Child with service dog

[emsmith]

Our family of 9 will be traveling to DW the last week of October. My dgs has a service dog. I would like to know what other families do in the rooms with their dog. Our dog, Sweetie, sleeps with dgs. Not sure that would be appropriate since it is not our bed. Has anyone taken a dog cage with them to keep the dog in at night. Can you rent a cage from a facility in the area? She will sleep in her box here, so no problem with that. We are staying at POR and have a ground floor room. Just need some basic info about what others do with their service dogs.
TIA!!

 

[akcire]

Our family of 9 will be traveling to DW the last week of October. My dgs has a service dog. I would like to know what other families do in the rooms with their dog. Our dog, Sweetie, sleeps with dgs. Not sure that would be appropriate since it is not our bed. Has anyone taken a dog cage with them to keep the dog in at night. Can you rent a cage from a facility in the area? She will sleep in her box here, so no problem with that. We are staying at POR and have a ground floor room. Just need some basic info about what others do with their service dogs.
TIA!!

Just some thoughts. With that many people and a dog I'd rent a house offsite.

My dad has a trained service dog and the parks are very hard on the dog. Too many people, too hot, too many sounds, and the worst too many people who miss their pets and want to touch the dog-plus the kids who want to pet. That said, we keep the dog at the house any time my dad is with us. Nearly everything the dog does we can do. He does go into the park for short amounts of time if my dad will be alone, but if any adults are with my dad the dog is on vacation.

Unless we are specifically going to dinner the dog travels with us everywhere but theme parks are too crazy.

 

[Piper]

I have a trained service dog, too and I would not take her into the parks. She sleeps with me so that she can wake me up for blood sugar problems in the night so I would take her to the resort. (She only weighs 9 lbs.)

I would just leave her caged while I am in the park. Since I can only spend a short while there at a time, it wouldn't be hours and hours of cage time for her.

I have enough difficulties with people wanting to pet her when we go shopping. She usually rides on the base of the scooter when we are out. Sometimes people don't notice her, but even with "do not pet" on her vest, they want to touch her. Yes, she is really cute and never barks at people. They even persist when she backs up against my legs. Often, even when I say 'please don't pet because she is working', they try to argue with me.

 

[gilesmt]

You can not leave a service dog in the hotel room. Or should I say PERIOD. It is against the rules and policies. A service dog is a privilege, the rule is no pet, so a dog who is not doing any service for you hence staying in the room unattended with no one needing it is a pet... DO NOT leave you dog in the room unattended, at least to go to the park, I will to go to the pool for a little bit, but that is because my dog may jump in the water, so I go and check it out first, most of the time I do leave someone in the room if I can, if not I am back in just a few minutes, I have also done it to carry laundry or something since I can't have great control of the dog and a full load of laundry. But those are just a few minutes, not a few hours in the park. Even in a cage, this is against Disney rules and policies, and it would not be covered under ADA if you left your dog in a cage in the room for hours as you go park hopping, many things could happen during those hours, and pets are not allowed in the hotel room.

Okay that said, if the dog sleeps on the bed, for a reason, than I would do it at Disney, ask them to double the mattress cover, or put a plastic mattress cover on if you think you need to. Some dogs do need to be in the bed to do the service, the thing is you want Disney to make sure they have the cleaning right for the next person, incase they have allergies or something.

And the pp who said a dog in the world is hard was not kidding. I am spoiled, in DL we have the kennel right at the gates to both parks. In wdw there is more parks and more travel and more everything. The dog will need some rest. Good news is the kennels are right next to POR so you can put the dog there at least a few hours a day, and no they do not discount it. But it is a fun and safe place for the dog, and I highly recommend it if you are doing more than three days. My dog and I walk 3.7 miles every other day at home, and she works every day, but in dlr last year she was lame and tired after 5 days and went home and didn't move for three days, I was about to take her to the vet when she started to move again. Think of that as you prepare for the trip, is the dog necessary and can your afford the kennel if the dog gets tied.we are going in may for 13 days, the dog will be in the kennel every other day, meaning my family will have to be my guide on 6 days, if she gets tired it may be more. I will have her each night in the park, because I need her more at night.

