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

[wizard-of-roz]

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!

 

Welcome: We've taken Princess, HAL and Carnival to Alaska.

 

1. The people to contact at Princess: Access Compliance Dept. Email: accessoffice@princesscruises.com. Fax: 661-284-4408. The person we've been in contact with at Princess is Cassandra Palomino.

 

2. The people to contact at Carnival: Special Needs Dept. Email: Specialneeds@Carnival.com. Ph: 1-800-438-6744 - Ext: 70344

 

3. Holland America Line: 1-800-426-0327

 

I really like them all. I've done Princess most because of convenience, their frequent cruising package perks, and because they start putting the potty box on my veranda, which made the entire cruise so much easier for me.

 

Your Service Dog is allowed to go into ANY cabin that you purchase; from a Suite to an Inside. And, can go into any area of the ship that YOU are allowed to go into. The key is to ALWAYS make sure that your dog is acting appropriately, is toileted regularly and is NEVER fed off tables, sinks or counters in a public space. Feed, toilet and groom your dog in private.

 

You will need the Aphis 7001 Form to be filled out by your Vet [not all Vets have these forms.] Ask yours if he does and if not for a recommendation to one who has the capability of examining your Service Dog and giving you a completed form. Your dog MUST be current on all vaccinations.

 

The only place that you may have issues in terms of your dog gaining access will be Canada. They don't have to follow ADA Laws, although they do have laws for Service Animals. Be prepared, if you do go into port in Vancouver to be asked about your dog or be asked to leave a specific place.

 

Most of all, HAVE FUN! Other passengers will be so curious about you and your dog. When you travel out in the world, you represent ALL of us!

[roohound]

Roz,

 

Thank you *so* much for that info! That's exactly what I needed!

 

The cruise we're looking at is RT Seattle and the only Canada stop we have is a 4 or 5 hour stop in Victoria. We figured for the first cruise, the more USA stops we have the better - to get our feet wet so to speak :)

 

Our goal is definitely to be great ambassadors. Do you allow people to pet your dog or just hope people to ask permission? Our boy is doing awesome in training right now. Has no problem being quiet under a table and doesn't beg for food.

 

Are excursions a royal pain to deal with? I'm not sure yet what excursions we'll be doing but I'd like to hear what your thoughts are in general.

 

Thanks again! This is all new to us and your sharing your knowledge is really appreciated!

[Krypti]

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!

 

Hi! Here's what I've learned from this wonderful thread:

 

I believe the only place you can't go with your service dog is into the pool. I'm not sure about the pool decking area/area surrounding the pool.

 

Other than that, normal public access laws apply. You CAN bring your dog to buffet lines and all restaurants, but you can't bring your dog to the kitchen.

 

You CANNOT leave your dog unattended in your stateroom, even in a crate.

 

You can book any room you like, and you will not be charged for normal wear and tear (including things like shedding). You will also not be charged extra for the dog.

 

You must feed your dog inside your room. You cannot feed your dog in public areas.

 

Once you contact the cruise line (and I can't find the contact info, sorry!) they'll arrange a potty area. On RCI, this is a 4x4 box of mulch (possibly sod). Ask someone to show you there on the first day -- don't expect to find it yourself. And if you don't like where they put it (near a smoking area, for example, where people might be tempted to use it to dispose of their cigarettes), you can ask them to move it, within reason.

 

Basically, follow all the rules you learned in your public access training, and you should be good to go. :D

 

I think I got all this right! Good luck!

[Krypti]

Roz,

 

Thank you *so* much for that info! That's exactly what I needed!

 

The cruise we're looking at is RT Seattle and the only Canada stop we have is a 4 or 5 hour stop in Victoria. We figured for the first cruise, the more USA stops we have the better - to get our feet wet so to speak :)

 

Our goal is definitely to be great ambassadors. Do you allow people to pet your dog or just hope people to ask permission? Our boy is doing awesome in training right now. Has no problem being quiet under a table and doesn't beg for food.

 

Are excursions a royal pain to deal with? I'm not sure yet what excursions we'll be doing but I'd like to hear what your thoughts are in general.

 

Thanks again! This is all new to us and your sharing your knowledge is really appreciated!

 

Regarding petting, that's your choice. However, most medical alert dogs should not be distracted, so having people pet them is generally a bad idea. There's a rather famous story about someone who disrupted a seizure alert dog by interacting with it without its handler's permission, and the dog missed the alert for a seizure. The handler ended up injured because the dog was distracted and didn't alert her in time to get somewhere safe.

