Service Dog Etiquette for Handlers (Best Practices for Service Dog Teams - Public Access)
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ม.ค. 2022
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In this video I talk about general service dog etiquette when out in public with your service dog. I discuss best practices for positioning your service dog in restaurants, where they should be in stores, and general good manners for service dogs. While my suggestions do not apply to all working assistance dogs, they will be helpful for the majority of service dog handlers. This video is especially targeted to new service dog handlers and owner-trainers.
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Did I miss anything? What would you add for novice service dog handlers in regards to etiquette?
So what are your thoughts about dogs that are in strollers. I have a smaller dog, a boston terrier, and he spends about 40% of his time in a stroller. It's only in specific locations or events, such as sports stadiums, concerts, when I go play poker as there isn't enough room for him to fit under the table, and even if there was, he would end up getting kicked a lot. He can both alert and task, well mostly alert, from the stroller, and depending on what the alert is, we can go off into a quiet corner and deal with the issue/task. When we are out in the general public, walmart, dr's offices, places that aren't overly crowded or a danger to him, he is walking. We actually had an incident this weekend, we are at a poker series, so he was in his stroller, and there was another dog with a service dog vest on that people were talking about, suddenly the other dog started pulling as soon as he saw Milo, and barking/making noises, trying to get at us. It got to the point where we were waiting for the elevator, and the other handler had to remove his dog because it wouldn't settle. A girl entered the same elevator as us and said that honestly, if she had to guess which was the fake service dog between the two, she would have guessed Milo, until she saw his actions/reactions. I know that there is a stigma that goes around about dogs in strollers, and I really wish people would stop to educate themselves further. Where we are now, there are roughly 4-5 ESA's, being put up on chairs beside their handlers, one even being put on a poker table, and the owner was upset with me because I wouldn't let Milo play with her dog while he was working. I've asked the people in charge to clamp down, because these aren't real service dogs, and they really shouldn't be in public. It's obvious from their behavior that they are fully or properly trained. Anyways, sorry that got a little long, needed to vent as well
@@tommygirl6659 The ADA recommends a sling in those circumstances. But in my opinion, if your dog can task, there is nothing wrong with a stroller. I have seen situations where it would have been safer to put a big dog in some kind of cart. People plow right over them.
If the stroller is not interfering with the tasking, then it is not considered a fake service dog. Freja is doing much better with her etiquette. Is now completely on the floor when it comes to being in public. We do have a bad experience with the Uber driver. Freja is experiencing some shedding. Her hair was all over the floor and on the seat. I had wipes with me and offered to clean it up. The driver was so rude to me and ordered me to clean it up. He was commenting on how dirty his car was. He tried to dismiss me from continuing to clean the car. Even criticize my house being full of dog hair. I take very good care of Freja and keep her clean all the time. I probably should have washed her blanket. I just started a new job and going through a tough transition. Now I completely understand what service dog handlers go through with people in public. I am having problems trying to crawl down and and under. Freja is used to being under the table and in cars. She just sleeps. She can go on Buses, and I am trying to get her on a train. 16 months.
I took my sdit to waffle house for the first time last week, (it was her second time inside of a restaurant while I was eating) She did really well, sat underneath of the bench at the booth with me rewarding her when she ignored the waitress or other people walking by with 'yes' and treat (from treat pouch). When we stood up to leave, the cook went "Has that dog been there the WHOLE time??" It made me super proud of her.
yayy! what a compliment to all your hard work in training!
@@DoggyU Thank you! She just turned a year old a few weeks ago (May 22nd) so I am proud as can be. She is the first dog I've ever had. We did a round of training through petsmart so I made sure I knew some basics (I've done so much reading about dogs and training techniques in the last year) and we are working with a local organization for her service specific training. We live in Ohio, so we do have liability insurance through the organization so I can have her with me as an sdit in non-pet friendly places as Ohio has weird rules about owner trained dogs. We do practice how to sit at the table at home. She can't tuck under our family table as she ends up stepping on my dad's bare feet, but we do have a bed for her to lay in while eating so she doesn't beg. Same for if we eat in the family room, she has a bed in most rooms of the house.
@@DashitaTichou Sounds like you're doing an awesome job with her
Oh jeez... I went to waffle house once and it was terrible. Me and my dad went and as soon as we sat down, we stood up and left. We make jokes about it all the time. The tables had MOULD! I've never seen mould grow on a table before. It was a very weird experience.
@@mobstercrow7515 eeeewwwwww
THANK YOU for this video! As a SD handler, it's important to me that I exhibit polite behavior, even in frustrating situations. "Fake" SDs are a huge problem, but SD handlers who stalk pet owners with the intention of humiliating them for not understanding that they fell for a scam are even worse. I believe the majority of these pet owners don't know that their dog isn't "registered". Quietly educating can be appropriate, but marching up and down aisles, yelling at people to get their mutts out of the store, or (cringe) barking out how much their SD is worth is just bullying. Their dogs may be well-behaved, but they are falling short of being curteous. I don't interact with other dogs or their handlers unless they directly interfere with my dog tasking. It's not my job to conduct sweeps of the area.