You could bring a cage, but most service animals use tie downs, all I have meet do anyway. Since mine and I would hope any service animal would not pull on the tie down, I just put it around the bottom of the bed leg and she is fine there. If I tell my service dog no to the bed, she won't get up on it for anything, even in the middle of the night, she sleeps with me at home but when we are away she knows she has to stay on the floor. She was trained to obey and most service animals will. I usually take her bed from home with me, or at least the lambs wool sheet, and her tie down. On the plane it is free to have the medical equipment. So it is free to have the dogs stuff fly.

Sounds like you have never taken the dog on vacation or at least to Disney or the likes, don't forget wax for her paws, or boots. Most service animals are trained in them. My dogs all were, but since it is so hot here mine won't wear the booties for long so we do the wax, then you will have to find a place a few times a day to wash it off and really it, other wise her paws will be very sore and fast in that heat, another reason why I give her every other day off at the kennel, but we do very long trips 13 days.

If your dog loves water, make sure she will not jump in pools, mi e won't but I always have to know what I am getting into first and control her the minute we get close because here she loves to jump in the river and I allow it. Also, I use the kennel for bb and tl since the dog can not get in the water, I won't torture a lab like that, it would be like taking a two year old to a candy or toy store and saying no all day long.

Did I forget anything, hum, hum, hum. No I think I covered most of your questions. Just remember the minute you leave the dog unattended in the room, he is no longer a service animal, he is a pet because he is not there for service and Disney can ask you to leave the property with your pet, because pets are not allowed. I think if you explained that you were checking out the pool or carrying laundry they would say okay, but they will not say okay for a 5 hour trip to the park with the dog unattended in the room even if in cage, if in cage that indicates he is not doing a service. If your grandson needs dog in bed, ask Disney how they want to handle the situation. They may want two mattress covers on or a plastic cover on, they have them for kids who wet if you ask so they will have them. Tell them you have the dog, they do extra cleaning for the privilege of allowing the dog. Use tie down when you can, the dog should be trained with tie down.

Don't take me wrong, this is for everyone not just you. If the dog is not a fully trained service dog, please leave them at home where they will be more comfortable and more relaxed. Disney is not a place for even the best of dogs, it is a lot of walking, on very hot pavement, with lots of distractions and lots of people. Even me who has had a service dog for more than 8 years now, finds it very difficult in Disney, especially wdw with my dog and my new dog I have had for almost two years now and I plan to kennel her some of the days. I don't know you so I am not questioning you per say as if the dog is a true service dog, but I always like to give the warning whenever I can, that if the dog is not a full service dog with very impeccable training, he is much better at home with a family friend than at Disney for your vacation, please don't take offense to that.

 

[emsmith]

No offense taken Gilesmt. Thank you for your expertise in this matter. Our trip will be 9 days. The dog is in training right now. It sounds like she would be better off staying here at home than what you have explained to me at the park or we could consider the every other day from the world to the kennel. Make the kennel days short days at the park. Those are things I had never thought about. The service dog thing is all new to us and we have a lot to learn. Not sure how well Jake would do without Sweetie...we have until Oct to make that decision.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I really have to agree with gilesmt. I'm not saying that anyone here has said it but so many people think "Ohh a doggy in Disney! What fun!!" and it's just not the case. It's like having another young child, and one that can't talk.

There are times when having the dog is necessary and absolutely the parks CAN be done with them, but it makes a huge impact on planning and touring and who goes on what and the dog needs a break but I have a fastpass that I have to use..blah blah blah. In my case, the person I used to travel with was mostly blind and there would have been no way to do the parks without the dog. The person wasn't great with a cane (and in the queues, those types of canes are pretty useless) and there would have been no way for me to push them in a wheelchair or to physically guide them through the park.

Truly though, I agree with what's been said.

