Quampapetet

Quam: Brenda's commands for entering a car are "Car" or "Jump".....she never, never, never leaves the car until I give her the "Off" or "Down" or "Jump" command......when I open her door I always say "Wait", until I'm ready to command her to leave the vehicle. Not leaving a car until commanded to do so is very engrained in well trained Service Dogs!

We use "load up" and "out". And, of course, she waits in the car until "out" is given, no matter how long it takes.

We've done the Norwegian Star and they were very accomodating with placing Brenny's box, filled with mulch (the biggest box on any cruiseline), in a closet right down the hall from our cabin. They were very, very nice to us!!!!!

Nice! Thanks for the info. I may not ever go on the Gem, but it sure did look nice and it would be neat to go on it. If my friend ever does a cruise on it, I'd really think of going!

Roz or anybody else, have you (and your SD) ever gone on the Norwegian Gem? I saw it on "What Not to Wear" the other day (they did an episode on a cruise on that ship) and it looks so colorful and fun. If you have been on it, what was access like? Potty box?

Thanks!

The other day in the mall I stopped at the Build-a-Bear Workshop store. Guess what? They have a “Helping Paw Black Lab!” I thought of Brenda right away! http://www.buildabear.com/shop/productdetail.aspx?ProductSKU=13381_13380_10901_13393_13400&Category=lab&CallingPage=ProductSummary

 

Very cute! I looked around the Web site and see that you can buy all those accessories separately, so you can build a dog of a different breed (they offer a few) and still have it wear a vest and have a bowl and bed (or dog house, even). And the dogs have magnets in their mouths so they can "hold" the set of three dog toys (sold separately) in their mouths - very cute idea!

I just might have to steal my cousins' kids and take them to this store one day (though I know they have been there before...). ;)

Quam: What a relief, is right! I'm sure you're very happy! And, so are we!

Thanks! And, yup, very happy here! :)

Well, I spoke too soon, about Brenny. She's starting to show symptoms of the Prednisone. More than she had on my last writing. She's having a lot of joint pain (exhibited by her refusals to jump into my car and to not stand on her hind legs, to reach things on the counter, etc.) It's very difficult for me to watch this, in her!

So sorry that she is having to go through this!!!! :( I read your most recent message before replying to this one to see if you'd updated on her, so I'm glad to see that she is off the med now. Hopefully she will get better very soon!

She's always been the "first" one to reach the counter and, I never have to give any command on entering my SUV.....this morning I had to physically lift her...she would rather lie down.

Holy cow, isn't she a big dog?! Not so fun for you to have to lift her! And poor doggy.

You don't have a command to get into the car? Do you have one for getting out? Commands for these, especially getting out, are for safety reasons. I always use the commands and especially do not allow her to get out of the vehicle (mine is an SUV, too, and others' vehicles that we frequent are an SUV, mini-SUV, and car) without the command.

She doesn't wimper or cry in any way....she, as I mentioned before, has an extremely high tolerance to pain...she just exhibits the "refusal"...many of you who work with Service Dogs will recognize it!!!!!

Yeah, unlike humans, dogs only show their pain (a weakness, in the animal world) under very extreme circumstances. Otherwise, showing such a weakness leaves them (in their world/minds) prone to be prey or overtaken.

Hopefully she'll be back to her normal self very, very soon!!

Thanks, everybody, for your well-wishes!

Turns out, the first test was either messed up or it was a temporary thing or something, as the full panel of tests came back all normal! :) So, no meds! I'm very glad, even though they weren't that expensive, they would've been life-long. It is really weird how it turned out, but I'm happy!

Thanks, Nancy!

I hear y'all. I'm going through a health problem with my SD right now, too. Am trying to wait patiently for the results of the blood work (complete testing for the issue - the first test showed there was a problem, this round will show what exactly it is and if it is what I think it is [and hope it is, as it is the much better of the two things it can be], what the treatment will be). It definitely is not fun!!!

I wonder where the vets are going on vacation this year - I think I'm paying for it! LOL!!!!!!!! ;)

Roz' date=' or anyone with info on taking your dog to Europe with you please let me know,

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Which countries? You can look up on each country's site sometimes, other times you have to check on a pet site, such as pettravel.com or other such sites, and then contact the country to make sure the regulations are correct/still correct/and there aren't any different regulations for service dogs. Your USDA-approved vet can also tell you the regulations, so give them a call.

