Yappy little "princess" dog

[praline3001]

They may not be allowed to ask what the dog is in service for or its service training BUT they can require a certificate of completion in the AKC Good Citizen program. This is a test to show temperament and manners along with basic training. It has nothing to do with disabilities and everything to do with the manners of the dog.

 

In my area more and more apartments and business are asking that they see the AKC Good Citizen certification. They are allowed to ask that any animal in their establishment have this.

 

 

It is a BREEZE for any real service dog to pass and most do go through the program before getting into the more specific training.

 

I have a certified therapy dog. No, not a service dog. We go to hospitals to visit sick kids and he is also involved in the "Reading for Paws" program at the Library. WONDERFUL program as it helps kids with their shyness while learning to read out loud.

 

Would I think of taking my dog WHO is qualified to visit bedsides of sick and dying children onto a cruise? NOT A CHANCE. Of course he is a golden so there is that whole size thing but its just way too much for a dog to handle... physical disabilities service dogs are a different breed then Therapy dogs but much the training is the same.

 

The water, ship motion and everything else is too disorienting for the dog.

Your service dog has to be top notch to not have any issues on the cruise.

 

 

The lunging part of this particular dog is a great concern. If dogs that are lunging are allowed on ship its only a matter of time before guest become bitten. How do you quarantine a biting dog on a ship as is required?

No service or therapy dog would ever lunge at a stranger. That's dog socialization 101.

 

Here is a photo of my therapy dog, Bentley. He was being naughty as he is not allowed on the bed. He is usually an angel in the behavior dept and because of this I thought it was funny and took the photo before I reminded him to move it LOL

 

[praline3001]

I do have a few other questions about dogs on the ship...

 

what if the family who was unlucky enough to be next door to a barking dog have someone that is highly allergic to dogs? They were under the assumption that dogs would not be sharing a balcony with them when they booked the cruise. I wonder how they handle that as an emotional support dog does not trump a child turning blue from lack of air.

 

My daughter's best friend is that allergic to dogs. She is not allowed to play at our house due to this.

It would be a health issue of major proportions if she had a dog in the room next to her.

[Bakincakes]

If the ship was at full capacity it would be interesting to see how RCI would handle a "service" dog being next to a cabin that housed someone who was allergic to dogs.

 

Amazing just how many "special needs" people there are out there. Notes for special drinks...foods...service animals..etc..and it must be difficult for RCI to have to try and accomodate everyone.

 

Sad that there are people out there who can get MDs to write notes about nearly anything so they can have what they want, and not necessarily need, onboard a ship. Must make it even more difficult for pax who are actually in medical need of something.

 

Shame on those pax and shame on their MDs for writing notes for nonsense just because they can.:(

[BillOh]

I guess you needed to vent. AFAIK in order to bring a dog on board certain qualifying criteria has to be met. Making a judgement as to whether the paperwork was fudged is erroneous. JMO.

 

JMO exactly. As they stated there are doctors who will sign off on anything to keep their patients happy, just ask Michael Jackson's family or watch people park in handicap spots in New York. I've never seen a service dog yap unless there was something to yap about.

[ken987]

I was also on this cruise. We got a picture of the woman and her yappy dog. We just had to...she was even the butt of jokes in the headliner show. The really funny part was the entertainer really made it an inside joke yet I would say over 1000 people responded in such a way that they knew exactly who he was talking about. We had our meet and mingle party on day 3 and the poor CD had to deal with a party goer who just would not let the topic go. He shared how his feelings about the dog fell on deaf ears. I felt bad because this was a Meet and Mingle party and in my opinion I think he could have handled this as we say offline with the CD who said he was sorry he felt ignored and said he would see what he could do.

I also got to eat dinner with Ralphie in CHOPS! Nothing like a constant YAP YAP YAP while enjoying my meal. LOL

We made the best of it by being snarky and sharing barbs with the service staff who loved all our little jokes that we came up with. This dog was clearly not trained. And we saw it many times with the husband...along with the fact that she was also seen with out the dog...she was quite the celebrity. We too were told it was to help her lower her blood pressure. She should carry pills for the rest of those who BP was clearly high when in the presence of her company. LOL

[Ocean Boy]

The ADA law syas that people can't be challenged on their disabilities, it says nothing about animals. RCCL has the right and the responibility to control what's on their ships. If RCCL can prohibit prgenant women past a certain date from sailing, they can prohibit people from bringing their toy pets.

 

I don't believe that being pregnant is a condition covered under the ADA.

[Ocean Boy]

After running across a service cat and someones service dog that was allowed to be: petted, fed off the table while using a seat, held under the glass of a buffet to eat and generally just a yippy little PITA I'm going to have to say I very much disagree.

 

Service critters now adays seem to be like handicapped parking placards, seems almost any doctor will write you for one should you merely ask.

 

Not this one. I've said no plenty of times.

[derf5585]

I don't believe that being pregnant is a condition covered under the ADA.

