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

[Krypti]

Today's mail brought the stamped Bahamas permit form for our April Canal cruise that stops at Half Moon Cay, Holland America/Carnival's island in the Bahamas. First time visit there for my dog.

 

FYI I mailed it by standard Intl mail with regular return mail from their officials. No pricey fast service envelopes. Took just over a month from P.O. Departure to my mailbox return, not bad. No fee for Service Dogs.

 

Made me realize - time to start thinking about this cruise again! Form 7001, vet appt., grooming, reconfirming the dog's needs with HAL, all that stuff will be coming up in a few weeks.

This reminds me, I need to think about what papers I'll need for my SD.

 

Our cruise is going to Cozumel and Puerto... something, both in Mexico. We do not plan to disembark, for various reasons. Darian is always carefully up to date on his shots.

 

Am I supposed to contact the Mexican embassy even though we won't be leaving the ship in port? Do I have to contact someone in the US government to make sure we can disembark when we return to Ft. Lauderdale?

 

I'm going to get my passport, just because it's always good to have another piece of ID, so I may as well take care of Darian's paperwork at the same time.

[DisneyKidsDad]

This reminds me, I need to think about what papers I'll need for my SD.

 

Our cruise is going to Cozumel and Puerto... something, both in Mexico. We do not plan to disembark, for various reasons. Darian is always carefully up to date on his shots.

 

Am I supposed to contact the Mexican embassy even though we won't be leaving the ship in port? Do I have to contact someone in the US government to make sure we can disembark when we return to Ft. Lauderdale?

 

I'm going to get my passport, just because it's always good to have another piece of ID, so I may as well take care of Darian's paperwork at the same time.

 

You may want to see what you will need to get off in Mexico. Even though you don't plan on getting off the ship, you may have to in case of an emergency. The last thing you will want is to have someone you have to get off the ship but your dog can't.

[wizard-of-roz]

This reminds me, I need to think about what papers I'll need for my SD.

 

Our cruise is going to Cozumel and Puerto... something, both in Mexico. We do not plan to disembark, for various reasons. Darian is always carefully up to date on his shots.

 

Am I supposed to contact the Mexican embassy even though we won't be leaving the ship in port? Do I have to contact someone in the US government to make sure we can disembark when we return to Ft. Lauderdale?

 

I'm going to get my passport, just because it's always good to have another piece of ID, so I may as well take care of Darian's paperwork at the same time.

 

You will need the Aphis 7001 Form filled out by your Vet. Make sure that you have a visit with the Vet within a week prior to travel. All vaccinations MUST be current. And, have the Vet give you a form that states that your dog is in good health to travel. If your city requires a Dog Tag, have a copy of that. [The city of Los Angeles requires that all dogs be registered, even if they're Service Dogs, there is no fee for SD's.]

 

Make 3 copies of all the paperwork; Keep the original on hand to show to anyone, in authority, who may ask, give one to the registration folks,[it will help to make registration and boarding the ship so much easier] and, have one to give to Immigration, if they ask.

 

You will go through Immigration when you disembark, they will ask to see your I.D.; Passport, Birth Cert. and will wave you through after clearance. No big deal will be made about your dog. They may ask, "have you visited a farm or ranch?" The very same question that will be on your Immigration Form to re-enter the U.S. Or, they will ignore your dog completely.

 

Make sure that your dog is acting appropriately at these times.

 

Once you've boarded you may be asked to see an Immigration official with your dog and an official from the ship. Bring their copy of ALL your paperwork. It will be very early and usually in one of the lounges or restaurants. On our last 14 day cruise to Mexico, in December, we were NOT asked to meet with anyone. Loved it!!!

 

When we first started traveling [cruising] with my SD in 2005, Immigration would pull us aside and examine the dog entering and exiting the ship.......They don't bother doing this anymore!!!

 

Mexico is easy, peasy to travel to with your dog.

 

Remember, they have NO leash laws and there are strays in the ports and on the beaches.

 

You will see Mexican guards everywhere near the dock. They want our business and they want us to be safe. :)

[wizard-of-roz]

Also, don't forget to attach a copy of your dogs microchip information to your travel papers.

[Caribbean Chris]

This reminds me, I need to think about what papers I'll need for my SD.

 

Our cruise is going to Cozumel and Puerto... something, both in Mexico. We do not plan to disembark, for various reasons. Darian is always carefully up to date on his shots.