Okay, I checked and it IS at KV Vet Supply. It is called Fido Float Coat - here's the link: http://www.kvvet.com/KVVet/productr.asp?pf%5Fid=82529&gift=False&HSLB=False&mscssid=01FCB814FB1DD48E8A530878EC350555

It apparently only comes in orange now. At least your SD's jacket will match yours at the muster drill. I have the yellow version of the jacket, so my SD was in yellow while everybody else was in orange! (I got the jacket long before we knew we'd be going on a cruise. Actually, I thought we'd be going on the personal boat of family friends, but that never happened that year or the next, LOL. I thought the yellow would look better on my girl, so that's why I got it instead of the orange! Plus, my life jacket for kayaking is red, so the yellow goes better, although she's never been out kayaking 'cause I haven't done it in years partly due to the fact my kayak melted!)

I brought my dog's life jacket with us (I don't think Royal Caribbean has any dog life jackets, but I wouldn't want to use theirs, anyway). It is the Fido Float Coat that you can get from several catalogs, including KV Vet (I think), which has an IAADP discount if you're an IAADP member. It comes in yellow or orange and has a mesh bottom (belly area) and handle on top (coming from both sides, two nylon straps meeting together) and it has a float part that goes under the dog's cheekbones to help keep his head above water (something that's not on any other life jacket I've seen, but that I think would be important in a real emergency).

Remember not to let any life jacket (except inflatables) get squished (don't place any other objects on top of it) or it will loose buoyancy. So, take it on the plane, if you're going on a plane, as a carry-on and put it on the top of all other bags in the overhead compartment. (You might want to explain to the stewardess that you're going on a cruise/coming back from a cruise, just so she doesn't think you are so afraid the plane is going to crash, LOL!)

I do have photos from the muster drill that I took of my SD in her life vest, but I took them with the international cell phone that I borrowed from a family member and forgot to text or e-mail them to myself, so I have to do that still. They're pretty funny photos, though - a dog in a life vest and all! :)

BTW, when I was in high school, one of my friends had a Whippet pet. It was a beautiful dog!

Bailey is an aggressive chewer. One thing I got her that she loves and is so flexible is called the Chewber (google it).

We use it for a toy and a dish when traveling. :)

That sounds interesting - I'll have to Google it! Not sure I have heard of that one before.

We use the Outward Hound plastic folding "disposable" dishes when travelling. (They're cheap in price enough so that disposing of them isn't a problem, but they are sturdy and last a long time, so I don't dispose of them.) I keep one in my SD's pack at all times, too, for in case she needs water when we've been out a very long time (which definitely isn't often - and I don't water her inside public places, of course).

I will let you know how she likes the ring zinger, it should ship in 3-5 days.

Do let us know! My girl is a poo-poo pants when it comes to playing with toys outside. :rolleyes: I tried again to play with her today - she was a bit more interested in it than before and actually started to chase it once, but still hasn't really begun playing with it. I hope the more I try, the more she starts playing. Hopefully!!! 'Cause I think it is a cool toy, hehe. Guess I should play with it with my cousins' children this summer - I bet they'd like to chase it, LOL!!!! :p

I could share a billion doggy Web sites with ya, LOL.

If you don't already know, there is a 20% discount for service dogs from PetFoodDirect.com. Contact them for the info. (I'm not going to post how to get it on a public forum, of course).

If your dog likes to chase or play fetch, a few pages ago or so I posted about a new toy that came out. It is called Ring Zinger. I forget the Web site, but you can find it via Google (or I think I posted it a few pages ago). It is a rubber ring that you throw via a device similar to those tennis ball throwers. The ring flies through the air a bit and then lands on the ground and rolls and hops for a long time. It is pretty neat!

For cute collars, a store I like is Muttropolis.com. That's where my girl's current collar - light pink with glittery purple butterflies - is from.

For car safety, the car harness we use is from Champion K-9, ChampK-9.com. It is an actual safety harness, not just a restraint that isn't made to protect a dog in a crash like most others on the market.

And, of course, PetEdge.com is a great place with good prices.

Wow, yeah, you are definitely under stress!!! I hope all goes well for you! :)

Hopefully Princess will realize their mistakes in asking you for the things they asked for and respond appropriately.