I'd love to see some videos on task training for psychiatric service dogs. Since mine is invisible to most other folks.
Hi Feathers! I'm actually working on courses for that (hopefully out this Fall!). I also have several videos over on Patreon (patreon.com/doggyu) on tasking like how to train an alert, teaching block and cover, grounding exercises etc. On TH-cam here I also have a video on training DPT if you haven't seen that yet: th-cam.com/video/P4F_v8dww0g/w-d-xo.html
I have a few more coming out on Patreon soon! :)
I'd be happy with those videos as well
Always great to remember what is and is not appropriate. I’m currently involved with helping to raise my next guide as my current girl gets older and sometimes I forgot just how much work goes in to a professionally behaved dog. He’s only 8 months but he’s huge and people think he’s an adult while he still has puppy Brain.We did a quick trip into Costco the other day and he let out a bark at something that startled him. This was mortifying to me and we corrected him and left but it’s hard for someone who is used to a perfectly behaved dog to be working with an adolescent pup! Back to pet friendly places for us! I don’t know how puppy raisers do it!
Ah yes, teenagers are sooo hard! I feel your pain! Especially when you're used to such a well-mannered pup! But I'm sure they will get there!
I completely understand, my Giant Schnauzer unexpectedly died in January. I trained her myself and she was with me for 10 years. She did her work (Balance) perfectly but I am too old to start a puppy.
My new dog is a 90lb female Rottweiler who just turned 2 from a rescue 1,485 miles south. Long drive, but I pray she will help me. One good thing, I am now retired but that is a whole new adjustment.
Good Luck.
I am about to meet a new rottie puppy. How do you deal with the size? Do you fly at qll?
@@gimpinainteasy
My 2y.o. is a rescue. I flew there but rented a car to drive home. I knew she couldn't fly that far. This is my 3rd Rottie over the years. As for size issues, we naturally treat small dogs differently than a large dog. If you get a puppy, the best thing to remember is that cute 15lb puppy will soon be a 100 dog. Treat the pup as a large dog and do not accept "little cute" puppy behavior that you don't want your full grown dog to do. Be consistent, patient, and fun to keep them interested.
Be careful of using a high pitch, excitable voice. Remember, that puppy you are getting excited will soon be a real handful.
@Russ Gagnon yep. We have had a rottweiler before. He passed away a few years ago. We also have a GSD that I trained. I just wondered about the size and flying. Thanks for answering!
Also, I never so cute voices. I didn't do that with my human children. My grandmother didn't talk like that. She is an English reading g teacher.
Thank you for this information. I’m happy to say we often get the response “I didn’t know there was a dog here” in restaurants.
Hey I'm just commenting this comment because I understand that comments help the algorithm I have nothing about you to say but the longer I make the more value it is for driving this video
Now this is a comment I can stand behind! Thanks Sara! Much appreciated!
Thank you. I'm disabled Vet wanting to get a service doggy. Love these videos super helpful.
Hi Lorynda! I'm so glad you find these videos helpful! Good luck on your journey!
Wonderful video, as always Laura!! Thank you for letting us be a part of it! ❤️🐾🐕🦺🦮
Thanks Korrine!!
Thank you!! You are right there isn’t many videos on how to train the trainer.
Also can you make a video of small dog etiquette. Thank you again
Hi Nava - thank you for your comment! I'm glad you found the video helpful. Small dog etiquette is exactly the same as etiquette for a dog of any size. The dog should be on the ground unless tasking, walking at heel, etc. There is no difference between size of dog, other than having a smaller dog makes it easier for them to tuck at a restaurant, sit at your feet on a plane, etc, than if you had a 100 lb dog :)
This is great! Thank you! I adopted a high energy dog in Italy and after a year and a half of training as a service dog she is coming with me to the states. Your videos are so helpful to understand the standard required and how to make the trip as stress free as possible for both of us.
That's wonderful! Good luck on your journey to the US! I'm so glad the videos are helpful and remember to subscribe for more SD content. I have a video in the works on visiting the National Parks in the US with a service dog. Happy Training!
1:19 so glad to see an SD at the gym!
Great place to train and get a workout in!
While grocery stores I like using a carabineer on my belt for hands free trips, very handy for those days I need my cane.
I live in a tiny town with no pet friendly places and it’s winter in Canada so I found a work around. While currently my SDIT doesn’t go into grocery stores or restaurants, I have taken him to the local hardware store and pharmacy for public access training as I don’t have a lot of options. Also for the pharmacy I received permission from multiple staff members before I did it for the first time and I’ve gone there since and no one has ever gotten mad at me or denied access. That’s just my clever work around and I did make sure he had enough outdoor and home training before I even tried Public access.
Question! My SD is a Cane Corso and simply cannot fit under chairs and most tables. I have him trained to tuck between me and a wall or in the most out of place position. Most people never even see a 150 pound monster until I leave. The question is this: Is it common for large breed SD's to do this? I can't imagine it's easy to tuck Great Danes under tables either.