 

Am I supposed to contact the Mexican embassy even though we won't be leaving the ship in port? Do I have to contact someone in the US government to make sure we can disembark when we return to Ft. Lauderdale?

 

I'm going to get my passport, just because it's always good to have another piece of ID, so I may as well take care of Darian's paperwork at the same time.

 

It is good that you are researching since some countries require lengthy, time consuming paperwork. Mexico is fairly simple. The APHIS 7001 form is valid for 30 days, but most of us do it close to departure as Roz mentioned. Some islands/countries require that it also be endorsed by a government authority, which is the state APHIS office, so I allow a little extra time to send for endorsement by overnight letter, with return overnight envelope enclosed.

 

There is a version of the Form 7001 (to be filled out and signed by your USDA certified vet) that includes (Section 9 "Remarks") some language in English and Spanish:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/mx_aphis_7001.pdf

 

Here are the updated regs for Mexico as of January 2016:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/mx_pets_dog_cat_01_07_16.pdf

 

Information like this is found on the USDA APHIS IRegs page - use the drop down menu at the bottom of the page:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/export/iregs-for-animal-exports

 

Let us know if you have any other questions and we can try to assist.

Edited February 18, 2016 by Caribbean Chris

[Krypti]

I thought this might be of interest. This is my everyday go-bag for when I leave the house with my service dog. It's the Con(vention) Survival Bag of Holding from Thinkgeek.com. It has three main compartments -- a big middle compartment, which I load with dog stuff, a back compartment that would normally be used for papers but is actually perfectly sized for a few paper towels, and a front compartment. The front compartment is perfect for a Kindle Paperwhite, pen, wallet, lip balm, and an iPad in a clear plastic front pocket that you can actually touch through. There's a hole from the main compartment to the front so you can carry a battery charger and run a cable to the iPad, phone, or whatever.

 

Top row: Kindle, USB-mini charging cord, battery pack/flashlight, phone, Captain America earbuds (I'm a huge Captain America fan!), iPad

 

The big green thing is a Ruffwear dog mat that compresses down into the green bag on the left side.

 

On the green dog bed: Tissues, super-absorbent towel, lots of paper towels, bottle of Nature’s Miracle (cap duct taped, bottle in a ziploc), pen, paracord bracelet (can be used as an emergency leash when untied), mini-roll of duct tape in an empty prescription bottle (so useful!), earplugs, the red thing is a reusable grocery bag that compresses down into a tiny little ball, doggie first aid kit (gauze pads, stretchy sticks-to-itself tape, band-aids, Benadryl, etc.), glasses case, Burt’s Bees lip balm, hand sanitizer, lens wipes, ultralite wallet, and a black treat bag that has a belt clip and carabiner.

 

Not shown: White toddler socks (to keep Darian from licking his paws), moisture-wicking socks (to wear under booties), booties (for hot pavement and those oh-so-frequent Arizona snowstorms), cooling vest, raincoat, collapsible water bowl, Brita filter water bottle, gum, headache meds.

 

And in his service vest: Even more paper towels, poop bags, grocery bags, service dog info cards, vaccination records, my contact info, business cards for our training school, another collapsible water bowl.

 

I'm hoping I can strip this down when we go on the cruise. There's stuff I won't need, like the iPad (unless I get the internet package) and probably the dog mat, since he usually prefers to lay on hard, cool surfaces. I'd imagine I won't be able to bring Nature's Miracle onboard, since it's a liquid. Thankfully, the only time he has accidents is if I'm not paying attention and he wants to pee where another dog has already marked. I'd imagine I can also keep the first aid kit in my cabin.

 

However, I don't carry a purse -- I don't even own one! -- so I'm not sure what I'll end up using for things like my seapass (that's what it's called, right?), wallet, important papers, sunscreen, etc. What do you guys use to carry your service dog gear?

[Krypti]

You will need the Aphis 7001 Form filled out by your Vet. Make sure that you have a visit with the Vet within a week prior to travel. All vaccinations MUST be current. And, have the Vet give you a form that states that your dog is in good health to travel. If your city requires a Dog Tag, have a copy of that. [The city of Los Angeles requires that all dogs be registered, even if they're Service Dogs, there is no fee for SD's.]

 

Make 3 copies of all the paperwork; Keep the original on hand to show to anyone, in authority, who may ask, give one to the registration folks,[it will help to make registration and boarding the ship so much easier] and, have one to give to Immigration, if they ask.

