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

[S.S. Cruisers]

Mornin' all:
I have the week off for Fall Break. Never heard of such a thing, but am up for it. I needed some time off. We also get 2 weeks at Christmas and then 2 weeks at Spring Break. Unfortunately those dates are also the most expensive for cruising! Maybe I can catch up with some of the threads here at CC.

Everyone have a great week.

Nancy

[rangeley]

Originally Posted by DisneyKidsDad

Cindy,

We didn't need any paperwork for St. Thomas.
Orson never had a problen with being seasick or with the water on the ship.
We have a travel bowl that stands up on it's own so it works pretty good.
Orson slept on the bed with our daughter.
Hope this helps a little.

Thanks DKD. What kind of bowl do you have??

Nancy, John had a few days off this week. I never heard of fall break. But I wouldn't complain. John is lucky that his school is very flexible about him going on trips. We never go on any school vacations. Always after or before. We used to go in April, now we have changed to January. No kids and nice and quiet!

Cindy

[S.S. Cruisers]

Cindy;
I agree. I have my pay check averaged out so I get paid every 2 weeks whether I am there or not. The checks are smaller, but at least I know that money is coming in. We love to cruise in the fall. Now, having custody of 6 year old grandson the issue is "Will it hurt him missing school?" He is doing fantastic. He got student of the month last month and we are very proud of him. We just need to keep up the momentum. His mother and uncle didn't do so well in staying in school and we definately do not want him to follow the same path..........

Nancy

[DisneyKidsDad]

Originally Posted by rangeley

Thanks DKD. What kind of bowl do you have??


Cindy

Not sure of the brand but it's made out of a blue nylon. It's round and the sides stay up. It also came with a food bowl made the same way. It worked out well because we could leave it out in the cabin so Orson could get a drink while we were in there.

[wizard-of-roz]

Originally Posted by rangeley

Hi all, I have a few questions,

1. Does anyone have info on taking the dog to..St Thomas, Puerto Rico, or Grand Turk? We had no problem in St. Thomas or Puerto Rico, I've never been to Grand Turk. Just be aware of strays. You may not see any, hopefully! Carry all of Wexler's papers with you, along with your Passport or copies thereof!
2. Any info on the dog getting seasick? In 12 cruises and long, long road trips....she's NEVER gotten sick. How did Wex do on his road trip home? That's a pretty good clue.....cars move more than ships do [usually].
3. Any info on the dog drinking the water on the ship? The drinking water on the ship is more purified than most bottled water [although Morey still brings his own bottled water] it's not necessary.
4. Anyone have some terrific travel bowls they bring with them? (most
of the ones i've seen aren't that great) I bought a plastic /sectioned bowl. It's very light and fits in my suitcase [it's a bit smaller than her normal bowl but it's perfect.
5. Anyone bring a dog bed with them? We have something called "the dog hog" it's a thin bed that rolls up. I always get a cabin with a couch and Brenda sleeps there but once we brought a sheepskin bed [I rolled it up, tied a ribbon around it and shlepped it with us.] In hotels/ships that don't have a couch she sleeps with PaPa. [she won't sleep with me....]

Any other helpful hints would be much appreciated. Don't forget his favorite toy...Brenda has a black dog [Maggie] and a squeaky squirrel, we bring them both. We also bring a few tennis balls for playing in a deserted lounge [she's lost a few overboard...when she carried them in her mouth to the outside Promenade Deck and literally dropped them in the ocean.] I don't let her carry them outside anymore!

Have a wonderful time! Wait til you see Wex wafting his nose in the sea air......it's glorious!

Don't forget to look for people in darkened theatres and lounges.....they're not expecting a dog and Wexler is black and not easy to see. Brenda's tail got run over by a wheelchair, I have never heard her cry like that......it was awful!

Cindy

You're going to love cruising with your dog........

[Quampapetet]

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Quam: When is Carnival going to "get it!" We ALL HATE THE PELLETS....and, they're not necessary or needed. There are better choices, "HELLO"; "just contact some of your sister companies and ASK!"

Seriously!!! I highly doubt they have some warehouse full of the pellets somewhere, so it isn't like they have some large supply they need to use up before they change. They prob'ly just make some intern run down to Petsmart for a bag of the stuff before the ship leaves.

