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

A cat would be a lot less work for you, you can leave them alone for the day (no doggie daycare) and you can even leave them for the weekend without getting a sitter. Might not be as good of company for the dog though. My dog and cats just basically ignored each other.

 

Dianne

Dianne, that's what I've been told. That they wouldn't really wouldn't be the greatest company or a "playmate" for Horton.

Thanks for your insights I so appreciate your honesty.

What a lovely photo! I just love seeing these dogs - and their peeps - she clearly adores her Mum! even though she makes her wear this silly blue coat! ;):) btw was I correct in thinking you did get Raylene sooner than expected?

Thanks, Fairbourne! Yes, you are very kind to remember... just six months, start to finish.

The trainer said it was a very unusual scenario. I had applied for a dog Certified for Public Access, since I travel for my job. Dogs for the Deaf had received four "career change" Labs at once from Guide Dogs for the Blind, and expected one out of four to finish training, as is typical. All four did well, and the trainers kept an eye on applications, looking for the right partners. (Most DFD pups are smaller shelter rescues, and some are trained for sound alert work only in the home, not public access.)

Looking forward to hearing how Aruba's "sleepover" goes! Have a fun evening at the theatre.

Hopefully it will be soon, I know it won't be at least until February though. We have a transatlantic cruise at the beginning of November which is when the next training is scheduled (I just made our final payment so I know I won't be able to go to that one.) The next training will be in February.

 

That is quite a list of things to take for Aruba's sleepover!

 

Dianne

You're so smart to make plans and living your life to the fullest. It will help to make the time go by quicker. Just think, soon you'll be able to take your Service Dog with you when you cruise. Life is just so much better with a Service Dog in it!!!! :)

I definitely will let you all know. I think its going to be a while since I have only been on the waiting list for six months. Hopefully by this time next year I will have my dog. In the meantime, I will follow along here to enjoy hearing about everyone else's dogs.

 

Dianne

Keep us posted! Your future dog will have lots of interested aunts and uncles here already before he/she even arrives.

Roz,

 

There is an animal rescue group call Precious Paws in Southern California. They are very good at knowing their cats and the type of situation that would work with each animal.

Thank you so much for this information. That's exactly the type of org. I'd want to contact. :)

Keep us posted! Your future dog will have lots of interested aunts and uncles here already before he/she even arrives.

That is so true.......I remember what waiting felt like and besides being so excited I was very nervous. I felt the very same way getting Horton. I think CCI likes to know that their people are excited and happy about the whole experience.

Love,

Auntie Roz & Cousin Horton

DKD, I just got time to read the story about your amazing family. It is wonderful! This will go so far to educate people who read it. (Of course I am sharing it with everybody I know.) Thank you for being willing to share your experience with all of us!

Beckie

What a beautiful picture of a gorgeous dog. I see the harness that you use. Can you please explain the use of what looks like two harness's. Why don't you use a collar around Raylene's neck [i see that she's wearing a collar], but it looks like your using something different? Do you like what you're using better and why?

Here's the scoop on that "Freedom No-pull Harness." I use it clipped to the top metal ring for Raylene's fun walks (what her trainer calls, "Dog being a dog walks.") We bought it during Training Week, and I like the way it distributes pressure evenly if the dog pulls.

In more dicey situations when there's a lot of potential pulling, the leash is designed to easily double over fast and you can clip onto the front metal ring too, as in that photo.

When she's working indoors in her vest (museum, grocery store, etc), I just clip her orange leash onto the orange official collar and she heels pretty well, no problem. However, sometimes this summer I put her orange vest over top of the harness in a pinch to be sure I had plenty of control when we were going in and out of buildings. You can imagine what the streets of New York city were like.

Raylene is more sniff-oriented than food-oriented, if you can believe it, and would take a dive toward a good whiff of a lizard or toad if I had filet mignon in my pocket. Her original trainer the other day said mentioned she had used a fabric Martingale collar during training (not the chain kind), and that I might want to get one, so I did.

So we're working on that pulling - both in uniform and out - and resuming a few more training sessions Monday with a local trainer we love.

I think people assume the dogs arrive like little programmed robots, but they (and partner!) really need and benefit from plenty of ongoing training after they arrive. I don't have to tell you - it's all about the 3Ps, Practice, patience and praise!

Hey Everybody! Just checking in again to ask if any of your employers have participated in the ALS challenge. Yesterday after work lots of folks from my office gathered together and poured on the ice buckets. I couldn't stay since I had to get home to my family. However I wanted to share this link with the video of my co-workers lead by one of the company's owners. (Hope you can view it.)

https://vimeo.com/104022267

Thanks!