 

You will go through Immigration when you disembark, they will ask to see your I.D.; Passport, Birth Cert. and will wave you through after clearance. No big deal will be made about your dog. They may ask, "have you visited a farm or ranch?" The very same question that will be on your Immigration Form to re-enter the U.S. Or, they will ignore your dog completely.

 

Make sure that your dog is acting appropriately at these times.

 

Once you've boarded you may be asked to see an Immigration official with your dog and an official from the ship. Bring their copy of ALL your paperwork. It will be very early and usually in one of the lounges or restaurants. On our last 14 day cruise to Mexico, in December, we were NOT asked to meet with anyone. Loved it!!!

 

When we first started traveling [cruising] with my SD in 2005, Immigration would pull us aside and examine the dog entering and exiting the ship.......They don't bother doing this anymore!!!

 

Mexico is easy, peasy to travel to with your dog.

 

Remember, they have NO leash laws and there are strays in the ports and on the beaches.

 

You will see Mexican guards everywhere near the dock. They want our business and they want us to be safe. :)

 

It is good that you are researching since some countries require lengthy, time consuming paperwork. Mexico is fairly simple. The APHIS 7001 form is valid for 30 days, but most of us do it close to departure as Roz mentioned. Some islands/countries require that it also be endorsed by a government authority, which is the state APHIS office, so I allow a little extra time to send for endorsement by overnight letter, with return overnight envelope enclosed.

 

There is a version of the Form 7001 (to be filled out and signed by your USDA certified vet) that includes (Section 9 "Remarks") some language in English and Spanish:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/mx_aphis_7001.pdf

 

Here are the updated regs for Mexico as of January 2016:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/regulations/vs/iregs/animals/downloads/mx_pets_dog_cat_01_07_16.pdf

 

Information like this is found on the USDA APHIS IRegs page - use the drop down menu at the bottom of the page:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/export/iregs-for-animal-exports

 

Let us know if you have any other questions and we can try to assist.

 

Thank you! It looks like I should wait to get closer to my cruise before doing too much. I did find out that the local USDA office is under a mile away, and I'm pretty sure my vet is USDA-certified (which sounds like he's grade A beef or something :D ) because he's the veterinarian for the local Air Force Base, in charge of all the military security dogs, border patrol dogs, police dogs, and so on.

[wizard-of-roz]

I thought this might be of interest. This is my everyday go-bag for when I leave the house with my service dog. It's the Con(vention) Survival Bag of Holding from Thinkgeek.com. It has three main compartments -- a big middle compartment, which I load with dog stuff, a back compartment that would normally be used for papers but is actually perfectly sized for a few paper towels, and a front compartment. The front compartment is perfect for a Kindle Paperwhite, pen, wallet, lip balm, and an iPad in a clear plastic front pocket that you can actually touch through. There's a hole from the main compartment to the front so you can carry a battery charger and run a cable to the iPad, phone, or whatever.

 

Top row: Kindle, USB-mini charging cord, battery pack/flashlight, phone, Captain America earbuds (I'm a huge Captain America fan!), iPad

 

The big green thing is a Ruffwear dog mat that compresses down into the green bag on the left side.

 

On the green dog bed: Tissues, super-absorbent towel, lots of paper towels, bottle of Nature’s Miracle (cap duct taped, bottle in a ziploc), pen, paracord bracelet (can be used as an emergency leash when untied), mini-roll of duct tape in an empty prescription bottle (so useful!), earplugs, the red thing is a reusable grocery bag that compresses down into a tiny little ball, doggie first aid kit (gauze pads, stretchy sticks-to-itself tape, band-aids, Benadryl, etc.), glasses case, Burt’s Bees lip balm, hand sanitizer, lens wipes, ultralite wallet, and a black treat bag that has a belt clip and carabiner.

 

Not shown: White toddler socks (to keep Darian from licking his paws), moisture-wicking socks (to wear under booties), booties (for hot pavement and those oh-so-frequent Arizona snowstorms), cooling vest, raincoat, collapsible water bowl, Brita filter water bottle, gum, headache meds.

 

And in his service vest: Even more paper towels, poop bags, grocery bags, service dog info cards, vaccination records, my contact info, business cards for our training school, another collapsible water bowl.

 

I'm hoping I can strip this down when we go on the cruise. There's stuff I won't need, like the iPad (unless I get the internet package) and probably the dog mat, since he usually prefers to lay on hard, cool surfaces. I'd imagine I won't be able to bring Nature's Miracle onboard, since it's a liquid. Thankfully, the only time he has accidents is if I'm not paying attention and he wants to pee where another dog has already marked. I'd imagine I can also keep the first aid kit in my cabin.