 

So, if he's feeling well and thinks the dog won't be distracted, that's up to him. But otherwise, in our training school, alert dogs are never to be distracted.

 

Our school vests have a "DO NOT PET" patch.

 

Note that when my husband and I go on our cruise next year, my dog probably won't be wearing his vest, due to the heat. (He's a chow/golden mix.) Because of that, I purchased two leash sleeves.

 

 

My dog is for PTSD, so I sometimes welcome people interacting with him -- hence the "Ask to Pet" sleeve. Other times, I want people to keep their distance, not that people always do. You'll always get kids who run up to pet, whether you like it or not, and sometimes adults either don't notice the patches/sleeves or think they're the exception to the rule.

 

I also carry these business cards:

[Krypti]

Wow, sorry those pics came out huge! The two leash sleeve pictures are the same size on my end. :o

[wizard-of-roz]

Roz,

 

Thank you *so* much for that info! That's exactly what I needed!

 

The cruise we're looking at is RT Seattle and the only Canada stop we have is a 4 or 5 hour stop in Victoria. We figured for the first cruise, the more USA stops we have the better - to get our feet wet so to speak :)

 

Our goal is definitely to be great ambassadors. Do you allow people to pet your dog or just hope people to ask permission? Our boy is doing awesome in training right now. Has no problem being quiet under a table and doesn't beg for food.

 

Are excursions a royal pain to deal with? I'm not sure yet what excursions we'll be doing but I'd like to hear what your thoughts are in general.

 

Thanks again! This is all new to us and your sharing your knowledge is really appreciated!

 

I ALWAYS allow for petting. People are missing their pets and when they see our wonderful dogs [and, they've heard so much about Service Dogs], they're in awe of our amazing dogs. I NEVER allow people to just reach down and touch Horton. I ask him to "sit" and then I direct them to pat away!

 

I loved the White Pass Railway excursion; the visit to the Inuit's talk, which was part of the tram ride and the eagles nest, that we saw while on the tram. We didn't go to the dog sledding areas [but we did get a wonderful talk from Libby Riddle in one of the lounges.] She had raced the Iditerod [sp] and shared some fabulous videos and told us some truly great stories. She fell in love with my first Service Dog, Brenda. There was standing room only for this.

 

There's lots to see in Alaska and while there are some things you have to be careful of, there's lots more than you can ever imagine!

[wizard-of-roz]

I just re-read my last post. I'm so sorry for being so disjointed. I'm at work and it seems every time I wanted to write something, there was someone else who needed something.

 

I hope you got the gist of what I was trying to say.

 

If you get a cabin without a veranda you will want to go up on one of the decks and just witness some of the scenery that Alaska offers. It's purely breath taking.

 

Your dog will NOT be allowed in any of the pools onboard. He/she may lay near the pool area but in warm weather climates, the pool decking can get so hot that the dogs pads would be burning and in Alaska it could be too cold. Some ships have indoor pools and you will want to make sure that your dog is not in the way of swimmers or loungers.

 

Most folks onboard a cruise are not expecting a dog in the area. So, be careful in the theatres and in the dining rooms. Make sure that you place your dog in a safe area so no one is tripping on or rolling over his paws and tail.

[Caribbean Chris]

Welcome, roohound. There's a great deal of info available here in this "community" and the search feature may come in handy. I'm thinking about booking an Alaska cruise with my Hearing Dog in 2017, so thanks for asking about excursions.

 

When people approach, I look on it as a chance to mention the wonderful work of nonprofit Dogs for the Deaf...I also allow petting if asked, and of course try to control the situation but sometimes I've had "sneak attacks" on the dog from the back when I'm walking. Amazing that people do that! The crew can be the biggest offenders, calling the dog's name or running up to her when we are just getting her settled, alas. But of course they miss their dogs far away. And Raylene loves being the center of attention.

[Caribbean Chris]

Another thing to remember is to ask the cruiseline staff in advance and after boarding to always provide you a table by a wall or full partition. It gives you the chance to put the dog (+ tail) out of the traffic flow. Mention it to the dining room managers including specialty surcharge restaurants too.

 

I've had the best results for dinners by requesting a table for two in a fixed seating vs. "anytime" arrangements. Often we have a table or space suited for a four-top for the two of us + dog, which is extremely helpful.