Hi Martin - yes, not all dogs can tuck under a chair or table (though most can tuck under a table depending on the setup and how many people are sitting at the table - sometimes I'll ask them to remove a chair so that dog has more space). The next best option is simply to put them in the place that protects them the most which is what it sounds like you're doing :)
Another great video Laura! I got my SD from a non-profit that provides them to Veterans and First Responders. While she passed the AKC Good Citizen test and had been trained out in public, I misunderstood how much more reinforcement training was needed to bring her to the next level. (we really need to have a conversation about elevators - really screwed that one up meaning me, not the dog) Videos like this are helping me become a much better handler and better SD Team. I thought I knew a lot about dogs, but this experience has shown just how much I don't know.
There's always so much more to learn! I'm constantly learning and i've been in the service dog industry my entire career! Plus, even well trained dogs need to be maintained and enjoy learning new things! It's important to keep those skills sharp, especially as your disability evolves, you may find certain new tasks helpful (I mean anyone training service dog, not you specifically). I know I've added a few tasks over time.
Not sure if you've seen this video on how to ride in elevators but I thought I'd post it here just in case: th-cam.com/video/XfS_otp9h0Y/w-d-xo.html
Happy Training!
It’s never really done is it? Don’t beat yourself up, we always miss a few things! My service dogs name is Baron (😂!) and I worked with trainers desensitizing him to everything we could think of. Our first grocery trip was great, he didn’t sniff the meat or cheese and I was so proud. Then, we walked by the flower cooler. Suddenly he dove headfirst into a bucket of flowers and almost pulled me over and I couldn’t compute what just happened. There is my male Rottweiler with his head stuck in a bucket of blooms with his eyes closed sniffing. I had no words. 😂 He’s OBSESSED with flowers, perfume, candles etc. I don’t watch for other dogs or kids or food, I watch to make sure I don’t dragged onto someone’s landscaping. He’s MUCH better, but he makes sure I know that he wants to sniff. I compromised and let him choose his own cologne and make him Jasmine tea. You just can’t predict everything. 😂
@@atyourservicedog oh my god 😭🙏 this comment is one of the greatest things I've seen in a very long time.
My pup hasn't gone anywhere not pet friendly (SDITs don't have PA rights under any circumstances in my state), so I don't know what if any crazy quirks he has yet in SD only spaces, but he's almost 9 months and just entered the adolescent craziness and he's a GSD, so he's a very vocal breed ofc.
If kids run by the ABSOLUTE MESS of metaphorical tears to run after them. He sounds like a literal toddler asking to go play with his friends - just crying and shouting. It's so embarrassing but people and places have been more forgiving of us than I have been 🙈.
@@atyourservicedog also, how did he choose his own cologne? I need this story in my life and how do you use it? Does he get sniffing time with it as like a reward? I can't imagine his nose wouldn't be impaired by it if he needed to alert you, so Im guessing he can't wear it on his gear or anything unless it's a much older scent?
@@Night-ud4ew oh my goodness the “teen” phase has hit? You have your work cut out for a little while.☺️ He will settle down, don’t discouraged! My trainer suggested I be more fun than anything around me, so if I know we will be around kids, especially if they are playing BALL, I bring a ball on a rope with me. He knows it’s there, if he loses focus I grab it and play for a moment, it really helps! It’s sounds like you have a beautiful and playful boy, he just sees a blinking amusement park sign when he sees kids, so bring your own fun.☺️
Really great tips!
Thanks Sue :)
Love this video thank you!!!!!!!!!🎉❤
Thanks Carmen! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video!
This is so helpful thank you!
Thanks Dante for taking the time to comment! I'm so glad you found it helpful! Welcome to the channel!
You make some great videos keep it up! I’m learning a lot from you 😊
So glad you're finding the videos helpful! Thanks for commenting!
this is a thoughtful and nuanced video. appreciate your sharing your expertise in such an open and generous way!
Thanks Rick! :)
Wow! I love your hair color! ❤ This looks great on you. 🎉
Thanks Shirley!
Bear and I are in training, and the other day we had a situation where someone told us to leave, or put him "in a cart" .. i told the lady this is not proper etiquette. She said its the law and refused to listen. People are so misinformed from badly behaved service dogs in this store. My dog is a cocker spaniel, and alerts by paw lifts and nose boops and various other ways. I need him to live. Since he is small they always tell me to put in a cart... I explained this several times and ended up She refused to listen and kicked me out of the store despite his proper service dog attire, a card with facts from the ADA. How do you handle when people want you to leave or argue with you?
I really enjoy your content! I trained many service dogs over the years, mostly sporting breeeds and working breeds. They CAN most definitely fit into small spaces ON THE FLOOR.
SO to your answer.
1. no service dogs in shopping carts
I wish more people were educated. LOVE the content. Would love to connect!