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Second: Our neighbors were laying down artificial turf on their front lawn....I asked if I could have a 5x5 cutting, and I'd be willing to pay for it......they gave it to me.....I'm so excited. It rolls-up very nicely and looks just like the piece I bought from "In The Company of Dogs", for over $140.00.

That's so great!! And free is even better! Do you know what the brand is? Does it look like any of the ones on the link I gave previously? I think I am going to try one of those (one of the ones treated for doggy use, of course - I am all about antibacterialness!).

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

It's going onboard with us. I'm just going to leave it [it was free]....unless, somehow I can get it hosed off for our last morning disembarkation. Then, I could take it with us on every cruise.......Cleaning it off [just the urine] is the main issue. I'm going to let the ship lay down whatever they'd like...I'll just lay the grass on top of their litter. I'll clean the pooh, but the urine is my concern.

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

I thought about placing it in the shower and washing it there......what do you think? It dries very quickly....that the amazing part about this stuff.

That is what I am going to do - rinse the thing off in the shower. Even though you got yours for free, you cruise a lot, so you will need it for more than just that one trip. If you leave it, you'll have to buy another piece for your next cruise. If you bring a large garbage bag to put it in after you wash it, I think you'll be fine even if it hasn't dried completely by that point.

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Geezz! I wish the cruiselines would invest in it. They have someone cleaning the area that we use and filling the box......it would be so much easier and, I think more hygienic, if they'd invest in the artificial stuff. ALL the dogs would love it!!!!

You'd think they would! I'm really surprised that they haven't by now. There are many different brands of doggy potties with faux grass on them (some even with vertical areas for boy doggies, hehe) to choose from, so it isn't like they are hard to find or anything. They've got those power washers for the decks, so it isn't like it would be hard for them to keep the stuff clean. And all dogs on int'l routes have been to the vet for a health certificate, so they should all be free of diseases and such to worry about.

[wizard-of-roz]

Quam: The artificial grass is a nice quality....each blade is as long as the treated stuff I bought; the base is sturdy [a bit thinner than the doggy stuff, it will be easy to roll-up] and, I know that it has not been antibacterially treated. So, I really have to be careful in washing it down well. It will only be used by Brenda so, I'm not concerned about her catching anything.

I'm going to use our antibacterial soap [I always bring a container of the stuff for each cruise, anyway] and, while I'm washing it down I'll soap it up and rinse it off!

Good idea in bringing along a large trash bag.....although, I bet I could get one from the cruiseship, they have lots of trash bags onboard.

[Quampapetet]

Originally Posted by rangeley

Hi all, I have a few questions,

1. Does anyone have info on taking the dog to..St Thomas, Puerto Rico, or Grand Turk?

Ask your vet for confirmation, but from what I have found, you just need a health certificate (int'l for GT) and, of course, rabies certificate (that'll be noted on the health certificate, but it is always a good idea to bring as well in case the vet forgot to write the expiration date down or something [which my vet did once, but thankfully I also had the rabies certificate so all was well]). St. Thomas and Puerto Rico are part of the U.S. - the ADA applies there, too, which is helpful for access!

Originally Posted by rangeley

2. Any info on the dog getting seasick?

Get some MotionEase. It is an herbal remedy for both humans and animals. You just rub it behind your ear/dog's ear. It does have an herbally scent to it (don't they all?), but better smell that than have a sick person or doggy! (Note: For myself, I also take Bonine. But for my dog, I just use the MotionEase.) You can also ask your vet about other meds to use and what exact dosage for your size dog would be.

Originally Posted by rangeley

3. Any info on the dog drinking the water on the ship?

Pour it into a bowl and place it in front of the dog. He'll lap it up. Sorry, couldn't help it!

I assume you mean is the tap water okay for a dog to drink? Humans drink it, so it should be fine. However, I've heard there is extra salt in it because it is ocean water - don't know if that's true or not about the extra salt, but it does make a little sense even though they treat the water to make it potable. You can always use bottled water. Or bring pouched doggy water with you (that's what I did for my previous cruise - it is called Wet Dog [do a Google for the site; do NOT enter .com after that name 'cause you will get a bad site!!] and I got it from PetFoodDirect - not sure if it still exists or not, though). This coming trip, I'll just use bottled water. My dog doesn't have issues with different waters like dogs with sensitive stomachs do, but I do have questions about the salt in the ship's water and I drink bottled water myself, so....