That would be great if the guide dog group lets you spend some doggy playtime with their dogs! I hope you get a positive response from them.

Remember whenever you come across a guide dog team (both on your cruise and in daily life) to let them know that you have a service dog near their guide dog, just so they'll know and be able to keep their dog from distraction. The same goes for anybody with a pet - please let guide dog teams know you have a pet near them, as they very well may not be able to see that your dog is there.

Also remember, for the cruise, to have fun!!! :)

Hey, I Googled and found out about what I assume is your cruise! There is a travel company that put together a Guide Dog cruise - Mexican Riviera, November 10-20, 2008, Star Princess. http://dimensionsintravel.ensembletravel.com/filemgmt_data/files/guide_dog_cruise_mexico_11_10_08.pdf

Also - wanted to add to my post above that perhaps Princess is asking for proof of your dog's vaccinations/titers, not the health certificate. Royal Caribbean asked me for such, so I faxed in my SD's rabies certificate and the results of her most recent titer test. They're going to have such info. when you get on the ship with the health certificate, so I figured it wasn't a big deal to fax them in (I keep copies of all our vet work, so already had the paperwork).

1) Princess has asked for a DOCTORS letter! :eek:

 

I thought this was in violation of ADA and cruise ships did fall under ADA when departing US ports. Is this not accurate? I did get one but I HATE having to explain all my medical issues with some clerk and having my private information faxed all over.

 

How would you handle it?

Yes some of what you posted is correct. I did not say different...

All of what I posted is correct, not just some of it. This topic is about service dogs on cruises, so when you came on here talking about pets and therapy dogs and how your club trains dogs, at least two people made the appropriate assumption that you were trying to talk about service dogs. Many ppl don't realize that therapy dogs aren't service dogs and don't have public access, so they either try to take their therapy dog places with them or they think those they see places belong there. The distinction must be made.

Being curt helps nobody.

Nobody was being curt. You made a post in a service dog thread about pets and therapy pet training and then somebody asked you what type of service dogs your club trains, thinking you meant the club trained service dogs because you said "qualifying dogs" in a thread about service dogs (which is also what at least one other person, myself, thought you referred to). The definition of the terms needs to be said so nobody thinks therapy pets are different from any other pets in regards to access with their handler. (And, yes, it really does happen where people either think or are told that they can take their therapy pet places with them like disabled people who need service dogs can.)

Our Dog Club the First in the USA gives certification to the qualified dogs on TDI as well CGC etc.

TDI is Therapy Dogs International, which is for pets who go to hospitals and nursing homes and such to visit people. These are NOT service dogs nor do they have ANY type of public access. In order to get into said hospitals/nursing homes, they must be invited in as a special circumstance. They are not allowed in stores, restaurants, etc. as they are not service dogs nor are they trained to do tasks for a disabled handler.

CGC is Canine Good Citizen, a simple test for pets that the American Kennel Club (AKC) oversees. This test has nothing to do with service dogs nor is it a title on a dog (like show titles) even though some service dog folks take their dog through the test and many folks use "CGC" as a title for their dog. A service dog must be able to pass tests that are MUCH harder and more involved than this test.

Neither of these programs is for the certification of service dogs and neither makes a dog a service dog or gives public access rights. Neither title means somebody can take their dog on a cruise ship.

For those of you who have cruised with your service dog to the ports of St. Thomas and St. Maarten could you tell me what the requirements are? I would think that for St. Thomas all I would need is the international health certificate, is that right? But for St. Maarten I have no idea. I tried a search but had no luck. Thank you.

St. Martin: This is for pets, but most likely also applies to SDs: http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/SaintMartin.cfm

Virgin Islands (St. Thomas): Also for pets and is for moving, but would be for any dog entering: http://www.vimovingcenter.com/pets/

We have found that asking for the bulkhead after you make your reservation online is the best, and we haven't needed a supervisor.

That's what I do, too - make my reservation online and then call up to get the bulkhead. They have always gotten a supervisor to do the change for my seating in the past, though, and have told me they cannot do it, only a supervisor could, and it was policy. Do you call the regular line or the Frequent Flyer line? I call the latter.