To your success
Drea
What a frustrating experience! It can definitely be the "wild west" out there as far as people's education levels on service dogs. Thanks for your kind words and have a wonderful holiday season!
So amazing, your content! Thank you so much! 🙂
Hey Black Dragon Biker! So glad you're finding it helpful! Thank you for leaving this comment! Great one to read first thing in the morning
Thank you miss laura. I recently lost my SD to stroke on Christmas morning. This was so hard. I wasn't working her hardly at all due to her age. I'm an old gal myself. I now have a new Sheltie to train. She is 6 and is learning so fast. Thank you. 🙏🐶🐾🐾
Thanks Kat and I'm so sorry about the loss of your SD. Good luck with your new prospect!
Best videos on SA I have seen yet! Thanks! ❤ 🐕
So glad it was helpful! Check out my full service dog training playlist for tons more videos that you might find valuable! th-cam.com/play/PLOv3ykszW9t_P03C0kEjhgslbjhTeZVLq.html
Finally. You said "suggestions". I am sick of videos saying this is how they "must behave", which make my dog out to be poorly behaved and poorly trained. Showing other dogs up as fake, when in reality that is not always the case. They are trained to fill the gaps. I do not give mine a harness and so nothing to say "leave this dog alone". I have been clinically depressed for 30+ years and locked down for so long that my muscles wasted away and I could bare put one foot in front of the other. I also never socialized. I always look at the floor ignoring everyone. I also could not cope with more that 1 - 1 with people. Everytime I go out with my Husky, I get people coming over. Now for people with seizures and alike, it is absolutely right that the dog maintain %100 focus. Mine helps me emotionally by getting me out, she has forced me to open and be more confident and sociable. She is not unruly. If someone gestures , calls or makes noises, my dog looks at me, I say "go on then" and she walks to them. The moment I say " Ashe here", she instantly comes to heel. Too many people judging for poor behavior online, when the truth is, they don't know the truth. I can barely bend, so mine picks up when I drop anything and helps get things from bottom shelf, but I know it's only a matter of time before I need more from her.
Thank you for these videos. I want to be able to go out with friends and I am training my dog for my epilepsy. Love these videos, he if 4 months old and I get compliments already. But Mickey is special!
You're so welcome!
I’m training my dog for epilepsy too
The "no dog butts on human spaces" rule does make sense. However, how does that factor in to the following scenario:
- Training tasks: finding a seat, deep pressure therapy.
- Event: the service dog is asked to find a seat for the handler to rest, then the dog is asked to provide deep pressure therapy by jumping into the handler's lap.
I had my SDIT with me for a quick shoprite run and at checkout the cashier said he didn't even notice her
Love this compliment! It really does make you feel proud of all the hard work that went into training. Congrats!
These should apply to pet dogs to because it makes sense
Just subscribed
Hi Alina! Welcome to the channel! Thanks for subscribing!
Newbie here working on training my service dog
Awesome! Make sure you subscribe to the channel and check out my "service dog training" playlist! Welcome and happy training!
I have an sdit and she is 9 months old she does pretty well for the most part there are things that I need help with or not sure how to address. One thing for instance is when she is an under and someone comes up to me she gets out of the under and I don’t really know how to train her not to. Or a few other things.
Hi Natalie - it sounds like your dog needs more help with proofing behavior. Here's a couple videos that may help:
th-cam.com/video/vbbu83ndHNM/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/wvbY5t4kr4c/w-d-xo.html
I also recommend you join my patreon page. At the $6 level you can ask your question for our next live zoom meeting in February, and a the Elite level, you can submit video to me and I can help you trouble shoot. Hope that helps! patreon.com/doggyu
Maravilhoso! ❤
Thanks Manu!
This was very helpful. Do you have a website with some more information about training and public access
I'm glad you found this helpful! My website doesn't have a ton more info, but you can find it at doggyu.com.
I mostly just do videos. Check out the "Service Dog Training" playlist for more info on training and public access for service dogs. Thanks for watching!
@@DoggyU i’ll definitely do that, thanks.
If I do need an Uber ride I always bring a towel with me to put on the floor.
I’ve recently found your channel and love your education and resources! I am a SD handler training my second pup. I lost my first SD at 11 years old on 8/30/21 unexpectedly to seizures. He was my lifeline for so many years and I’ve been lost without him. In his aging years, two dogs began training, but ended up being pulled due to either anxiety in public after an incident or severe travel sickness … My new pup shows much promise, though, and reminds me of Renegade in many ways!
My question- In situations where you know something is not ok, do you say something to the handler? For instance the GSD in the seat that you mentioned.
I think that is very much up to the individual. I personally do not typically say anything unless it's directly affecting the service dog I'm working in an egregious way, and even then, I just use it as a training opportunity. It's not my job to police other service dog users, and in fact, dwelling on it can make me sort of negative and jaded which is something I try to avoid so that I can continue in the field that I love. Instead, I try to make videos like this one to educate service dog handlers on proper etiquette out in the world. I think it's a more productive use of my time than arguing with or embarrassing people who may just be having a hard day. Does that make sense?
