Service dogs are NOT here for your enjoyment

[draggar]

We went to the local Scottish festival yesterday. My wife brought her service dog (MacLeod, a collie, quite appropriate). We had a bit of an argument at the entrance because they said no dogs were allowed, including service dogs (FYI - that's against the law, it's like banning wheelchairs, canes, and crutches). After a few rounds, we got in.

I don't know what it is with people, they see him, wearing the cape that says "PLEASE DO NOT PET ME, I AM A WORKING SERVICE DOG" plus his harness on. Sure enough, people just walk up to him, distract him, pet him, try to call him, even try to lead him away from my wife.

People, would you even think of trying to pull someone's cane out from under them? How about walking up to someone's electric wheelchair and start playing with the controls (while they're in it)? SO why the HELL does everyone treat a service dog as an exhibit?

Not only that, what kind of brains (or lack thereof) do you have to walk up to a completely strange dog and just pet it? Yes, we're responsible enough to know when the dogs has had enough and we've trained them when it is appropriate to bite / act defensive BUT, many people don't. We can tell when our dogs are stressed and when they need to be taken out of the environment. I'm sure none of my dogs would bite anyone under a situation like this but I know Zorro and Kiri may start to act defensive (tell the person to leave them alone in dog language, show teeth, minor growling/ grumbling) which most people would take as an aggression (no matter how aggressive the person is acting). GROWN ADULTS just walk up to my wife's service dog and some are stupid enough to read the sign on his back out loud THEN PET HIM! WHAT PART OF "DO NOT PET ME" DOES YOUR IGNORANT AND VERY SIMPLE MIND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND!!

Also, parents, it is VERY inappropriate and rude to allow your child to run up to a service dog and bash them on the head or throw things at them.

Teach your children how to react around strange dogs or else they WILL get bitten! (And the poor dog is the one who will be punished not the adults who should know better)

[blas]

That's sad that any parent would advocate the hitting and throwing of things at animals. I can't even say what I would do if I saw a parent laughing as a child beat an animal.

And yes, it's terrible that the poor animal is the one who suffers in the aftermath. One of my old neighbors was forced to put their dog down after it bit a small child. A small child whose parent encouraged it to run up to and ruff up the dog who was 10 times the size of the child. And the dog was just tied up outside trying to do its business. Of course I feel bad that a child got hurt, but at the same time, it never should have been encouraged to play with fire. It never should have happened.

[Bright_Star]

IF I want to pet a dog I ask first & IF it's a service dog then I just let it be. RESPECT-that's what it's about.

[Igorina]

It's not unusual to see service dogs at sci-fi cons.

A gentleman who is no longer with us, had a service sheltie. When he would come to our room parties, we always made sure to keep an eye out for the pup (room parties tend to be cramped/crowded). We even had a water dish in case it got too hot in the room for the dog. But we never did anything concerning the dog without his express permission.

[Posture Moll]

Sure enough, people just walk up to him, distract him, pet him, try to call him, even try to lead him away from my wife.

...Wow. I trust you gave those imbeciles a bit of a dressing-down?

One of my old neighbors was forced to put their dog down after it bit a small child.

Disgusting. In a sane society, it would be the parent charged with child endangerment. *sigh*.

[DesignFox]

That is so awful draggar. Some people have absolutely no respect.

When I see someone with a dog, I ask politely if I may pet their dog (if the dog is seeming like it wants to be pet). If someone has a service dog, I may ask to pet it if I know the person well enough, or if we are chatting it up a bit, but otherwise I keep my mouth shut and hands to myself! They are working animals, and in some cases, the person's life may depend upon the work the dog is doing!

[Dreamstalker]

A few months ago, I saw a man with a seeing-eye dog on the T. Cue pack of gangsta-wannabes (white as can be) harassing the poor dog who was doing an admirable job of trying to ignore them. Thuglets were on the train first, the blind man boarded when I did. Thuglets were blocking the disabled seating section.

Conductor exited the cab and talked to them, words were exchanged, and at the next stop the thuglets are escorted off the train by T police, complaining loudly all the way "we din't do nothin, why you hatin on us" etc.

I'll always ask if I can pet dogs I come across. Most are fine with some attention, but one never knows especially with rescued animals (a rescued Great Dane we met in Portland went right up to my dad, which her owner said was unusual as she had been previously abused by a man). Bothering service animals (seasoned or in training) is just wrong.

[CaroPhoenix]

I am interested in getting a service dog for my daughter. I've found a few websites about training dogs for Autistic children. I'm not having 2nd thoughts about getting one, but now I'm having worries that the first person who tries to mess with the dog (if we get one) will not only have their ears blasted off with the choice words I'd have for them, but also they'd be missing a hand once they left my family's personal space.

