YES! TO all of this. I am a clinical therapist, my wife has trained as a veterinary technician and dog trainer...but she still struggled with self-training a service dog for her own mental health needs. Call-out culture equals increased anxiety and makes it uncomfortable to go back out in public. Barking dogs is ABSOLUTELY part of the real world and when I hear call-out accounts state that barking dogs or distraction is ABSOLUTELY a sign of an un-official dog, I want to yell.

@EpsilonAD

9 ай бұрын

Good point. Barking can also be part of an alert or notification for an AD.

@courageousintentions

8 ай бұрын

Clinical Social Worker here, self training mine and working with my clients on advocating for themselves. This was the perfect video to share!

@bambilackner

3 ай бұрын

Well then you aren’t listening to what ppl are saying, these dogs shown barking are barking at other dogs, or just barking and raising hell in the store while the owner is unbothered and continues shopping even arguing when ppl call them out, I have yet to see any video where a supposed service dog was called out for the constant barking alerting ti a medical issue about to happen. So do everyone a favor yell until you show us videos of this barking for a medical issue.

Just this morning at the bus stop my guide dog was being an absolute spazz! Whimpering, refusing to sit still, not focused... After we got off the bus though he found his rythm again and the rest of the day he's worked wonderfully! But to a stranger, his behaviour at the bus stop would not have looked appropriate.

you've brought up a lot of things that I have been having issues with training my 7 month old. It's reassuring to hear that the journey of training isn't going to be perfect every day.

@analarson2920

2 ай бұрын

So true, I'm iny 60s, my 3rd SD, and when training our pups are unique and each team varies, that said so will training and it's outcomes. Hang in there and keep moving forward.

One of the best service dogs I’ve ever met was a long haired Chihuahua - one of it’s primary tasks was a scent alert, so the handler chose a small dog that could be held and kept close in any situation. Small dogs can work, too!

@EpsilonAD

9 ай бұрын

Epsilon gained her full AD jacket and passed PACT yesterday (the Spring Equinox here in Australia). She helps me an enormous amount with mitigating the challenges with my disability. She is only 4.7kg and that is fine for the AD tasks and alerts she is trained for. It is helpful for me that she can ride on my shoulder when needed out in public. Being able to lift a dog can matter too. Smaller living spaces can fit smaller dogs more easily. They also eat less. Eps being small is handy for fitting under tables, crowded spaces and public transport. I can ride an ebike and carry Eps. I feel very lucky to have found this clever little Tenterfield Terrier. Balancing prey drive, strong love of scents, reactivity and generally playful character of this small breed has been a huge amount of her training and Yay She did it! There are so many different ways an AD can assist a PWD. #SmallAssistanceAnimals

@AssistanceDogEducation

8 ай бұрын

My first SD was a long haired chihuahua :)

@coor0kun

8 ай бұрын

@@AssistanceDogEducation They're such fantastic dogs!

Thank you for this! I’m a disabled person that doesn’t look disabled with a puppy that I am attempting to train to be my service dog. You are so helpful and I really appreciate all that you are doing.

@littlebitofhope1489

8 ай бұрын

Just remember, that if you have a puppy, the washout rate is high. Be prepared. You have about a 60% chance of being successful.

@Snix210

6 ай бұрын

@Charlis same! I park in handicap parking & have ppl come up & tell me all the time how I should b ashamed 2 b stealing a spot from a real disabled person... & am afraid it would b the same w/ my dog

I self train my because I cannot afford a $3-4k to start the training, I love your videos it helps me tremendously, on top the financial part I don't have unlimited spoon supplies... Thank you for emphasize on compassion!

@winifredherman4214

6 ай бұрын

“ spoon supplies “??

@ChronicMe

6 ай бұрын

@@winifredherman4214 spoon theory?!