The only place we have had a little trouble is on the small jets (CRJ and the like) as many times the bulkhead is also the exit row which is not allowed.

I hate those planes! I always look at the seating chart before I buy my tickets to make sure there the bulkhead isn't an exit row, although I've only come across that on an airline that I don't frequent (American Airlines).

Actually it is only a problem when the flight is coming from somewhere else and people are still on the plane. Before they let the next group board (including early boarders like myself) they let those on the plane change their seat, then they take the bulkhead row.

Yikes! That is terrible. Have you complained to the DOT about this? The flight crew would know/could know that an SD is coming onto the flight and either save a seat in the bulkhead (after asking you if that is where you want to sit) or let you on the plane before ppl move (or just not let them move, which sounds chaotic to me, anyway!).

One flight attendant said to me, service dogs are supposed to be able to fit under any seat, so I won't move them. Well I think the new rules clarify that, and I'll carry them with me anytime I fly on Southwest from now on.

Sounds like she's not the most brilliant light bulb in the box.... ;)

Alaska Airlines caused a bit of a panic, when we showed up at the airport and they had changed all the seats, even though I had called ahead prior to leaving to get bulkhead seats assigned. Impressive though, after my little flip out at the airport, they moved everyone they had assigned to the bulkheads to accomodate us. Great job!

I've heard that happens because when the plane gets switched, the computer randomly picks seats for everyone and it doesn't know to look for ppl who need to be in the bulkhead for disability reasons. One time my plane got switched and I thought I wasn't in the bulkhead anymore - the lady at the ticket counter said she couldn't do anything for me, I'd have to talk to the gate ppl. When I got to the gate, they said that row (which was not #1, but #4 or something) was actually the bulkhead (and it was). Then I was on another plane (or was it the same one?) that skipped a few numbers even though the row was right behind the one in front of it, LOL! (These are in planes that don't have First Class, so should start with 1 and be sequential.)

Candy: Your pig story is very funny!!!!!! I have yet to run into a pig/monkey or anything other than a dog that assists.

Same here, although I would LOVE to meet one of those guide mini horses! :D I can't imagine international travel would be easy, perhaps even not possible in many situations, with a mini horse, though.

The person who made and approved the "bulk-head" seat move.....was a "reservation agent".....she was NOT the manager/supervisor or any way in authority......she was just accomodating and that was, as I stated before, wonderful!!!!!!

 

Any person who makes your reservation for you has the ability to move passengers and accomodate a Service Dog!

 

How do I know? I asked the person on the other end of the phone!!!!

 

Don't be put off by anyone who says they can't help you......they can!!! And, with a little bit of help or information from you.....they will!!!!!

 

This is important for all who read these boards to know........You DO NOT HAVE TO SPEAK to anyone special to get your reservation needs met!

Perhaps they have changed their policy recently, but every time I have called Delta, the reservationist has had to have her supervisor do the computer entry part. Occassionally the supervisor will also get on the phone with me, but otherwise I only speak to the reservationist while the supervisor just taps whatever computer buttons she needs to tap. I was told at least one time that only supervisors could do it. Not that it is a big deal - it hasn't been that they haven't been helpful, just that they had to get their supervisor in order to do it.

However, you may wish to call back to make sure that your reservation is noted as your being there because of your disability/your SD so that you don't get moved if another disabled person comes along requesting the same accommodation. That happened to me once - the person on the phone moved me, but apparently didn't mark that I couldn't be moved, and when I got to the gate, they told me my seat had been moved! Thankfully, it was easy to solve, as they had moved it for somebody's wheelchair, so they just stored the wheelchair elsewhere and I sat in the seat I'd been assigned long before that day. (The stewardesses knew that man was rather testy already, so they went to explain to him what happened so that I wouldn't face any wrath.) I can't recall if a supervisor had done the data entry on that seat assignment or not - I guess it could be that one hadn't, so I got the seat but wasn't marked as not to move.

 

Once they witness the amazingly good behavior of your dog.......they don't need to see anything else!!!!! They stand in awe at the mutual respect each of you gives each other!!!

