Brenda-Service Dog Extraordinaire Will Be Giving a Demonstration

[wizard-of-roz]

That made me laugh! I'd LOVE to see a Brenda's eye view of the cruise. :)

 

Also loved the comment about her not hogging deck chairs. LOL! And she doesn't smoke, won't argue about what to wear on formal night, won't be sharing soda cards or pushing all the buttons in the elevators or be wearing a diaper in the pool.

 

My gosh! I think we may have just found the perfect passenger!!! :eek: :D

 

I think so!!!!! ;) Actually, so does PaPa!

[wizard-of-roz]

Absolutely, positively AWESOME!!!

 

Thank you, Pam. You've actually seen Brenda pre-demonstration!

[wizard-of-roz]

I love all this talk about our furry companions. Brenda is a beautiful little girl. I too have a little girl named Ruby who is a registered therapy dog. Her favorate visit is to a local inpatient psychatritic hospital. She loves it when I say It's time to go to work. The people we visit are so happy and thankful we took the time to visit them. I think I get more out of the visit then they do sometimes...

 

That's wonderful! These dogs are truly capable of doing so much and they love doing it!

Thank for sharing your beautiful girl with people who truly love her! And, need her!

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz,

I wish I was able to take this cruise with you. I would love to see Brenny strut her stuff!! As someone suggested, a video would be so cool but at the very least please make sure there are some photos for us :D

Miriam

PS. Congrats to Shogun too!!! (I'm pretty sure you don't mind a minor hijack do you Roz?? :o It is just such great news!)

 

Thank you, Miriam. And, I totally agree about Shogun, we all love him and wish him the very best when it comes to finding his smile & soul with more beloved furbabies!

[wizard-of-roz]

I can't wait to read Brenda's cruise review! Was the food to her liking? :) Bed okay? Eggcrate or not? ;) Which is Brenda's favorite port from the Alaskan cruise?

Thanks for sharing your good news with your fellow ccers!

 

Thank you! I promise to come back and share, share, share!

[wizard-of-roz]

Gosh, I bet she doesn't even hog deck chairs!!

 

Congratulations; I think that's such a great thing that Princess is arranging and you are demonstrating. Hopefully it will let more people see what wonderful things service dogs can do.

 

My goal is to inform the public of these amazing, wonderful dogs.....one cruise at a time!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Wow, I'm so jealous of your fellow cruisers, getting to see a Brenda demo! If not a video, hopefully someone else on your rollcall will take photos and come back and post them for us all to see. Meanwhile, I'm giggling at the Doggy Life Preserver. . . . Have a great cruise; I'm sure Brenda will be a total rock star after the program -- hopefully she won't let fame go to her head!

 

Thank you! Hopefully, we'll have a video and lots of pictures to share!

[wizard-of-roz]

Congratulations to Brenda & you!! I wish I could be there to see the demo but chemo calls. Perhaps a kind soul will post on you tube for us all to see!!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you so much. I hope all goes well for you. Brenda and I are sending very positive vibes and good wishes.

[laughing husky]

on a cruise on the Star last May there seemed to be more than a cou[le of service dogs on board. Very Well behaved animals and a joy to both their owners and other people who are around them. As the owner of 16 working dogs, dogs can be trained to do what we want them to do and to be socialized......it takes time and energy....just like raising kids....and if you don't do the job, they are not so nice to be around....:) Congratualtions....sounds like you have an outstanding dog....

[wizard-of-roz]

on a cruise on the Star last May there seemed to be more than a cou[le of service dogs on board. Very Well behaved animals and a joy to both their owners and other people who are around them. As the owner of 16 working dogs, dogs can be trained to do what we want them to do and to be socialized......it takes time and energy....just like raising kids....and if you don't do the job, they are not so nice to be around....:) Congratualtions....sounds like you have an outstanding dog....

 

In all the cruising that Brenda has done (11), we've only seen two seeing eye dogs and we only saw them on one evening. They [the humans] seemed to stay to their cabin or on the top deck for sunning and didn't maneuver around the ship much on sea days.

Brenda was "shocked" to say the least, when she spotted them. She stood and stared at them for the longest time. I had to put her into a "release", which would help her to relax and not be so "on-guard" (all of this behavior comes with her being an "alpha dog.") She thinks she has to take control of them and make sure they're behaving well [or, as she wants them to!]

I love dog behavior and training!

[Aqua's Mom]

Which cruise lines has Brenda sailed? Can you share your best and not so good experiences? I am a puppy raiser for CCI and would love to pursue the possibility of taking a puppy in training on a short cruise.

[wizard-of-roz]

Which cruise lines has Brenda sailed? Can you share your best and not so good experiences? I am a puppy raiser for CCI and would love to pursue the possibility of taking a puppy in training on a short cruise.