I can't thank you enough for this video. I'm fricking crying right now. I'm owner training my first service dog and between the imposter syndrome, my disabilities, and the unexpected issues my dog has had, I constantly feel like what I'm doing is never enough to 'make the grade'. My family has to constantly remind me that my boy really is a good dog, that we've worked so hard, and are making progress, but even with that it still sometimes feels like I'm fighting a losing battle and it will all be for nothing. Aiming for that perfect .5% leaves so little room for error and so much for failure. For someone already struggling with disabilities and the high stakes involved in your first SD, it's all beyond overwhelming. We all need more people willing to show/talk about the bad days, the early issues, the good enough but not perfect that dogs can be and still be a SD.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

💜💜💜

@debrafarrimond7966

8 ай бұрын

I tell myself, that losses (bad days) are simply the speed bumps along my way to successfully training my SDiT. There are quite a few owner-trained service dog groups on FB that have been really helpful. That said, almost every week someone posts about fake service dogs. I just take them with a grain of salt:)

@MysticalHomeCreations

8 ай бұрын

I couldn’t agree more I’m going through the same thing with my boy and this cancel culture on service dogs makes me feel like just because my dog occasionally barks or gets distracted he won’t make the cut to be a service dog but you gotta remember they are still learning and shouldn’t be told there not good enough but instead given some space to do what they need to do to work through the training needed and help better there partnership each day and better information for new handlers like this video helps a lot and since you found this video I’m sure your on the right track too! And yes it’s hard there will be good days and bad but dogs will never be robots and they shouldn’t have to be either

@winifredherman4214

6 ай бұрын

@@MysticalHomeCreations”Make the cut”? What cut? Who determines the “cut”?

@Flowingmobility

5 ай бұрын

Thanks for your video. My dog (18 months) is doing very well after alot of hard work. What I'm surprised about is the sneers and stink eyes I sometimes get when I walk into a building with him, despite his good behavior. He's not perfect (his main flaw is he wags his tail in joy at others 😊) but he is pretty darn good at being on task. I'm shocked and dismayed about this judgemental behavior from some others. I get the two extremes: either they ooh and aaaaw over him with love exploding out of their hearts(can't blame them), or they sneer and roll their eyes at me. I'm a healthcare professional who developed vestibular disorders and Monty (standard poodle) assists me with stability as needed. It is an intermittent and unpredictable condition. Do you have suggestions for handling those sneers (I believe they are insinuating he is a fake service dog). This is sort of a reversal of your video content but worth asking, I think. So far I just ignore them and rally on. But a part of me wants to gently educate.

Urging compassion, grace and a wealth of really solid free training resources, consistently served up with good cheer: you’re my kind of HUMAN, let alone dog trainer. You make me proud to promote DoggyU. Congrats on your amazing wedding!!! Lost my donkey, feeling devastated, been recalibrating. Back to watching DU again, because it’s uplifting and I need that. Thanks. ❤ Also, I’m a diagnosed, invisible spoonie. I know how hard it is to pull off even a single clean training session. I once read about the six magic words for someone who’s having a bad day with kids, whatever: “You’re doing a good job.” It helps. 😊

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

I'm so sorry to hear about your donkey Wendy - thinking of you

@earth2wendy

8 ай бұрын

@@DoggyU ♥️

Thank you Laura, it's not the PUBLIC JOB to police a store.

@calliepatteen

9 ай бұрын

Right but it’s important for you to protect your own service dog 🐕‍🦺 so use discernment and caution I let live until the dog tries to attack my service dog I try to help new handlers with training tips if they ask

@Boone22

9 ай бұрын

@@calliepatteen the only time I would say anything, is I am personally being attacked by another handlers dog.i have a giant breed service dog,extremely rare does any other handler tries to approach me. I've had a boarder/aussie cross that pulled leash tight ,walking on hind legs trying to attack us. I spoke out told that dog handler he needs to get better training skills on his dog.

@calliepatteen

9 ай бұрын

@@Boone22 I had a Pitt try that yes my border Aussie is good about not being reactive use caution

@Boone22

9 ай бұрын

@@calliepatteen my SD is 150#great Pyrenees. She is non-reactive period. She just crossed in front of me as a body block.