And once some of those K-9/sniffer dog handlers see the behaviour of your dog, they're embarrassed or jealously angry that their barking, lunging, and perhaps snarling dog isn't as well-trained!! :p One out of the last two airport dogs I've seen was actually impeccably behaved, just standing (or was he sitting?) there. The other two, not so much - one tried attacking my SD (who just stood there, prob'ly thinking, "What is his problem?!" LOL) and the other just really wanted to greet and play with her, lunging and almost dragging the poor embarrassed handler towards her (while she stood, staying looking in the right direction and completely ignoring him).

Some of those pets in carriers ... can you say, "YAP-YAP!"?!?! Last year, as we stood at the ticket counter checking in, there was one of those continuously yapping little dogs in a carrier held by a woman in the line behind us. My SD was fine, but prob'ly getting as annoyed as the rest of us were! ;)

And then there are the pet owners who disobey the rules and take their pets out of the carriers, either before or after the flight. :rolleyes: One couple in front of us in the check-in line one time had a large, active puppy they were flying cargo. They had his big crate set up right there next to them, but they had him out on the leash. He was straining so much on the leash to come see my SD I thought he was either gonna hurt himself or hurt the woman who was trying to hang on to his leash! My dog was standing, sitting, and laying there (they were at the counter for forever!) quietly, so finally the puppy got the hint that laying there was the proper thing to do and he did just that. (Gotta love seeing dogs learn from other dogs!) Security stood around at the back of the line to make sure their puppy didn't do anything stupid, but allowed the dog to be out of his crate like that.

 

And, yes there are selfish people in our society who could care less about us or our issues. They want to bring "Fi-Fi" along with them, wherever they go and they know that the only way they can do it is to lie or cheat their way into the public venue!

They should move to Europe, where pets are accepted in public places in many countries. If they want to live in the US, they need to learn to live by US law!

 

I just made reservations to fly to Eugene, Oregon (through Delta), I was told that the "bulk-head" seat was taken. The reservation agent asked me to wait; she came back to me and said that the "bulk-head" passenger was moved and Brenda and I would be okay to board, now!!!!

Only supervisors can do the bulkhead seat for a qualified disabled person (somebody with an SD or somebody with an unbending prosthetic), so that's why the reservationist couldn't do it for you.

On these smaller jets, there is absolutely no room for a Service Dog other than the bulk head. The airline understood, they went out of their way to please me and to accomodate my SD! How wonderful is that????????:)

They were following the law, not going out of their way. By law, you have the right to the bulkhead or whatever other seat suits you and your SD best. Those who don't have SDs or unbending legs know they can be moved out of bulkhead if somebody with an SD or unbending leg needs it - they have to be told this when reserving their seat. (Or, some airlines block off the bulkhead and only assign those seats the day of the flight. Or, airlines who don't assign seats must allow you to pre-board.)

Don't know what brought me here to read this. I am AB, and I am appalled that other AB people do this. Is it to just be able to bring their animal along, or is it something else? I love my pet as much as anyone, but good grief.

 

I have the greatest respect for service animals, what a wonderful and satisfying service they provide. To dumb it down with pets in the mix is just plain wrong and disrespectful.

 

God bless ya'll.

Yes, most of the ppl do it out of selfishness - either they want their pet with them or, in the case of flying, they don't want to pay and don't want their larger show dog (if applicable) to have to ride in cargo. They are the reason the ACAA laws are being changed for so far just one group of people (people with mental disabilities who use task-trained service dogs) and it is written that in the future, if there are fakers in other categories of service dogs, the law can be changed to help keep those fakers out.

They prob'ly also park in handicapped parking spaces just to "run into the store for a minute". :rolleyes:

And, of course, the "celebrities" (and I use that word lightly, LOL!) like Paris Hilton who take their little pooches with them everywhere don't help. :mad:

I have heard stories of ppl bringing their pets into restaurants, sitting them on the seats, and feeding them from the table/their plates! Many businesses don't realize that they CAN do something about this - or they don't want to risk being sued (apparently, even some non-disabled pet-toting folks will be stupid enough to sue under a law that has nothing to do with them!).

****Until EVERY service organization supplies and requires these I.D. Cards and their graduates to carry them and the expectation of planes; boats; trains; bus's, etc, etc. would be that if you have a valid license and you show it........ you are not a fraud; we will continue to have the "fakes", who think that ALL IT TAKES IS A VEST OR CAPE, and simple words to get onto or into the public venue!!!!!!

