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

[Valentine's Mom]

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Welcome Beth! I LOVE chocolate labs!!!! My first dog was a chocolate. It's nice to hear that people can really learn from this thread. Even people without service dogs.

 

What a wonderful dog and friend you have. Just a note about those small dogs that you have seen on the ships. I have a small 10 pound dog who alerts me to medical problems and has saved me many times. She has been on 15 cruises. So far. You will see her riding in the basket of my scooter or in something that looks like a rollerboard suitcase but made for dogs. While most s service dogs are the wonderful labs as is your dog, there are many many small foo foo (as I call them) who also work very hard every day.

 

I absolutely loved your stories especially the squirl. I Can just see his proud little face and your embarrassed one.:eek:

 

Please come back and visit with us.

[wizard-of-roz]

What a wonderful dog and friend you have. Just a note about those small dogs that you have seen on the ships. I have a small 10 pound dog who alerts me to medical problems and has saved me many times. She has been on 15 cruises. So far. You will see her riding in the basket of my scooter or in something that looks like a rollerboard suitcase but made for dogs. While most s service dogs are the wonderful labs as is your dog' date=' there are many many small foo foo (as I call them) who also work very hard every day.

 

I absolutely loved your stories especially the squirl. I Can just see his proud little face and your embarrassed one.:eek:

 

Please come back and visit with us.[/quote']

 

Yep! Our Valentine is small but she's a mighty little girl. She's luckier than our dogs who are "dragged" around - from here to there and back again. She gets to ride!

[wizard-of-roz]

Cindy, how's Wexy's "leaking" problem?

It's been very warm [unusually so] around here. Neither Brenda or Horton care much for the heat [they're both just like me!] Morey loves it warm. Horty's so tired and mopey acting this morning.....I had to really coax him off the bed and he didn't want to eat breakfast [this is very unusual] :confused: Uh! Oh! I told him to "shape-up" - No sick dogs allowed around here!!!!!! I'm going to keep my eyes on him.......You should have seen Miss Piggy [brenda] going for his food when he just walked away from it [at least I know there's nothing wrong with the food!] :rolleyes:

 

Any suggestions or opinions are welcome!

[rangeley]

Cindy, how's Wexy's "leaking" problem?

 

It's been very warm [unusually so] around here. Neither Brenda or Horton care much for the heat [they're both just like me!] Morey loves it warm. Horty's so tired and mopey acting this morning.....I had to really coax him off the bed and he didn't want to eat breakfast [this is very unusual] :confused: Uh! Oh! I told him to "shape-up" - No sick dogs allowed around here!!!!!! I'm going to keep my eyes on him.......You should have seen Miss Piggy [brenda] going for his food when he just walked away from it [at least I know there's nothing wrong with the food!] :rolleyes:

 

Any suggestions or opinions are welcome!

 

Wexy is still leaking, we are trying to take him out often. This morning he ate and then drank the whole bowl of water, atleast 3 cups or more. No wonder he leaks!! The vet doesn't seem to be to worried about it. They don't want to believe it could be incontinence because he is young and a male. I guess it is really rare, but the key word is "rare" not unheard of. I guess at some point (when John decides) we will do an ultrasound on him to check some things. I have been told it's around 300 buckaroos!!

 

Horty refused to eat????? WOW I would keep an eye on him. A lab refusing to eat, thats unusual. If he refuses dinner, I would call the vet.

 

Wexy hates the heat!!! He does not do good when it's hot. He just wants to lay under the a/c. We never keep him out to long when its really hot.

 

John has only 2 days left of school, I guess my vacation is over.:( I have been battling a SEVERE heartburn attack for over a week. Bad enough I had to go to the doctors. I am now on 2 medications and the "pressure" feeling is finally starting to subside. This is the worst one I have ever had. Usually a few over the counter pills clear it up, but not this time. The doctor asked me if I have been stressed. Stressed??? I live with a quadriplegic and a sick service dog!! You want to see stress!! UGH And now they will both be home all day every day! :eek: I hope I make it through the summer. Oh and in a few weeks we will be sitting for another service dog, for a week but might keep him the month if all goes well. He is related to Wexy somehow, either same mother of father. I'll have to find out.

 

Cindy

[wizard-of-roz]

Wexy is still leaking, we are trying to take him out often. This morning he ate and then drank the whole bowl of water, atleast 3 cups or more. No wonder he leaks!! The vet doesn't seem to be to worried about it. They don't want to believe it could be incontinence because he is young and a male. I guess it is really rare, but the key word is "rare" not unheard of. I guess at some point (when John decides) we will do an ultrasound on him to check some things. I have been told it's around 300 buckaroos!!