 

Cheryl: Thank You; Thank You; Thank You; for everything you do for all of us......Without what you do' date=' I wouldn't have a phenomenal dog like Brenda in my life. And, so many other people wouldn't have their "hero's" either!!!![/b']

Brenda has been on Carnival; Celebrity; Holland America; NCL and Princess. Our favorite is Princess [they're most in tuned to my wants and her needs.]

NCL had the very best potty box [4x5 wooden box, with a plastic liner filled with cyprus mulch], they were very smart and put it two doors away from our cabin in a mop closet. We're just not crazy about their ships.

Celebrity put a 4x4 wooden box filled with sand [very stupid] I made them change it to mulch [a crew member had to leave the ship and go shopping at a nursery before we embarked.] They placed the box on a very forward deck (the walk to the box was exhausting!) The ship's Hotel Director apologized and offered to walk Brenda every day........No thanks! They never offered to place it on our Veranda!

Holland America used a 3x4 wooden box [it was so small she could hardly turn to go potty], it was very funny to watch. They filled the box with sod [real grass], a crew person [who was not very smart], kept washing it off, every day with a hose......I had to go to the Hotel Director to tell him to make the guy stop.....poor Brenny could hardly move in the box and then she couldn't grip the grass because it was wet............:mad:

They placeed the box on a forward deck or on our Veranda [my DH doesn't like the box on the Veranda, I do!]

Carnival finally got it straight after filling a 4x4 wooden box with paper pellets; putting it up on the top deck, next to a golf simulator, [which meant we had to climb two sets of stairs to get there], and the paper pellets hurt like hell when she stepped on them....she kept refusing to go potty.

I went to the Hotel Director and insisted they change the litter....a crew member was sent off the ship [Carnival Elation], with a bucket to scoop-up dirt from under a tree, near the dock, in San Diego, (I'm not kidding!) Well, the dirt worked great and we got a free cruise out of it, for our next sailing on the Carnival Pride.

Princess uses a 4x4 cardboard or wooden box, placed in a crew closet, down the hall from our cabin or the stairwell close to our cabin; we've had it filled with wood shavings, paper pellets and mulch. We told them to remove the dreadful pellets and use mulch. They've been very accommodating [as long as I call Allison Muff in Special Needs one week prior to cruising to remind her of the placement and the filler.]

Princess will even "reserve" seating for you in the Princess Theatre and they constantly check-in with you and see if you need anything.

We always get priority boarding and disembarking so that Brenny doesn't get shoved or stepped on!!!!! This may sound like it's a small thing......it's not....I can't begin to tell you how ignorant people become when they're concerned about getting to where they want to go FIRST! And, they won't care who they step on or shove out of the way, including your Service Dog.

I get her out of the way by insisting the Princess agents treat her with the respect she deserves!

It's taken many cruises and many years of cruise travel to get it right. But, I think they've got it now. And, I'm thrilled to have been part of this process and even more thrilled to have cruised with Brenny!

Please try cruising with your Service Dogs.....They will require some paperwork from your Vet and CCI [it's not complicated at all!]

[wizard-of-roz]

Which cruise lines has Brenda sailed? Can you share your best and not so good experiences? I am a puppy raiser for CCI and would love to pursue the possibility of taking a puppy in training on a short cruise.

 

I forgot to mention.......I LOVE AQUA!!!!!! And' date=' so does Brenny...I showed her the picture![/b']

[sunshine426]

Which cruise lines has Brenda sailed? Can you share your best and not so good experiences? I am a puppy raiser for CCI and would love to pursue the possibility of taking a puppy in training on a short cruise.

 

Hi Cheryl, I work with young service dogs in training as well, but for a different orginization. If you do take a puppy on a cruise, please post abt your experience. I don't know if the puppy will have full access rights on the cruise ship, but it would be exciting if they are. I know that various states have different codes when it comes to access for the dogs in training.

 

Roz, and Brenda, can't wait to hear how your presentation goes.

[gloriajean]

I am fairly new to CC and while I have seen your postings with your dog (notice my black lab!) I did not know it was a working service dog. My lab is a pet (and a wonderful one!) and we have a mixed breed rescue lab as well as a born blind Collie who is a certified therapy dog with TDI. We are just getting started and have made just one visit so far. I am very interested in all things dog as I also do rescue and our family has fostered and adopted out over 250 dogs! That is always the one thing I miss with cruises, no animals! Going 9 days with no animal contact was difficult for me. I only saw one stray, very briefly on St. Thomas that I obviously didn't have contact with. I would be very interested in seeing your presentation! Hopefully there will be a video that we can view. Have a wonderful time and best of luck with your presentation!

