What is a "service dog"?
For those that do not have a service dog, nor interact with the service dog community, to them its just a dog they see in public, that they greatly want to pet and/or distract, some even assume it has had military service.
A service dog is not a pet, it is not a dog that merely provides comfort for those with emotional struggles and its soul purpose is not to provide love to the masses. A service dog, is medical equipment that is specially trained to do specific tasks to help their disabled handler mitigate their disABILITIES, often allowing them to maintain their independence. They are no longer for the visually and hearing impaired either, as time has realized the vast ways in which they can impact the lives of those that are disABLED.
Service dogs are now being used to help those with diabetes by alerting to highs or lows well before their handler might do a blood sugar check. They are able to bring them their "kits" and medical supplies needed should they be without of reach during an event. Service dogs are helping those with balance issues or other genetic issues that might make balance or walking a challenges. Service dogs are helping those with heart issues by alerting to high and low blood pressures and even abnormal rythms and some dogs are trained to alert to an oncoming seizure and assist during the event. Service dogs can even assist those with prosthetics or rely on such things as crutches retrieve them should they be to far away.
Service dogs are now being used to help those with diabetes by alerting to highs or lows well before their handler might do a blood sugar check. They are able to bring them their "kits" and medical supplies needed should they be without of reach during an event. Service dogs are helping those with balance issues or other genetic issues that might make balance or walking a challenges. Service dogs are helping those with heart issues by alerting to high and low blood pressures and even abnormal rythms and some dogs are trained to alert to an oncoming seizure and assist during the event. Service dogs can even assist those with prosthetics or rely on such things as crutches retrieve them should they be to far away.
These are just a few of the examples that service dogs can and do do on a daily basis. These are specialized and specially trained dogs that undergo temperment testing and hundreds before placement and thousands of hours of training throughout their lifetime. Those raised from puppies spend the first 12-18 months learning basic and advanced obedience while being exposed to every possible public scenario. They are taught not to react to their surroundings, not to take items from floors, not to notice those walking by them, nor other service dogs or even fake service dogs. This training continues as they then move onto their task training where they learn in upwards of a 50+ commands to assist their disABLED handler.
What is not a service dog?
Your pet, your companion who keeps you calm by sitting on your lap, by kissing your face, by allowing you to pet it when you feel sad or upset. Just because your dog has what you feel to be good training, social skills and helps you anxiety, does not mean that it is your service dog, nor does buying it vests, or registering it online with companies who make you feel like they are legit.
What is not a service dog?
Your pet, your companion who keeps you calm by sitting on your lap, by kissing your face, by allowing you to pet it when you feel sad or upset. Just because your dog has what you feel to be good training, social skills and helps you anxiety, does not mean that it is your service dog, nor does buying it vests, or registering it online with companies who make you feel like they are legit.
A service dog is trained to do tasks on command, not simply just be there, and they are trained to do multiple tasks, often 10+. While there is no actual ID or certification for service dogs (YET) this still does not mean your dog is a service dog and allowed to go everywhere with you. What you have is an emotional support animal or (ESA) which is absolutely fantastic! With a letter from your doctor stating their necessity for your severe anxiety issues, this will afford your ESA housing rights and the ability to fly with you, however, it does NOT give them full access to the community as a service dog does.
Again, service dogs have been specially trained, have undergone testing and they have been exposed to just about every situation they could encounter in public to ensure that they either have no reaction at all, or do not react in a way that could put anyone in harm and certainly do not sit on nor at tables with you. 
Please know that when you bring your pets into stores where they do not belong, and you claim them to be a service dog while they are sitting in carts, barking at everyone, wandering all over far from your side, paying attention to everything around them, going up to strangers, or relieving themselves in the store, you are making it harder for those that are disABLED and rely on their service dogs. All it takes is one incident from someone claiming their dog to be a service dog to leave a sour taste in a businesses mouth and create prejudice for the legitimate teams that come behind you.
Being disABLED and having a service dog is hard enough in public, with all the stares, constant interruptions, people trying to pet and distract, the last thing any handler wants to face is scrutiny or to actually be asked to leave because of someone elses behavior in the past. While it may sound great to be able to bring your dog with you everywhere, the reality of it is, those that have service dogs, would give anything to be able to do things on their own and just make a quick trip in and out of the store without a dog.
We all love our pets, and we know that you certainly love yours, but please, understand that bringing them to places where they do not belong, DOES have an impact on legitimate service dogs even if you think it may not. Please try and undserstand and respect those with disABILITIES and the challenges that they face daily and leave your pets at home where they will wait to happily greet you upon your return!
As always, we welcome any and all questions and positive discussion!
-The Service Dog Daily
We all love our pets, and we know that you certainly love yours, but please, understand that bringing them to places where they do not belong, DOES have an impact on legitimate service dogs even if you think it may not. Please try and undserstand and respect those with disABILITIES and the challenges that they face daily and leave your pets at home where they will wait to happily greet you upon your return!
As always, we welcome any and all questions and positive discussion!
-The Service Dog Daily
#ServiceDogDaily #ServiceDogs4Change #ServiceDogs #SDiT #TaskTrained #RespecttheVest #disABLED #FakeServiceDogs #STOPFakeServiceDogs
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