TheServiceDogTrainer
Filing Flight Plan
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2014
- Messages
- 3
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TheServiceDogTrainer
This is my first time posting, and frankly I joined this board just to address this issue, and hopefully to help answer any questions about Service dogs and flying with them. This will be a bit long.
First I want to introduce myself, give a few credentials,and an overview.
My name is Karla Brewster, and I reside in Southeast Florida. I am 50yrs of age. I train/raise dogs(any breed for training, and I raise Rottweilers). I also train service dogs for people with disabilities(PWD).I have a BA in Psychology, have attended 3 different dog training schools(IE, National K-9 School for Dog Trainers, etc), I have trained/supervised the training of over 5000 dogs/handlers and have trained/supervised the training of about 200 service/guide/assistance/hearing dogs and their handlers. I have trained for DOD, and many Police Departments and Correctional Facilities.
I am also a vet(Army 96B), 10 yrs active duty who is disabled(non-military related--I have MS, hearing loss, and severe hypoglycemia). And, most of the time I am accompanied by a service dog. My service dogs are almost always Rottweilers---I have owned Rotties since I was 18, and they are, by far, my breed of choice.
Now, I have traveled all over the world with my dogs. Largo, my last SD(service dog) being the most traveled---She had gone to Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Afghanistan, Mexico, Panama, US Virgin ISlands, Canada, Bahama, all over the US, and probably a few places I have neglected to mention.
I have traveled on Delta, AA, United, Continental, Southwest, TAP, Luths., Spirit, Jet Blue, Alitalia, just to name a few. I have horror stories about TAP and Alitalia I could share, but I might just direct you to my blogs about them. I prefer to ship with AA(hate driving in Miami, but...), I love to, generally, fly with Delta. I will never ever fly again, Alitalia or TAP airlines. Luths. is great, and Swiss is awesome!.
My ex-husband was a pilot--small planes. I have taken off/landed small single engine planes before, with him at my side...I would love to learn to fly, but don't think I could "handle" the ground schooling. Or, the expense....That said, anyone in the Southeast FL area who is going up for fun, and wants a seatmate, I wouldn't mind tagging along. I love, btw, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes...It's a rush and a 1/2.
With regards to this man: Simply put, he's a butt head. An honorable man would never ever act like that. The "red coat"(IE, Customer Service Guy) was polite, never raised his voice, etc....Simply directed that the dog was to be on the floor....Which is where the dog should be.
He should have been put off the plane. Had I been there, I would have told the man to stand down, immediately. Then if that didn't work, I would have decked him. Totally unacceptable behavior.
Now, that is not to say that aircraft personal have not irritated the crap out of me and that I have not blown a gasket or two, but never over having a dog in the seat...Well, actually once...I was transporting a SD from Missouri to Florida---fully trained, not my dog, but he mitigated my hearing loss----I was told to keep the dog on my lap. I said no. Pilot argued. I said "Would you allow a person to keep their purse/backpack in their lap?" Response "No." Me: "Why not" Response: "Because it would become.......(his voice trailed off, as I smiled....)it would become a projectile".....ME: "Yep...." There was no more argument after that.
I am still doing the research, but it seems to me that the FAA/DOT requires that the dog be on the floor and not occupying a seat.
Here are some general rules:
1) Dog cannot be in the isleway. Now, that doesn't mean that at sometime during the flight the tail might not creep out to the isle, but the dog shouldn't take up so much space that he is 1/2 in the isle.
2) The dog cannot be in exit row seating.
3) You(IE, Air crew) cannot make a PWD who is accompanied by a SD sit in bulkhead seating(and, I have been forced, and had a 10 hour panic attack because of it). Simply put, it's the equivalent to making us sit at the back of the bus, in my opinion---it is not better. When you have a bigger dog, if it is properly trained, it will go under the seat in front of you. Even my 110lb Rottweilers will go under the seats in front of me---not kidding. It's all in the training. Bulkhead, I have to put my feet on the BH wall, rather than putting them on my dog. Also, BH forces, with even a lab or a golden weighing 80lbs, that the person next to me has no place for feet---and, unless they are an adult midget or an amputee, I don't want to sit next to kids.