@calliepatteen

9 ай бұрын

@@Boone22 a gorgeous dog omg I love that breed ♥️

I was confronted today with my dog and it made me cry. I'm training my dog and he's very good at the doctor's office. He was lying down at my feet in the waiting area, not bothering anyone or making any noise. Then this other patient gets in my face and the first thing she says is, "Is your dog certified?" I thought it was a moment to educate about ADA law, but no. She had zero interest in listening to me because she was getting her own dog "certified." She wanted everything about my medical history. It didn't help that my dog is still a novice; because of her proximity and posture, he thought it was an OK time to go say hello. Next time, I'm just gonna say, "Is your health insurance up to date?" It's just as invasive and rude.

@DoggyU

8 ай бұрын

I'm so sorry that happened

I do have a lot of compassion but it is really tested when I am shopping in the grocery store and a “ service dog “ ends up on top of my Seeing Eye Dog . There were 5 employees right there and they , like , me were stunned . I had ZERO chance to see it coming .

I super appreciate you talking about this - We don't give people enough grace these days, and are too soon to react with hostility - I'm hoping the community starts to take your approach more, rather than the reactive shaming route it tends to.

What gets me is the people who walk around filming and stalking someone that has a “fake” service dog instead of just avoiding it then whine when their dog is attacked when it’s avoidable, we are not the police

Love your content! I agree on all points! It saddens me that the service dog handler community is not more supportive of each other. It feels more "comparison" driven and isolating, than "compassion" driven and supportive. Thank YOU for creating content that is helpful, compassionate and encourages us all to be supportive of eachother. Bless you!

Thank you for discussing the trouble with healthcare access in America as related to service animals!

Thank you for this. I use a cheap Amazon vest for my SD. I have such a fear of those flashy SD handlers calling me out in public because I don’t have a fancy cape like theirs. It’s so silly. It feels as though the SD community has become more about who has the cutest gear than about standing up for disabled handlers.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

My first service dog vest was off of Amazon. It was what I could afford, had access to, and it accurately labeled my dog. No shame in using affordable accessible gear.

@winifredherman4214

6 ай бұрын

There’s no “ gear” or ANYTHING required. Just taking your money because you don’t know how it works! LOL

@Felix-jo7nj

3 ай бұрын

Not required, but it makes it easier for handlers when its obvious why their dog is there! ​@@winifredherman4214

@lolly1405

3 ай бұрын

I disagree. The problem is fake service dogs, and people who parade their fake service dog around. I don’t care what your service dog is wearing. As long as he’s an actual service dog which means you have an actual disability and the service dog does something to help manage that disability. And being cuddly and cute does not qualify them as a service dog. I love people who are pushing a little dog with a service dog vest on it in shopping carts are in those little baby carts. I can’t think of one disability a service dog could manage from a shopping cart or a baby cart. They are not service dogs and we need to start calling these people out

@englishrider91

16 күн бұрын

Being in a cart does not disqualify a small dog from being a service dog. Service dogs neither need to be medium to large dogs nor do they need to specifically walk by your side. Small dogs can absolutely do things like alerts for seizures, low blood sugar, panic attacks, PTSD, and a whole hoast of other tasks that I'm probably forgetting right now.

Omg thank you so much for this video and you absolutely nailed it on so many important points and important feelings/concerns that us people with disabilities feel out in public

My understanding is that if a dog can carry out three acts of assistance for the owner then it classfies as a service dog. My dog is young but he can carry out 5 assistance tasks but he still gets distracted when he sees another dog or when people pay him attention. My spoons are pretty minimal but I do train my dog every day and he is learning so quickly. I am still very uncomfortable taking my dog out under the role of a service dog but he really helps me get out of the house and ensures that I carry out basic self care like eating, showering and getting dressed. He calms me down when I am about to have a panic attack and he stops me going into meltdown. I really appreciate your understanding and your kind words. I feel better hearing that even fully trained service dogs can have a bad day. Thank you

@DoggyU

8 ай бұрын

Hey Gill! I definitely recommend you take my Service Dog 101 Course at courses.doggyu.com/ to help you clear up a lot of these questions around laws for SDs! SDs only have to perform 1 task, not three. This is also covered in the course which I think would be really helpful so you feel confident navigating the world with your service dog!