 

2. Is pregnancy covered by the ADA?

Generally, a normal pregnancy resulting in temporary disability is not covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, in certain limited circumstances, a pregnant employee who is experiencing substantial complications that limit a major life activity may be considered disabled under the ADA and entitled to accommodation.

from

http://ppspublishers.com/articles/pregnancy.htm

[ChevyCruiser]

We were also on the NOS 3/3 cruise. We were first made aware of the dog while waiting to embark. Heard the barking and turned around to see a woman and her husband with this little dog ( I believe it was a Shiz-tsu (sp)) in a stroller. I commented to my husband that this barking dog better not be near our cabin. It was on our floor,in a promenade cabin deck 7, but about 15 cabins down from ours. While we didn't hear it, those cabins surrounding theirs did.:eek: They also kept the stroller parked in the hallway when the dog wasn't being pushed around the ship.

 

Unfortunately, our luck ran out when we arrived in the MDR that night. We were seated at our table when we heard the barking. Here comes the stroller and it parks right next to our dining table:mad:. Just when we thought it couldn't get worse, out comes the leash and this woman lets the dog out to walk around the table:(. She even let it sit on her lap and eat from her plate! Now we are disgusted and our friend goes out to talk to the Head Waiter. He even shows him pictures he took of the dog walking around the floor. Our complaints fell on deaf ears.

 

The next morning we went down to Guest Services with our complaints.

They told us there was nothing they could do because the dog was a service dog for "Social Anxiety". They had a note from her doctor, whom I'm sure was related:rolleyes:.

 

It seems everywhere we were on this cruise so was the dog.

Heard the yapping, here it comes into the Windjammer. Heard the yapping, it's two rows behind us at the ice show. Heard the yapping, it's at the Promenade Cafe, where the owner gets up and tells the dog, " Mommy will be right back, I have to get a cup of tea".

 

Come on, I seriously doubt this was any kind of service dog. Like the original poster pointed out, there were times others were walking it around.

 

And by the way, the dog's name was RALPHIE.

 

 

These are the same kind of people who will finagle a handicapped parking permit so they can park close to the door and/or avoid feeding the meters where a free pass is allowed. I'll bet they were chair hogs as well. I think I would've turned Ralphies stroller in as lost property. There's a word for people like these that I won't repeat, but it starts with A and ends with holes. These people and their ilk are giving the rest of us a mono-digital salute.:mad:

[davekathy]

I can’t even imagine being on a Cruise with a yappy dog. I know we would have been complaining about it. We go on Cruises to get away from that kind of crap. I don’t care if it was a Campion mutt or a service dog. Those that own them need to control them. Put a shock collar on the mutt! We've been on Cruise that had service dogs on them and they never barked or wondered. Those dogs are truly hard working and dedicated to their owners.

[griffy116]

I'm truly respectful of service dogs. When working, two people at my office required service dogs. They were present at meetings and always at the side of the owner. I never, in 14 years, heard either dog bark. Their disabilities were quite different. This truly appears to be a case where someone bent or broke the rules to get the dog's paperwork, and not RCI just taking their word for the circumstances and need for the dog. We LOVE our little miniature dog tremendously and pay almost as much as fare on the ship for him to be spoiled and pampered when we are on a cruise. He's well trained to use a puppy pad and doesn't get motion sickness. I also have a medical condition. That being said, I would NEVER attempt to take our little one on a cruise. I would be afraid that my fudging the paperwork might come back to bite me in the form of actually having a condition in my future or the future of someone I loved that required the use of a TRUE service dog. You know what they say about Karma!

[ksuds]

I guess you needed to vent. AFAIK in order to bring a dog on board certain qualifying criteria has to be met. Making a judgement as to whether the paperwork was fudged is erroneous. JMO.

 

 

Disagree with you. I met (sounds like the same people) who brought their little dog on. They were in our concierge lounge everynight. After about the 4th night and just sitting, chatting and making friends with their dog I asked them what the criteria in getting their dog on was.

 

They did admit that the dog is not a service dog. They informed me that all you need to provide the cruiseline is a physicians note stating that you need the dog for confort/ anxiety. And of course have all its current vet records.

 

I see lots of little dogs all the time on the ships getting pushed in strollers, never by the same owner. It's very disturbing that someone will "fudge" information just to drag a dog on a ship.

 

I have a retired service dog and would never consider bringing him on a cruise. I don't have a disability (unless drinking) and don't think it would be right for me to lie just to get him aboard.

[Ocean Boy]

2. Is pregnancy covered by the ADA?

Generally, a normal pregnancy resulting in temporary disability is not covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, in certain limited circumstances, a pregnant employee who is experiencing substantial complications that limit a major life activity may be considered disabled under the ADA and entitled to accommodation.

from

http://ppspublishers.com/articles/pregnancy.htm

 

It is actually the medical complications that are the qualifiers not the fact that the person is pregnant.

