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

[Caribbean Chris]

Some photos from our cruise - going through the Panama Canal Gatun Locks. It can get hot out there, so for Raylene's well-being, we spent much of our canal day on the shaded Promenade Deck and our balcony.

 

[Caribbean Chris]

This is Half Moon Cay, the cruise line's island in the Bahamas. Raylene loved getting sand all over her face but wasn't willing to get into the sea as usual.

 

[Caribbean Chris]

I love colorful Curacao - we walked across the Queen Emma Pontoon bridge, sat in the dog-friendly waterfront cafe (behind us in this photo), watched all the action, and gave Raylene a bowl of water before walking around town. By the way, no special paperwork needed for Curacao, no hoops to jump through.

 

[Krypti]

This is Half Moon Cay, the cruise line's island in the Bahamas. Raylene loved getting sand all over her face but wasn't willing to get into the sea as usual.

 

 

These are great pics! Thank you for sharing!

[wizard-of-roz]

Chris, thank you so much for sharing your paperwork with us. And, the pictures are wonderful.

 

Isn't life so much more full with our dogs with us!

 

It's very hard to believe that a Lab/Golden Retriever doesn't like water.......but Horton is nothing like Brenda. She could have lived in the water...I swear, she was a mermaid. Horton could care less and doesn't like to get his feet wet much at all!!! The second that Brenny was near the water she would waft her nose in the air and she no longer was a dog.......she was in love with the ocean. It was so much fun to watch her joyful romping in the waves!!!

[DUTRAVEL]

I think that's the same Costa Rica form my USDA Vet filled out. I'll double-check. We did not have to treat for ecto or endo parasites other than her every-month K9 Advantix2 and her Heartguard, but the vet had to state ecto would be done on a specific date and time just before departure, 48 hrs I think. We listed the chemical components of those treatments (easy to copy & paste off their product web pages) on this form and also on 7001. The regional USDA initialed and countersigned both forms plus similar one for Aruba.

 

Thanks for all of the info Chris. I use the Advantix II and Heartgard - great idea to copy the ingredients on the form. I think I will also take the boxes with me. All of the boring paperwork is good to know! I will keep checking the USDA website before we go to get the 7001 filled out. I think I will end up with three different forms: one for Mexico, one for Guatemala and one for Costa Rica.

 

Given the great treatment of service dogs on HAL I would like to try a cruise with them; good to hear that the smoking is not too bad (I don't mean to offend any smokers, but I am sensitive to smoke).

 

Thanks for sharing your photos, Raylene is such a beautiful girl. I think we will spend a lot of time in the air conditioning with Henri. She is a black lab like Raylene and she seems to get hot easily. She was raised in Seattle and seems to prefer the cold weather to our warm summer weather in California.

 

I will e-mail you about the Panama form.

 

thanks, Dianne

[DUTRAVEL]

Chris, thank you so much for sharing your paperwork with us. And, the pictures are wonderful.

 

Isn't life so much more full with our dogs with us!

 

It's very hard to believe that a Lab/Golden Retriever doesn't like water.......but Horton is nothing like Brenda. She could have lived in the water...I swear, she was a mermaid. Horton could care less and doesn't like to get his feet wet much at all!!! The second that Brenny was near the water she would waft her nose in the air and she no longer was a dog.......she was in love with the ocean. It was so much fun to watch her joyful romping in the waves!!!

 

Henri loves the water. When we take her to the dog park she sticks her face and front paws in the water bucket - she would get her whole body in if she could. When we were last up at CCI, she was keeping everyone entertained with her water antics.

 

We haven't taken her to the ocean yet, but I am sure that she would love it.

 

Dianne

[wizard-of-roz]

Henri loves the water. When we take her to the dog park she sticks her face and front paws in the water bucket - she would get her whole body in if she could. When we were last up at CCI, she was keeping everyone entertained with her water antics.

 

We haven't taken her to the ocean yet, but I am sure that she would love it.

 

Dianne

 

You know, when I first applied for a Service Dog, back in 2000, and I went to CCI for an interview, I interviewed with a Golden Retriever named Bracko, he was so gorgeous. From that day on I pictured myself only with a yellow or white dog......NEVER a black dog. Well, I'm on my second Black Lab and I'm madly in love with them. Now, I can't imagine having any other color.

 

Yes, they do get hot easily and we have to be more careful in the warmer climates. I've learned my lesson to watch their breathing and keep them in the shade if at all possible.

 

Be careful not to let them loose into the ocean......Like I did! Brenda had a wonderful re-call......Thank goodness! I let her off leash into the Pacific Ocean near Malibu and she took off like a submarine heading for Catalina.....I nearly wet my pants with fear that I was going to lose her.....I was so stupid. I called her, staying as calm as I could, she turned, looked at me and came right back. I NEVER took her off leash again when we were near the ocean, or a pool. She was obsessed with water. Had it been Horton, he would have been gone. He's a lot better than he was when I first got him, but his re-call sucks!!!!

