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

wizard-of-roz
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S.S. Cruisers

S.S. Cruisers

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I was watching my DH last night as he and Brenda [my retired SD] were laying on our bed. Brenda had her head on his chest and he was stroking her. She was looking at him with such love and he looked so relaxed and happy [brenda worked with me for over 10 years as my partner and best friend] and, now she's Morey's furry-medicine. God bless her!

That refined Ms. Brenny is such a nurturer! Huggles and scritches for the Grand Dame! I am sure she Hortified at some of Horty's antics.

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dobiemom

dobiemom

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I was watching my DH last night as he and Brenda [my retired SD] were laying on our bed. Brenda had her head on his chest and he was stroking her. She was looking at him with such love and he looked so relaxed and happy [brenda worked with me for over 10 years as my partner and best friend] and, now she's Morey's furry-medicine. God bless her!

Aaww! That is SO sweet! :)

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rangeley

rangeley

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mommaof 3: Welcome to our world!!!! :) You said it so well; our dogs do bring a lot of joy into our lives and then some!

 

I was watching my DH last night as he and Brenda [my retired SD] were laying on our bed. Brenda had her head on his chest and he was stroking her. She was looking at him with such love and he looked so relaxed and happy [brenda worked with me for over 10 years as my partner and best friend] and, now she's Morey's furry-medicine. God bless her!

 

OMG too sweet! I'm gonna cry.

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Huggles and scritches? I think somebody has finally lost it!! :D

 

Nancy, I think I'm working with a "scritch", at least everytime she looks at me I think S-C-R-I-T-C-H!!!!!!!!! :(

 

It's a perfect word, although I wouldn't want to give a "Huggle" and a "Scritch" to any of my babies! At least not the "Scritch" part!

Edited by wizard-of-roz
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giggleykim

giggleykim

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Just wondering how far you have all traveled with your dogs and how did they handle long flights. We will be traveling right after dinner till breakfast. Not sure hog dog will do. We will feed her early in afternoon, but since she is such routine for bathroom, dinner and night breaks will be well we are in air. Longest flight our dog has been on is 6. She did ok, just got ancy but sattled down once we ignored her washroom wines. Any ideas anyone??

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giggleykim

giggleykim

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Was trying to find if someone wrote reviews about taking there dog on a MSC ship. We are traveling on MSC Dinina transatlantic sail. Anyone have info for us. We will be traveiling to Venice Italy, Valetta Malata, Malaga Spain, Madeira Portugal. rest are caribbeen and have been to them.

Thanks

Kim

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Just wondering how far you have all traveled with your dogs and how did they handle long flights. We will be traveling right after dinner till breakfast. Not sure hog dog will do. We will feed her early in afternoon, but since she is such routine for bathroom, dinner and night breaks will be well we are in air. Longest flight our dog has been on is 6. She did ok, just got ancy but sattled down once we ignored her washroom wines. Any ideas anyone??

 

Kim, what size is your dog? Brenda was about 65lbs when she took a long flight and it wasn't easy! She had to keep standing and stretching and going for walks to keep from cramping.

 

When we traveled from L.A. to Florida and then on to Brazil, our only issue was Brenda needed to stretch and we [and the steward's] allowed her to walk up and down the aisle, on leash with me leading. I gave her ice chips [only] and I doled out her food a few kibbles at a time. I think stretching it out was easier on her digestion and also on her having to hold it until we landed almost 6 hours later.

 

When we landed in Florida a flight attendant [who I became very close friends with] took her to a gravel area near the tarmack because the closest relief area was a very long walk. [For security reasons I was not allowed in the area.]

 

I give my dogs Verbac chews [before flying I cut them into really small strips] because they can tend to make them thirsty but they work really well in keeping them occupied and focused on the chew and not on having to go potty or feeling cramped or getting fidgity.

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Was trying to find if someone wrote reviews about taking there dog on a MSC ship. We are traveling on MSC Dinina transatlantic sail. Anyone have info for us. We will be traveiling to Venice Italy, Valetta Malata, Malaga Spain, Madeira Portugal. rest are caribbeen and have been to them.

Thanks

Kim

 

I have never cruised with MSC. You will be our first one, I believe, onboard this line.

 

A ship is a ship, is a ship. They all have stairwells, veranda's and the capability of building a pottybox and placing it where it's most convenient for you. Remember, even if they will not place it on your veranda, there is the stairwell or crew maintenance closets. The box does not have to be placed on an outside deck, far away from your cabin.

 

Remember to speak with the Hotel Manager of the ship to make it easier for you and for your dog.

 

Please come back and tell us all about it. The flight, the ship, the planning. Any secrets that will help make our travels easier.

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trudle

trudle

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Good Morning All,

 

Just stopping in to say Hi and all have a good week.

 

I just love this thread-------and your furr babies. It is wonderful that you can take your service animals with you and I think you are the hero's also-----you have to do so much to be able to take them with you. But I love that they can go with you on trips and make your travels wonderful. And I had the wonderful experience of meeting Wex and of course Cindy, John and Lee on my last cruise. :D

 

Enjoy your week

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Trudy, thank you. It is so amazing how our wonderful Service Dogs fit into our lives.