Beckie

Here's the scoop on that "Freedom No-pull Harness." I use it clipped to the top metal ring for Raylene's fun walks (what her trainer calls, "Dog being a dog walks.") We bought it during Training Week, and I like the way it distributes pressure evenly if the dog pulls.

 

In more dicey situations when there's a lot of potential pulling, the leash is designed to easily double over fast and you can clip onto the front metal ring too, as in that photo.

 

When she's working indoors in her vest (museum, grocery store, etc), I just clip her orange leash onto the orange official collar and she heels pretty well, no problem. However, sometimes this summer I put her orange vest over top of the harness in a pinch to be sure I had plenty of control when we were going in and out of buildings. You can imagine what the streets of New York city were like.

 

Raylene is more sniff-oriented than food-oriented, if you can believe it, and would take a dive toward a good whiff of a lizard or toad if I had filet mignon in my pocket. Her original trainer the other day said mentioned she had used a fabric Martingale collar during training (not the chain kind), and that I might want to get one, so I did.

 

So we're working on that pulling - both in uniform and out - and resuming a few more training sessions Monday with a local trainer we love.

 

I think people assume the dogs arrive like little programmed robots, but they (and partner!) really need and benefit from plenty of ongoing training after they arrive. I don't have to tell you - it's all about the 3Ps, Practice, patience and praise!

Horton is "sniff" and "food driven" but he's not a "lunger" like Brenda was. Thank goodness because he could really knock or pull me off my feet! He's so big!

Thank you so much for the great information. It sounds like Raylene really got lucky having you as her handler. ♥

Hey Everybody! Just checking in again to ask if any of your employers have participated in the ALS challenge. Yesterday after work lots of folks from my office gathered together and poured on the ice buckets. I couldn't stay since I had to get home to my family. However I wanted to share this link with the video of my co-workers lead by one of the company's owners. (Hope you can view it.)

 

https://vimeo.com/104022267

 

 

Thanks!

Beckie

Good job! You work for a great company! Thanks for sharing their efforts with us!

Just caught up on all the happenings here. Great article, DKD. Thanks everyone for the pics. (DKD, I use photobucket, too.)

Roz, are you and Horton going to CCI's Haute Dog LA ? If you are going, I'll join you. :)

Just caught up on all the happenings here. Great article, DKD. Thanks everyone for the pics. (DKD, I use photobucket, too.)

 

Roz, are you and Horton going to CCI's Haute Dog LA ? If you are going, I'll join you. :)

Marcia, Horton is going to be one of the models. I'd love to see you there. I have to leave work earlier so that we can make it on time.

I love silent auctions......they're so much fun!

See you there!

Marcia, Horton is going to be one of the models. I'd love to see you there. I have to leave work earlier so that we can make it on time.

 

I love silent auctions......they're so much fun!

 

See you there!

Cool! It's on my calendar! :)

Cool! It's on my calendar! :)

Yay, a great reason to have a cocktail together. See you then!

I'm sorry, I realize how rude that was.......Anyone who would like to support Canine Companions for Independence and see Horton model, this is your opportunity. It's at The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 6:30pm.

I don't want to break any rules here on CC by advertising. But, if you'd like to help a premier dog training organization this would be the way. And, we'd get a chance to meet you at the same time. ♥

That sounds like so much fun, Roz & Dobiemom! Wish we lived on the west coast. Have a cocktail for me and Raylene!

That sounds like so much fun, Roz & Dobiemom! Wish we lived on the west coast. Have a cocktail for me and Raylene!

It would be so much fun and great opportunity for all of us to meet! I will definitely have a cocktail [or two] in honor of all my CC friends!!!!! ♥

So, Horton and I are at Target last night [on our way home from work.] And, I'm looking off in the distance, as I'm loading up my car, and I see a man in a wheelchair and a Black Dog beside him. He's slowly gathering a crowd of people who are hugging each other and I'm so curious, I get in my car and drive right up to the crowd. I introduce myself; he graduated from CCI last Friday with his Service Dog, Tammy. [she looked exactly like Brenda when she was young.] ♥

The crowd around him were family members all meeting to go out to celebrate together. He was so excited about being out in the world and having his new partner right beside him.

On the other hand Tammy looked so much like a "deer in the headlights!" You could see in her face that she was feeling a bit awkward, slightly shy, ears back and head down. Then, something magic happened; Horton sat up and she saw him and her whole demeanor and face changed. Her eyes got big, her ears went forward and you could see she was connecting and not feeling so alone anymore.

I knew if I parked my car and took Horton out to meet Tammy these folks would never get to their dinner plans. So, I bid them all a huge CONGRATULATIONS and a fond farewell. I told him his life was going to change in the most wonderful way!

I get so excited when I see another dog wearing the CCI Vest out in the world!

Keep us posted! Your future dog will have lots of interested aunts and uncles here already before he/she even arrives.