@@DoggyU yes it does! Thank you. I also don’t want to play SD Police. I had some friends with me before who said that I should have spoken to another team who wasn’t quite following all the “rules” per say. It’s just not my nature unless it’s to prevent injury or death. I work hard to have my dog and I be an example of a proper working team. They’re not always perfect, but we try putting our best foot forward. Thank you for all the educational info!
@@hilc6777 I totally get that! Sometimes it's best to "shut up and show off" as they say :) (and by that I mean, set a good example with your presence)
Hi Laura, Me (Leon)and my human (Don) have both subscribed. We love your videos. Two questions: What is the best way to get certified as a Service Dog.? What are your suggestions for answering the 2 questions that can be asked for access to public spaces?
Hi Leon and Don! Welcome to the channel. Good news! I literally have a video coming out today at 1pm that covers certification! Be sure to watch it (and help out the channel by leaving a comment :)). As far as the public access questions, that will depend on the tasks you've trained your dog to do. The first answer is simply "yes". The second answer is more specific. Remember, you are not required to disclose your medical diagnosis, simply the task your dog is trained to do. Simple answers like "medical alert" or "medical response" are acceptable. I would practice what you are going to say multiple times at home so that it becomes second nature for you. I hope that helps! Happy Training and thanks for subscribing!
@@DoggyU Awesome! Thank You! Great, practical, and Valuable info on all your videos. Keep it up!
@@theroaddogproject thank you! :)
Hi! I have a huge issue with having my service puppy also not have separation anxiety. He’s a 5 month old cane corso and has been in training since 2 months old. Because hes always with me, he has separation anxiety issues. How can you have a dog that’s suppose to be by your side always, be okay with being left alone when I leave and can’t bring him ? I would love if you had virtual training I could pay for. Thank you so much for your videos.
Hi Travis and Sidney! I'm so sorry you're both working through this issue, but working on it right now is the best thing you can do. While I have ideas on how to help with this, this is not my specialty and there are actually separation anxiety specialists out there that would be better suited for your needs. I also have one that I can recommend that also trains service dogs. You can check her website out here. Hope that helps! www.bonddogtraining.com/separation-anxiety.html
Good luck on your training journey!
My service dog in training knows her tasks but we're struggling with her basic common commands.
Hey Emily - remember to take it slow and only level up the distractions when your pup is ready. If you haven't checked out my dog training playlist, here's a listing of all my videos (click the "public" tab), if you need a little extra helping making sure your dog has the basic behavior down at home before taking it on the road: tinyurl.com/doggyu-community
Laura. I like this video on etiquette for new service animals handlers. I feel like Freja is doing really well for a year old in public. I do not have any issues with Freja being in public. I know she still needs training still with distractions like coming up to people. I bring her bring her blanket with me ,so she can lay on the floors. I should probably start getting her used to laying on the floor in the cars. How can I train her body to lay on the floor? should I place her blanket on the floor and point the nose to the floor instead of the seat?
If you have a car, I would practice there. I would manage the situation and put something on the seat so that getting on the seat isn't an option when you first practice. If they are riding between your legs, you would get in first, then leave a leg out and then have them sit between your legs. But you'd want to practice that outside of a car first.
@@DoggyU yes, I have a car. Freja is used to the car. I can practice the tuck in body. I need to practice having her in the counters when we are online. She tends to want to go towards people and lay down in the middle. so far I think our public training sessions are doing really well. I do not have any real expectations.
@@DoggyU That is what we do with Freja. She got used to the car after I would go in first. I will still practice having her sit on the floor in a tuck.
Freja has been doing a lot of deep pressure therapy with me. I have a lot going on with my anxiety. She does a lot of those tasks naturally like behavior intervention when she jumps on me. I started to ween her off the gentle leader a little bit. I noticed that she does not listen to me and does pull when she is not on the gentle leader. Have my frustrating moments when I deal with her behaviors as an adolescent. She’s been kind of sleepy lately. I think her joints hurt from still growing a lot more. Freja is over 60 pounds. She is built like an English cream golden retriever like her dad Loki. I am trying to get her healthy during her development. she does really well on loose leash walking. I am still working on the heel position. Freja still has a lot to work on, but I believe that she will be one of the best service animals ever have. I have faith in her.
I have a question because you specifically mentioned restaurant benches, would it be appropriate to have a dog perform DPT across your lap in a restaurant to help keep you calm if that’s a painful and stress inducing environment for you?
A dog on your lap if it is small enough to fit on your lap, or hind feet on the floor with front feet/body over your lap if it's a larger dog would be totally appropriate if the dog were actively tasking. However, the dog should not be sniffing the table/food/getting food from the table, etc. and should only be in that position while actively tasking. Otherwise, they should inconspicuously tucked under the table or chair.
I will say, my dude isn't sitting in a bucket seat: front seat with me lol, my dude is 110-120lb mastiff lab lol but he does good being in the back seat of my own vehicle and never is in an Uber though either.