@gillb9222

8 ай бұрын

@@DoggyU I've just had a look at your website. Your courses look great. I'll enrol

Store owners might not know about fake service dogs. It is OK to call them out because it makes the scammer know that he/she's not fooling everyone. FAKE SERVICE DOGS MUST BE STOPPED.

@free2bkittenforever

5 ай бұрын

How do you know they’re a scammer and not an actual disabled person simply having a bad day?

@mirroravis

2 ай бұрын

You just missed the whole point of this video 🙄

@nogames8982

Ай бұрын

I have ADA service dog cards in my guide dogs, hardest pouch. I give them out to business owners all the time. And they really appreciate the information. And I tell them that they have every right to even kick me and my dog out if my dog is miss behaving. Thankfully, she does not miss behave, but if she was, they would be within their rights to kick me and my dog out. And I would not blame them. Fake service. Dogs are one of my biggest pet peeves. I admit that I have very little tolerance of them. I don’t even care at this point if a dog is a fake service dog or not, I just want them to be well behaved. And I will very definitely call out somebody with a dog that tries to go after my guy dog. It is happened several times, and I will not tolerate it at all.

@gabrielamora6265

10 күн бұрын

How is it a scam? Are they stealing something from anyone else? People have dogs out in public all the time. It is up to the store owners to set policies on whether they allow dogs or not.If it is not your store it is not your problem.

@ws90ninety

10 күн бұрын

@@gabrielamora6265 So, you're "one of those", huh? Why don't you just leave your dog at home? You know you CAN function without having fluffy with you 100% of the time, right?

Thank you for being so smart and compassionate about this. I respect you so much.

I'm finishing up my Animal Science degree, currently taking a course in understanding ESAs and SAs. Looking at cases and the laws related to assitance animals just keeps me asking " whhhhhyyyyy?" So many "whys" and it was making me feel hostile and it's a very ugly feeling. I want to help as a trainer, not tell people they're doing things wrong. I love this video. It immediately calmed my senses. I'm able to refocus without getting triggered by the subject. I will watch this a hundred thousand times and share this a million. Thank you for the insight. I really needed it. ❤😊

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

💜💜💜

Very thought provoke info. Thanks Laura

Its been my personal experience that the majority of people, with or without a service dog, aren't even so much concerned with whether or not another dog they see is an actual service dog, but whether or not that dog is socialized and properly trained enough for public access that its not a nuisance or threat to anyone around them, including other dogs, and won't set back or interfere with a real service dog's tasks and training. I've seen plenty of people, including service dog handlers, just assume someone's pet is a service animal and not care about its presence because it was properly trained in public access etiquette, to the same degree you would expect a service dog to perform. And therein lies the real problem in 99% of circumstances is people who bring their untrained, aggressive, destructive, disruptive, and sometimes outright dangerous animal into public space and say its a "service animal" so they can take Kujo everywhere with them unchallenged and pull some DARVO nonsense that its everyone else that's the problem instead of them even as their dog tries to maul everything that breathes in its vicinity. And then when a person with a real service dog enters a business, the business just assumes those people are walking another Kujo and deceiving the business in order to get special treatment. As it stands, most people can't even train a dog to walk nicely on a leash, never mind train it to the level needed for responsible public access. And most people also aren't particularly honest about how well or poorly trained their animals actually are, as shown by the number of videos where people make excuses for how good their dogs are while the animal is actively attacking another person or animal, sometimes to the point of killing another animal.