 

Horty refused to eat????? WOW I would keep an eye on him. A lab refusing to eat, thats unusual. If he refuses dinner, I would call the vet.

 

Wexy hates the heat!!! He does not do good when it's hot. He just wants to lay under the a/c. We never keep him out to long when its really hot.

 

John has only 2 days left of school, I guess my vacation is over.:( I have been battling a SEVERE heartburn attack for over a week. Bad enough I had to go to the doctors. I am now on 2 medications and the "pressure" feeling is finally starting to subside. This is the worst one I have ever had. Usually a few over the counter pills clear it up, but not this time. The doctor asked me if I have been stressed. Stressed??? I live with a quadriplegic and a sick service dog!! You want to see stress!! UGH And now they will both be home all day every day! :eek: I hope I make it through the summer. Oh and in a few weeks we will be sitting for another service dog, for a week but might keep him the month if all goes well. He is related to Wexy somehow, either same mother of father. I'll have to find out.

 

Cindy

It seems all CCI dogs have that 6 degrees of separation from being related in one way or another.

 

UPDATE: I took HORTY out and he had a huge poop! Sorry for the TMI! I then brought him in and introduced his food again and he "woofed" it down. Can you believe it, he was constipated!!!!! Geeezzz, who knew!!!! I'm so glad he seems to be feeling better. Now he's sleeping. He's a heavy sleeper and CCI Trainers warned me about this. That he needs a lot of encouragement and motivation [sometimes] to just "get going! Then again, don't we all sometimes!!!! :p

Cindy, I wish we were closer....I'd come right over, pick you up and we'd go for a foo-foo, fun something or other! The men are going to be invading your surroundings and space soon.....prepare yourself! I'm with you girl, hang in there! ;)

 

Cindy, maybe it's your gall bladder that's bothering you....I hate that feeling...go get some ginger ale-sip slowly. No spicey food/no aspirin without lining your stomach first, no eating right before bed and only decaf coffee [i'm your personal physician.] I like Tagamet [over the counter], it really helps the heartburn.

Feel good.

[Beth C]

I have a small 10 pound dog who alerts me to medical problems and has saved me many times. She has been on 15 cruises. So far. You will see her riding in the basket of my scooter or in something that looks like a rollerboard suitcase but made for dogs.

 

I absolutely loved your stories especially the squirl. I Can just see his proud little face and your embarrassed one.:eek:

 

Please come back and visit with us.

 

I'd be willing to hazard a guess that even though you have a foo foo dog you don't hold it in your arms while giving it samples at the buffet on a cruise and letting it constantly bark the whole week... I'm thinking that one wasn't a SD lol

 

Sounds like a gall bladder attack to me too... I get them if I eat too much rich food... I find the quickest way to relieve it is to chug a can of ginger ale and then let the gas free ;)

 

Hersh is an atypical lab... I currently have an open 44lb bag of dog food sitting in my kitchen... She'd starve before putting her nose in there?!?! Now the T R E A T box... Different story ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Edited June 14, 2012 by Beth C

[wizard-of-roz]

I'd be willing to hazard a guess that even though you have a foo foo dog you don't hold it in your arms while giving it samples at the buffet on a cruise and letting it constantly bark the whole week... I'm thinking that one wasn't a SD lol

 

Sounds like a gall bladder attack to me too... I get them if I eat too much rich food... I find the quickest way to relieve it is to chug a can of ginger ale and then let the gas free ;)

 

Hersh is an atypical lab... I currently have an open 44lb bag of dog food sitting in my kitchen... S

 

 

 

he'd starve before putting her nose in there?!?! Now the T R E A T box... Different story ;)

 

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That's it Beth, we're associate physicians.......We better be careful, we'll have a mal-practice suit on our hands!!! :(

I've heard about Labs who can be "free-fed" but I've NEVER owned one!!! Brenda will eat everything like a vaccum cleaner and more. Horton is a slow, methodical eater but he usually always finishes it. If he were a person he'd be the one who makes sure that nothing touches and he'd examine and sniff everything first.

[Beth C]

Hersh is hilarious - between 4:48 and 5:02 EVERY day she smacks her bowl for supper... Doesn't matter if breakfast was at 6:30am before I go to work or 11:00am if we sleep in... Supper is at 5!

