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

wizard-of-roz
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DisneyKidsDad

DisneyKidsDad

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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!!!!

 

What else would I do with that money Roz, fast cars and loose women? Hmmmmmmm

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fairbourne

fairbourne

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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.

 

Well I didn't know that you paid for everything! That's truly amazing that you do what you do and cover the expenses as well! Guide dog owners do not pay for their dog either - I think they get their vet bills paid but I would need to check that for you. I don't know about the food. The only time anyone pays for the dog is if we had Aruba back if she didn't make it, we would pay for her - from memory it's £300 - a few years ago it used to be £1! They came to their senses! Can you imagine £1 for a pedigree dog! There is a long list of folk who want to have the retired dogs or the "fails" - no wonder at that price.

 

We were quite surprised that we got so much "paid for" by the charity - no government funding here either - as we would have been happy to pay her food and vet bills as our "donation" - so we've already decided that at the end of her time with us, we will tot it up and make a donation in lieu. It was too complicated to pay as you go, so to speak, with all the official arrangements in place for vets bills and ordering food etc. The food comes direct from the supplier and is delivered to our door - it's all very easy for us.

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Caribbean Chris

Caribbean Chris

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I'm always fascinated and educated by these bits of shared info. Loving the stories, as always!

 

It really warms my heart to hear of the endearing individual doggy "foibles." Even though they make us so proud, they are dogs, aren't they, when all is said and done, not robots. The Talented Mr. Horton as Thief! So funny.

 

Raylene's a leash-puller on our recreational walks (out of uniform) and overreacts to other dogs, but doing better as she matures...she turned three recently and we're noticing more calmness and better settling. Labs really are adolescents for a long time.

 

She's never been one (so far) to go for shoes, lingerie, etc, I'm very happy to say! But she was nibbling on bits of twigs often last springtime before I could catch her, and it did give her tummy trouble. Must stop that, Miss Aruba!

 

Guide Dogs for the Blind in California (where Raylene was born) also has a very specialized breeding program. Her mother Flicker was yellow, and her father Marino was black, with some of each color pups in that "R" litter. All the puppies are evaluated as breeders before the surgery. Raylene had a tiny eye issue so was taken out of Guide Dog eligibility and given to Dogs for the Deaf.

 

DFD recipients also get ther dogs for free other than a $50 application fee and $500 good faith deposit refunded at the end of the first year as a team. I know that some dog training programs require recipients to raise some money to cover the dog's cost, but DFD does not do that.

 

I agree with Roz about all of you puppy raisers - what a contribution you make - wow!.... The Today Show puppy raiser is a young woman - this is her third guide dog pup - and they'll be following her progress with the puppy for a whole year.

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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I'm always fascinated and educated by these bits of shared info. Loving the stories, as always!

 

It really warms my heart to hear of the endearing individual doggy "foibles." Even though they make us so proud, they are dogs, aren't they, when all is said and done, not robots. The Talented Mr. Horton as Thief! So funny.

 

Raylene's a leash-puller on our recreational walks (out of uniform) and overreacts to other dogs, but doing better as she matures...she turned three recently and we're noticing more calmness and better settling. Labs really are adolescents for a long time.

 

She's never been one (so far) to go for shoes, lingerie, etc, I'm very happy to say! But she was nibbling on bits of twigs often last springtime before I could catch her, and it did give her tummy trouble. Must stop that, Miss Aruba!

 

Guide Dogs for the Blind in California (where Raylene was born) also has a very specialized breeding program. Her mother Flicker was yellow, and her father Marino was black, with some of each color pups in that "R" litter. All the puppies are evaluated as breeders before the surgery. Raylene had a tiny eye issue so was taken out of Guide Dog eligibility and given to Dogs for the Deaf.

 

DFD recipients also get ther dogs for free other than a $50 application fee and $500 good faith deposit refunded at the end of the first year as a team. I know that some dog training programs require recipients to raise some money to cover the dog's cost, but DFD does not do that.

 

I agree with Roz about all of you puppy raisers - what a contribution you make - wow!.... The Today Show puppy raiser is a young woman - this is her third guide dog pup - and they'll be following her progress with the puppy for a whole year.

 

DKD, Fairbourne, Sunshine and so many others who do the truly thankless HUGE JOB of raising/socializing and loving these dogs deserve so many accolades for what they do, sometimes at the expense of their own personal lives. It just amazes me! I know I couldn't do it!

 

I would love to see the Today Show and their following this puppy and young woman. I'm so glad that their bringing to the public.

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Quampapetet

Quampapetet

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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.)

 

You can go on their Web site to vote for the pup's name. It is a "W" litter, so the choices are things like Waldo and Wes. I want to go cuddle that pup!! :D

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Quampapetet

Quampapetet

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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.)

 

Definitely a good idea! I forgot to get some for this trip, even though the oncologist gave us anti-diarrhea (and anti-vomiting) meds, but did pick some up at the supermarket here. Some of her canned food has pumpkin as an ingredient, too. (For those who don't know, canned pumpkin - which is not pumpkin pie filling - is good for both diarrhea and constipation in dogs.)

 

Benadryl tablets for insect bites

Cerena Tabs prescribed by vet for excessive vomiting or motion sickness

 

Cerena is what the oncologist prescribed that I mentioned above.

 

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

 

That reminds me, I have a great tick-removing tool that looks like a little plastic spoon, but has a notch cut out of the top side of the spoon. It makes removing the whole tick a very simple and quick process, much better than tweezers. I keep that in her bag. I use rubbing alcohol to drown the tick in (in a disposable cup, not the whole bottle of alcohol) before flushing it, but I am sure peroxide works just as well.