[Dryice]

Hello. I have a question. This is the first cruise I am taking with my service dog. My dog uses the treadmill to run on days that I don't have much energy to help with his exercise. I realize that they are not allowed on furniture and such and that is no problem but are they allowed to use the treadmil? I called Royal Caribbean and they said that they are restricted to use the spa and pool; common sense I would think but maybe some fool has tried. They did say that they are allowed in the gym but said to ask once on the ship if he can use a treadmill. I prefer to know before I board as I will have to come up with some alternate exercise options for him. He is a medium size dog; 30 pounds.

[wizard-of-roz]

Hello. I have a question. This is the first cruise I am taking with my service dog. My dog uses the treadmill to run on days that I don't have much energy to help with his exercise. I realize that they are not allowed on furniture and such and that is no problem but are they allowed to use the treadmil? I called Royal Caribbean and they said that they are restricted to use the spa and pool; common sense I would think but maybe some fool has tried. They did say that they are allowed in the gym but said to ask once on the ship if he can use a treadmill. I prefer to know before I board as I will have to come up with some alternate exercise options for him. He is a medium size dog; 30 pounds.

 

The long answer is: If there is no one waiting to use the treadmill and after you've cleared it with the Hotel Manager or the person in charge of the gym area, then yes he may use it. But, if there is a line then you must allow the passengers first. I always bring a ball or two and find an empty lounge and allow Horton to run and romp around the lounge with his ball. If there's a passenger or two inside I always ask if they would mind if I throw the ball and exercise him. It never fails that a few passengers want to throw the ball too!

 

You can walk your dog on the promenade deck a few times for some great outside exercise too!

[wizard-of-roz]

Did you guys see who Princess is having as entertainment on their Alaskan cruises: "Puppies in the Piazza" - They're going to bring Sled Dog Puppies into the Piazza and their trainers to talk about the training program and allow the passengers to interact with the pups. OMG! I want to book a cruise right now!

 

They're going to do it onboard the Crown, Star Ruby, Island, Coral and Grand Princess. This is a first. Horton's going to love the pups!!!

[S.S. Cruisers]

Did you guys see who Princess is having as entertainment on their Alaskan cruises: "Puppies in the Piazza" - They're going to bring Sled Dog Puppies into the Piazza and their trainers to talk about the training program and allow the passengers to interact with the pups. OMG! I want to book a cruise right now!

 

They're going to do it onboard the Crown, Star Ruby, Island, Coral and Grand Princess. This is a first. Horton's going to love the pups!!!

How pawsome is this?!!!:D

[wizard-of-roz]

How pawsome is this?!!!:D

 

Just when I thought I'd try another cruise line Princess pulls me right back in!

 

I can't think of anything that passengers will go more nuts over than Sled Dog Pups......How smart of them!

[Algebralovr]

Greetings! We are back from two weeks on the Celebrity Silhouette. My dear friend since preschool kept Scooter while we were gone, and he grew so much! He is all leg now! She even kept his litter mate while his human joined me for one of the weeks. That is a great friend!

 

Now to get him started on real training. We are doing well with toileting, he does a decent job at coming when called and we've started on fetch. Yesterday, we spent 30 minutes playing fetch with a ball and another toy. He did a great job fetching and dropping.

 

He is starting to get over his fear of stairs, too. He still refuses some of them, but does well on the steps at the front of the house. He also did well on a set of extra wide ones on campus last night. He refuses the open ones to the basement, but it is something to work on.

 

On the plus side, I'm walking more, which should help with the post-cruise weight loss goal. :)

 

I'll upload photos soon!

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[wizard-of-roz]

Greetings! We are back from two weeks on the Celebrity Silhouette. My dear friend since preschool kept Scooter while we were gone, and he grew so much! He is all leg now! She even kept his litter mate while his human joined me for one of the weeks. That is a great friend!

 

Now to get him started on real training. We are doing well with toileting, he does a decent job at coming when called and we've started on fetch. Yesterday, we spent 30 minutes playing fetch with a ball and another toy. He did a great job fetching and dropping.

 

He is starting to get over his fear of stairs, too. He still refuses some of them, but does well on the steps at the front of the house. He also did well on a set of extra wide ones on campus last night. He refuses the open ones to the basement, but it is something to work on.