 

 

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[rangeley]

That's it Beth, we're associate physicians.......We better be careful, we'll have a mal-practice suit on our hands!!! :(

 

 

I've heard about Labs who can be "free-fed" but I've NEVER owned one!!! Brenda will eat everything like a vaccum cleaner and more. Horton is a slow, methodical eater but he usually always finishes it. If he were a person he'd be the one who makes sure that nothing touches and he'd examine and sniff everything first.

 

 

All of my labs were pigs. My chocolate, Rebel, was the worst. Not only did I have to get a trashcan with a lid but I had to put a weight on top. He was unbelieveable. And as soon as we would take him off the leash to run, he would take off. UGH he was awful, but I loved him to death! :D

Miss B was so good. She was a piggy girl. She would eat anything, like my rug, couch, table..... Labs gotta love them!

 

Our last service dog, Rangeley, was a picky eater. Every couple months we would have to change food cuz he would refuse to eat it! And he had to have something added, like spaghetti sauce or cheese. Sometimes he would eat the cheese and leave all the food. :eek: It was amazing how he could just pick out the cheese.

 

Wex, just a pig and a wacko. He actually grunts like a pig, very loudly. I have never seen a dog that makes as many noises as him. And he never barks. We have never had a normal SD. Our pet dogs have been pretty much just ....Dogs But there's something about the SD like they know they are different than other dogs. Wierd.

[rangeley]

Hersh is hilarious - between 4:48 and 5:02 EVERY day she smacks her bowl for supper... Doesn't matter if breakfast was at 6:30am before I go to work or 11:00am if we sleep in... Supper is at 5!

 

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I swear they can tell time!!!!!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Hersh is hilarious - between 4:48 and 5:02 EVERY day she smacks her bowl for supper... Doesn't matter if breakfast was at 6:30am before I go to work or 11:00am if we sleep in... Supper is at 5!

 

 

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I love that "body-clock" thing inside these dogs. They're so insistent and so smart!

[Beth C]

Before I got Hersh I was debating a Lab and a Golden... Decided on the Lab because of the short hair and less mess... Well we all know how the tumbleweed situation is in ALL our houses :(

 

Then after she was home I would read horror stories online about labs demolishing furniture, woodwork, decks etc... I was terrified... The only things she ever chewed as a puppy was a little of the edge of a footstool (well she was laying on the sofa with her head hanging off and it ~was~ right there) and the button on the emergency brake handle in my car... ummm both my cars... BOTH times I only ran into the store for milk! Luckily when I traded the dealer had 2 bloodhounds that ate ALL his window sills off in the house one day while he was at work so he had some compassion and let it slide... Needless to say the car got traded in for a SUV with a dog gate!

 

 

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Edited June 15, 2012 by Beth C

[Valentine's Mom]

Beth you are right Valentine would never be fed in public and the only time she barks is if someone might step on her. Talk about instincts, all you have to do is act like it MIGHT happen. She also has a feeding habit. At exactly 4 pm if I am not cooking she will come to where I am sit in front of me and stare and moan. And she wont quit till she is fed. Then she smells it and walks away.

 

Cindy, I too am worried about your heartburn. I havn't heard of heartburn lasting that long. The pain from gallbladder comes when the stones get lodged in the bile ducts. Be sure to keep an eye on it cause it could be stress or something worse. We want to keep you around for a long time!!

[wizard-of-roz]

Before I got Hersh I was debating a Lab and a Golden... Decided on the Lab because of the short hair and less mess... Well we all know how the tumbleweed situation is in ALL our houses :(

 

Then after she was home I would read horror stories online about labs demolishing furniture, woodwork, decks etc... I was terrified... The only things she ever chewed as a puppy was a little of the edge of a footstool (well she was laying on the sofa with her head hanging off and it ~was~ right there) and the button on the emergency brake handle in my car... ummm both my cars... BOTH times I only ran into the store for milk! Luckily when I traded the dealer had 2 bloodhounds that ate ALL his window sills off in the house one day while he was at work so he had some compassion and let it slide... Needless to say the car got traded in for a SUV with a dog gate!

 

 

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Brenda's puppyraiser's told me they had to replace the siding on their garage because she had pulled it off as a pup......Oh! No! Thank goodness by the time we got her she was a perfect little lady. THANK YOU PUPPYRAISERS! :)

Brenda [the true love of my life] never chewed on ANYTHING [in our home], she's the most respectful dog I've ever known and, she's a pure English Lab. She loves her Virbac Chews, she's obsessed by any and all tennis balls but I could lay her near my favorite knick-knack or a fancy pillow and she wouldn't even lick them.