[Ocean Boy]

I can’t even imagine being on a Cruise with a yappy dog. I know we would have been complaining about it. We go on Cruises to get away from that kind of crap. I don’t care if it was a Campion mutt or a service dog. Those that own them need to control them. Put a shock collar on the mutt! We've been on Cruise that had service dogs on them and they never barked or wondered. Those dogs are truly hard working and dedicated to their owners.

 

Well I no longer have to imagine it as I, also, was on this cruise.

[praline3001]

The more I read about demon dog the more I think I would have gone to the desk and explained how I was deathly alleric to dogs and if they didn't want to meda-vac me from the ship I needed to be very very from the dog.

:D

 

Due to HIPPA laws they could not ask me for my medical information about my allergy ..just like the lady's disability.

 

I would think it worked both ways :D

[Cruising Latitude]

I truly hope it was a real service dog, otherwise I would feel very bad for those who had to sit close to it in the MDR or live in it's vicinity. The cruise director said sometimes people would pay full fares to bring their dogs on board. Not sure if it was the case for this particular dog.

 

It had become quite famous by the second day and we heard many people talking about it. When I saw it the first time it was in the theater with a couple who I assumed to be the owners. It was an adorable little thing, either a toy breed or a small terrier. With shiny long hair well groomed and tied in a red bow, sitting in an umbrella stroller in the very back of the upper level of Metroplis. A few servers were fussing over it and talking to the owners. Luckily it was quiet at the time.

[teajak]

The more I read about demon dog the more I think I would have gone to the desk and explained how I was deathly alleric to dogs and if they didn't want to meda-vac me from the ship I needed to be very very from the dog.

:D

 

Due to HIPPA laws they could not ask me for my medical information about my allergy ..just like the lady's disability.

 

I would think it worked both ways :D

What a great idea,I will remember that for future reference.;)

[capt110]

:mad: another reason to leave royal and move on .

[ksuds]

I'm sure this happens on all cruise lines not justy Royal.

[Buckeye State Cruisers]

after reading through this I am seriously considering cancelling our next cruise. If you went to a resort and had a yapping dog next door you could leave but on a cruise you are stuck. :eek: I am not joking, this really concerns me. First the airlines let you fly your animal (and I know that the owner loves their little princess but not everyone loves a barking dog) and now we have to be stuck on a cruise ship with them. I understand the need for service dogs but if the reason you want to bring your pet is that you can't stand to be away from them for a week.... stay home.

 

Please RCCL get your act together and stop turning your ships into a floating dog kennel. The only pets at sea should be the stuffed variety.

[ryano]

after reading through this I am seriously considering cancelling our next cruise. .

 

Seriously? Wow! I would NEVER think of cancelling a cruise on the very slim chance of a yapping dog being on board LOL. Your chances are slim to none that this will happen.

 

As many cruises as you have been on, how many PETS have you seen on board? Just curious. :)

 

You make it sound like this is an everday occurence with your floating kennel comments? I dont have many cruises under my belt but I have yet to see animals of any kind on board a ship........Including service dogs.

[constantcruiser]

I was on a flight not long ago with a passenger who had a long-haired "emotional support cat." Shortly after take-off, he took the cat out of its carrier and kept it on his lap or perched on the back of his seat. I personally love cats and was quite impressed by how well-behaved it was...but what concerned me was all the people who were sneezing. Germs must have been sprayed all over that plane before the end of the flight, putting all of us at risk. Far too many people suffered for the convenience of one, and it sounds like that was exactly what happened on the cruise with Ralphie.

[cruisegirl1]

I’ve been on several cruises and seen service dogs, but this story really is over the top. I feel badly for the folks in the nearby cabins.

 

M

[waterbug123]

The more I read about demon dog the more I think I would have gone to the desk and explained how I was deathly alleric to dogs and if they didn't want to meda-vac me from the ship I needed to be very very from the dog.

:D

 

Due to HIPPA laws they could not ask me for my medical information about my allergy ..just like the lady's disability.

 

I would think it worked both ways :D

 

Not sure that HIPPA laws apply to foreign flagged vessels. :confused:

[JMG]

In all of our cruises, I have only seen one dog on a ship. The dog in question was a service dog of a different type. It's job was to "sniff" for illegal stuff. At first we thought the dog was just on duty at the one port..but we then saw the dog at the next port so we knew it was onboard. The dog must have resided in the crew area because it was not seen except while in port.

 

We are owned by a pair of cats! We pamper them and do what they command but they do not vacation with us. But...we know an individual that has a dog and took the pet dog into a restaurant, bed and all, totally disregarding health regulations. (the 2nd time this was done they was asked to leave) The dog is allowed to mingle with no leash on in spite of leash laws. The dog often shows up at people's homes uninvited...so now we all know to specify that the dog is not invited.

 

My point is that some people have no regard for laws, regulations, or just plain old common courtesy.

 

I feel sad for those that were on this cruise and had stress added to their relaxation time just so someone else could indulge themselves. Too bad that some people are just so self centered.