 

However, I don't carry a purse -- I don't even own one! -- so I'm not sure what I'll end up using for things like my seapass (that's what it's called, right?), wallet, important papers, sunscreen, etc. What do you guys use to carry your service dog gear?

 

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!!!!!

 

I must warn all of you who love to have the professional pictures taken with your dogs. The ships photographers will offer all sorts of backdrops......be very careful of the white sheet [that I love to use for my black dog.] It's butcher paper that they pull down and drape over the floor so that you can lay down with your dog and really pose! Horton thought it was for him to go potty on, and he did!!! I didn't even think about it until he started to go.

 

They literally sent a hazmat team in to clean the rug and remove the soiled paper. I was so embarrassed but it wasn't Horty's fault, it was mine.

 

ALWAYS watch where you're stepping or standing with your dog!!!

[Krypti]

Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!!!!!

 

I must warn all of you who love to have the professional pictures taken with your dogs. The ships photographers will offer all sorts of backdrops......be very careful of the white sheet [that I love to use for my black dog.] It's butcher paper that they pull down and drape over the floor so that you can lay down with your dog and really pose! Horton thought it was for him to go potty on, and he did!!! I didn't even think about it until he started to go.

 

They literally sent a hazmat team in to clean the rug and remove the soiled paper. I was so embarrassed but it wasn't Horty's fault, it was mine.

 

ALWAYS watch where you're stepping or standing with your dog!!!

It's terribly inappropriate, but I can't stop laughing! I'm sorry.

 

Now I desperately want to meet Horton and give him a hug, once he's out of his "I'm working, don't bug me!" vest!

[jameysdopey]

So after much thought we decided to leave Jemma home this cruise. We think she would be happier plus we have to still work with her listen to her commands from DH. She is really bonded with me and listens to me no matter what but still test DH. I might see if her trainer will take her that week and work with her more since he is taking our puppy to train while we are gone.

[wizard-of-roz]

So after much thought we decided to leave Jemma home this cruise. We think she would be happier plus we have to still work with her listen to her commands from DH. She is really bonded with me and listens to me no matter what but still test DH. I might see if her trainer will take her that week and work with her more since he is taking our puppy to train while we are gone.

 

Oh! Jemma, I'm so sorry that you won't be cruising with Mom and Dad. The public, including me, really needs to see Pit Bulls as Service Dogs out and about.

 

I remember before I got my first Service Dog in 2002 how my DH was my everything. Then my SD showed me how my life could still be rich and full and I learned to carry on. I could travel in every venue and still feel safe.

 

You are lucky to have each other to travel with.....one day, you'll try it with your SD and you'll never look back!!!!! ;)

[jameysdopey]

Oh! Jemma, I'm so sorry that you won't be cruising with Mom and Dad. The public, including me, really needs to see Pit Bulls as Service Dogs out and about.

 

I remember before I got my first Service Dog in 2002 how my DH was my everything. Then my SD showed me how my life could still be rich and full and I learned to carry on. I could travel in every venue and still feel safe.

 

You are lucky to have each other to travel with.....one day, you'll try it with your SD and you'll never look back!!!!! ;)

 

Thanks Roz! I'm so sad about leaving her, it would have given me a break with being my DH ears. luckily her trainer just agreed to take her for the week which was a load off of me. I could have had the neighbors watch her for free but this is so much better for her and he is going to work on snickers not chewing Jemma's ears lol.

[wizard-of-roz]

It's terribly inappropriate, but I can't stop laughing! I'm sorry.

 

Now I desperately want to meet Horton and give him a hug, once he's out of his "I'm working, don't bug me!" vest!

 

Be careful, You're going to fall madly in love. He's a BIG boy with the walk of a prancing horse and the run of an Arabian Stallion. When the trainers first brought him into the training room and we were all sitting around the room watching and learning dog behavior, there was an audible "gasp" from everyone who saw him.

 

Horton loves to be "on!" He walked right beside the trainer and we were all staring at his gait. He physically raises each front leg up to his chest, it's so cute to see. You can't help but comment and smile at him.

 

I NEVER thought that the trainers were thinking of me with him. Everyone wanted him. I feel so lucky - He's a very handsome boy!