Originally Posted by rangeley

4. Anyone have some terrific travel bowls they bring with them? (most
of the ones i've seen aren't that great)

I use the plastic folding disposable Outward Hound bowls (which other brands have since copied). They are cheap in price, but last a long time. I use them for all our travels and I also keep one in my dog's pack in case we're out for a long time and she needs a sip. They fold up so they can fit in a pocket, so that's why they are so handy. They are lightweight. They fit plenty of water or food.

Originally Posted by rangeley

5. Anyone bring a dog bed with them? We have something called "the dog hog" it's a thin bed that rolls up.

No, I don't. I don't need another thing to bring, LOL, and she wouldn't use it anyway. Love the name "The Dog Hog", though!!! If you think your particular dog would want it and use it or need it as a reminder of home (if he's not used to travelling or doesn't travel well), go ahead and bring it. Every dog is different!

Originally Posted by rangeley

Any other helpful hints would be much appreciated.

Cindy

Bring some items to repair a broken dog harness (or vest, if that's what you use on your dog). On my previous cruise, guess what happened just after sail-away? My mobility harness broke! Arrgghh! One of the latches on the chest piece that holds a strap from the shoulder piece to the chest piece came off. I went to the front desk and the lady there was able to use a screwdriver to screw it back on, but that only lasted a day; it came off the next day. The threads were stripped, so I knew screwing it back on wouldn't work. Thankfully, in port that day I had purchased a necklace that came in a box with one of those thin gold-colored elastics keeping it closed, so I was able to use the elastic to keep the harness together for the rest of the trip (though I had to keep fixing it sometimes when it would come off again). On a ship, especially if you have sea days, you can't find just everything you might need like you could on a land vacation, so think of what small repair items you may need and pack them!

And bring an extra leash and extra collar - I always keep a cheap (but cute) nylon collar and leash in my travel bags for just in case; she normally wears leather.

And I recommend some rinseless shampoo (I use Chris Christensen's "Show Off"), especially after a day at the beach. You just spray it on the dog, rub the dog to foam the stuff up, and then wipe it off. Quick and easy to do, especially on vacation.

[Quampapetet]

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

We had no problem in St. Thomas or Puerto Rico, I've never been to Grand Turk. Just be aware of strays. You may not see any, hopefully! Carry all of Wexler's papers with you, along with your Passport or copies thereof!

On the Grand Turk board here, somebody did say they saw some stray dogs. Another person saw some loose horses on a beach (they belonged to somebody, they said, but they were just enjoying the beach/weren't penned in). But, you can get that in the States, too, so just use your usual precautions. If you stay on the beach that is part of the cruise center, I doubt you'll see either dogs or horses. If you walk a little to a more private beach or go into town, you might see one or both.

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

I always get a cabin with a couch and Brenda sleeps there but once we brought a sheepskin bed [I rolled it up, tied a ribbon around it and shlepped it with us.] In hotels/ships that don't have a couch she sleeps with PaPa. [she won't sleep with me....]

Why won't she sleep with you?

My girl always sleeps with me. Or, if I'm sharing the room with a friend, she may switch between the beds, but mostly be with me. She moves throughout the night when one spot gets too warm for her liking (little princess ... LOL). My upcoming cabin doesn't have a couch, but she wouldn't sleep on it at night anyway.

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Don't forget his favorite toy...Brenda has a black dog [Maggie] and a squeaky squirrel, we bring them both. We also bring a few tennis balls for playing in a deserted lounge [she's lost a few overboard...when she carried them in her mouth to the outside Promenade Deck and literally dropped them in the ocean.] I don't let her carry them outside anymore!

Did she purposely drop them to see them go splash? Hehe.

