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By Irene Rondon on December 29,
Dogs are so cute and adorable! We can’t help but get excited every time we see a happy dog on the street. So many of us find it hard to contain ourselves and want to pet them or at least interact with them because, well, that would be rude otherwise, right?
Well, not always.
Assistance dogs are not like ordinary pets. They have a job to do, and your friendly interaction can get in the way, even if you have the purest and most honest intentions. Although most situations aren’t extreme, you could be putting someone’s life in danger by distracting their dog. At least you can stress the dog or its handler.
So let’s find out what you shouldn’t do when you encounter a service dog.
First things first: what are service dogs?
Service dogs are, well, dogs that have been specially trained to help people with disabilities. These include guiding the visually impaired, assisting the deaf, alerting epileptics to an impending seizure, distracting their handler during an episode of PTSD, and more.
The law does not limit service dogs to certain breeds, so any dog can be one. Don’t assume that because the dog you meet isn’t a Labrador or a Retriever that it can’t be a service dog.
How do I know if I need an assistance dog?
People with various disabilities or mental health issues may qualify for a service dog. To be approved for a psychiatric service animal, you must seek a consultation with a licensed mental health professional.
They can write you a PSA letter that will allow your service dog to accompany you to businesses, airplanes, or other places where dogs are generally not allowed.
Or suppose you’re not ready to see a mental health professional just yet. In this case, the Internet is full of amazing and useful information about how to get a psychiatric service dog, so you can start by understanding a little more about what it involves. This way, you can familiarize yourself with the first steps to begin this journey until you feel fully prepared for a consultation.
What to Avoid When Meeting Someone Else’s Service Dog
Whether you have one yourself or not, we all need to learn how to behave around someone else’s service dog. More and more Americans are spending their day with a service dog and the general public needs to know how to treat them.
Don’t pet the dog
First, DO NOT pet the dog. Most assistance dogs wear a harness that indicates they are working dogs. Many of these harnesses also ask passers-by not to pet the dog.
Either way, puppy lovers always try to pet service dogs, with or without asking first.
But keep that in mind. Even though it doesn’t look like a service dog is working, it does. Working dogs serve in different capacities. It looks like they’re just sitting there, but if you distract them with a friendly pat, someone might get hurt.
For example, very commonly, dogs that help with epilepsy alert their owners just before they have a seizure. The owner can then put himself in a safe position before the onset of the crisis. A distracted dog may miss signals and the owner could be hurt by the seizure he was not warned about.
don’t talk to the dog
Go further. Distractions come in all shapes and sizes. Petting the dog isn’t the only way to distract him.
Some people can’t resist talking, kissing, or interacting with dogs without touching them. Service dogs are trained to ignore these distractions, but that doesn’t mean you should.
Do not feed the dog
After the first two, it should be obvious, but it still needs to be mentioned. Do not give anything to a service dog. Many service dogs follow a strict diet or a specific feeding schedule. You don’t have to ruin everything by giving them treats, especially while they’re at work.
Do not let your dog interact with the service dog
Assistance dogs are trained to ignore distractions, including other animals. But they are not immune to the antics of their peers.
Make it easier for them by keeping your dog away when you encounter a service dog.
What if the dog is not on duty?
Assistance dogs have breaks, right? Is it okay to pet an off-duty service dog?
the the law does not require service dogs always wear their placards and harness. Some owners may prefer to avoid drawing attention to themselves and their service animal, so just because the dog doesn’t have signs doesn’t mean they’re out of service.
Assistance dogs can lie down and take a nap if their owner is stationary for a period of time. However, that doesn’t mean they’re out of service either. It is important to consider that disabilities and mental health issues do not take breaks, therefore service dogs are meant to be constant companions. You should always assume they are on duty and leave these types of dogs alone.
The good news is that there are plenty of other dogs you can play with. Nevertheless, assistance dogs or not, always remember to ask the owner if you can pet his dog first!
About the Author:
Irene Rondon is a Venezuelan writer with experience in English and Spanish. Apart from writing blogs, she also enjoys writing for branding and marketing like branding proposals, email campaigns, websites, etc. When she’s not blogging and copying, she’s writing songs, singing with her band, and working on her music project.
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