Is it a lot of work?.....Oh, Yes! Before I start my day; Horton must be walked and fed [he has to have his Omega 3 capsules cut and squirted into his kibble-[2 for breakfast and one for dinner], I then dress him, load him into the car and we drive to work. He then gets his Virbac Chew; his fur is brushed; his teeth are brushed [i thought the chew would do most of the work but his back teeth are getting tarter anyway so I must brush them.] Once a week he gets his nails groomed because I don't like to do them [i'm afraid of hurting him], and inbetween all of this......I take care of Miss. Brenda and me.

Caring for a Service Dog is a lot of work......but, so worth it. What my dog gives me back can not be measured and it's different every day. Some days I'll go to the supermarket or the mall or to a business meeting or I'll be on a cruiseship and what I'll need Horton to do can change and vary on a day to day basis.

He's working all the time.....I have to tell him to stop, with a key word, or he'll just keep on going.

Every once in a while Brenda will do a task for me, around the house, just to show me that she wants to help too. It's fun to watch Horton's reaction when Brenda jumps in to assist. He just sits back and watches her. She's a great teacher!

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Roz: A very heart warming story before bedtime. I love you guys.......Life has been very emotional for me as of late!

 

Awwwww, Nancy, I'm sorry that you're going through some "stuff"....it definitely has a way of getting in the way of our lives.

I hope that it will serve as....."what doesn't kill us will only make us stronger." I'm not too fond of this expression but sometimes it certainly is true.

Stay strong sweet lady, we're here for you.

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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I'm surprised I'm not dead then!! :eek:

 

ME TOO!

And, once again you have me spitting out something in my mouth!!!!! I'm not much of a coffee drinker so it had to be Arizona Green Tea!

You crack me up!

I had to get some healthy bones vitamins down Horton....He's so tall and I'm so scared for him when he gets older and is all cranky with arthritis and dysplasia. He won't take the pill Brenda takes, he won't take the powder and he hates the gel capsules [i've tried them all!] So, my Vet recommended Omega 3 capsules [i snip off the tip and squirt the oil on his kibble], at first he balked at it and now he gulps it down.

It's good for his skin/coat/heart and bones......Yippee!!!! I buy it from Entirely Pets.com......Hopefully, it will save my boy from suffering with joint pain when he's an old man!!!!! Brenda is doing really well with her supplements and I'm hoping he lives a long life too, as pain free as possible!

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DisneyKidsDad

DisneyKidsDad

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ME TOO!

 

And, once again you have me spitting out something in my mouth!!!!! I'm not much of a coffee drinker so it had to be Arizona Green Tea!

 

You crack me up!

 

I had to get some healthy bones vitamins down Horton....He's so tall and I'm so scared for him when he gets older and is all cranky with arthritis and dysplasia. He won't take the pill Brenda takes, he won't take the powder and he hates the gel capsules [i've tried them all!] So, my Vet recommended Omega 3 capsules [i snip off the tip and squirt the oil on his kibble], at first he balked at it and now he gulps it down.

 

It's good for his skin/coat/heart and bones......Yippee!!!! I buy it from Entirely Pets.com......Hopefully, it will save my boy from suffering with joint pain when he's an old man!!!!! Brenda is doing really well with her supplements and I'm hoping he lives a long life too, as pain free as possible!

 

Sounds like I need to have somebody squirt some of that into my kibble. :(

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rangeley

rangeley

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ME TOO!

 

And, once again you have me spitting out something in my mouth!!!!! I'm not much of a coffee drinker so it had to be Arizona Green Tea!

 

You crack me up!

 

I had to get some healthy bones vitamins down Horton....He's so tall and I'm so scared for him when he gets older and is all cranky with arthritis and dysplasia. He won't take the pill Brenda takes, he won't take the powder and he hates the gel capsules [i've tried them all!] So, my Vet recommended Omega 3 capsules [i snip off the tip and squirt the oil on his kibble], at first he balked at it and now he gulps it down.

 

It's good for his skin/coat/heart and bones......Yippee!!!! I buy it from Entirely Pets.com......Hopefully, it will save my boy from suffering with joint pain when he's an old man!!!!! Brenda is doing really well with her supplements and I'm hoping he lives a long life too, as pain free as possible!

 

Wex is on Cosequin for his joints, it's a chewable tablet, and Welactin an omega 3 supplement that gets squirted on his food. If you belong to the IAADP you get it free for your service dog. You also get advantix free. I think it was 60.00 for a 3 year membership. That is well worth the money, we figure the free stuff saves us around 400.00 a year.

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wizard-of-roz

wizard-of-roz

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Wex is on Cosequin for his joints, it's a chewable tablet, and Welactin an omega 3 supplement that gets squirted on his food. If you belong to the IAADP you get it free for your service dog. You also get advantix free. I think it was 60.00 for a 3 year membership. That is well worth the money, we figure the free stuff saves us around 400.00 a year.

 

I am a member. But Horty won't take anything but the "squirt" on his kibble.

Cindy, go "squirt" some on DKD!

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rangeley

rangeley

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I am a member. But Horty won't take anything but the "squirt" on his kibble.

 

Cindy, go "squirt" some on DKD!

 

The Welactin is a liquid, he won't take that? I squirt it on Wexlers food.

 

 

 

DKD smells fishy enough! :eek:

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