Question for you ….. I’ve been a professional certified trainer for over 30 years. Here’s the question …. If ADA doesn’t require a certificate and or testing and the business can’t ask any questions about the service dog, how do we keep people from abusing the service dog title? I’ve seen so many people that just have a house dog with little to no training put a harness on them and want to take them everywhere. It has been so abused over the last several years. They also don’t understand the difference between “service dog” and “emotional support”. I’m not sure about how I feel about your channel going out to the pubic , but would like to learn more about it from you. I just feel that everyone that stubs a toe thinks they need to make Fifi a service dog.
Do you recommend registering your service animal with any SA databases, or carry any documentation for them? I know none of that is legally required, but do you find it helpful for access?
Registering your dog, like you mentioned, is not required, and is in-fact a scam. While the ADA does not require documentation, if you are worried, there are programs you can go through that have you do a public access test and will give you documentation that states you passed their public access test. Again, not required. If you're looking to prove to yourself that your dog is ready for public access, I first recommend passing your Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and then your Urban Canine Good Citizen (UCGC) which has some test items that are similar to a public access test. If this helps you feel more confident as you exercise your rights under the ADA, I would highly recommend testing for these programs. Most local training facilities will have trainers that can administer these tests.
Hello DoggyU! I am looking into breeds for my service dog and I am wondering, would you recommend a German Shepherd for medical alert and assistance and psychiatric SD? I would never want to have a smaller breed because I find more comfort in bigger dogs but I am wondering if a German Shepherd might be best.
I do not recommend GSDs for psych work. I would recommend a nice black labrador, generally. If you want to learn more about why I don't recommend herding dogs for psych work, I do an entire hour discussion on it over on Patreon. You can join for just $3: www.patreon.com/posts/why-im-not-dog-88615798
@@DoggyU Okay, thank you so much!
How do you talk to your family doctor about getting a psychiatric service dog for anxiety or other mental health disorders?
I would first work on educating yourself about service dogs and then once you're armed with the info you need, then set an appointment to discuss it. If you're looking to learn more about service dogs, check out my Service Dog 101 course that should give you all the education you need to confidently walk into the doctors office and discuss your needs and goals: courses.doggyu.com/
Do you know a place where I can get a seizure alert dog even if I don’t have one once a month?
Hi Techrider - I'm not very familiar with seizure alert organizations, but I do imagine there are minimum requirements to make sure the dog is able to practice alerting on a consistent basis/to be able to collect samples for training purposes. Sorry I can't be of more assistance.
do you train to avoid barking as well?
Hi Soraia - yes it's important for service dogs to not be vocal while working. I also never teach barking as part of an alerting task as that is disruptive to those around the handler.
At what point in the training process would it start becoming potentially detrimental to the SDs development and training for the SD and owner to be separated for over a week?
The separation should not be an issue. What the dog was doing during that separation would be something I’d be more careful about. I regularly give my young dogs to friends to have “sleepover” experiences and get handled and worked by other people. That can actually be quite beneficial to many dogs.
I’m currently training a service dog. My depression and anxiety is getting in the way of it however. I’ve been very terrified to begin training him, and have begun doing a the simple ‘yes’ and ‘free’, or clicker training, but am unsure how to proceed. My almost 4 month old dog, Bjorn, is not the problem at all. He is super smart and willing to learn, and I’m frustrated that I’m the one keeping him from being the best dog he can be. Would you recommend making a schedule to help with this? Do you have any tips perhaps to get past this barrier? I start college in the fall and want to get Bjorn as prepared as possible, if not certified by then. Thank you for your videos, they’ve really given me hope!
Hi Paige - breaking training down into small manageable bits can be super helpful! It may be helpful to you to make yourself a chart where you can check off that you did one five minute session that day, and then bump it to two when you feel up to it. Training consistently for just five minutes a day can really make a lot of progress.
That being said, it's also sometimes a good idea to bring in a professional. These first months are when your dog really is a little sponge. I often recommend for those with anxiety and depression to bring on a service dog trainer to do day-training and PA exposure for your puppy. A couple day-training/exposure sessions a week with a trainer can really go a long way towards your goals. Some larger schools even have day training programs on site. Check out rockymountaindogtraining.com for an example of what i'm talking about. But many schools have day training that will help you make progress towards your goal when you're not able to.
Thank you so much, I'll definitely take these things into account. I really appreciate it!!
@@Paigelikesfluffythings no problem! And for more tips and a group of other people training their dogs (a lot of them service dogs) check out Patreon.com/doggyu :)
Yeh it's not easy when your issues are holding you back, my dog is nearlt 3 and was task trained like 2 years ago but we were way behind om PA due to my anxiety/depression/autism issues making it hard to go out. especially with covid, limited numbers in shops & outdoor queues with staff standing at the door freaked the shit out of me, I was already terrified of entering stores, basically avoided it for years but obviously I want my dog to help me get over that so was trying to force myself to go but it was too freaky & a lot of people used covid as an excuse to refuse dogs, and I wasn't yet comfortable defending my rights back then
@@LailaHepburnandmarleysdit sometimes getting a trainer on board to go with you on your first few trips out can be a really helpful support system and help you better assess what would be required of you to help get your PA training back on track. Most trainers can also offer day training where they are able to work with your dog on PA when you're not able to go out.