 

On the plus side, I'm walking more, which should help with the post-cruise weight loss goal. :)

 

I'll upload photos soon!

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

 

Barb, welcome back. I hope you had a wonderful cruise. You sure do have some great friends.

 

Stairs were ALWAYS a problem with Brenda [my first SD.] Horton thinks that stairs were made for him to play on!

 

If CCI were to keep every Service Dog from graduating because of their various idiosyncrasies there would be no Service Dogs in the world. They look for strengths in the most important areas and expect us to work through the "silliness!"

 

Of course, there are some habits that can NOT be overlooked!!!! And, unfortunately or fortunately, some of the dogs become permanently, well trained "pets" for a few very lucky people!

Edited March 1, 2016 by wizard-of-roz

[rangeley]

Cindy,

I see you were on the NCL Escape, is there any tips you can give this newbie? We will be on the Escape in May. This is our first time traveling with a service dog so anything will help. We have 2 connecting mini-suites so I'm hoping they will put the potty box on our balcony. I'm was really hoping when they said sandbox it was going to be sand since Jemma refuses to go on anything but grass or dirt.

 

 

Roz,

If we ever make it out to Cali I would love to introduce you to Jemma. Though you might fall in love with her😍

 

There's ship was great. They had hamster bedding that wex hated. I'm not sure how sand would work on the balcony.

Edited March 1, 2016 by rangeley

[wizard-of-roz]

There's ship was great. They had hamster bedding that wex hated. I'm not sure how sand would work on the balcony.

 

Sand is horrible.......Labs have webbed paws so the dang stuff sticks in between and then they track it onto the carpeting, it's awful.

 

Hamster bedding is what they used on one of our cruises onboard the Crown Princess.......they had to use two whole huge bags to fill the potty box enough so that when Horton turned around it didn't all get displaced.

 

I am bringing my own artificial turf that I will lay on top of whatever "crap" the ship decides to use.

 

Ships.....If you're reading this.........Please use Cyprus or Cedar Mulch.....PLEASE!!!!

[Krypti]

Sand is horrible.......Labs have webbed paws so the dang stuff sticks in between and then they track it onto the carpeting, it's awful.

 

Hamster bedding is what they used on one of our cruises onboard the Crown Princess.......they had to use two whole huge bags to fill the potty box enough so that when Horton turned around it didn't all get displaced.

 

I am bringing my own artificial turf that I will lay on top of whatever "crap" the ship decides to use.

 

Ships.....If you're reading this.........Please use Cyprus or Cedar Mulch.....PLEASE!!!!

 

Does Horton prefer mulch? I know that's what RCI uses, and that's who we're cruising with next year.

 

I was going to build a potty box so I could train Darian to quickly go on mulch (right now, he's a marker, so he prefers going on vertical surfaces) but living in Arizona means the mulch will get infested with scorpions in about a minute and a half. :(

 

Instead, we're working on really reinforcing the "Better go now!" command.

[wizard-of-roz]

Does Horton prefer mulch? I know that's what RCI uses, and that's who we're cruising with next year.

 

I was going to build a potty box so I could train Darian to quickly go on mulch (right now, he's a marker, so he prefers going on vertical surfaces) but living in Arizona means the mulch will get infested with scorpions in about a minute and a half. :(

 

Instead, we're working on really reinforcing the "Better go now!" command.

 

The vertical thing can be tough in public and especially onboard an enclosed environment like a cruise ship. Vertical is so inviting and so embarrassing when it's a lovely Grecian Urn.

 

I do like mulch and if it's possible use Cedar. I sprinkle baby powder around the outside of the box [ants hate baby powder] and it doesn't hurt the dogs. I also sprinkle it on the door jam into the house. I spray the mulch with Clorox Bleach [i use the bathroom cleaner] and spray the artificial turf [top & underside] morning and night. Between the baby powder and the bleach bugs hate me!!!!!

 

If you have a dog that you think may lick the bleach spray......DON'T US IT! Neither one of my dogs were interested in licking the bleach. Be careful and watch closely. This is especially something you will want to watch if you're training puppies to use the box. If you have a dog whose just too curious about the bleach, don't spray the top of the artificial grass.

 

Remember, our dogs safety ALWAYS comes before anything!!!!

[Krypti]

The vertical thing can be tough in public and especially onboard an enclosed environment like a cruise ship. Vertical is so inviting and so embarrassing when it's a lovely Grecian Urn.