[myswtghst]

While it is kind of sad how ignorant people are, it almost doesn't shock me - c'mon people, how often on here do we whine about the fact that people never read signs unless the sign says something they want to read?

But draggar, I completely understand your annoyance. I never approach strange dogs without express permission from the owner, and I fully intend to impart that upon any children I may eventually raise. I also do my best to educate my friends, especially those with children, on the importance of teaching a child how to properly approach a dog, to avoid unfortunate incidents.

Someday, I would love to train service dogs...once I have saved enough money to do all the less profitable things I'd love to do without going completely broke.

[DesignFox]

I also do my best to educate my friends, especially those with children, on the importance of teaching a child how to properly approach a dog, to avoid unfortunate incidents.

At the summer camp I used to work at, we had a woman who trained service animals come and give the children a lesson in that.

[Horsetuna]

Ugh. Poor dog

I assisted a blind gentleman at the local convention... he read braille ad had a very sweet service dog who's name I forget.

She kept on veering to the right (I was walking on his right) and I had to keep telling him we were veering into the road. He explained she was trying to protect me too . She did get excited when a bush rustled. I guess you can't take the dog out of the service dog eh? She was very well behaved and quiet... old too. white muzzle and that.

I hope the service dog in this story isnt going to hate kids for that.

[tropicsgoddess]

What Part Of "Don't Pet Me" Don't You Understand?!!

I don't know what it is with people, they see him, wearing the cape that says "PLEASE DO NOT PET ME, I AM A WORKING SERVICE DOG" plus his harness on. Sure enough, people just walk up to him, distract him, pet him, try to call him, even try to lead him away from my wife.

GROWN ADULTS just walk up to my wife's service dog and some are stupid enough to read the sign on his back out loud THEN PET HIM! WHAT PART OF "DO NOT PET ME" DOES YOUR IGNORANT AND VERY SIMPLE MIND DOES NOT UNDERSTAND!!

Also, parents, it is VERY inappropriate and rude to allow your child to run up to a service dog and bash them on the head or throw things at them.

Teach your children how to react around strange dogs or else they WILL get bitten! (And the poor dog is the one who will be punished not the adults who should know better)

I'm shocked that some parents would even allow their children to do something that could provoke a dog. Those kids were lucky they didn't get bitten or mauled from their antics. It's sad, but true. The dog is the one that suffers in the end, because of somebody else's ignorance and negligence. I am a proud dog owner of a schipperke (say: skipper-key). Me and my fiance don't have any kids, but I know that one day when we do, our children will learn how to treat animals with respect.

[Saydrah]

I am interested in getting a service dog for my daughter. I've found a few websites about training dogs for Autistic children. I'm not having 2nd thoughts about getting one, but now I'm having worries that the first person who tries to mess with the dog (if we get one) will not only have their ears blasted off with the choice words I'd have for them, but also they'd be missing a hand once they left my family's personal space.

Not to hijack, but idrinkarum, you should check out this site and send the author a note with any questions you have about Autism Service Dogs- see here:

http://www.asdbymyside.blogspot.com/ great blog and the woman who writes it is super cool.

And Draggar- I am so sorry people do not respect service dogs! It is awful. People not respecting an owner's wishes (best example: people who tell my dog to jump up after I have asked multiple times that they not encourage jumping because he is in training for his CGC) is annoying already, but when the dog is part of what allows someone to participate in society? Despicable.

And I HAVE heard at least one story about playing with a powerchair's controls while the user is in it- it was a pretty wild story, too.

[Despina83]

One of my old neighbors was forced to put their dog down after it bit a small child. A small child whose parent encouraged it to run up to and ruff up the dog who was 10 times the size of the child. And the dog was just tied up outside trying to do its business. Of course I feel bad that a child got hurt, but at the same time, it never should have been encouraged to play with fire. It never should have happened.

I don't know if they should have been forced to put him to sleep. I mean, he was TIED UP outside, and the parents let the kid run up, and startle him by grabbing him. My dog developed a real dislike of some strangers, espescially children, in his old age, and he was extremely agressive and nasty with my little niece. So even though he was a sweet dog to most adults, I could have easily pictured him retaliating if a little kid came up and grabbed him, espescially chained. We had to put him down in September, by the way, because of extremely severe airthritis. The cat died 3 weeks later. Not fun times. At all. I still miss both of them like crazy every day.

[blas]

The kid's parents were going to sue. I mean, I was just a kid myself at the time, but I saw the cops over there and animal control. If they didn't put the dog down, animal control was going to take it away and the lady was going to sue my neighbor for lots of money. And this was BEFORE all the recent shenanigans with pitbulls and other dog bites you hear about. This was back in like, 1995.