11/07/2024
I am a huge advocate for having your well mannered dog go with you whenever possible. I completely understand the need for an emotional support animal to be by your side. I will continue to advocate for pet friendly establishments, housing and rights.
BUT! Bottom line, they are NOT service animals.
It is completely irresponsible to throw a service animal vest on your dog and expect to have all the rights of a true service dog. It’s also extremely difficult on your dog to have these expectations if they aren’t properly trained.
Great article about this ongoing and very important topic.
Service dogs.
Probably one of the most unpopular topics for any pet dog trainer.
And with the recent rise of scammy online courses offering to train your dog to get "service dog level obedience in 2 days" 👀 this has gotten even worse.
I cannot begin to count the amount of service dog training requests I receive.
“Can your online courses train my dog to be a service dog?”
“I need to make my dog a service dog so he can ride on the bus with me” (Yes, someone seriously asked me this)
“Do you certify service dogs?”
No - no - no - and more no.
Service dog training is completely different from pet dog training.
If your dog is trained to walk nicely on a leash and sit and stay, they are a pet dog.
If your dog comes up to you and nuzzles you when you are sad - they are still a pet dog.
If you want your dog to accompany you into stores or fly in-cabin on planes … they’re still only a pet dog and these privileges are not for them.
Service dogs are task-trained.
They are specifically taught to work for people with disabilities.
A dog that solely provides comfort is not a service dog.
I see a lot of people acquiring dogs, labeling them as “my service dog” and *then* going about training them.
This is not how that works.
You cannot just select a dog, put a service dog harness on them and figure the rest out as you go.
We regularly receive requests from dog owners who tell us that their “service dog” pulled them over on leash or nips at visitors.
That their service dog relentlessly chases wildlife on walks or has intense anxiety in social settings.
One time I got a request from a lady who told me that she got a dog from the shelter to be her son’s service dog, but that “service dog” was now biting the son and could I please fix it.
I’m sorry - none of those dogs are not service dogs then. And they likely won’t be service dogs in the future either.
Please be honest about the dog you own.
Unless you worked diligently to train them as a service animal with specific tasks, they are a pet.
A beloved, (hopefully) well-behaved, wonderful pet.
But not a working dog, and you should not demand the privileges that are reserved for true service dogs and their disabled handlers.
Staying clear with this distinction protects the actual service dogs and their owners 🙂