 

[gilesmt]

I agree with lock, you also have to know that with a dog, when he can not go the group has to split up, half go half stay, because there are rides the dog can not go on. And there are things the dog can go on but you may find won't go on or is unsafe on. My guide dog can go on autotopia in dlr, but since this new dog refuses to stay seated it is very unsafe so we can not do it, shame the only time I will ever be able to ride a car, my last dog did it but this one wont. My last dog hated toy story, this new dog loves it. Don't figure.

If you do take the dog, another thing is a colapsable water bowl and plenty of water. In the heat it will be a lot. Ask the trainer what they think, my guide school tells us not to do any away from home vacations for a good six months, not to do Disney for at least a year. The trainers or schools should have an idea if they have been around enough, for blind persons it is to build the trust and working relationship first and then a vacation.

Like lock said, it can be done, I have been doing it for years but it is not that easy. You will be faced with hundreds of people a day say oh look a dog in Disneyland, I started to say back oh look a human In Disneyland. I know sick sense of humor. Your dog will be faced at least a hundred times a day with a kid in a stroller at perfect height to with food holding it out to the dog. Your dog feet will be just as sore as your maybe worse because they have no shoes, or if they will keep booties on they will be hot. When you get to sit on a chair, your dog needs to lay on the ground that is steaming hot, even in October. Everyone will want to pet her. You will run into a few not so service animals, or at least I have, those little dogs who bark and get hyper when they see your dog, there is always one or two during our visit, the not so service dogs I call them, since their training is lacking and they are barking. Your dog is going to have to pass up food on the ground all day, Disney is great at getting it up fast, but your dog will be distracted and want to go sniffing for it when they can.

When I go dlr I usually take the dog with me most of the day, but 2 hours in morning and 2 hours in afternoon I put her in kennel. At wdw, last time we only stayed 4 days in park and 1 day in water park, so my other dog came but we did not kennel him, it was okay but he was very very tired. My new dog does not seem to have as much stamina as my old dog. So I plan that ever other day she will be kennelled, from 9 am to 6 pm. And hopefully ever night she will be able to do the parks until 9 pm. On the days she is not kennelled my ex husband who always takes a nap will take dog back to nap. But I always make sure I budget to have her in kennel every day from 9 to 6 just incase something goes wrong and she has to be in the kennel. Rather be safe and have a plan and not need it than to have no plan and have to not go in the park because of needing to care for her, that would not be fun.

Anyway the kennel is right across the street from POR, and I think it is like $27 a day for daycare. Dlr is a lot cheaper and more convenient, but I guess that's the price we have to pay for having our eyes.

Can I ask what the dog is service for? I hope you can bring him at least for a few days, so you will know next time, just budget for that kennel. Also watch for when the park puts in cages at exits of rides, they are suppose to be doing it soon. Also, check out and find out all you can about where to potty dog, I am blind and have a hard time finding them and when she has to go she is a girl and she has to go, you don't want to wait that long, if you know where they are ahead of time you can plan around her potty breaks. Because she will be drinking a lot more and need more breaks.

Good luck.

 

[SueM in MN]

No offense taken Gilesmt. Thank you for your expertise in this matter. Our trip will be 9 days. The dog is in training right now. It sounds like she would be better off staying here at home than what you have explained to me at the park or we could consider the every other day from the world to the kennel. Make the kennel days short days at the park. Those are things I had never thought about. The service dog thing is all new to us and we have a lot to learn. Not sure how well Jake would do without Sweetie...we have until Oct to make that decision.

We have not taken DD's service dog with us to WDW because the things he does for her (picking things up, sitting with her and getting us if she needs something, etc.) are not things she needs him to do at WDW since she has someone with her at all times. The extra work of taking the dog is not worth the benefit of having him there.

A trip to WDW with a dog in training would be a bit like pushing someone who is just learning to swim into the deep end of a pool.
They will either sink or swim, but it probably won't be the most pleasant experience.
And 9 days is a pretty long trip.
As was already mentioned, I would talk to the trainer to see if it is even feasible at that point in the training. The part days in the park, part staying at the kennel would be the best way to do it. But, depending on the child's age/needs and why is being used, the child might no understand or like it.