[Caribbean Chris]

Roz, I love your stories about Brenda and Horton!

[Caribbean Chris]

Henri loves the water. When we take her to the dog park she sticks her face and front paws in the water bucket - she would get her whole body in if she could. When we were last up at CCI, she was keeping everyone entertained with her water antics.

 

We haven't taken her to the ocean yet, but I am sure that she would love it.

 

Dianne

 

So funny to picture Henri inserting her face and paws into the water bucket.

 

Bring her to SW Florida and we'll take the pups to the Venice dog beach. Everybody's invited!

[thephantomsgirl]

LOVE the photos of Raylene!

[Algebralovr]

Scooter is up to about 35 lbs now, at 18.5 weeks.

 

Allen and I have to crate him during the work day, because the house is still NOT puppy proof. So, for the last couple of months, whenever we shook the cookie box, he ran for the crate. On Sunday, he just looked at us and refused.

 

We forced the issue, but it continued the next couple of days. So I took a good look, and we realized that he could no longer lay in his favorite sprawled position to sleep - on his side with legs fully extended.

 

Here he is in his new kennel. It is huge! He was asleep when I took the photo - and woke up when he heard me move to take it. I tried to insert the photo, but it was huge and made the whole page resize.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12953044/2016-04-20%2022.18.44.jpg

Edited April 21, 2016 by Algebralovr

[wizard-of-roz]

Scooter is up to about 35 lbs now, at 18.5 weeks.

 

Allen and I have to crate him during the work day, because the house is still NOT puppy proof. So, for the last couple of months, whenever we shook the cookie box, he ran for the crate. On Sunday, he just looked at us and refused.

 

We forced the issue, but it continued the next couple of days. So I took a good look, and we realized that he could no longer lay in his favorite sprawled position to sleep - on his side with legs fully extended.

 

Here he is in his new kennel. It is huge! He was asleep when I took the photo - and woke up when he heard me move to take it. I tried to insert the photo, but it was huge and made the whole page resize.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12953044/2016-04-20%2022.18.44.jpg

 

Barb, I love how he can really stretch out in his crate.

 

Also, don't you love how he looks so "needy!" CCI calls that "falling for the fur!" When they give that "poor me, poor me, feel sorry for me" look!!!!

[thephantomsgirl]

Adorable and the look on his face! Looks comfy, although I'm sure he'd rather be out with you. :)

[Caribbean Chris]

Getting to be a big boy, Barb! Scooter looks very spiffy in aqua, with color-coordinated toys, too!

[Algebralovr]

The little rascal gets out with me plenty.

 

Dr is pleased with how the ankle is healing. PT moved me from two crutches down to one, and I'm doing more walking now. So, he is starting to do some walking with me - more than just to the end of the driveway like for the last few weeks.

 

Plus, my boss is OK with him coming to the office some, and most of my colleagues are good with him being here. He is coming in to the office 2-3 days per week for the last 2-3 hours of the day. We have a special bag of toys that come to the office, and he is starting to recognize when I come home at "that time of the day" and grab that particular bag.

 

Only issue I had was that yesterday he decided to vocalize in the room (I'm in a cube farm), but it was about 6pm and only one other person was still there. Scooter had experienced a strange day, too, since I had to drive to the Dr 89 miles away and my niece had been over to let him out a couple of times between classes. But, he is learning how to behave while here.

 

My colleague to the left is a real dog person, and has to greet him every time she walks in, getting down to his level no matter what she is in the middle of, which may not be the best, but he is definitely learning to behave. The 20+ students through the office every day also all stop to say "hi" to him. I think I have the most socialized dog I know!

 

On the plus side, I think he is starting to pick up on my chemical changes. One more reason I wanted to raise from a puppy, rather than getting a grown dog.

[DUTRAVEL]

So funny to picture Henri inserting her face and paws into the water bucket.

 

Bring her to SW Florida and we'll take the pups to the Venice dog beach. Everybody's invited!

 

Wouldn't that be fun - Henri loves to play with other dogs. Too bad Venice Beach isn't closer to Ft. Lauderdale. When we come back from our Panama cruise we will be spending the day in Ft. Lauderdale waiting for our 8:00pm flight back to San Francisco.

 

Roz - I would never let her off leash at the beach (at least not yet, until I know her better). I could see her swimming off into the sunset. She is pretty good when I call her unless she is distracted. I think the ocean would be very distracting!

 

Dianne

[DUTRAVEL]

Scooter is up to about 35 lbs now, at 18.5 weeks.