[DisneyKidsDad]

My family and I went out to dinner last night. As we were leaving the restaurant, a woman behind me started saying that she has always wanted to raise a puppy for a service dog organization. As soon as we cleared the door, I turned to her and said when would you like to start? She said bit I don't have a fence in back yard. I said you don't need one. We then answered all her questions and gave her some information on CCI. I also gave her my e-mail. Hopefully she will become a puppy raiser near us. You just never know who you will meet.

[wizard-of-roz]

My family and I went out to dinner last night. As we were leaving the restaurant, a woman behind me started saying that she has always wanted to raise a puppy for a service dog organization. As soon as we cleared the door, I turned to her and said when would you like to start? She said bit I don't have a fence in back yard. I said you don't need one. We then answered all her questions and gave her some information on CCI. I also gave her my e-mail. Hopefully she will become a puppy raiser near us. You just never know who you will meet.

 

You're a wonderful ambassador for CCI. I can't thank you enough for all that you do!!!!! And, hopefully you've sold the idea to another "life-changer" family.

[wizard-of-roz]

Happy Weekend EVERYONE!!!!!

[DUTRAVEL]

 

However, I don't carry a purse -- I don't even own one! -- so I'm not sure what I'll end up using for things like my seapass (that's what it's called, right?), wallet, important papers, sunscreen, etc. What do you guys use to carry your service dog gear?

 

I thought I was organized, but you have me beat by a mile. I carry most of my dog's gear in a backpack on my wheelchair. I have a cross body bag that I bought on eBags that I use to carry my stuff (kindle, wallet, sunglasses, phone, etc) - it leaves my hands free to hold the dog's leash, etc.

 

Dianne

[Quampapetet]

The school I'm working with will board the puppy (and continue his training) if necessary. We're not doing scent-alert training or brace/balance work -- it's all physical positioning for PTSD -- and some pups can be ready for public access in their first year, while others take significantly longer. It all depends on temperament, training, and luck when it comes to fear periods. And it may be a moot point, if I don't get a puppy out of this very next litter. All the other litters this year will produce pups who'll be too young.

 

Either way, I'm really hoping my current SD is still willing and able to keep working, even at age ten.

 

Being ready for training/being in public is not the same as being a fully-trained service dog, which typically happens between 18-24 months of age. Public access training is begun when the puppy is young.

 

What is "physical positioning for PTSD"? Is that the same as DPT?

[Quampapetet]

So cute, Horton's got one! He's a real toy lover. He must have a toy to play with when we travel. I AWAYS buy him a new one each travel journey. I take it out and he's a happy boy in a new cabin or hotel room!

 

I typically buy new toys for most trips (not short ones that are a few days long), too. :) I try to make them applicable to the trip, so my previous girl had a lot of tropical/Caribbean-themed toys! And Disney toys, of course. (But poor Minnie Mouse was laid to rest recently thanks to my current girl! :eek: ;) ) One of my previous girl's favorite toys was a plush suitcase with travel patches from different locations on it - really cute!

[Quampapetet]

Has anyone had issues with breed discrimination? Looks like we won't be getting off in Nassau now since Jemma isn't allowed in. Ugh.

 

I searched their laws and found nothing excluding any breeds.

 

Many countries, including in the Caribbean, exclude certain breeds such as bully breeds, typically aggressive breeds, and occasionally even German Shepherd Dogs. If you have a bully breed, you're going to have a tough time travelling internationally with your dog.

[Krypti]

Being ready for training/being in public is not the same as being a fully-trained service dog, which typically happens between 18-24 months of age. Public access training is begun when the puppy is young.

 

What is "physical positioning for PTSD"? Is that the same as DPT?

 

Physical positioning involves blocking (sometimes called posting) to keep people from approaching too closely. Here's an example of active blocking:

 

I keep Darian at a left heel 99.9% of the time, unless there's some danger or obstacle in the way. To get him to post, I use my right hand down at my side, palm facing in, which is his signal to "touch". This positions his body straight across in front of me. Since Darian is practically the size of a coffee table, this keeps strangers at a comfortable distance. I don't have this behavior automatically trained, though, because I want it to be my choice.

 

This is NOT guarding/security behavior (which isn't permitted for SDs) -- he's not trained to attack or even take an aggressive posture.

 

This is also why I have minimum size requirements for my next SD and why I ultimately decided to go through a breeder rather than a rescue. A dog can't effectively and safely block/post if it's too small to be immediately noticed. The shelties in my training class, for example, are super-smart and beautifully behaved in public, but they'd be stepped on because they're too short to be seen.