I can’t get my 90 lb Beauceron to fit in a small car footwell. Do you think it’s acceptable to put a blanket on the seat in an Uber and have them sit on that?
Riding on the seat in any capacity would not be my preference. I recommend you ask the uber driver to pull the passenger seat all the way forward for maximum foot space for your dog. Then at home, practice having them curl up and lay down in a suitcase and then in a car footwell. Alternatively, ask if you can sit up front and pull the passenger seat all the way back. I've worked many 90+ lb service dogs in these situations. It's definitely difficult but they can typically be taught to curl effectively enough to fit. It's also great practice for flying, where they will have to fit in a much smaller space.
How do I make the transaction from food to no food when training?
Hi Kizzy the Working Pom!
Fading food reinforcers is a complicated topic and I never fully fade all reinforcers. I'm always carrying a few pieces of food reinforcers in my pocket to reward extraordinary efforts on my dog's part. That being said, this would be a great topic for one of the DoggyU Community Special Topics deep dive livestreams. I would love for you to join if you're not already a member and I could do a half-hour special topics on it for Inner Circle and Elite members. You can find that community here: Patreon.com/DoggyU
Question for you, after your dogs have gone through the training and are now full-time service dogs should you still be carrying treats with you while out and about to keep his attention focused on you. I have a service dog i trained myself never used treats at all just reinforcement and repetition training methods.
But i spoke to a woman the other day who was constantly giving her dog treats while we were talking and had to keep engaging him to keep him focused. Hed supposedly had been a service animal for yrs and she said thats how you people train them. I might be wrong but i don't think so. You shouldn't have to constantly engage with your service dog to keep him behaving.
In regards to treats, I can speak to my personal philosophy: I almost always carry a few pieces of something with me when I'm out working my dog so that I can reward for any fantastic effort on my dog's part. Even if I only reward with food once during an entire workday, it keeps the dog guessing, and I have found over many years of working with guide dogs and service dogs that intermittent food reinforcement (along with verbal and physical praise) keeps skills and work motivation high. Do they need food to just hang out and do nothing or to perform tasks they've performed a bunch of times. No. But does it feel good to reward them with something special for a job well done? Absolutely!
@@DoggyU once in a while yes, but this woman was constantly giving him food. Thx for the feedback
Wait... can u walk a Nova Scotia dog without a leash?
Hi Bay - i'm not sure what you mean here? If the question is "can you teach a Toller to heel off lead" than yes. But if the question is more about service dogs, a service dog should be on-lead unless otherwise required to perform a task.
One that bothers me is when you see another service dog team and they come up and let their dog say hi. Teams should ignore each other unless they have an agreement otherwise.
Can my service dog go to school with me if someone is allergic or can they say no
Allergies do not supersede the Americans with Disabilities Act.
They can't say no, but BOTH you and the allergic person must be accommodated. That means you may have to make some concessions too. Example: If you are in a class with an allergic student, they may ask you to change classes. They may ask them to also change a class if you are in more than one.
I would recommend you talk to a Doctor who has expertise in dog allergies, so you know what will and will not trigger an allergy attack. Serious dog allergies are very rare, but can happen if the person has other issues too. Some people claim they will die if around a dog, but that is rare and if the person what that allergic, they would react to allergens on people who had dogs at home, so could not be around pet owners either. So it is usually them just trying to make you leave. Education is the key for you. Kind of ironic when you think about it.
Is it ok if we sit on a bench and they lay on it to task? Sometimes my disabilities keep me from sitting on the floor because they can make me drop from height difference due to having anemia and possible POTS. She is great with staying on my leg but I’ve not had anyone tell me different as far as I’m aware. Also, when I’m at the dentist, she lays on top to keep me from falling asleep as I do tend to snooze when in the chair laying down. I’ve been told that they were trying to wake me up because I was having an asthma attack and it scared them because they were trying to wash off my teeth after using the toothpaste and they wanted me to wake up.
This sounds perfectly reasonable as a way to use this task. 👍🏻
@@DoggyU thanks because I’m still new and I hear people say that their not allowed unless tasking. I just never knew if my reasons were worthy.
I'm super scared about etiquette at the dentist. It's one of those horrible situations I need dpt the most. Is it okay to have the dog do the task while getting teeth cleaned or other dental work?
@@ashleyfoss4718 you should ask your dentist office first. I asked my dentist. They were fine since I sleep during the appointment. She keeps me awake
@@ashleyfoss4718 It's absolutely okay for your dog to do a task like DPT during your appointment! I would just let the doctor know what's happening (ie. my dog is going to perform DPT while you do the procedure) so that everyone is clear about what's going on.
My dog absolutely hates harnesses. How should I get him to get used to it?