Tumbleweeds, indeed! We stopped having dinner parties in our home because I found myself always warning people to "blow" out their coffee cups lest they'll find a Lab hair in their drink. The hair is "everywhere!" And, I do mean EVERYWHERE!!!!

Then CCI gave me a huge Lab/Golden cross named "Horton" and my life changed. He has to examine everything....including but not limited to the drawers in the refrigerator, the dirty clothes hamper, the door of the car, every person's crotch [brenda could never reach them....he reaches everyone's], it's so embarrassing. I went to the Doctor yesterday [Horton was laying down], she took out her stethoscope and Horton jumped up and wanted to examine and sniff it. Nothing gets by him without being sniffed or examined.

[rangeley]

Cindy' date=' I too am worried about your heartburn. I havn't heard of heartburn lasting that long. The pain from gallbladder comes when the stones get lodged in the bile ducts. Be sure to keep an eye on it cause it could be stress or something worse. We want to keep you around for a long time!![/quote']

 

I am feeling much better, thank you for your concern. I'm on Nexium and Zantac, both prescriptions. The doctor didn't seem to think it was gallbladder, but if I'm not better in two weeks I have to go back.

[rangeley]

:eek:

Brenda's puppyraiser's told me they had to replace the siding on their garage because she had pulled it off as a pup......Oh! No! Thank goodness by the time we got her she was a perfect little lady. THANK YOU PUPPYRAISERS! :)

 

Brenda [the true love of my life] never chewed on ANYTHING [in our home], she's the most respectful dog I've ever known and, she's a pure English Lab. She loves her Virbac Chews, she's obsessed by any and all tennis balls but I could lay her near my favorite knick-knack or a fancy pillow and she wouldn't even lick them.

 

Tumbleweeds, indeed! We stopped having dinner parties in our home because I found myself always warning people to "blow" out their coffee cups lest they'll find a Lab hair in their drink. The hair is "everywhere!" And, I do mean EVERYWHERE!!!!

 

Then CCI gave me a huge Lab/Golden cross named "Horton" and my life changed. He has to examine everything....including but not limited to the drawers in the refrigerator, the dirty clothes hamper, the door of the car, every person's crotch [brenda could never reach them....he reaches everyone's], it's so embarrassing. I went to the Doctor yesterday [Horton was laying down], she took out her stethoscope and Horton jumped up and wanted to examine and sniff it. Nothing gets by him without being sniffed or examined.

 

John and I figure one day we will cough up the biggest hairball on earth!!!!:eek: I guess our systems are good for digesting hair. Wexy is a big sniffer. Wexy is also a crotch sniffer and it drives me nuts! I am curious if Horty sniffs your clothes when you put them on? Wexy does that and we think it's so he could find us during the day. One thing Wexler is obsessed with is plastic bags. We usually keep his cookies in a ziploc bag when we go out, so now any crinkley bag, he comes running.

 

I am glad to hear about Hortons "poop" situation and glad he is better. I hope he is back to eating.

[wizard-of-roz]

I am feeling much better, thank you for your concern. I'm on Nexium and Zantac, both prescriptions. The doctor didn't seem to think it was gallbladder, but if I'm not better in two weeks I have to go back.

 

 

Yay!!!!! I'm so glad you're feeling better. I hope it stays that way!

[wizard-of-roz]

:eek:

 

John and I figure one day we will cough up the biggest hairball on earth!!!!:eek: I guess our systems are good for digesting hair. Wexy is a big sniffer. Wexy is also a crotch sniffer and it drives me nuts! I am curious if Horty sniffs your clothes when you put them on? Wexy does that and we think it's so he could find us during the day. One thing Wexler is obsessed with is plastic bags. We usually keep his cookies in a ziploc bag when we go out, so now any crinkley bag, he comes running.

 

I am glad to hear about Hortons "poop" situation and glad he is better. I hope he is back to eating.

 

That is so funny about coughing-up the fur ball......Come-on, furballs in the shower, in my bed, on my pillow, in my hair........best place of all in my underwear!!!!!! Boy! You really gotta love these dogs to put up with their furballs EVERYWHERE in your life.

And, yes, he's so busy sniffing my clothes that he'll walk into something and I have to give him a "correction" to stop........he's obssessed!!!!!

Horty is all better today; he's eating and pooping and being his "gotta-get-in-18 hours of sleep" guy!!!!!!........Thank you to the God who watches over our furparnters!!!!!! And, thank you Cindy for asking.