4) You can't require health certificates, even for international travel, unless it's to a quarantined country, like England(who has lifted their quarantines---just proof of Rabies now)
A few thoughts from a PWD with a SD:
1) I know that it's pretty cool for a dog to be on the plane, but as a rule, I have to answer questions all the time, so, just let me sleep.
2) Sometimes PWD's stress about flying. Don't make it worse by making them sit in bulkhead if they don't want to. And, sometimes, not that this excuses poor behavior, but, sometimes, we are whipped, because we have had a crapload of confrontation before we got to the plane. And, we are tired/irritated.
3) Most REPUTABLE orgs would throw a fit and repo the dog, if the client did what this guy did. I know I would
4) Most REPUTABLE orgs do not allow their SD teams to eat/drink in "public"...I know you mean well, but don't be offended if I turn down water/food for my dog.
5) Real SD's keep "All 4 on the Floor".
6) Real SD's do not sit on the seat next to us.(again, I am looking for "proof" of this as a matter of law). We respect the people getting on the plane after us...and that person might not want dog hair on their clothes when they sit in the seat that we rudely placed our dog in.
I have to admit, with shame, that the PWD community seems to think that their "s(*t" doesn't stink, and that the world owes them a living. It's a shame that the community, on the whole, thinks that they are the only ones who have any "rights"....They don't understand that the general PDQ has rights too....They have the right to sit in a plane seat not covered in dog hair, or worry about fleas, or poop on the seat(hey, sometimes dogs leave skidmarks too!)...That the public has the right to know that they aren't going to be attacked by the PitBull or, yes, even the Rottweiler, that just got on the plane. However, My dog is often my lifeline, and I do have the right to have it present.
BTW, I have flown internationally with my service dogs. Largo, my last SD(check out WWW.LargoDoesRome.blogspot.com) has "held" it for more than 24 hours while flying.
I have had lots of horror experiences...but, for the most part, I enjoy flying. I have had pilots "steal" my dogs and take them to the cockpit(Prior to 9/11.) I often have pilots come and "borrow" my dogs on international flights for "sleeping buddies"---and I have no issue with that. If it helps you de-stress, then I am all for it.
I apologize to all PROFESSIONALS who fly for the rude behavior of this man---it is a shame. I get that sometimes we with disabilities have to fight tooth and nail to get what we need/want/pay for, but there really wasn't an excuse for his behavior.
First I want to introduce myself, give a few credentials,and an overview.
My name is Karla Brewster, and I reside in Southeast Florida. I am 50yrs of age. I train/raise dogs(any breed for training, and I raise Rottweilers). I also train service dogs for people with disabilities(PWD).I have a BA in Psychology, have attended 3 different dog training schools(IE, National K-9 School for Dog Trainers, etc), I have trained/supervised the training of over 5000 dogs/handlers and have trained/supervised the training of about 200 service/guide/assistance/hearing dogs and their handlers. I have trained for DOD, and many Police Departments and Correctional Facilities.
I am also a vet(Army 96B), 10 yrs active duty who is disabled(non-military related--I have MS, hearing loss, and severe hypoglycemia). And, most of the time I am accompanied by a service dog. My service dogs are almost always Rottweilers---I have owned Rotties since I was 18, and they are, by far, my breed of choice.
Now, I have traveled all over the world with my dogs. Largo, my last SD(service dog) being the most traveled---She had gone to Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Afghanistan, Mexico, Panama, US Virgin ISlands, Canada, Bahama, all over the US, and probably a few places I have neglected to mention.
I have traveled on Delta, AA, United, Continental, Southwest, TAP, Luths., Spirit, Jet Blue, Alitalia, just to name a few. I have horror stories about TAP and Alitalia I could share, but I might just direct you to my blogs about them. I prefer to ship with AA(hate driving in Miami, but...), I love to, generally, fly with Delta. I will never ever fly again, Alitalia or TAP airlines. Luths. is great, and Swiss is awesome!.
My ex-husband was a pilot--small planes. I have taken off/landed small single engine planes before, with him at my side...I would love to learn to fly, but don't think I could "handle" the ground schooling. Or, the expense....That said, anyone in the Southeast FL area who is going up for fun, and wants a seatmate, I wouldn't mind tagging along. I love, btw, jumping out of perfectly good airplanes...It's a rush and a 1/2.