Hopefully I will be lucky too and not have to wait for two years. Love the picture of your dog, she is beautiful!

You're so smart to make plans and living your life to the fullest. It will help to make the time go by quicker. Just think, soon you'll be able to take your Service Dog with you when you cruise. Life is just so much better with a Service Dog in it!!!! :)

I am definitely looking forward to taking my dog cruising. I don't think I would do a transatlantic (which is what we have done for our last three cruises), at least not for the first one. We will look into cruising to Alaska or Hawaii first. It would be just my luck to get into the November training and have to turn it down, but we had this cruise booked before I got on the waiting list. I am keeping my fingers crossed for February.

Dianne

I'm sorry, I realize how rude that was.......Anyone who would like to support Canine Companions for Independence and see Horton model, this is your opportunity. It's at The Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel, on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 at 6:30pm.

 

I don't want to break any rules here on CC by advertising. But, if you'd like to help a premier dog training organization this would be the way. And, we'd get a chance to meet you at the same time. ♥

Oh gosh, I didn't mean to be rude either. I just figured that since Roz is in SoCal she might be going. But if anyone else is in the area, I would LOVE to meet you, too! So come on out and support CCI's Haute Dog LA!

I am definitely looking forward to taking my dog cruising. I don't think I would do a transatlantic (which is what we have done for our last three cruises), at least not for the first one. We will look into cruising to Alaska or Hawaii first. It would be just my luck to get into the November training and have to turn it down, but we had this cruise booked before I got on the waiting list. I am keeping my fingers crossed for February.

 

Dianne

When I was invited to go to Team Training for my Successor Dog we also had a cruise planned and I had to refuse the invite. I became so stressed because of the timing and worried that I missed an opportunity. They only offer TT at certain times of the year and if you miss one you may have to wait months for another, what can you do?

It took an extra 5 months because they had to do more research on their waiting list, move folks around, check out the right dogs for the right person, etc., etc. It's a fine tune machine this CCI Team Training thing.

As it was Horton and I were put into a "side placement." Which means there was no TT class available for us, not until the following year and I needed a dog. CCI knew that. So, it was Ken [the trainer], me and 3 dogs I was being matched with. I lived at CCI for one week while I worked with all 3 dogs and I took the written tests, the public access tests and was sent home with Horton. I was invited to come back in 3 months to graduate with the next class. I didn't have to have the ceremony but I wanted the whole experience. Morey and Brenda came with Horton and me to watch us graduate.

So much has happened to change Horton's and my world. We have each other, he's my family now [when my kids aren't around] and he's made a world of difference in my world! ♥

There's a dog for you if CCI accepts you. They know what they're doing and very, very rarely make mistakes. Trust their decisions, wait and, I promise you, you won't be sorry!!!!!

I trust their techniques and training styles. I'm so, so glad I missed the class I did and had to wait for Horton. He's everything I ever wanted in a dog!!!!

Quam, you will meet the puppy before it goes to formal training? Wow! That is so different than CCI. We can't meet our dogs until they've been formally trained and then we spend two weeks at CCI, working with various dogs and then are matched with the dog that the trainers feel works best with us. At the end of the two weeks we graduate and get to meet the Puppy Raisers. It's a very emotional and heartwarming ceremony.

 

The two weeks are the most grueling two weeks I've ever spent in my life. But, as you know, so worth it.

 

Good luck with meeting the puppy. Will you be keeping your retired Service Dog?

Yup, that's one of the great things about going with a private service dog trainer instead of a large program - you pick your own dog (with the trainer's help or the trainer later okays the dog), who you own from the start, and you either board-and-train it or help train it while it lives with you. My current service dog I helped train while she lived with me and she was between one and two years old when I first got her from her breeder. My next dog is obviously a puppy and will live with the trainer while being trained (board-and-train), since my trainer moved to a different state since first training my current service dog. (I also don't want to do the whole puppy potty training stage! ;) ) It will take around two years until my next dog is fully trained - but I will go there to visit from time to time. The trainer does all the training, no puppy raisers involved.

Yes, my current service dog (she's not retired yet! :) ) is all mine until death do us part! I could never get rid of her! ❤️

Delighted to hear your girl is doing well :) that's interesting that you will meet the puppy .... But how exciting ..... I think that's one of the things those with service dogs wish they could know, what their "life changer" was like as a pup! We will hope to know what our pup will be like as a "life changer"! :)

I didn't know my current service dog as a puppy, but in the end it is all okay because we spend so much time with them it isn't really missed in the end! Actually, I'm thinking it might be harder this time doing the board-and-train, but at least visiting every now and then will help!

I do wish you puppy-raisers got to get updates once in a while after the dogs were placed, but I'm sure there are some people who wouldn't want to do that.