If the trainer thinks it is, before you go, the dog should get as many opportunities for experiences like he old experience at WDW as possible.
If you plan to fly to WDW, take a short plane trip or 2 someplace close by. Our trainer suggested a short flight, like an hour trip, be in the airport for a while, then fly back home. You don't want the dog's first flight to be a long one to WDW.
Take the dog out shopping to busy places, including mall trips. If there are things like county fairs and carnivals, take the go there.

Besides all the people activity that was already mentioned, WDW has constant noise and music. It sometimes gets overwhelming for humans, so I can't imagine how overwhelming the barrage of sound might be for a dog. You have to lo consider dealing with the sound and all the new experience would tire the go out more quickly.

The wax we use on the dog's feet is called Musher's Wax (to insulate from cold in the winter and hot in the summer). We don't wash it off each day - the instructions recommend not washing it off. It is very emollient and the dog loves it applied. Kind of like hand lotion.
But, you do have to be thinking in terms of walking on pavement for the dog is similar to a person walking on it barefoot. It will be hot, even if you are used to it. In the summer, when walking on the sidewalk, the dog can venture into the grass for a few minutes when his feet get to hot. That's generally not possible at WDW, where there are miles of pavement and very little grass you can get to.

Also - your group of 9 people - are they all ones the dog is used to being around on a regular basis at the same time. Just being with that many people is going to be very stimulating for the dog and he will need some downtime. Our DD's dog sleeps in a crate in her room. His crate is open during the day and he will go into it at times just to get away from everyone and chill out.

So, anyway, many things to think about.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Gilesmt what I meant that I really didn't say correctly was meant to say that the dog can't go on everything (ugh that's a horrible sentence..) When I went with the person with the dog, because it was a sight issue it was even more complicated than just having 1 person sit out and the rest of the people going through a line or something like that.

What we had to do (since it was just the two of us and the dog) was go through the line or occasionally the exit with the dog. Then I'd ride, then either I would situate the other person on the ride or a CM would be kind enough to guide them into loading onto whatever vehicle it was, then I'd take the dog back out and stand somewhere with the dog, then have to go back in and get the other person or wait for a CM to guide them out to me.

So for instance at Soarin... we'd both go through the line and we'd be assigned to B1 or whatever, the CM assigning rows had to coordinate with the CM inside so that we could leave an empty seat for me to come back to after I led the other person to the exit. Then I'd ride, then the CM would have the same seat empty for me to guide the other person back to then I'd exit with the dog, the when the ride was done he'd stay sitting and I'd go back in with the dog and get him and we'd both be finished. It only happened like that once though, any time after CMs would guide him in and out of the ride from the exit because it was too hard to go against the flow of everyone entering and exiting with the dog. Each ride that we had to do this on was 2 load and ride cycles so figure it took a long time to get through those rides. The only "perk" about doing it that way was that the dog got a little break. So really..yeah it's doable but a huge pain in the butt but when you don't know any different you do just get used to it. (I went to Disney with 2 different service dogs 5 times over the years and they were at least a week long each, but the earlier ones there was a 3rd person) But why anyone would choose to bring a dog if they had another option is beyond me.

 

[gilesmt]

Lock I get you, no problem, and yes my family does understand, we have to do every ride the dog can not go on like that, two full cycles, and I get so mad when people think we get front of the line access. Not only is it not front of the line many rides are not back to back, soaring usually is but not always I sometimes have to wait two cycles, but last year on RSR in dlr was the worst of the worst. You go to the ride, they send you over to another place, different everyday to get a fastpass for your GAC, then it will tell you to come back in an hour. We do, they let us up the fastpass for a way, but then tell us to go over and wait in a line about 20 minutes long for w/c's they treat guide dogs like w/c's. after you wait 20 minutes, half the party goes and half wait, but not in the line they mover you to the side. The cycle goes around and the first half gets off, so now we go right, NO, we get put back at the end of the 20 minute w/c line and have to wait again then finally get to the front and ride our cycle, it has now taken more then 3 hours to ride what everyone else could have rode in one hour.

