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

[wizard-of-roz]

Happy Birthday to Wexler!!

 

My daughter recently graduated from Nursing School. She is an RN, but to get into the field that she wants with no experience (labor & delivery) she had to take a part-time nursing position. So she got another part-time job and is also a "dog care specialist" and works at a doggie daycare. She loves that job!

 

Here in Northern California we have the Wags Hotel. Believe it or not they have private rooms with queen size beds, gas fireplaces, 42" tv, video chat and room service - yes this is for the dogs!

 

Dianne

 

Would someone please send me to the Wags Hotel? PLEASE!!!! ;)

 

Happy, wonderful weekend everyone ♥ ♥ ♥

[alexspepa]

apologies if you have seen this one, but is just too cute - not Service Dogs just two cute pups and some good music...

 

[wizard-of-roz]

apologies if you have seen this one, but is just too cute - not Service Dogs just two cute pups and some good music...

 

 

I needed these. So adorable, I can't stop smiling!!!!!

 

I've been so busy with work and other issues. I forget sometimes how much joy all of you bring into my life. Thanks!!! ♥ ♥ ♥

[Caribbean Chris]

apologies if you have seen this one, but is just too cute - not Service Dogs just two cute pups and some good music...

 

 

SO cute and fun to watch, Keith!

[Macfreckles]

I booked my cruise online & have yet to call to add my service dog. What ?s if any would they ask? I understand about the vaccine documentation needed & other paperwork needed for each different port.

 

 

 

Rangeley: I've inquired about putting the "potty box" on our veranda and have been told that it's a "health issue!" That neighbors on either side or top or bottom might not like it......not that we would leave any droppings in the box....and the urine smell would take at least 2 weeks before it would be noticed.....none of the ships, we were on, would allow it!

Going to the "potty box", is a good thing! It gives you both a chance to walk and Brenda always appreciates the stroll and the chance for all the different smells. It's a great way for her to get the necessary exercise she needs.

My DH and I always look for a secluded lounge, to play tridominoes, when everyone else is ashore. I bring Brenda's favorite ball and throw it for her, it gives her a chance to let out some of that energy and be off leash. I also find a deck; take her off leash; throw the ball (so it doesn't bounce) and she loves this. All of the ships have a "lip" around the sides so if the ball rolls to the side....it doesn't go overboard. Don't throw it high! Keep it low!

 

I definitely had to train Brenda to go into a box before cruising. It's very easy. Make a 4x4 box; put some mulch in it (keep it pretty thick to begin training, it gives them good footing); put it on your patio or in your backyard; (make sure it doesn't move, in any way) put the dogs leash on and lead her/him to the box; while holding the leash, walk to the other side of the box and use your command for going potty (while pulling on the leash.) The dog will, at first refuse, keep it up (you can use an intisive treat to lure them); until they urinate; give a treat and lots of praise. Repeat; repeat; repeat.......it's amazing and it's so convenient!

 

If you need further help with this, let me know!

[wizard-of-roz]

I booked my cruise online & have yet to call to add my service dog. What ?s if any would they ask? I understand about the vaccine documentation needed & other paperwork needed for each different port.

 

What you posted from me is years old but the training for getting your dog to potty in a box is still very good.

 

I now request that the potty box be placed on my veranda first, my favorite place now, if not, I then pick a spot as close to my cabin as we can get i.e. a crew closet, a hallway [not used by passengers], a stairwell. I hate it when they place the box in an obscure, outside deck far away from my cabin.

 

There really is NO HEALTH ISSUE, even though the Hotel Manager may tell you there is one with it being on your veranda, there really is no legitimate reason for them to say no. Except that on my next cruise through the Panama Canal for 19 days, my veranda will be used one day, for cable placement as we go through one of the locks. I'm in one of the cabins that was converted on the Promenade deck, onboard the Island Princess.

 

Call Carnival Special Needs Dept. 1.800.438.6744 Ext: 70344 and let them know about your Service Dog. They will email you a form that you will have to fill out, sign and email or fax back to them. The form will let you know all that is required by you for your dog to board.

 

You will need the Aphis 7001 Medical Form, given to you from an accredited Vet. The form will state all the information about your Service Dog that is required by most U.S .and Foreign Ports of Call. Your Vet visit should be optimally, no more than two weeks before you board. Also, ask your Vet to give you a Statement of Health letter. It's just a short statement, signed by him/her stating that your dog is in perfect health to travel.

