19/04/2024
SERVICE DOGS ARE NOT ROBOTS
Perfection is not required 24/7
Misinformation is hurting people with PSD dogs. I see a lot of posts on how service dogs must act, behave, spotting fakes etc. None of them boil it down truthfully except the ADA and the individual state laws as long as they don't interfere with ada guidelines. There are provisions allowing SDs to be held in carry packs for certain disabilities, alerts and jobs that require distraction created by the dog as well as other things that could potentially get them called fakes. There are only 3 concrete requirements for an SD to be considered a SD by the ADA and the states. Pay close attention to my very plain english:
The dog must be trained for 1 task related to the handlers disability.
Does not urinate or defecate in the establishment
Is not out of control. Barking is not necessarily out of control:
Under control also means that a service animal should not be allowed to bark repeatedly in a lecture hall, theater, library, or other quiet place. However, if a dog barks just once, or barks because someone has provoked it, this would not mean that the dog is out of control.
Any disinformation to the contrary is put out by people trying to make money off your situation. You can train your own service dog the basics and as long as they have a task for your disability, are housebroken and fairly well mannered they're covered under the ADA. Do some SD have extensive training and multiple tasks? Of course they do but so do farm dogs, police dogs, competition dogs etc.
I recently had to educate a hotel manager on whether a service dog could compete in AKC trials and a bunch of other SD misinformation. Even with my TSD I'm still not shy and won't back down easy but many of us with hidden disabilities are. Another hotel guest actually had a similar experience and it made me want to correct it.
Here's one example:
In addition to deep pressure therapy Cricket is trained to act as a buffer for SAD when needed. Part of that requires her to get between her handler and people to slow down or curb the interaction. Rather than have her take a defensive stance we encouraged the goofy friendly give me belly rubs behavior you'll see when she's out of her vest.
Why did I choose to train her that way?
1. Breed stigma- AmStaffs are often viewed as dangerous breeds. Her behavior damages that stigma
2. I work around hundreds of dogs and a defensive stance could be misconstrued as aggressive.
3. It elevates my customers moods and makes social interactions easier
Before you scream fake at every dog that isn't a seemingly robotic accessory read through the ADA information I've attached. I had no choice but to do bare minimums after the wreck hurt my dog, damaged my body and messed up my head. Cricket has still got a lot of training deficits and a bunch of tasks to learn but in the eyes of the ADA she meets the bare minimum requirement to be a PSD. Just like you and I though, she deserves time off to be a crackhead occasionally.
SOURCE:
https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-2010-requirements/
See FAQ guidance link for even more clarification