And I definately agree with your last sentence "why anyone would choose to bring a dog if they did not have to is beyond me". I love my dog, she and my retired dogs are my family, love them more than my kids most days, after all they are my eyes and the bond we have is I breakable, but I would rather leave my dog at home, in my case not that easy. My first dd has cerebral palsy, my second dd has something on the autism spectrum line or mental health line, we just don't care what the diagnosis is anymore, every doctor has a different opinion, my ex who I go with a lot has PTSD, is deaf and has total knee replacements all from Vietnam, and the. There is my granddaughter, who was born a preemie but now in 2nd grade and doing well. With my ex he can only last 10 minutes, my daughter number 2 is about the same, she can have a good day and be great for 3 hours or a bad day and be good only 3 minutes, and my dd with cp gets stressed after a few hours. So I need my dog. So I try to do early mornings with her, then let her nap, then late nights. Or put her in kennel and then let her do the night time.

I have seen "service dogs" in Disney and I'm like what. Last time in dlr we saw a dog being carried in a purse, who jumped out and ran up to my dog when we were in line for dumbo, barking all the time. A CM did start asking if the dog was a service dog, I didn't stay around to get all the answers but I hope the 3 pound little thing was properly removed from the park. We also saw another lab, who was at dca who was trying to jump up and over the wall and into the water fall, he was either thirsty or hot or both. The time before that we saw a little dog on a sc otter, just a tiny thing and my dd commented that no dog should ride like that, and as she said it the dog either jumped down or was knocked down and run over, my DD's think the dog broke it's leg, poor thing.in wdw I have not seen as much but I'm sure they have it also.

It is sad to me that so many people will pretend to have a service dog, and it gives those of us who need it a bad name. But I will say, it is one thing to bring a not so service animal into costco, or Home Depot, it is another to bring them into Disney. I wish those with not so service animals who bring them to Disney could be charged with cruelty to animals. I know that sounds harsh, but really if they loved their dog leave them at home. I would but I need my dog to guide me. Please don't take offense if you have a true service dog, and their are many who do that your disability is not noticeable like mine, so I understand and I'm not saying you should not have your dog, but think of everything before you bring them. My dog has thousands of dollars of training and still has a hard time at Disney.

Sue, is that the actual name of the wax, mushers. The kind I use says to wash of paws and dry them good before applying. Then it states when used in hot weather on roads and such apply every two hours. So I am always looking for a place to wash her paws and reapply the wax. I know it is like lotion, but just like lotion it sluffs off and then you reapply, but since his paws are walking dirty grounds, I like to wash them as it says and then reapply. Maybe I am misunderstanding the directions???

 

[SueM in MN]

The wax we use is called Musher's Secret Wax and is made in Canada. It is used by dogsled teams on their dogs' feet.
The instructions say to reapply as needed and "wipe off after intended use". I know it protects the paws against snow and salt in the winter because that is the primary use. It also works in the summer. I don't know how well, but the of certainly is less likely to stray onto the grass in the heat to cool his paws when it is on.

 

[gilesmt]

The wax we use is called Musher's Secret Wax and is made in Canada. It is used by dogsled teams on their dogs' feet.
The instructions say to reapply as needed and "wipe off after intended use". I know it protects the paws against snow and salt in the winter because that is the primary use. It also works in the summer. I don't know how well, but the of certainly is less likely to stray onto the grass in the heat to cool his paws when it is on.