 

If you have a Certification from the Org. that trained your dog, make sure to make a copy of it along with a picture I.D. I ALWAYS make 3 copies of everything. You'll give one copy of everything to the folks at registration and tell them to keep it. This way they're not holding you up trying to find a copy machine. Keep the originals with you and give the other copy to the Purser's Desk onboard.

 

You'll be so happy that you've covered all your bases and have all your paperwork in order. It makes for a much more easy and carefree trip.

 

Give yourself lots of time wherever you go with your dog. You'll be asked lots of questions and have lots of people who will want to touch your dog. Be prepared!

[wizard-of-roz]

Dear Orson,

I heard the news that you have something wrong with you. I'm sorry and I hope that it doesn't mean that you will be in bad pain or suffer in any way. We dogs live very different lives than our humans. We can have something really wrong and no one ever knows until we're so sick that there's nothing anyone can do except watch and worry about us.

 

You're very lucky because just like me and my sister Brenda, you get to go on cruises and other kinds of trips with your humans. We never get left behind.

 

I love when Roz tells me all about the great places that you go and on the really neat ships that you've been on.

 

I want you to know that I know what a great dog you are. How you've helped in training and raising some pretty amazing and wonderful dogs for other folks. Although, sometimes they're not perfect, they still put smiles on others faces. You've put up with a lot and with no complaints. Thank you Orson for all that you've done for your humans and for helping the puppies who have come into your home [even when they were such pests!!]

 

You've touched a lot of lives and will leave a legacy of patience, love and understanding behind you.

 

I want to wish you a restful and well deserved retirement my friend Orson.

 

Lots of Love & Licks,

Horton Jeffrey

[DisneyKidsDad]

Dear Orson,

I heard the news that you have something wrong with you. I'm sorry and I hope that it doesn't mean that you will be in bad pain or suffer in any way. We dogs live very different lives than our humans. We can have something really wrong and no one ever knows until we're so sick that there's nothing anyone can do except watch and worry about us.

 

You're very lucky because just like me and my sister Brenda, you get to go on cruises and other kinds of trips with your humans. We never get left behind.

 

I love when Roz tells me all about the great places that you go and on the really neat ships that you've been on.

 

I want you to know that I know what a great dog you are. How you've helped in training and raising some pretty amazing and wonderful dogs for other folks. Although, sometimes they're not perfect, they still put smiles on others faces. You've put up with a lot and with no complaints. Thank you Orson for all that you've done for your humans and for helping the puppies who have come into your home [even when they were such pests!!]

 

You've touched a lot of lives and will leave a legacy of patience, love and understanding behind you.

 

I want to wish you a restful and well deserved retirement my friend Orson.

 

Lots of Love & Licks,

Horton Jeffrey

 

Dear Horton,

Thank you very much for your kind words. I'm still feeling good and I get to go everywhere with my humans. I have to go back to

the doctor next week to make sure I will be OK to go to Alaska. It's going to be my retirement trip. I know my humans really want me to be able to go. I think they will be able to tell when I start to feel bad. Then I know they will do the right thing and not make me suffer. I think I will stop dictating to my human right now. He is starting to get very sad for some reason.

 

Your friend,

Orson º0º

[wizard-of-roz]

dear horton,

thank you very much for your kind words. I'm still feeling good and i get to go everywhere with my humans. I have to go back to

the doctor next week to make sure i will be ok to go to alaska. It's going to be my retirement trip. I know my humans really want me to be able to go. I think they will be able to tell when i start to feel bad. Then i know they will do the right thing and not make me suffer. I think i will stop dictating to my human right now. He is starting to get very sad for some reason.

 

Your friend,

orson º0º

 

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

[alexspepa]

there is something wrong with my computer this morning...everything is blurry for some reason.

[rangeley]

Hey no sad crap!!!

[S.S. Cruisers]

Arghhh, leaky eyes, sometimes I really don't like this "disease". Hugs and pawrayers to everyone.

[wizard-of-roz]

Doesn't Cindy have a way with words!!!!! :D

[wizard-of-roz]

Horton's at the groomers today. They like to keep him a bit longer than most because he's so nice to all the other dogs in the play area. Especially his little blind friend "Stevie Wonder!" She likes to walk underneath him as he guides her past the doorways and chairs. Talk about a tear jerker!!!

 

I have a question for you.......do you shave your dogs whiskers and their tummies? The groomer suggested that I try it because Horton has a huge gray whisker on his face [something that just showed up in the last few months.] And, it was so distracting to his handsome face. So, she shaved it off and he looks so much better. As he's aging [he's now 7], the hair on his tummy is really getting longer....she suggested that she shave that too, along with the pads of his paws. She said he'd have better gripping power on slick floors if he didn't have the hairy paws to deal with.