I usually get my girl a new toy for or on a trip. Yes, that means she has a whole lot of toys, including ones she gets not on trips, hehe. She has a big doggy toy bin full of them (when she doesn't leave some of them spread all over the house!). I already got one for the upcoming cruise because when I was at the pet store last month they had summer-themed toys on clearance sale and one was a good one for being on a cruise ship (I forget what it is now, but I think it was a plush animal with a life ring or something), so I picked it up and put it away. For the Disney trip I was just on last week, I picked up a couple toys to save for her upcoming birthday (but I brought along two of her Disney toys in case she wanted one while on the trip - and she got a new one just back in February on our previous Disney trip, so she really doesn't need another...). Anyway, a new toy is always exciting, so she enjoys it.

This time I have a big balcony she can play out on, so I'll need to remember to bring a ball to roll around on it (but NOT to bounce, in case it goes over the side!!).

Roz, remember that the Carnival thing you signed says you are agreeing that off-leash dogs in public areas are a no-no. But maybe you can ask the ship if you can have some scheduled time in the meeting room for her to play, if there isn't a group already using it on your cruise. They might allow that, if you don't have a large enough room or balcony for your pup to play on.

[Quampapetet]

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Quam: The artificial grass is a nice quality....each blade is as long as the treated stuff I bought; the base is sturdy [a bit thinner than the doggy stuff, it will be easy to roll-up] and, I know that it has not been antibacterially treated. So, I really have to be careful in washing it down well. It will only be used by Brenda so, I'm not concerned about her catching anything.

I'm going to use our antibacterial soap [I always bring a container of the stuff for each cruise, anyway] and, while I'm washing it down I'll soap it up and rinse it off!

Good idea in bringing along a large trash bag.....although, I bet I could get one from the cruiseship, they have lots of trash bags onboard.

Ah, yeah, if it isn't treated, you might want to just see how it works to bring this piece this time and then for next time you can get a treated piece.

Yeah, I always bring a bottle of antibacterial hand soap on my travels, since hotels only give nasty bars of soap. And I always have Purell on me in my dog's pack.

[wizard-of-roz]

Why won't Brenda sleep with me?: As far as the trainers/puppy raisers/CCI/Vet, etc. can figure out; it's because she works for me. She sees me as her "leader" and being an Alpha herself, she has no comfort zone sleeping with me.......who know's....if you guys have a guess why......please tell me!

I'd love her to sleep with me.....I've coaxed her every way I could think of. She'll start off laying with me but will ALWAYS leave the bed and go to her bed within the hour. She will sleep the entire night with PaPa if he's in his own bed. In our bed at home, she won't [I'm in it!] Which is why we always have twin beds or two doubles, when we travel. We found this out through "trial & error!"

At home, she literally leaves our room, goes to her couch [we tried to set it up in our room, she left the room and went to the living room couch], she'll sleep the night, in the living room, on that couch. it's okay with me, wherever she's most comfortable. It's like she's standing guard. I don't know.

She's done this for over 7 years.....who am I to question it!!

Brenda loose in a lounge: It was actually onboard the Celebrity Summit that we learned to use an empty lounge to exercise and play ball with Brenny. It was the Hotel Manager's suggestion and we've done it on EVERY cruise ever since......including 2 other Carnival cruises.

Believe me when I say that the rules were made for folks who would let their dogs loose amongst crowds of people.......not those who are thoughtful enough to be very careful of children and adults who have allergies or are fearful of dogs.

[flsunnymommy]

Hey Guys! Chewy is getting ready to retire so we have been busy applying for a new service dog. Right now we are planning one last cruise with him. We are going to the Bahamas. I think all we need is this form sent in and a health certificate. Is that correct? http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/pets Any idea how long it takes to get cleared to go? We want to go in December. Thanks!

[Quampapetet]

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Why won't Brenda sleep with me?

Strange! I have no idea why she would do that, sorry. I thought most dogs loved sleeping with their owners (usually the one who cares for them - feeds them and all).

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Brenda loose in a lounge: It was actually onboard the Celebrity Summit that we learned to use an empty lounge to exercise and play ball with Brenny. It was the Hotel Manager's suggestion and we've done it on EVERY cruise ever since......including 2 other Carnival cruises.

Originally Posted by wizard-of-roz

Believe me when I say that the rules were made for folks who would let their dogs loose amongst crowds of people.......not those who are thoughtful enough to be very careful of children and adults who have allergies or are fearful of dogs.

Don't get me started on ppl who would be dumb enough to let their dog loose in a crowd....