Thanks Sue, I called my dd and she said the directions come from the doctor, she will look and see what the name is next time she comes over. I will look for that kind here, if I can't buy it here it may be worth the ride to Canada to get some. I only live in seattle so what 2 1/2 hour drive or less. Can you buy it in a pet store there. I know even the pet stores in TriCities did not have it, I had to get it thru my doctor, but she said it is over the counter, just not a need for it so no one carries it. Thanks, I will need something more in Florida in may, even hotter than Cali in sept.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Thanks Sue, I called my dd and she said the directions come from the doctor, she will look and see what the name is next time she comes over. I will look for that kind here, if I can't buy it here it may be worth the ride to Canada to get some. I only live in seattle so what 2 1/2 hour drive or less. Can you buy it in a pet store there. I know even the pet stores in TriCities did not have it, I had to get it thru my doctor, but she said it is over the counter, just not a need for it so no one carries it. Thanks, I will need something more in Florida in may, even hotter than Cali in sept.

You can buy Musher's Secret on Amazon.

 

[SueM in MN]

You can buy Musher's Secret on Amazon.

We have one local pet store ( not a chain) that carries it - probably because we are in Minnesota.
But, we have also ordered it online because the price was good.

 

[emsmith]

All of you have opened my eyes to a lot of information. It may be beyond what we can handle to bring her to Disney. For her sake and the grandsons. It will take a lot for dgs to go without her, but we have coped with his problems for several years now. When it gets overwhelming we will just head back to the resort hotel and chill.
My dgs has Tourettes Syndrome, Aspergers, and OCD. A dog was recommended by a friend whose son suffers from the same disorder and has a dog and has made an amazing change in that child. Dgs has motor tics that the dog will help control and the anger management when he gets out of control. She will be trained to move in on him and stop his anger by presenting herself to him and motor tics she will literally lay on him to help control the movement. If he has not control of his hands which has happened with the Tourettes she will pick up items for him. They are working with her to help cover him up at night when his rage and tics outweigh any control over his own body. As her training progresses she will help him present himself through puberty as they say this is the worst time for a child with Tourettes.
She has been to the grocery, dentist, and doctor with us and worked very well with dgs. The dentist raised the seat up to check dgs teeth and the dog did not like him going up that high as she could not care for him. I was amazed.
No, my dgs service dog as you present to me is not a true blue service dog with hours and hours of training, with dollars signs flashing before us.
This dog has received many hours of training through a facility here that keeps the dog for an extended period of time and trains the dog many commands, this service was free to us. Now we will take the dog through selected training classes in our area from a trainer recommended by our vet. She will continue her training until dgs neurologist and psychiatrist deems the dog has the sufficient training to manage dgs situation.
This dog so far is a godsend to my dgs. I see wonderful things that has happened to both the child and dog. We saved the dog from a life of possible death in a shelter to a life of saving my dgs.
Thanks again for all the info and will take it all into consideration.

 

[Schmeck]

Dgs has motor tics that the dog will help control and the anger management when he gets out of control. She will be trained to move in on him and stop his anger by presenting herself to him.

Presenting herself to him for what? How does she stop his anger?

 

[tinkerpea]

Presenting herself to him for what? How does she stop his anger?

A child with the issues in question will be calmed down considerably by having the dog approach the child for the child even simply to pet,
Normally the dog is trained to put out a paw for the child to touch and interact with, some even just lay at the child's feet or put a paw on the persons leg,
A dog has a real calming influence on children and adults with these needs, the child will see the dog and almost immediately feel that the situation it starting to gain control!

It's a very hard thing to try and explain but it really works its proven by therapists.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