Coming from the perspective of compassion and that people are doing the best they can with their current resources sounds like the best way to live life in general, not just on this topic. My dog isn't a trained service dog. I have a letter from my doctor stating he's an emotional support dog. Not the same thing, I realise. He is beautifully trained and beautifully behaved though, and I don't fear bringing him with me anywhere. I do often feel more comfortable when he's with me. Guess because of this, I've been spared the call-out/fake service dog videos, and I'm glad. How awful for people with service dogs to feel like they're under so much scrutiny and criticism. Like having a disability in the first place isn't enough stress. I hope your attitude, and this video, catches on and spreads. You are a gem, you know.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

Thanks Jay

Thank you Laura this was a beautiful, sensitive way to address this issue.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

Thank you 💜

When my puppy is training out in public, people always coming up behind me to pet her.

I LOVE and watch all of your videos, but this may be my favorite so far!!! This is something I try to express to people all the time - let's all go out into the world and show the same grace and and patience (or at least indifference) that we would want to be shown in that situation. I've been a handler for 6 yrs, and though I live in a less populated area, I have never had to confront or challenge anyone. I may have to educate when questioned or stand up for my rights, but I've been fortunate to never have been attacked verbally or physically and I would never put someone else through that. Don't try to take things into your own hands - keep your dog safe, keep yourself safe.

I needed to hear this. I've had several very close calls with my service dog. She's fantastic but it has built up into a lot of resentment and severe anxiety towards people who are bringing their pet into stores in me. One of the many close calls is even with my neighbor who didn't know the service dog their dog nearly bit lived downstairs until the got home that day. It's been frustrating to have so many close encounters and I've begun to just think what am I going to have to protect my service dog against today. It doesn't always help my already existing anxiety to be looking for threats to my dog but it's so common where I am that people do actually just bring their pets, not even dogs having bad days. There are days that we don't look great. This is especially true when my girl is actually tasking for behavior interruption. People don't know that her jumping up is to stop me from skin picking which I do when I'm anxious and so that must look bad at first. She's had an accident in a store before. She went through a reactivity phase where she barked at another dog barking at her because of previous bad interactions. (obviously there was an immediate attempt on my part to create space and redirect). My biggest fear is someone thinks we aren't legit because of her alert but that alert is the only way I pay attention to her. Recently my trainer however hot a new client who had seen us, spoken to us and came to her because she thought we looked amazing. All that said this gave me a lot of perspective and I really appreciate it.

@DoggyU

7 ай бұрын

Thank you for sharing your story Koyote

Thank you! It scares me how mad sd owners get sometimes… I get it but we need to be kind of each other

Well said! I trained Service dogs for 10 years! The ADA service dog laws are civil laws. They were never put in place for disabled people to police other disabled people. They certainly were not put into place for non disabled people to police disabled people.

Thank you so much for this, I have a service dog an shes a small-medium size dog. Shes small because I needed to have a dog I could lift, bathe an handle on my own as my illness leaves me tired-weak and I live in a converted van. We don't have much issues and aside two minor bad habits Amber has time to time on bad days where she will look at other dogs briefly an/or make a micro "woof" if a dog comes from nowhere an is scream barking at us. That aside she's an amazingly well trained pup an rarely misses a task. But in recent years I have been dealing with an increase of folks fake claiming Amber mostly because of her size an breed because she "doesn't look like a *real* SD", whatever the hell that looks like. An some of my worst encounters *have been by outher handlers* . (I suspect it's mostly fake handelers in a "I gotta get them before they get me" thing but thats not an easy call) or someone who knows someone who has "a real service dog" and should get arrested an Amber taken away. Its vexing an I have resorted to just information cards an walking away with toxic encounters like this. The store owners in my town know me an Amber, an thats all I need. But I had one handler, fallow me in a store treating me like trash, insulting Amber, asking how much did I pay for the cheap gear, how awedlfull I was for faking this. It took my pharmacy saying to fuck off before she stopped. But even after finding that Amber was a real service dog she was allready too invested (and embarrassed) and clamming to find something anything wrong with Amber an it was "her size" or being the "wrong breed" is a common one. Every time I swear. Honestly I just don't care about outhers dogs when Im out an about. As long as they are behaving very well an away from me cuz its not my job (thank god) to do! I just want to do my chores like a normal person.