 

What do you do with your dogs? What's your grooming regimen like? And how often?

Edited July 21, 2016 by wizard-of-roz

[DUTRAVEL]

What do you do with your dogs? What's your grooming regimen like? And how often?

 

So far we have done all of Henri's grooming. We take her to Pet Food Express for her bath once a month and we dremmel her nails once a week. She gets brushed everyday and also gets her teeth brushed and ears cleaned out. We also have a trimmer to trim the hair between her paw pads (she does tend to slip on our hardwood floors). So far she doesn't seem to need a trim, so we haven't had to take her to the groomers. We had an American Eskimo that we had to have groomed every six weeks.

 

Dianne

[DisneyKidsDad]

Horton's at the groomers today. They like to keep him a bit longer than most because he's so nice to all the other dogs in the play area. Especially his little blind friend "Stevie Wonder!" She likes to walk underneath him as he guides her past the doorways and chairs. Talk about a tear jerker!!!

 

I have a question for you.......do you shave your dogs whiskers and their tummies? The groomer suggested that I try it because Horton has a huge gray whisker on his face [something that just showed up in the last few months.] And, it was so distracting to his handsome face. So, she shaved it off and he looks so much better. As he's aging [he's now 7], the hair on his tummy is really getting longer....she suggested that she shave that too, along with the pads of his paws. She said he'd have better gripping power on slick floors if he didn't have the hairy paws to deal with.

 

What do you do with your dogs? What's your grooming regimen like? And how often?

 

So wait... you want to make poor Horton whisker-less AND shave his tummy?? :eek: If he doesn't bite you, I will!! :mad: I'll go along with the hair between his paw pads. :D

[wizard-of-roz]

So far we have done all of Henri's grooming. We take her to Pet Food Express for her bath once a month and we dremmel her nails once a week. She gets brushed everyday and also gets her teeth brushed and ears cleaned out. We also have a trimmer to trim the hair between her paw pads (she does tend to slip on our hardwood floors). So far she doesn't seem to need a trim, so we haven't had to take her to the groomers. We had an American Eskimo that we had to have groomed every six weeks.

 

Dianne

 

I'm going to fess-up to this with you......I used to have a different colored feather put right by one of Brenda's ears, after her grooming every month. Believe me, I knew how ridiculous a Black Lab looked with a colored feather but it helped the public to see that she was a girly, girl!!!! And, it just lit up her little face.

 

It's not easy gluing a feather onto a pure lab although she did have a triple coat of fur, just not much on her head! So cute!!!!

 

And, your grooming habits sound like mine. They're a lot of maintenance work but so worth it!

Edited July 21, 2016 by wizard-of-roz

[wizard-of-roz]

So wait... you want to make poor Horton whisker-less AND shave his tummy?? :eek: If he doesn't bite you, I will!! :mad: I'll go along with the hair between his paw pads. :D

 

Hey, it's "dog-scaping", get with the program, puleeeez!!!!:

Edited July 21, 2016 by wizard-of-roz

[DUTRAVEL]

I'm going to fess-up to this with you......I used to have a different colored feather put right by one of Brenda's ears, after her grooming every month. Believe me, I knew how ridiculous a Black Lab looked with a colored feather but it helped the public to see that she was a girly, girl!!!! And, it just lit up her little face.

 

Henri almost always wears a pastel colored collar and flower when she goes out. We get a lot of confusion with her - people are very confused when we call her Henri and then tell them she is a girl. When people ask her name I usually tell them its Henrietta so that we don't have to explain that she is a girl. The black dogs look so pretty with the different colors - especially pink, red and purple.

 

Dianne

[wizard-of-roz]

Henri almost always wears a pastel colored collar and flower when she goes out. We get a lot of confusion with her - people are very confused when we call her Henri and then tell them she is a girl. When people ask her name I usually tell them its Henrietta so that we don't have to explain that she is a girl. The black dogs look so pretty with the different colors - especially pink, red and purple.

 

Dianne

 

Yay! A girl after my own heart. I had so many pink collars, bows and scarves for Brenda. When we got Horton I had to think in a whole different direction. Cindy was so kind to send him a welcome present of a "Tux", just like Wexy's and he's worn it on every single cruise he's been on.

 

The groomer knows I love the different scarves that they put on him when he's done.......so handsome!!!

Edited July 21, 2016 by wizard-of-roz

[DUTRAVEL]

I am preparing for our Panama Canal cruise in October with service dog Henri. Our ports are Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. Mexico and Guatemala require some additional certifications and Costa Rica does not use the Form 7001. I have been told by both the Sacramento USDA office and San Francisco office that they will only endorse the form for the first port which is Mexico.