With regards to this man: Simply put, he's a butt head. An honorable man would never ever act like that. The "red coat"(IE, Customer Service Guy) was polite, never raised his voice, etc....Simply directed that the dog was to be on the floor....Which is where the dog should be.
He should have been put off the plane. Had I been there, I would have told the man to stand down, immediately. Then if that didn't work, I would have decked him. Totally unacceptable behavior.
Now, that is not to say that aircraft personal have not irritated the crap out of me and that I have not blown a gasket or two, but never over having a dog in the seat...Well, actually once...I was transporting a SD from Missouri to Florida---fully trained, not my dog, but he mitigated my hearing loss----I was told to keep the dog on my lap. I said no. Pilot argued. I said "Would you allow a person to keep their purse/backpack in their lap?" Response "No." Me: "Why not" Response: "Because it would become.......(his voice trailed off, as I smiled....)it would become a projectile".....ME: "Yep...." There was no more argument after that.
I am still doing the research, but it seems to me that the FAA/DOT requires that the dog be on the floor and not occupying a seat.
Here are some general rules:
1) Dog cannot be in the isleway. Now, that doesn't mean that at sometime during the flight the tail might not creep out to the isle, but the dog shouldn't take up so much space that he is 1/2 in the isle.
2) The dog cannot be in exit row seating.
3) You(IE, Air crew) cannot make a PWD who is accompanied by a SD sit in bulkhead seating(and, I have been forced, and had a 10 hour panic attack because of it). Simply put, it's the equivalent to making us sit at the back of the bus, in my opinion---it is not better. When you have a bigger dog, if it is properly trained, it will go under the seat in front of you. Even my 110lb Rottweilers will go under the seats in front of me---not kidding. It's all in the training. Bulkhead, I have to put my feet on the BH wall, rather than putting them on my dog. Also, BH forces, with even a lab or a golden weighing 80lbs, that the person next to me has no place for feet---and, unless they are an adult midget or an amputee, I don't want to sit next to kids.
4) You can't require health certificates, even for international travel, unless it's to a quarantined country, like England(who has lifted their quarantines---just proof of Rabies now)
A few thoughts from a PWD with a SD:
1) I know that it's pretty cool for a dog to be on the plane, but as a rule, I have to answer questions all the time, so, just let me sleep.
2) Sometimes PWD's stress about flying. Don't make it worse by making them sit in bulkhead if they don't want to. And, sometimes, not that this excuses poor behavior, but, sometimes, we are whipped, because we have had a crapload of confrontation before we got to the plane. And, we are tired/irritated.
3) Most REPUTABLE orgs would throw a fit and repo the dog, if the client did what this guy did. I know I would
4) Most REPUTABLE orgs do not allow their SD teams to eat/drink in "public"...I know you mean well, but don't be offended if I turn down water/food for my dog.
5) Real SD's keep "All 4 on the Floor".
6) Real SD's do not sit on the seat next to us.(again, I am looking for "proof" of this as a matter of law). We respect the people getting on the plane after us...and that person might not want dog hair on their clothes when they sit in the seat that we rudely placed our dog in.
I have to admit, with shame, that the PWD community seems to think that their "s(*t" doesn't stink, and that the world owes them a living. It's a shame that the community, on the whole, thinks that they are the only ones who have any "rights"....They don't understand that the general PDQ has rights too....They have the right to sit in a plane seat not covered in dog hair, or worry about fleas, or poop on the seat(hey, sometimes dogs leave skidmarks too!)...That the public has the right to know that they aren't going to be attacked by the PitBull or, yes, even the Rottweiler, that just got on the plane. However, My dog is often my lifeline, and I do have the right to have it present.
BTW, I have flown internationally with my service dogs. Largo, my last SD(check out WWW.LargoDoesRome.blogspot.com) has "held" it for more than 24 hours while flying.
I have had lots of horror experiences...but, for the most part, I enjoy flying. I have had pilots "steal" my dogs and take them to the cockpit(Prior to 9/11.) I often have pilots come and "borrow" my dogs on international flights for "sleeping buddies"---and I have no issue with that. If it helps you de-stress, then I am all for it.
I apologize to all PROFESSIONALS who fly for the rude behavior of this man---it is a shame. I get that sometimes we with disabilities have to fight tooth and nail to get what we need/want/pay for, but there really wasn't an excuse for his behavior.