Hi Monty - there's a lot that can be done to get a dog more comfortable with harnesses, including shaping the dog to put on their own harness and having them initially play/do fun stuff in the harness. If you need some help with this, it would be a great one for me to help you out with on our patreon page with an Elite membership. You can check it out at Patreon.com/doggyu.
Thanks!
I get my dog to sit on a seat in public transit because in my mind it’s more convenient for people to get on and off because they don’t have to step over my dog and usually this means I can sit between my dog and other people as she usually gets the window seats. Is this wrong? Should she still be on the floor? She jumps right onto a single seat without being asked (she’s a 70 lb dog) whenever we get on public transit because I taught her this way, should I stop doing this?
Hi Megii, it's industry standard to never allow a dog on public seating. Think of it this way - if you saw a dog on a seat next to a human at a restaurant, you'd likely think that was inappropriate. The same is true of all transportation. Riding on the floor is the appropriate spot for the dog. It also ensures that there are enough seats for the people on the bus, as well as that you don't get the seat dirty with hair/dirt (even very clean dogs leave some hair on the seats).
I do allow my gal to be on my bed and sofa with me but only at home
Is there an actual public access test?
This video will help answer questions about testing: th-cam.com/video/3T8Ej_UEK0Y/w-d-xo.html
Hello, I'm training my guide dog for my grandma. She has been blind and needs help. I decided to train a puppy to become a guide dog. I am just a little confused about everything though. I teached him to bring me things. Medication, pencils, everything. To sit,lay down, to sit when I'm not moving, to lay down under tables when I'm eating, poop and pee on command. He is 4 months old and I want to ask how can I train her to help when I'm walking at the streets? How to train her when I need you to send for a family member when my grandma collapses? What do I do if people think she is a fake? How do I proof that he is a guide dog in training? What do I do when landlords don't let me in because she is not certified because there fake? How do I respond to the two questions? Thank you so much
Hi HPM -
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you would really benefit from working privately with a professional to help get your questions answered, as well as formulate a plan for what your goals are. Atlas Service Dogs is usually my recommendation for positive reinforcement-based training with trainers all over the country. I would also recommend you pick up the book "Forward Together" about guide dog training: amzn.to/3NvXcq8
I also want to give you some additional information about guide dogs. Guide dog trainers typically go through a three year apprenticeship just to be qualified to train guide dogs. It's one of the more challenging jobs you can teach a dog to do and requires a specific skill set and about two years of daily training. That is not to say that it can't be done without a qualified trainer, but just to say there's a lot of nuance to guide dog work that's learned through training multiple dogs, over years of getting experience doing this particular work.
You should also know that if you're in the US, the 14 or so guide schools in this country give their guides to their handlers at no cost. It sounds like this might be a really good option to explore with your grandma. She would need to be able to be physically fit enough to provide significant exercise to a young working dog, among other qualifications. This may be a good thing for her to explore.
Best,
Laura
@@DoggyU thank you so much. But, what do I do with my dog then? I want to train him. I want to keep him as a service dog. I love training him to do things that can help. I'm really confused now. I checked and they don't have anybody in my area except for 1,000 miles in new mexico. I can't go there. I don't know what to do 😟
@@hpmbusinesssolutioncenter6712 like I mentioned above, you could reach out to Atlas Service Dogs if you have a disability and want to train your dog as your service dog. If you don't have a disability, maybe training the dog for therapy work would be well-suited for your goals.
@@DoggyU thank you, this helped us realize that maybe it's best to have him as my PSD . I have severe anxiety that can lead to me fainting on the floor. I think this is perfect as I started training him to alert when my leg shakes and heavy breathing alert as well. If I may say that it gets really frustrating as people start petting him without my permission. Due to this he has been having trouble with distractions. Ignoring people that called him or get to his face when he has a vest saying it's a service animal. He missed alerting me once as someone petted him and started getting up in his face. It makes it harder to train him as now he thinks people mean love and kisses. I don't know what to do anymore 😞
@@hpmbusinesssolutioncenter6712 the unfortunate thing is that you can't control other people so you need to spend a lot of time proofing your dog's behavior to not respond to other people. I would get a trainer on board to help you work through this issue.
Can you give tips on how to stop dog from whining at people /other dogs by getting exiting 😅
Definitely check out those Patreon videos. It's all about teaching neutrality. If this has been a behavior that he's practiced for a while, it can take a while to help them understand to look to you when they see a distraction.
How can I get my service dog to stop barking at other dogs?
Reactivity in a service dog in training should mean a pause in your work on service dog and public access training until you can work to effectively modify the reactivity.
That being said, depending on the level of reactivity, SD might not be the right career for that dog. I would look for a local in-person positive reinforcement service dog trainer who can evaluate the situation and help you with the reactivity before resuming SD training.
I have a service dog for my depression and she is also my protector because I have trouble sticking up for myself. I could use all the tips you have for taining a service dog. Is there any way I could get your direct phone number? So I can private message you?