 

No, until the LAW changes. Without the federal law being changed, no business can require to see an ID card or certification or some such paperwork. If the law is ever rewritten to require all teams to carry some type of card (I guess they'd say, "Too bad, so sad," for them if they ever lose or forget it or happen to not have it on them because they didn't plan on going anywhere, so disabled ppl shouldn't have the same amount of access as other ppl have :rolleyes: ), only then will such cards matter. But they will be from the gov't/a gov't-run or -approved organization, not from individual schools or trainers.

Not every SD is program trained or professional trainer trained and those that are, not every team has an ID, and those that do, most do not wish to show something just to enter a store when nobody else has to show anything to enter a store.

And if you think things will change even if a new law is put into place, just look at how many ppl fraudulently use handicapped parking spaces, either using a tag that doesn't belong to them or one they shouldn't have (either should never have gotten or was for a temporary problem that they don't have anymore) or just parking there sans any tag. Some ppl just don't get that ppl with disabilities have accommodations, not special treatments. Until they all realize that and get consciences, there will be fraud. :( (And, no, handicapped parking tags are not the same as a disabled ID for an SD would be. If a disabled person forgets the tag, they still have access to the parking lot [albeit not an ideal space and they may have to double-park if they use a wheelchair lift]. If ppl had to show an ID just to get into a store or restaurant, they wouldn't be able to access the place at all if they lost or forgot it at home or didn't know they'd be going into a no-pets place when they left home - all of which can easily happen, has happened to ppl with their SD gear, and has happened to ppl with driver's licenses/IDs.)

Many ppl don't wish to tell others what their disability is/disabilities are, so "type of service dog" would not be something many ppl would want on an ID. Also, lots of dogs are trained for multiple disabilities - cards are small and can't fit all the types on them. ;)

But, anyway, I thought we ended this topic??? Let's move onto something more productive....

 

I'm afraid I would be the one to turn the "fake" in! I'd probably wind-up confronting them; insisting on seeing some sort of documentation that the public venue wouldn't realize the person should be carrying and asking where the dog was trained? What does the dog do? Etc., etc. The "fake" would have "no clue", that some of my questions were illegal (as "Quam" would put it), no matter, I would be insistent! I would then go directly to the Hotel Manager (and, if they were a "fake"), I would request that they either be thrown out or be asked to keep their "fake" in the cabin, until the cruise were over!!!!!!!

Some fakes are clueless, but others have read themselves up on the laws so know what can and can't be asked of a person. Some fakes have gone so far as to train their dogs a task, like retrieving, even though it doesn't mitigate their disability (or fake disability, if they're not at all disabled). Some fakes have also purchased the IDs/certifications from the online dealers.

I worked and waited too hard and long for my service dog to allow ANYONE to "fake-it" with a vest that they purchased "on-line!"

Many real teams do use vests, harnesses, or other gear that they have purchased online. So, be careful as to not make a mistake. Remember that not everybody has certification/ID or is willing to show it to a complete stranger, especially if the stranger is potentially accusing them of being a fake. (The best way to ask questions would be as a light-hearted, casual conversation between two potential SD teams instead of an accusatory conversation.)

It's up to us to make sure that the "fakes" are found out and that it not be made easy for them to bring their "pets" into the public venue!!!!!

Some businesses will not kick out a fake out of fear that they will be sued.

The vests that are given to CCI graduates can not be gotten any way, except thru CCI. The detailed "logo" on both sides can not be easily copied!!!!!!!

I've seen either used vests of copies of the CCI patch on eBay in the past (as well as copied patches and used harnesses from other programs). :mad:

Another reason why "Permits" and documentation should ALWAYS be asked for and shown in the public arena!

Except that it is illegal in the United States for a business to require such paperwork/certification. Not all teams have it, not all teams that do have it carry it with them, not all teams want to show it.

Any paperwork can be falsified, it would just make it more work for the "fakes!" And, of course, if the dog were behaving badly (even if licensed), they could be asked to leave.......................

 

Unfortunately, many fakes prob'ly would falsify any paperwork if the law was changed to require such. Some have fake IDs/certifications already.

Yes, it is good to remind businesses that ANY dog - even a certified or program-trained service dog - that is misbehaving and the handler cannot regain control (i.e. dog continuously barking during a movie) can be legally kicked out of their business.