 

I do like mulch and if it's possible use Cedar. I sprinkle baby powder around the outside of the box [ants hate baby powder] and it doesn't hurt the dogs. I also sprinkle it on the door jam into the house. I spray the mulch with Clorox Bleach [i use the bathroom cleaner] and spray the artificial turf [top & underside] morning and night. Between the baby powder and the bleach bugs hate me!!!!!

 

If you have a dog that you think may lick the bleach spray......DON'T US IT! Neither one of my dogs were interested in licking the bleach. Be careful and watch closely. This is especially something you will want to watch if you're training puppies to use the box. If you have a dog whose just too curious about the bleach, don't spray the top of the artificial grass.

 

Remember, our dogs safety ALWAYS comes before anything!!!!

 

Hmm. I wonder if that would work on scorpions. The only thing I *know* works on them is a blowtorch. (I spend nine or ten months out of the year hunting scorpions in the backyard in hopes of keeping them out of the house.)

 

Darian wouldn't lick the bleach, but he's very enthusiastic about sniffing, and I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with him sniffing up bleach fumes and baby powder.

 

Artificial grass, though... That might be a perfect idea. Do you put it in a public potty box or do you arrange for a special potty box on your balcony? I'm not sure the husband would like that, since he's looking forward to hanging out on the balcony.

 

I was thinking of bringing something I could use as a vertical surface, like a plastic tent stake. I also saw on the RCI website:

We provide 4 feet by 4 feet relief areas with cypress mulch to accommodate service dogs. Sod for sailings from the U.S. can be provided if ordered in advance and is available.

 

Darian might prefer sod, but I don't know. It's so rare that he actually gets anywhere near grass. Our whole yard is rock and cacti.

[Caribbean Chris]

.... I also saw on the RCI website:

We provide 4 feet by 4 feet relief areas with cypress mulch to accommodate service dogs. Sod for sailings from the U.S. can be provided if ordered in advance and is available.

 

Darian might prefer sod, but I don't know. It's so rare that he actually gets anywhere near grass. Our whole yard is rock and cacti.

 

Something to be aware of: what the head office or website says the ship will provide may not resemble what you'll find upon boarding.

 

Cypress mulch can in reality turn out to be very unsatisfactory pine shavings, bagged and labeled for hamsters/rabbits, in my experience.

 

Service dogs will do their best to deal with what's available and use it on command (like miles of pavement in NYC where all grass is fenced off behind locked gates.) But I agree with Roz that Cypress mulch is ideal, if only they would stock it.

[wizard-of-roz]

Hmm. I wonder if that would work on scorpions. The only thing I *know* works on them is a blowtorch. (I spend nine or ten months out of the year hunting scorpions in the backyard in hopes of keeping them out of the house.)

 

Darian wouldn't lick the bleach, but he's very enthusiastic about sniffing, and I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with him sniffing up bleach fumes and baby powder.

 

Artificial grass, though... That might be a perfect idea. Do you put it in a public potty box or do you arrange for a special potty box on your balcony? I'm not sure the husband would like that, since he's looking forward to hanging out on the balcony.

 

I was thinking of bringing something I could use as a vertical surface, like a plastic tent stake. I also saw on the RCI website:

We provide 4 feet by 4 feet relief areas with cypress mulch to accommodate service dogs. Sod for sailings from the U.S. can be provided if ordered in advance and is available.

 

Darian might prefer sod, but I don't know. It's so rare that he actually gets anywhere near grass. Our whole yard is rock and cacti.

 

I knew that I wanted to cruise with my Service Dog and that meant that him/her going potty would have to be pretty unique. So, my DH set out to build something that I could train Brenda on that could be available on every cruise ship we went on. We went to a truck stop and bought an oil pan for eighteen wheelers, filled it with kitty litter, put it on our patio and the training began [the kitty litter was awful.] I trained her on kitty litter, rock, pea gravel, sand, wood shavings, grass, dirt.....you name it. The main idea was to keep her in a confined space [box] and have her get used to going potty in it without fussing. It worked. I changed the oil pan to a 4x5 box lined with a heavy duty plastic, filled with sod and then mulch from the garden center. I use artificial turf [at home] to cover whatever I'm using........my dogs love the artificial stuff.

 

Cruising was a breeze for Brenda and is now so easy for Horton because they both use[d] a potty box 98% of the time [at home and at work.]