 

Allen and I have to crate him during the work day, because the house is still NOT puppy proof. So, for the last couple of months, whenever we shook the cookie box, he ran for the crate. On Sunday, he just looked at us and refused.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12953044/2016-04-20%2022.18.44.jpg

 

He looks very relaxed now! I can't believe that he is already 35 lbs. He is adorable.

 

Dianne

[rangeley]

This is Half Moon Cay, the cruise line's island in the Bahamas. Raylene loved getting sand all over her face but wasn't willing to get into the sea as usual.

 

 

Love the pics!! HMC my favorite place!!

[rangeley]

You know, when I first applied for a Service Dog, back in 2000, and I went to CCI for an interview, I interviewed with a Golden Retriever named Bracko, he was so gorgeous. From that day on I pictured myself only with a yellow or white dog......NEVER a black dog. Well, I'm on my second Black Lab and I'm madly in love with them. Now, I can't imagine having any other color.

 

Yes, they do get hot easily and we have to be more careful in the warmer climates. I've learned my lesson to watch their breathing and keep them in the shade if at all possible.

 

Be careful not to let them loose into the ocean......Like I did! Brenda had a wonderful re-call......Thank goodness! I let her off leash into the Pacific Ocean near Malibu and she took off like a submarine heading for Catalina.....I nearly wet my pants with fear that I was going to lose her.....I was so stupid. I called her, staying as calm as I could, she turned, looked at me and came right back. I NEVER took her off leash again when we were near the ocean, or a pool. She was obsessed with water. Had it been Horton, he would have been gone. He's a lot better than he was when I first got him, but his re-call sucks!!!!

 

If Wex is off leash the goes deaf. Won't even look at ya. He too has gotten alot better, and we've discovered ways to get his attention.

[rangeley]

Scooter is up to about 35 lbs now, at 18.5 weeks.

 

Allen and I have to crate him during the work day, because the house is still NOT puppy proof. So, for the last couple of months, whenever we shook the cookie box, he ran for the crate. On Sunday, he just looked at us and refused.

 

We forced the issue, but it continued the next couple of days. So I took a good look, and we realized that he could no longer lay in his favorite sprawled position to sleep - on his side with legs fully extended.

 

Here he is in his new kennel. It is huge! He was asleep when I took the photo - and woke up when he heard me move to take it. I tried to insert the photo, but it was huge and made the whole page resize.

 

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12953044/2016-04-20%2022.18.44.jpg

 

Scooter is adorable!!

[Algebralovr]

Scooter is adorable!!

Thank you!

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

[thephantomsgirl]

Jagger is having some overnights with me. I got to stay with him Saturday at the ranch because I was watching the puppies while everyone was at a Rally show. Then I took him home last night. I take him back tomorrow. Depending on how he does in class with me tomorrow he may stay there a few days...or he might come back here. We are doing sooo much better with him not pulling. :)

[cmcdugall]

Hi Wizard,

 

I found your post very interesting. My husband thinks it is not a good idea to take our service dog on our cruise next year. Once reason would be the cabin being too small, the heat when you are stilling on the deck and where to take your service animal to the bathroom. I had a few questions if you dont mind. Do you always take your service dog with you when you are cruising? So if you go to sit on the desk in the sun, do you take it or do you leave it in the cabin? Do you take it with you when you go off the ship? Have you been to places, like BVI, which is considered international and did you have any problems? Is there a problem if you decide to leave your service dog in the cabin due to it being too hot or not wanting to take if off the ship because of doing an excursion like snorkeling? Also have you had any problems finding a place to take them to the bathroom while you were on a cruise?

[boobear'smom]

Hi Wizard,

 

I found your post very interesting. My husband thinks it is not a good idea to take our service dog on our cruise next year. Once reason would be the cabin being too small, the heat when you are stilling on the deck and where to take your service animal to the bathroom. I had a few questions if you dont mind. Do you always take your service dog with you when you are cruising? So if you go to sit on the desk in the sun, do you take it or do you leave it in the cabin? Do you take it with you when you go off the ship? Have you been to places, like BVI, which is considered international and did you have any problems? Is there a problem if you decide to leave your service dog in the cabin due to it being too hot or not wanting to take if off the ship because of doing an excursion like snorkeling? Also have you had any problems finding a place to take them to the bathroom while you were on a cruise?

Hi,

 

We took Boo on a Holland America cruise to Alaska. They provided her with a box of grass to relieve herself in. We were not allowed to leave her alone in the cabin. However, we could take her anywhere on the ship. We were also able to take her on shore because all our stops were either in the United States or Canada. And she was able to go with us on the excursions.

 

There are different rules for different countries regarding service dogs and accessibility. I am currently working on trying to get Boo ADI certified in order to take her on a European Cruise.