[Quampapetet]

Originally Posted by flsunnymommy

Hey Guys! Chewy is getting ready to retire so we have been busy applying for a new service dog. Right now we are planning one last cruise with him. We are going to the Bahamas. I think all we need is this form sent in and a health certificate. Is that correct? http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/pets Any idea how long it takes to get cleared to go? We want to go in December. Thanks!

http://www.bahamas.com/sites/default...s_in_TIOTB.pdf is the link to the form itself. Since your link is the same site, it is likely the same one. I just don't have time to check it - dinner is on the table!

Oh, and send the form in NOW! It can take a month or two (or longer) to get the permit! You can pay to have it faxed to you if you need it quickly, though. I think it is $10. This year it took a month to get my two (sent them in together, one for December and one for February), which is good for them.

[wizard-of-roz]

Originally Posted by flsunnymommy

Hey Guys! Chewy is getting ready to retire so we have been busy applying for a new service dog. Right now we are planning one last cruise with him. We are going to the Bahamas. I think all we need is this form sent in and a health certificate. Is that correct? http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/pets Any idea how long it takes to get cleared to go? We want to go in December. Thanks!

I hope you got the information you needed from Quam....she's the guru of what to do for Bahama travel.

I'm so curious about the "retiring" thing. How old is Chewy? Tell me how your process is going and how did you know he was ready to retire?

Can you tell...Brenda is now almost 10....she's a "livewire" and loves to go to work with me.....but, I don't want to exhaust her and want her to go into retirement feeling well!

Please tell me more about Chewy's retirement......

She'll be on her 13th cruise in January.......Again, I love taking her, she works, as usual, while onboard.....there's no change in her habits.

[wizard-of-roz]

I must add.....Brenda is a "slow" walker, always has been and, I'm a "fast" walker.......the hardest thing for me to do is slow down my walk for her. You'd think it's because she's getting older....no way....she walked slow when she was 2.

So, that can't be a "tell-tale" sign of her old age.

[flsunnymommy]

Thanks for the help!

Chewy is 5 with hip dysplasia. We have tried the non-steroid meds and supplements and they have been no help. We have done the streches and exercises and he is just slowing down more. He can not jump at all and needs help in and out of the car, on the bed, etc. We were hoping the treatments would help, but they are not. He can not keep up with my son and that is a big issue. An autism service dog that can't keep up with their kid, just does not cut it. We have been torn for months on making the decision. The vet is supportive either way and the treatment is getting more aggressive (shots next week) but he says even with treatment he will not be able to work much longer. Right now we have a puppy in the house we are training for a program and are thinking of keeping her (with their permission) or getting a trained one from them. We are on the waiting list no matter what because Ian will fall apart the second Chewy can't work.

[wizard-of-roz]

Originally Posted by flsunnymommy

Thanks for the help!

Chewy is 5 with hip dysplasia. We have tried the non-steroid meds and supplements and they have been no help. We have done the streches and exercises and he is just slowing down more. He can not jump at all and needs help in and out of the car, on the bed, etc. We were hoping the treatments would help, but they are not. He can not keep up with my son and that is a big issue. An autism service dog that can't keep up with their kid, just does not cut it. We have been torn for months on making the decision. The vet is supportive either way and the treatment is getting more aggressive (shots next week) but he says even with treatment he will not be able to work much longer. Right now we have a puppy in the house we are training for a program and are thinking of keeping her (with their permission) or getting a trained one from them. We are on the waiting list no matter what because Ian will fall apart the second Chewy can't work.

Thank you so much for being so candid and sharing Chewy's story. I'm sorry.....I hope his retirement will be long and that he will enjoy every moment of it..........he deserves it!

I know how important it is for your son to have his dog near him. Will Chewy be able to retire in your home?

I hope all goes well for all of you and the training of your new pup.

Enjoy your cruise and tell Chewy he has friends out here rooting for him!!! Tell Ian we wish him the very best, as well!

[flsunnymommy]

Thanks for the support, never thought it would be so hard. Chewy will probably go to a local school as a therapy dog (I am hoping Ian's) He loves to work and they do not think he will do well not being a service dog.

[wizard-of-roz]

Brenda and I send our love and licks to ALL of you!