 

Here is what their e-mail says:

 

"Please note I can only endorse an APHIS 7001 for Mexico. You will have to check with the individual country’s consulate to find out their requirements for import. (ie contact Guatemala for their requirements for dogs coming from Mexico, contact Costa Rica for import from Guatemala)."

 

It seems like it would be impossible to take my dog to the vet on each port day to be able to go to the next port! Does anyone else have any experience with this?

 

Dianne

[rangeley]

Horton's at the groomers today. They like to keep him a bit longer than most because he's so nice to all the other dogs in the play area. Especially his little blind friend "Stevie Wonder!" She likes to walk underneath him as he guides her past the doorways and chairs. Talk about a tear jerker!!!

 

I have a question for you.......do you shave your dogs whiskers and their tummies? The groomer suggested that I try it because Horton has a huge gray whisker on his face [something that just showed up in the last few months.] And, it was so distracting to his handsome face. So, she shaved it off and he looks so much better. As he's aging [he's now 7], the hair on his tummy is really getting longer....she suggested that she shave that too, along with the pads of his paws. She said he'd have better gripping power on slick floors if he didn't have the hairy paws to deal with.

 

What do you do with your dogs? What's your grooming regimen like? And how often?

 

We do not shave any part of Wexler. Our groomer said unless the fur is affecting him walking, no need to shave it. Wex has a very long hairy white belly. Bottoms of his feet are turning white too!

[rangeley]

We didn't have a good experience in Mexico. They made us go down every day to show them the dog, which they didn't look at. Very intimidating. Glared at me. They yelled at us because we didn't have the yearly rabies.

[Caribbean Chris]

Hey, it's "dog-scaping", get with the program, puleeeez!!!!:

 

Dog-scaping and the feather had me laughing out loud this morning big time.

 

So let me get this straight... you GLUED feathers to the fur on Brenda's head?

[Caribbean Chris]

I am preparing for our Panama Canal cruise in October with service dog Henri. Our ports are Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama and Colombia. Mexico and Guatemala require some additional certifications and Costa Rica does not use the Form 7001. I have been told by both the Sacramento USDA office and San Francisco office that they will only endorse the form for the first port which is Mexico.

 

Here is what their e-mail says:

 

"Please note I can only endorse an APHIS 7001 for Mexico. You will have to check with the individual country’s consulate to find out their requirements for import. (ie contact Guatemala for their requirements for dogs coming from Mexico, contact Costa Rica for import from Guatemala)."

 

It seems like it would be impossible to take my dog to the vet on each port day to be able to go to the next port! Does anyone else have any experience with this?

 

Dianne

 

So frustrating, Dianne. Cruises are an exception and they should include ALL ports in your paperwork.

 

Back in April of 2015 while living in North Carolina, I dealt with the Albany, New York office which took over for NC as the service center. I got an excellent explanation via email from a very helpful vet named Caitlin E. Comparetta, DVM, Veterinary Medical Officer, USDA APHIS VS, National Import Export Services (NIES), Service Center 1, in Albany.

 

Here is a direct quote from Dr. Comparetta's email to me:

"I have been informed that you are taking a cruise to Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. What country will you be visiting first? Cruises are an exception to our normal rule of issuing just one certificate for the first country the owner/pet arrives in, even if they are traveling on to another country. In the case of cruises, we issue one 7001 certificate and include all of the requirements and certification statements for all the destination countries. We also include all the destination countries in the Consignee section of the certificate. We do understand this can be a confusing situation, so if you or your accredited veterinarian have any questions on how best to proceed, please do not hesitate to contact us (either by phone or email)."

 

She sent me written explanations and bilingual 7001 forms for Mexico and Guatemala, which I will email to you (I think I still have your email address from that Panama document). I can also send you my endorsed form so you can see how it ended up.

 

I will also send you the special APHIS form that my vet prepared separately for Costa Rica on our most recent cruise, which was also endorsed by the Florida Service Center office when they endorsed 7001.

 

The Florida Service Center has followed the same practice she outlined, including all countries/ports on the form for cruises I took in December 2015 and April 2016.

 

It can be such a hassle dealing with different people in the APHIS offices and their varied interpretations! (I am relieved to only be going to Alaska and one Canadian port next month. Easy as it gets.)

 

By the way, on the Caribbean side of Mexico, I had zero hassles and never had to appear. So you never know what you'll experience when you arrive either!