I love dogs, and I always wanna pet every single one I see lol. But I heard that service dogs are different and you’re not supposed to distract them. What’s the right etiquette when you see one in public? Can they go anywhere with their handler?
Yeah, service dogs are working, so you shouldn’t distract them. They’re trained to help their handler with disabilities, so if you see one, just ignore it unless the handler says it’s okay to interact.
@Chen
Makes sense. What if a service dog comes up to me though?
Marley said:
@Chen
Makes sense. What if a service dog comes up to me though?
If a service dog approaches you without their handler, it probably means their handler needs help. You should follow the dog and check if their owner is okay.
Also, they’re allowed to go almost anywhere! Restaurants, movie theaters, public transport—you name it. The law protects them, and they don’t even need to wear a vest to prove they’re legit.
Zion said:
Also, they’re allowed to go almost anywhere! Restaurants, movie theaters, public transport—you name it. The law protects them, and they don’t even need to wear a vest to prove they’re legit.
Wait, so anyone can just bring a dog and say it’s a service dog?
@Miller
Not really. Passing off a regular pet as a service dog is super unethical and can cause issues for people with real service dogs. Businesses are allowed to ask if the dog is needed for a disability, but they can’t ask for proof or paperwork.
Another thing—don’t feed them! A lot of service dogs have strict diets and feeding schedules, plus giving them food is a big distraction from their job.
Dell said:
Another thing—don’t feed them! A lot of service dogs have strict diets and feeding schedules, plus giving them food is a big distraction from their job.
Good to know! I’ve seen people try to give treats to service dogs before, and I always wondered if that was okay.
@Corwin
Yeah, definitely not okay. Even if it’s tempting, it could mess up their training or make them lose focus.
Service dogs aren’t the same as emotional support dogs, btw. Emotional support animals don’t have the same legal rights as service dogs.
Mai said:
Service dogs aren’t the same as emotional support dogs, btw. Emotional support animals don’t have the same legal rights as service dogs.
Wait, what’s the difference?
Mai said:
Service dogs aren’t the same as emotional support dogs, btw. Emotional support animals don’t have the same legal rights as service dogs.
Wait, what’s the difference?
Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks related to a disability, like guiding a blind person or detecting low blood sugar. Emotional support animals provide comfort but don’t have special training for disabilities.
Oh, and if you have a pet with you, make sure they don’t bother a service dog! Even if your dog is friendly, it could be a big distraction.
Sage said:
Oh, and if you have a pet with you, make sure they don’t bother a service dog! Even if your dog is friendly, it could be a big distraction.
That’s a good point. My dog always wants to say hi to other dogs, so I should probably work on making sure he doesn’t try to interact with service dogs.