All of you have opened my eyes to a lot of information. It may be beyond what we can handle to bring her to Disney. For her sake and the grandsons. It will take a lot for dgs to go without her, but we have coped with his problems for several years now. When it gets overwhelming we will just head back to the resort hotel and chill.
My dgs has Tourettes Syndrome, Aspergers, and OCD. A dog was recommended by a friend whose son suffers from the same disorder and has a dog and has made an amazing change in that child. Dgs has motor tics that the dog will help control and the anger management when he gets out of control. She will be trained to move in on him and stop his anger by presenting herself to him and motor tics she will literally lay on him to help control the movement. If he has not control of his hands which has happened with the Tourettes she will pick up items for him. They are working with her to help cover him up at night when his rage and tics outweigh any control over his own body. As her training progresses she will help him present himself through puberty as they say this is the worst time for a child with Tourettes.
She has been to the grocery, dentist, and doctor with us and worked very well with dgs. The dentist raised the seat up to check dgs teeth and the dog did not like him going up that high as she could not care for him. I was amazed.
No, my dgs service dog as you present to me is not a true blue service dog with hours and hours of training, with dollars signs flashing before us.
This dog has received many hours of training through a facility here that keeps the dog for an extended period of time and trains the dog many commands, this service was free to us. Now we will take the dog through selected training classes in our area from a trainer recommended by our vet. She will continue her training until dgs neurologist and psychiatrist deems the dog has the sufficient training to manage dgs situation.
This dog so far is a godsend to my dgs. I see wonderful things that has happened to both the child and dog. We saved the dog from a life of possible death in a shelter to a life of saving my dgs.
Thanks again for all the info and will take it all into consideration.

What I bolded here is something I'd like to touch on. It's not necessarily a matter of a dog being trained in a large group or by a school or foundation or at home. Dogs can be tasked trained all day long by the best teacher in the world but if it's not trained to ignore and tolerate environmental stimuli that's when trouble can happen. The school our dogs came from always had the dogs in public but also would take them out in a large outdoor area and shoot off firecrackers and smash plates, all sorts of loud possibly frightening noises. The goal was that the dogs learned to ignore the sounds or figure out that the sound wasn't going to hurt them. If say, a blind guide dog user was out walking with the dog and a car backfired, if the dog was scared and didn't know how to overcome that the user could be put in danger. The first dog we had had a full bus pan of plates smash about 3 feet from his head and he just kept sleeping but that was a safe acceptable reaction (or lack thereof lol).

Disney is sensory overload for most people so imagine it from a dogs point of view. Especially if they aren't familiar with loud public settings. Even the best trained dogs can still have negative reactions to what they perceive as danger. Our second one didn't like the JAMMinators and when one got too close gave a big warning bark like "Ok buddy I don't know what you are but you're getting too close and I'm not ok with that". We moved away and the performer moved away. Super friendly dog though, who loved costume characters and rides and all sorts of things but this just pushed his buttons apparently. The thing is, imagine if the dog hadn't been trained to know that these sounds were normally ok. A dog visciously barking or lunging after anyone in a setting like that and they could ask you to remove the dog from the park (or any public place). People can think they know exactly what their animal will do but truth is you really don't.

 

[gilesmt]

All of you have opened my eyes to a lot of information. It may be beyond what we can handle to bring her to Disney. For her sake and the grandsons. It will take a lot for dgs to go without her, but we have coped with his problems for several years now. When it gets overwhelming we will just head back to the resort hotel and chill.
My dgs has Tourettes Syndrome, Aspergers, and OCD. A dog was recommended by a friend whose son suffers from the same disorder and has a dog and has made an amazing change in that child. Dgs has motor tics that the dog will help control and the anger management when he gets out of control. She will be trained to move in on him and stop his anger by presenting herself to him and motor tics she will literally lay on him to help control the movement. If he has not control of his hands which has happened with the Tourettes she will pick up items for him. They are working with her to help cover him up at night when his rage and tics outweigh any control over his own body. As her training progresses she will help him present himself through puberty as they say this is the worst time for a child with Tourettes.
She has been to the grocery, dentist, and doctor with us and worked very well with dgs. The dentist raised the seat up to check dgs teeth and the dog did not like him going up that high as she could not care for him. I was amazed.
No, my dgs service dog as you present to me is not a true blue service dog with hours and hours of training, with dollars signs flashing before us.
This dog has received many hours of training through a facility here that keeps the dog for an extended period of time and trains the dog many commands, this service was free to us. Now we will take the dog through selected training classes in our area from a trainer recommended by our vet. She will continue her training until dgs neurologist and psychiatrist deems the dog has the sufficient training to manage dgs situation.
This dog so far is a godsend to my dgs. I see wonderful things that has happened to both the child and dog. We saved the dog from a life of possible death in a shelter to a life of saving my dgs.
Thanks again for all the info and will take it all into consideration.