 

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!

 

My girl gets three softgels of salmon oil at dinner - I use an organic brand called The Wholistic Pet. I use their bee pollen supplement, as well, and have used others from them.

 

Remember that a change in water can upset sensitive dogs' stomachs, too. My girl isn't sensitive, but if we're somewhere the water quality has a smellable amount of chlorine in it, as well as onboard cruise ships due to the water's salt content, I give her bottled water.

 

Yeah, the frozen doggy yogurts and smoothies (I forgot, the ones that come room temperature are smoothies, not yogurts) are great! Keeps the pup occupied, too, LOL! ;)

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Quampapetet

Quampapetet

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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.

 

No emotional support dogs are recognized as service dogs under the ADA; the ADA specifically states that dogs whose sole purpose is comfort or emotional support are not service dogs. It doesn't matter what the disability is or who the disabled person is or what job they have/had.

 

The dogs CCI is training for people with PTSD would be service dogs. Service dogs are trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of the individual with the disability, with those tasks/work having to directly relate to the disability. Emotional support animals are not trained, but are just ordinary pets that happen to be owned by a person with a mental disability. PTSD service dogs can alert to episodes of PTSD/flashbacks, interrupt the episode, wake the person from a nightmare, and other things. The same dog can also be trained for any additional disability they may have, such as a TBI or amputation/prosthetic use.

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Quampapetet

Quampapetet

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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!

 

Well, Aruba is in good company, as I found out today that my puppy in training is a sock thief and hoarder!!! :eek: And here I was thinking she was a perfectly sweet and wonderful pup! :p Well, I don't wear socks, so I don't really care for myself, but I feel bad for my trainer's family. My puppy apparently just loves laundry day!

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Quampapetet

Quampapetet

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Those of you going on a Disney cruise need to check out this Captain Mickey ribbon that this online shop attaches to nylon for dog collars! It is I think third from the bottom in the second row on this link of photos of all their ribbon choices: /64/"]http://greatlakespetshop.com/ribbons/#7315prettyPhoto[gallery]/64/ The online shop is Great Lakes Pet Shop and I found out about them on Instagram. If I were going on a Disney ship, I would soooo get this collar! It has a red background and has a repeating pattern of the three-circle Mickey head, the big face circle made out of a white life preserver ring, with a captain's hat on it.

Edited by Quampapetet
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S.S. Cruisers

S.S. Cruisers

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Quam: You had me scared for a minute. I have been giving Jezzy Lou pumpkin in her food for about a year now. Was giving her rice until I found out (since the label doesn't indicate it) that the rice has arsenic in it. I know it is a minut amount, but she is only 15 lbs and didn't want to feed her that. Anyhow, the pumpkin has been wonderful. She loves it. I went and checked the can, as I did not know that there was different kinds of canned pumpkin. Anyway, hers says 100% pumpkin. I also have been putting the coconut oil on her food. Another thing she loves. Momma doesn't need to clean her dish near as often BOL. ( I really do still wash it out with warm water) just no hard left over debris.

 

Love the ribbons/collars. Lots of cute ones.:D

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Here's a Canine Companions For Independence article on what they are doing with service dogs for Wounded Warriors coming home with PTSD.

 

http://www.cci.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=cdKGIRNqEmG&b=4127877&ct=14194557

 

Gives me the goosies what CCI is doing with this program. A big THANK YOU to CCI and all trainers working with our Vets and dogs.

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Something that I forgot to mention when it comes to snacks for our dogs:

 

RICE CAKES.......Horton loves his rice cakes. Two every evening before he goes to bed. I also bring them when I'm cruising.

 

I use the ones that are lightly salted [and I sometimes put a smathering of peanut butter on for a special treat.] I've also used the ones with no salt and he loves them too.

 

I notice that they're very satisfying to the dog and they don't put any weight on.

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thephantomsgirl

thephantomsgirl

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Wow, this looks like it will be an informative thread. It's 667 pages long so will take me awhile to read it.

 

I'll be cruising on Disney in December, and should have my service dog in the next few months. Hopefully there will be enough time to get the proper documentation for travel.

 

Just wanted to jump in and say "hi". Have a LOT to read. :)

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Wow, this looks like it will be an informative thread. It's 667 pages long so will take me awhile to read it.

 

I'll be cruising on Disney in December, and should have my service dog in the next few months. Hopefully there will be enough time to get the proper documentation for travel.

 

Just wanted to jump in and say "hi". Have a LOT to read. :)

 

Welcome, Phantom: A Wizard and a Phantom, how interesting. :rolleyes:

 

Congratulations on getting your Service Dog soon. Is he/she being privately trained?

 

If there's anything we can help you with please let us know. Some of us have done some very extensive traveling with our dogs and some of us are new at it, with tons of information. And, some of us are PuppyRaisers[Walkers] and are doing the really hard stuff so that some of us can be partnered with a Service Dog. And, some of us are waiting for our pup who are in training right now.

 

My first dog Brenda had been on 15 cruises before I got Horton so you can guess how much I love to cruise with my SD. We have a 10 day in April and a 14 day in December.

 

Lots of good things to look forward to.

 

Don't hesitate to ask your questions, we're more than happy to answer and some folks will even come on and correct us if they think we're wrong and add their own two cents. No matter, we're here for you.

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