[celle]

That is so funny about coughing-up the fur ball......Come-on, furballs in the shower, in my bed, on my pillow, in my hair........best place of all in my underwear!!!!!! Boy! You really gotta love these dogs to put up with their furballs EVERYWHERE in your life.

 

Thank you to the God who watches over our furparnters!!!!!! And, thank you Cindy for asking.

 

Yep, fur balls! We had a golden retriever, Jess, for 13 years - my, how she shed! Even after she died, I was still finding her hair in odd places for about 2 years! Now I have 2 cats, one semi long-haired. She sheds so much that I sometimes wonder why she isn't bald!

 

Goldens and labs have a prolonged adolescence. They tend to settle down once they are about 2 years old, but can be high-maintenance for those first years.

 

Our Jess was a pig for food (a stomach on four legs!) and would try to steal or beg, if allowed. But she was a very willing dog and we were able to train her not to eat anything unless we gave her the "OK". Then she'd scarf it down.

 

We always gave Jess a biscuit in the evening, when we fed the cats before putting them to bed for the night. One evening, I forgot to give her the "OK" and went away to do something else. When I came back, Jess was still sitting, looking at her biscuit, which had a big ring of drool all around it! :D

Bless her, she had waited at least 10 minutes to be told she could eat her biscuit.

 

Jess wasn't a service dog, but she was my protector. Although very gentle, she had a loud bark, when necessary. She always put herself between any stranger and me when I took her out, and she slept right beside my side of the bed when my DH was away. No one could have go to me without going past her.

Edited June 15, 2012 by celle

[wizard-of-roz]

Yep, fur balls! We had a golden retriever, Jess, for 13 years - my, how she shed! Even after she died, I was still finding her hair in odd places for about 2 years! Now I have 2 cats, one semi long-haired. She sheds so much that I sometimes wonder why she isn't bald!

 

Goldens and labs have a prolonged adolescence. They tend to settle down once they are about 2 years old, but can be high-maintenance for those first years.

 

Our Jess was a pig for food (a stomach on four legs!) and would try to steal or beg, if allowed. But she was a very willing dog and we were able to train her not to eat anything unless we gave her the "OK". Then she'd scarf it down.

 

We always gave Jess a biscuit in the evening, when we fed the cats before putting them to bed for the night. One evening, I forgot to give her the "OK" and went away to do something else. When I came back, Jess was still sitting, looking at her biscuit, which had a big ring of drool all around it! :D

Bless her, she had waited at least 10 minutes to be told she could eat her biscuit.

 

Jess wasn't a service dog, but she was my protector. Although very gentle, she had a loud bark, when necessary. She always put herself between any stranger and me when I took her out, and she slept right beside my side of the bed when my DH was away. No one could have go to me without going past her.

 

What a great story about "Jess." You were lucky to have each other. Thanks for sharing the wonderful story of her and her biscuit!

Edited June 16, 2012 by wizard-of-roz

[wizard-of-roz]

Someone asked me today if anyone else had ever used a stairwell for the pottybox onboard a ship.

 

I'm wondering has anyone else ever used a stairwell? It's definitely my favorite.

[rangeley]

Someone asked me today if anyone else had ever used a stairwell for the pottybox onboard a ship.

 

I'm wondering has anyone else ever used a stairwell? It's definitely my favorite.

 

Johns wheelchair isn't that good on stairs! ;)

[dlbutler5]

I just wanted to post some info about Valentine. We just had to take her to the vet. She was having a hard time breathing. They xrayed her and said she had an enlarged heart (she always had a big heart), fluid around it and in her lungs. They kept her to treat her but they are hopeful they she can come home tonight. Needless to say Barb (ValentinesMom) isn't doing well right now. Please keep them both in your thoughts.

 

Thanks

Dave

[S.S. Cruisers]

Dave: Thank you for letting us know. Hugs and prays from all of us humans and the furbabies to. :mad:

[rangeley]

I just wanted to post some info about Valentine. We just had to take her to the vet. She was having a hard time breathing. They xrayed her and said she had an enlarged heart (she always had a big heart), fluid around it and in her lungs. They kept her to treat her but they are hopeful they she can come home tonight. Needless to say Barb (ValentinesMom) isn't doing well right now. Please keep them both in your thoughts.

 

Thanks

Dave

 

Thanks for the info Dave. Please tell Barb we are thinking about her and praying for Valentine.