 

I love the Mini-Suites on Emerald Deck on most Princess ships. The balconies are wrap-arounds and have lots of room for the potty-box.

 

Because the balcony is exposed to lots of wind and weather, the potty box really isn't a problem to share the space with. I also will use the closest stairwell or crew closet.

Edited March 2, 2016 by wizard-of-roz

[Krypti]

I knew that I wanted to cruise with my Service Dog and that meant that him/her going potty would have to be pretty unique. So, my DH set out to build something that I could train Brenda on that could be available on every cruise ship we went on. We went to a truck stop and bought an oil pan for eighteen wheelers, filled it with kitty litter, put it on our patio and the training began [the kitty litter was awful.] I trained her on kitty litter, rock, pea gravel, sand, wood shavings, grass, dirt.....you name it. The main idea was to keep her in a confined space [box] and have her get used to going potty in it without fussing. It worked. I changed the oil pan to a 4x5 box lined with a heavy duty plastic, filled with sod and then mulch from the garden center. I use artificial turf [at home] to cover whatever I'm using........my dogs love the artificial stuff.

 

Cruising was a breeze for Brenda and is now so easy for Horton because they both use[d] a potty box 98% of the time [at home and at work.]

 

I love the Mini-Suites on Emerald Deck on most Princess ships. The balconies are wrap-arounds and have lots of room for the potty-box.

 

Because the balcony is exposed to lots of wind and weather, the potty box really isn't a problem to share the space with. I also will use the closest stairwell or crew closet.

 

The oil pan is a really, really good idea. Definitely better than asking DH to build something. I'll also try to get him to go on different surfaces as we travel, though there's not much variety here in Arizona -- rocks, pea gravel, and very rare grass is about it. Things may be different in Las Vegas, where we're going to an author/reader conference next month.

 

Something to be aware of: what the head office or website says the ship will provide may not resemble what you'll find upon boarding.

 

Cypress mulch can in reality turn out to be very unsatisfactory pine shavings, bagged and labeled for hamsters/rabbits, in my experience.

 

Service dogs will do their best to deal with what's available and use it on command (like miles of pavement in NYC where all grass is fenced off behind locked gates.) But I agree with Roz that Cypress mulch is ideal, if only they would stock it.

 

I didn't get my service dog through an organization like CCI or Guide Dogs for the Blind, so he didn't come to me pre-trained. I'm owner-training him with the help of weekly classes at Leashes for Living Assistance Dog School. I've had him since he was eight weeks old, and he just turned nine years old. I socialized and obedience trained him through Petsmart when he was a puppy, and when I took him for a service dog evaluation last October, I was fortunate that he remembered his training, was calm and rock steady, and was attentive enough to use him as a service dog immediately while waiting for a puppy.

 

When I get the puppy, hopefully this June or July, I'll be training him to all sorts of new behaviors, including "Better go now!" on all different surfaces. My existing service dog, though, is still working on this, because I'm going up against eight and a half years of his habit of going through the dog door to relieve himself on gravel in my backyard, and nowhere else.

[wizard-of-roz]

The oil pan is a really, really good idea. Definitely better than asking DH to build something. I'll also try to get him to go on different surfaces as we travel, though there's not much variety here in Arizona -- rocks, pea gravel, and very rare grass is about it. Things may be different in Las Vegas, where we're going to an author/reader conference next month.

 

 

 

I didn't get my service dog through an organization like CCI or Guide Dogs for the Blind, so he didn't come to me pre-trained. I'm owner-training him with the help of weekly classes at Leashes for Living Assistance Dog School. I've had him since he was eight weeks old, and he just turned nine years old. I socialized and obedience trained him through Petsmart when he was a puppy, and when I took him for a service dog evaluation last October, I was fortunate that he remembered his training, was calm and rock steady, and was attentive enough to use him as a service dog immediately while waiting for a puppy.

 

When I get the puppy, hopefully this June or July, I'll be training him to all sorts of new behaviors, including "Better go now!" on all different surfaces. My existing service dog, though, is still working on this, because I'm going up against eight and a half years of his habit of going through the dog door to relieve himself on gravel in my backyard, and nowhere else.

 

You know what trainers say......"Dogs are NEVER too old to learn new tricks!" It's just lots and lots of work, as you well know.

 

Your dog is attentive because you work with him are probably "rock solid" on your expectations of him. Good job!

Edited March 2, 2016 by wizard-of-roz