[Krypti]

My cousin came to Arizona with his son, and we decided to day-trip to the Grand Canyon, along with my SD. It was a looooong drive -- Avondale to Phoenix, Phoenix to Flagstaff for breakfast, Flagstaff to the Canyon, then back -- but it was so worth it!

 

If you haven't seen the Grand Canyon in the off season, you're missing out! We had minimal crowds, and while there was snow built up in the shady spots, it was hot enough in direct sunlight that many people were in shorts and T-shirts.

 

We saw two other dogs while we were there. One was possibly a service dog without a vest -- very well-behaved, not interested in Darian. The other, though, was a little yappy dog on a long lead, not under its handler's control. Dogs that aren't SDs/SDiTs are supposed to be kenneled at the Grand Canyon. This dog was a trip-hazard to anyone walking nearby -- a potentially fatal one, given that a lot of the Canyon overlooks lack safety railings.

 

It was also a little disheartening to hear comments: "Oh, that's a service dog, but it's probably not hers. She doesn't look like she needs one." And when a few different people approached to ask questions, they directed their questions to my cousin -- a 6' man -- not me, even though I was the one holding Darian's leash.

 

A couple of pics here, on my twitter:

[thephantomsgirl]

We use a position called cover, which is when the dog is in front of you, basically covering your body. It works well when you are at a counter and want to keep the dog away from pushy people. As pointed out, it also can be a PTSD maneuver. I know the organization Jagger is from has a few others, although I've not seen all of them.

 

I'm off tomorrow to audit the Partner Training class. Means I get two weeks with Jagger and time to perfect things we need to work on. Hopefully won't be that long before our own Partner Training! :)

Edited February 21, 2016 by thephantomsgirl

[roohound]

Hi everyone!

 

We are looking at doing an Alaska cruise with Princess next year. There is a good possibility that my husband with have his diabetic alert dog (DAD) by then. I've been doing a lot of research and this thread is great but a little hard to search since it has 16K+ replies.

 

From what I have seen, Princess seems to be a pretty good choice as they are good with service dogs. I did see an address to contact them and now I can't find it - it was something like specialaccess at princess dot com. Does that sound right?

 

Is there anywhere Princess will not allow service dogs? Also, do they have a community potty area? We're looking at having a balcony and I know some lines will let you have a grass patch on your balcony. That would be awesome!

 

One last question - are we limited to only booking certain staterooms? I'm assuming since we will have to show our DAD is parasite free we should be allowed in any room but I just wanted to verify that.

 

Thank you so much for your help! I look forward to learning much from you all!

[wizard-of-roz]

My cousin came to Arizona with his son, and we decided to day-trip to the Grand Canyon, along with my SD. It was a looooong drive -- Avondale to Phoenix, Phoenix to Flagstaff for breakfast, Flagstaff to the Canyon, then back -- but it was so worth it!

 

If you haven't seen the Grand Canyon in the off season, you're missing out! We had minimal crowds, and while there was snow built up in the shady spots, it was hot enough in direct sunlight that many people were in shorts and T-shirts.

 

We saw two other dogs while we were there. One was possibly a service dog without a vest -- very well-behaved, not interested in Darian. The other, though, was a little yappy dog on a long lead, not under its handler's control. Dogs that aren't SDs/SDiTs are supposed to be kenneled at the Grand Canyon. This dog was a trip-hazard to anyone walking nearby -- a potentially fatal one, given that a lot of the Canyon overlooks lack safety railings.

 

It was also a little disheartening to hear comments: "Oh, that's a service dog, but it's probably not hers. She doesn't look like she needs one." And when a few different people approached to ask questions, they directed their questions to my cousin -- a 6' man -- not me, even though I was the one holding Darian's leash.

 

A couple of pics here, on my twitter:

 

First: I love the Grand Canyon.....amazingly beautiful!

 

Second: The ignorant person who was walking the yippy-yappy dog on a long leash, with no regard to anyone else's safety was so rude. You know I would have called them "OUT!"

 

Third: I think that we as a society are so afraid, sometimes, to hurt other's feelings or afraid to get hurt ourselves, that we'll avoid confrontation at all costs. The person who avoided you, and you were holding the leash, saw you as unapproachable, obviously. I'm treated the same way, at times, and I'll see folks whispering and holding back and I'll just walk up to them and explain Horton and myself to them. Not always, because some times they're acting just plain insulting.....but, most times, I'll head them off at the pass and relieve their queries! Usually, it turns into me making new friends!!! :)