It’s amazing what I’ve learned about service dogs since we’ve had one. Most people aren’t sure what to do or not do around a service dog. Here’s a little list:
DO
*COMPLETELY IGNORE THEM
*Speak to the owner/handler, NOT the dog
*Teach your kids that service dogs with vests are NOT supposed to be petted
*Be aware of your surroundings and that there may be a dog on the floor with a tail (or feet) that can be stepped on
DO NOT
*pet the dog
*ask to pet the dog (although this is better than reaching your hand out to try to pet him)
*ask the handler questions about their past (this is a major intrusion of privacy)
*ask the dog’s name (more on this below)
*offer food to a service dog (if it’s a dog treat, ask the handler first if it’s okay…some restaurants/coffee shops/book stores have doggie treats behind the counter)
*assume that service dogs never get to ‘just be dogs’. Trust me on this….our service dog is a completely different (naughty) animal when his working vest comes off. He is spoiled in every way, has toys and treats aplenty and sleeps in our bed every single night. PLUS….he gets to hang out with his human all day every day. He has the best of both worlds.
Here’s a few explanations and some things that happened on our trip.
If you give a service dog ANY kind of attention, it distracts them from THEIR job. Even a simple ‘awwwww!’ can distract a dog. If you ask what the dog’s name is, and the handler tells you the dog’s real name, the FIRST thing that person is going to do is going to say ‘awwww, Hi Watson!’ and boom, immediately the dog’s attention goes to that person and away from their handler. However….if you tell them their middle name (Henry), when the person says ‘Aw…hi Henry!’….Watson will not react. His focus will remain on his handler. Or, you could just choose not to give out the dog’s name at all. We typically do not give out his name, but on rare occasions we will say that his name is Henry (his middle name). Because he won’t respond to Henry.
If you pet the dog, or attempt to pet the dog, his attention will be on you, and not his handler. Plain and simple. Do not pet the dog.
Almost every time we are out in public, my husband gets asked 'are you a vet?' He gives a simple ‘yes’. But…it doesn’t always stop there. At the hockey game in Nashville, a guy sitting in front of us wanted to know what he did in the military and what war he was in. Sigh. This happens a LOT. Most veterans do NOT like talking about these things. My husband is always polite about it and just says “I don’t really talk about that with anyone”. I mean….he just wanted to go to a hockey game, not reminisce about his military days (which gave him PTSD) with a random stranger during the game.
We do have positive experiences also though. We stopped at a Target outside of Nashville for some snacks and we walked by a man pushing a cart with a child in the seat (the kid was maybe 3 or 4?). And the kid said ‘look daddy there’s a doggie’ and the dad said “yes, remember what we talked about? We can’t pet or talk to dogs that have vests on like that because they are working.” I wanted to applaud.
In Memphis, everyone was super friendly (especially at restaurants) and always asked (US) if our dog needed anything (like a bowl of water). That’s always appreciated.
I completely understand that not everyone knows this etiquette (I sure didn’t at first). And I also understand that most people are animal lovers and have the best of intentions. However, I think it’s important that everyone remember that service dogs are working dogs and just need to be ignored so they can do their jobs the best they can.
