may be about to come into her first season, so this is going to be fun!

 

fairbourne, this may or may not be a faze. Both Ocho & Davis were and are stick and acorn lovers. There's nothing like a dog throwing up at 2 AM with all sticks and acorns.

[DisneyKidsDad]

Your story of the blind lady, her Dad and her dogs was so, so sweet. I loved it.

 

Now, Aruba's bad habits sound so familiar. Brenda would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER take anything of mine and especially would NEVER take her own toys and be destructive with them. Horton is such a brat and thief. He steals my stuff; socks/shoes/panties/slippers/scarves, etc., etc. and runs off with them and will only stop when I "fake cry!" Sound ridiculous, well, it is! He steals, I put my hands up to my eyes and pretend I'm crying.....he then stops, sits [with the goods in his mouth] and I can walk over to him and take it. He keeps cocking his head from side to side to figure out what's wrong with me and gets his attention totally diverted.

 

Otherwise he will run around the living room, into the kitchen and around and around until he's either destroyed the evidence or I give up! Finally, I got so frustrated I put my hands to my eyes and faked crying and he did the above. It was so weird to see his reaction and my kids [who were watching the whole thing] couldn't believe it.

 

Such a bratty thing to do. And, I'm sure if the trainers had found him doing this before he graduated he would have been held back a few months to train this out of him.

 

I think this habit needs a lot of "set-up's". Where I'll leave things laying about, catch him in the act of stealing and scare him to death until he stops. This is not a good thing to do, I can't imagine Aruba doing this to a blind person. Not good at all!!!!

 

I'm sure between your trainers and you Aruba will be talked out of her bad habit very shortly!!!!!

 

Aren't the pups who are going into the training program spayed or neutered before PuppyRaising?

 

Thanks for the update.......love that little monkey!

 

The pure bred dogs at CCI are kept "intact" for becoming potential breeders. All mix breed pups go to puppy raisers at 8 weeks old. We as puppy raisers get them "fixed" at 6 months old at our own expense. When the pure bred dogs go into heat, puppy raisers have to bring them back to their campus so there is no chance of them getting loose and getting pregnant.

[fairbourne]

Alexspapa

 

Guide dogs for the blind in the UK have their own breeding programme using carefully selected breed stock. I know what you mean about the cost - Poppy is supposed to be a fine shooting hound (gun dog) and cost us way more than Max did. Her pedigree has oodles of gun dog champions in her background.

 

Aruba's mum had 6 pups, all of whom were selected for puppy walking. We've met arubas brother. I have a letter from the breeder and a photo of Aruba,s mum with her tiny brood. From what I can make out, it's a photocopy photo if you know what I mean, Aruba is the spitting image of her mum.

 

I know another puppy walker with a pup and the pups "papers" that we get, has "suitable for breeding" on this female pup's papers. So they choose early from the pups that they think might be suitable for continuing the breeding programme. So that pup although raised as a "normal guide dog in training" may well go into the breeding programme. The breeders are all volunteers as well. Same for the boys, they select the good, strong ones! LOL!

 

The pups are all spayed/neutered before they go to formal training, ie before they leave their puppy walker. So Aruba's departure from us depends on this as well. We have to wait a certain length of time after her spay procedure before she leaves us.

[fairbourne]

Roz, I've tried the crying bit ..... She just gives me one of her "looks"!

 

She'll be getting into real bother with our supervisor if he gets to hear about this carry ons!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Ok this brings up a question I have been wanting to ask - I am sure that it is much easier if a Working Service Dog is spayed or neutered; however isn't that counter-productive for breeding better and better Service Animals?

 

I'm pretty sure for instance that cattle and sheep dogs are more expensive if they are the offspring of Champions in their field, correct?

 

Excellent observation and question.

 

CCI [Canine Companions for Independence] has their own breeding program. There are homes just like Puppy Raisers who house, and take care of breeders only.

 

CCI, Santa Rosa had a male named Bobby who had fathered many CCI dogs, he was a Pure English Black Lab. Some of the females were pure also and some were mixes; Lab/Golden Retriever.

 

My Brenda looked exactly like her Dad, Bobby. I was always so proud to say that. Bobby passed away a few years ago at the age of 14. He was a handsome dog.

 

CCI tries to remove dogs from the breeding program who have health issues. Which is why they follow-up on ALL their dogs so well.

Edited January 14, 2015 by wizard-of-roz

[fairbourne]

[/color]

 

fairbourne, this may or may not be a faze. Both Ocho & Davis were and are stick and acorn lovers. There's nothing like a dog throwing up at 2 AM with all sticks and acorns.

 

DKD - I'm not the 2am getter upper - brrrrr way too cold for that ..... the poor DH gets the call. She's only been sick once and that was after a treat she'd gobbled too quickly. All the rest, well I'm sure makes an appearance of some sort at the other end .... I'm not the chief picker upper either! LOL! Duties are very well evened out at our house! ;):D

 

So you as puppy raisers pay for the vet bill? Guide Dogs pay for all the vet bills, food for Aruba - we have no outlay really other than treats, toys, beds etc - and scarves! I'm sure, well I know, they get a discount from the vets and the actual medicine needed or vaccines are claimed back by the vet from the manufacturer - so I don't know there if the Guide Dogs get the stuff for free but probably at a very good discount.

 

We have a separate account for Aruba at the vets from our other animals.

[DisneyKidsDad]

DKD - I'm not the 2am getter upper - brrrrr way too cold for that ..... the poor DH gets the call. She's only been sick once and that was after a treat she'd gobbled too quickly. All the rest, well I'm sure makes an appearance of some sort at the other end .... I'm not the chief picker upper either! LOL! Duties are very well evened out at our house! ;):D

 

So you as puppy raisers pay for the vet bill? Guide Dogs pay for all the vet bills, food for Aruba - we have no outlay really other than treats, toys, beds etc - and scarves! I'm sure, well I know, they get a discount from the vets and the actual medicine needed or vaccines are claimed back by the vet from the manufacturer - so I don't know there if the Guide Dogs get the stuff for free but probably at a very good discount.

 

We have a separate account for Aruba at the vets from our other animals.

 

We pay for everything fairboure. The only things we get are the capes, vests and gentle leaders. Does the person who is going to get Aruba have to pay anything for her? Our recipients get the dogs for free.

[wizard-of-roz]

DKD - I'm not the 2am getter upper - brrrrr way too cold for that ..... the poor DH gets the call. She's only been sick once and that was after a treat she'd gobbled too quickly. All the rest, well I'm sure makes an appearance of some sort at the other end .... I'm not the chief picker upper either! LOL! Duties are very well evened out at our house! ;):D

 

So you as puppy raisers pay for the vet bill? Guide Dogs pay for all the vet bills, food for Aruba - we have no outlay really other than treats, toys, beds etc - and scarves! I'm sure, well I know, they get a discount from the vets and the actual medicine needed or vaccines are claimed back by the vet from the manufacturer - so I don't know there if the Guide Dogs get the stuff for free but probably at a very good discount.

 

We have a separate account for Aruba at the vets from our other animals.

 

The fact that CCI gives us these amazing dogs, who by the time we get them, are worth between $50,000 and $60,000 dollars is no small feat on their behalf.

 

If I loved and adored the PuppyRaisers before I surely love them now for all that they do for our miracle workers. Can you imagine taking money out of your own pocket, putting it into a dog that your already giving so much of yourself to, only to possibly NEVER see the dog again. Wow!!!!