Just wanted to introduce myself now that I have read the whole thread (pretty much) through. I am a 29 year-old woman from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Normally, I travel with Declan, my Collie/Shepherd/Husky mobility assistance dog extraordinaire.
I will be going on my first cruise on Mar 2nd on Royal Carribean's Voyager of the Seas. However, as hard as it will be for me, Declan will be staying home. This was for several reasons:
1) I owner/train Declan and as such bear the total cost of any vet care out of pocket. If he was to become ill while out of the country locating a vet and getting proper treatment, even for minor things could be cost prohibitive. And I would never forgive myself if something were to happen and I couldn't meet my responsibilities in caring for him. This is especially a concern due to what I have heard regarding stray and feral dogs abroad.
2)It is difficult for him to work in intense heat for long periods of time, as his fur is very dense. Even here in Calgary, we have to be careful. If and when he cruises with us, and make no mistake, I hope he does, it will be of shorter duration, in case of acclimation problems.
3) Getting the paperwork for international travel as an owner/trainer without the backing of a school or organization is more time consuming and difficult than I expected. Not saying it can't be done, just that I would have needed to plan far more in advance than the amount of time I had.
4) Despite the fact that I know he would work and behave beautifully aboard ship, I am not comfortable leaving him behind to go on excusions, and for me, that is one of the big draws. Yes he could be watched, but he is rarely away from me and does not like it, becoming highly anxious. And again, since my first responsibility, even on vacation is to him, I just can't justify it. As it stands now, this will be a once in a lifetime thing, and as much as I will miss him, I am lucky in that I can make do with my wheelchair, (as opposed to mostly walking) and the assistance of my intrepid wife, who will be with me. It will be slower and harder, but it is what I believe will be best for him.
JoKen: It doesn't bother me if people ask to pet the dog. It does bother get to me when they freak out when I say no though. I have actually had people swear at me for it. And as for letting people visit with my dog, well if he has been given his release command and/or is off duty, AND I HAVE GIVEN THE OK then I don't mind, but I know every handler is different.
Declan is four, and has been in service for about a year and a half. I hope to have him working for at least another 3-4 years, but that will depend on him. When he retires though, he will still be my baby. When he passes (though I hate to think of it) it will be in my arms, if I have anything to say about it.
And as for what is wrong with people who deny access to service dogs, most often they don't understand that he is not a pet. I have had dumb things said to me and about me while working with Declan. Declan wears a pack that ids him as a SD but people still just give me a blank stare. They are, sadly, ignorant.
As to your offer to watch a SD, I would actually love it if there was someone willing to do that, if I was bringing Declan. I don't know if I would take you up on it, not knowing you. But it's more a question of you knowing his commands and being able to keep him safe than anything else. Still, it's nice to know there are still such genuinely generous dog lovers out there.
Oh wow, sorry to ramble. Just wanted to share my thoughts on this four legged subject.
Cheers All. Looking forward to getting to know everyone.
Cruising With A Service Dog....everything You Ever Wanted To Know!
in Disabled Cruise Travel
Posted
Just wanted to introduce myself now that I have read the whole thread (pretty much) through. I am a 29 year-old woman from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Normally, I travel with Declan, my Collie/Shepherd/Husky mobility assistance dog extraordinaire.
I will be going on my first cruise on Mar 2nd on Royal Carribean's Voyager of the Seas. However, as hard as it will be for me, Declan will be staying home. This was for several reasons:
1) I owner/train Declan and as such bear the total cost of any vet care out of pocket. If he was to become ill while out of the country locating a vet and getting proper treatment, even for minor things could be cost prohibitive. And I would never forgive myself if something were to happen and I couldn't meet my responsibilities in caring for him. This is especially a concern due to what I have heard regarding stray and feral dogs abroad.
2)It is difficult for him to work in intense heat for long periods of time, as his fur is very dense. Even here in Calgary, we have to be careful. If and when he cruises with us, and make no mistake, I hope he does, it will be of shorter duration, in case of acclimation problems.
3) Getting the paperwork for international travel as an owner/trainer without the backing of a school or organization is more time consuming and difficult than I expected. Not saying it can't be done, just that I would have needed to plan far more in advance than the amount of time I had.
4) Despite the fact that I know he would work and behave beautifully aboard ship, I am not comfortable leaving him behind to go on excusions, and for me, that is one of the big draws. Yes he could be watched, but he is rarely away from me and does not like it, becoming highly anxious. And again, since my first responsibility, even on vacation is to him, I just can't justify it. As it stands now, this will be a once in a lifetime thing, and as much as I will miss him, I am lucky in that I can make do with my wheelchair, (as opposed to mostly walking) and the assistance of my intrepid wife, who will be with me. It will be slower and harder, but it is what I believe will be best for him.
JoKen: It doesn't bother me if people ask to pet the dog. It does bother get to me when they freak out when I say no though. I have actually had people swear at me for it. And as for letting people visit with my dog, well if he has been given his release command and/or is off duty, AND I HAVE GIVEN THE OK then I don't mind, but I know every handler is different.
Declan is four, and has been in service for about a year and a half. I hope to have him working for at least another 3-4 years, but that will depend on him. When he retires though, he will still be my baby. When he passes (though I hate to think of it) it will be in my arms, if I have anything to say about it.
And as for what is wrong with people who deny access to service dogs, most often they don't understand that he is not a pet. I have had dumb things said to me and about me while working with Declan. Declan wears a pack that ids him as a SD but people still just give me a blank stare. They are, sadly, ignorant.
As to your offer to watch a SD, I would actually love it if there was someone willing to do that, if I was bringing Declan. I don't know if I would take you up on it, not knowing you. But it's more a question of you knowing his commands and being able to keep him safe than anything else. Still, it's nice to know there are still such genuinely generous dog lovers out there.
Oh wow, sorry to ramble. Just wanted to share my thoughts on this four legged subject.
Cheers All. Looking forward to getting to know everyone.