[Sherri1]

Roz,

Didnt you say you were from Meadville, or close by there? Would love

to meet you and Brenda in person if or when you make a trip back East.

Sherri

[DNArocks]

I wish I could be on this cruise to meet you and Brenda!

Please have someone tape it and put it on YouTube.

I second someone else's suggestion that you write a Live from Brenda's point of view. I see a future book or movie!!!

 

Enjoy each day of cruising with your friend.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Good girl, Brenda! I'm sure your demo will be a great success!

[wizard-of-roz]

Hi Cheryl, I work with young service dogs in training as well, but for a different orginization. If you do take a puppy on a cruise, please post abt your experience. I don't know if the puppy will have full access rights on the cruise ship, but it would be exciting if they are. I know that various states have different codes when it comes to access for the dogs in training.

 

Roz, and Brenda, can't wait to hear how your presentation goes.

 

Cheryl and Sunshine: I don't believe "Puppies in Training" have full access on cruise ship travel. Cruise ship travel is complicated; if you're leaving out of a USA port (the ADA and DOJ rights kick-in) but, since most ships cruise into international waters (this is where it gets a bit more sticky), the ship could be very stringent in their requirements of the dogs full training and access.

It never hurts to check.

I will let you know how the presentation goes.

I want the world to know about these amazing animals and all that they can do. And, especially WHERE they can do it!

[wizard-of-roz]

I am fairly new to CC and while I have seen your postings with your dog (notice my black lab!) I did not know it was a working service dog. My lab is a pet (and a wonderful one!) and we have a mixed breed rescue lab as well as a born blind Collie who is a certified therapy dog with TDI. We are just getting started and have made just one visit so far. I am very interested in all things dog as I also do rescue and our family has fostered and adopted out over 250 dogs! That is always the one thing I miss with cruises, no animals! Going 9 days with no animal contact was difficult for me. I only saw one stray, very briefly on St. Thomas that I obviously didn't have contact with. I would be very interested in seeing your presentation! Hopefully there will be a video that we can view. Have a wonderful time and best of luck with your presentation!

 

gloriajean: Thank you so much for your good wishes. I truly appreciate all the support that Brenda and I are getting. She well deserves it.

Your comment about missing your "furbabies", while cruising, is exactly why I wanted to inform the public, who are so curious and always wanting to touch or literally sit on the floor next to her!!!! I want to inform them, once cruise at a time, all about these truly blessed beings who do more for "us" than we could ever do for them!!!!

Thank you for all the wonderful work that you and your family have done for so many dogs. They are truly the heart and soul of the human.

Unfortunately, "Therapy Dogs" do not have access rights in many public venues. Their work is so important and needed by many!

Brenny and I try to avoid "strays" at all cost. We once had an armed guard in Mexico, who accompanied us down a main street because he knew that there were lots of strays who might attack Brenny. She's a true "Alpha" dog and although she's wonderfully trained and mild mannered, she would fight if she were pushed into a corner by another dog!!! And, I never want that!!!!! :o

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz,

Didnt you say you were from Meadville, or close by there? Would love

to meet you and Brenda in person if or when you make a trip back East.

Sherri

 

Sherri: I was born near Pittsburgh, Penn. I have not been back for many, many years but still have family there, in McKeesport and Squirrel Hill.

I now live in L.A. and love it.

[wizard-of-roz]

I wish I could be on this cruise to meet you and Brenda!

Please have someone tape it and put it on YouTube.

I second someone else's suggestion that you write a Live from Brenda's point of view. I see a future book or movie!!!

 

Enjoy each day of cruising with your friend.

 

DNArocks: Brenda says she promises to come back to CC and write about her adventures at sea and all the wonderful folks she's met while cruising.

She's a delightful traveler. Cruising is especially fun for Brenny since it also involves that aeromatic ocean breeze which can draw you in like the smell of cookies baking in Grandma's oven!!!!! :p

[wizard-of-roz]

Good girl' date=' Brenda! I'm sure your demo will be a great success![/color']

 

Patty: Thank you! Brenda's snoring in her crate, at the moment. [i swear I've never heard another dog snore like her!]

When she wakes from her morning nap I'll tell her how supportive all of you have been.

A big warm bountiful, Brenda hug and lick to you!!!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

I am fairly new to CC and while I have seen your postings with your dog (notice my black lab!)

 

You have a beautiful black lab! And, welcome to CC!

[Shogun]

Hi Brenda,

 

I thought you would like to know a mummy sammy and daddy sammy met the other day and are expecting the pitter patter of tiny feet third week in Oct, with a little fur ball yet to be named makingits way to Scotlland in Dec.

 

yours Shogun