It sounds to me like your grandson really does need the dog, at least part of the time. Since you will be in POR and the kennel is right across the road, I would strongly suggest that you look into daycare in the kennel, like I said, I think it is about $27 a day. Someone could walk the dog over each morning and put him/her into care, then get her out each night. That way your grandson would at least have her at night. You have a lot in your group, if there will be people going back to the hotel mid day you could even keep the dog part of the day and put her in less time.

I know we or at least me, gave you the grim picture because we really want people to think before they take a dog, but it is possible to take the dog, I do. It also depends on the dog, my first dog could have done even wdw, my second dog had the stamina and could easily do wdw as far as stamina, but never could have done it long because he got to distracted, and if distracted he really could not help me. My third dog, who I got almost two years ago, she has no stamina, I call her my Sunday driving dog, slow, slow and slower is her pace, but she can handle any distraction, except maybe autotopia. She is going to have a hard time in wdw, so as I say, I plan for everyday in the kennel, but my hope is to do only every other day in the kennel, then at night every nightin the park and sleep with me, then back to kennel if need be.

I guess I am trying to say don't get to discourage, it can be done, just have a very good plan, and who knows maybe you will never have to use it. You have plenty of time to think it all out. Also please write and tell us how it works if you do bring him or her, tell us if you used the kennels, or if the dog made it, and how your dgs liked Disney.

I will be going in may for 13 days. I will try to write and tell you how it went, this will be my new dogs first time in wdw, last year went 5 days to dlr. I will tell you how the kennels went. Before they had several kennels, and I did not use them, for the 4 days we went last time my dog mad it, and on water park day papa stayed in room with dog. So at dlr the kennels are right at the gate, not miles away. At dlr we dropped her off and visited every two hours and never left her long. This will be different for us also. At dlr you don't get food, I understand at wdw they feed the dogs. So this will be new to us also and a new dog, maybe she will do a lot better than I think, but at least I budgeted for her to be kennelled all the time, just encase we need that.

Also you did not ask about plane rides. My dog has flown many times, even before I got her, so she does good. But there are things there you may want to be aware of. Like how to get thru security, I never let them take my dog, even thou it means her being searched, they just can not have her, I never let go of her harness, but I found a way to get myself thru without having to be handled by security myself. Also, I can not feed my dog or give her water before the flight, but we have a 7 hour flight, I have to make sure she can hold herself for 9 hours or more. Also, some planes are very small and there is no room for her to sit under the seats so I always ask for bulkhead seat, gives her more room.

 

[Piper]

What I bolded here is something I'd like to touch on. It's not necessarily a matter of a dog being trained in a large group or by a school or foundation or at home. Dogs can be tasked trained all day long by the best teacher in the world but if it's not trained to ignore and tolerate environmental stimuli that's when trouble can happen. The school our dogs came from always had the dogs in public but also would take them out in a large outdoor area and shoot off firecrackers and smash plates, all sorts of loud possibly frightening noises. The goal was that the dogs learned to ignore the sounds or figure out that the sound wasn't going to hurt them. If say, a blind guide dog user was out walking with the dog and a car backfired, if the dog was scared and didn't know how to overcome that the user could be put in danger. The first dog we had had a full bus pan of plates smash about 3 feet from his head and he just kept sleeping but that was a safe acceptable reaction (or lack thereof lol).

A couple of weeks ago, I had a neighbor get upset because Lucy totally ignored him when he called her. She had just received the "go potty" command and that is where her focus was (as well as on me.) He told me she was extremely unfriendly because she didn't pay any attention to him. I tried to explain that she was working and as a service dog, her job was to pay attention to ME and ignore any other stimulus. I'm not sure he "got" it. But that is okay. Had he been in our apartment's dog park where she is off leash and not working, she would have let him pet her. She knows the difference (although she never barks at people or other animals in the dog park either--quite different from most of the other dogs in there!)