This is a wonderful video. Unfortunately, there are a LOT of shaming videos on KZread and Facebook. I love your attitude. I’m very happy to support you on patreon.😊

In the past, with one of my previous service dogs who was normally boom proof, went to me with at the ER because I was having a medical episode. Now I had trained her in the waiting rooms and things like that so she had a good idea of what to expect, but in a medical episode a few things happen, 1. Not being able to let your dog relieve themselves before going inside, 2. the dog is going to feed off a certain amount of that energy and nerves 3. Staff are not always going to be trained on what to do with a service dog including EMT's and 4. you may not always be conscious enough to educate and advocate. This is to say I have been that team whose service dog squatted and emptied right in the middle of the hallway when a nurse was trying to get the dog to the relief area at my request while having fainting spells. I have always been an advocate for educate dont condescend.

I have had my share with fake and or untrained service dogs. People in my town brag about bringing their ESA's in to stores. If people would have seen my guide dog and I this afternoon they would have thought she was fake. We were at the checkout counter and she jumped up to try to get the dog toy that was being scanned. Of course I corrected, but if I had been a new handler I would have been very upset by this. I normally don't confront people in public about their dogs because we've been attacked by dogs before so it's to risky especially because you don't know what the other dog might do. Thank you for making this video.

I had another service dog handler follow me out the grocery store because my dog reacted a little. It just made my service dog more spooked. She did not know we just got into town the day before and my dog was tired.

Fake service dogs has been one of the reasons I hesitated to get a service dog in the first place. It scares and upsets me that me or my SD might be injured due to people bringing a uncontrolled pet into the store.

@gabrielamora6265

10 күн бұрын

Your dog could be injured walking down the street if he meets a violent dog. If someone else has a dog in public you need to be able to get your dog away.

Wonderfully stated. I have had many fake service dogs around me and my canine, but only 1 that directly interfered with my animal (owner was looking at the meat and her husky was at the end of an, at least, 10' lead. Dog was barking - of course-its a husky. Then it saw my girl and beelined for her. My hubby threw the shopping cart between us and it and I used my mom voice to yell, "Control your dog!") And yes, after seeing so many videos with people calling out illegitimate teams, it is very anxiety causing when I have to go into a large store, and that is what my girl is supposed to mitigate! Thank you so much for this video!

@DoggyU

8 ай бұрын

Sounds like good thinking in the moment. Using physical barriers can be so helpful. Glad you enjoyed the video!

Thank you so much!!

Thank you love everything you said !

Thank you for this video. It’s a great reminder that the dog or handler with SD can have a bad day. We have a SD for my husband’s mobility. I’m the trainer and take the dog for walks. A few months ago we (SD and I) were crossing a street and were hit by a car. Driver not paying attention and not ticketed. We are doing better but I am having to work through a lot of re-training. I take him to car lots for non-moving cars, sit at corners and quietly watch traffic (at a distance), etc. Some people doubt because our SD may have a bad day, but most are very understanding. Please be kind to those you may see training out there. You never know what they are going through.

Yes! Thank you for all of these well thought out points. Let’s all be a little kinder to each other.

Thank you for addressing these issues

THANKS for making this video. I'm autistic and I trained my own service dog because there weren't any trainers available in my area. Two weeks ago I walked into a book store and a customer looked at me and after one second (no exaggeration) said "I hate it when I see fake service dogs." Then continued to badmouth me to her friends. One of my autism triggers is when people make assumptions and accuse me. I started having a panic attack and I shut down. I had to leave the store. Thankfully my service dog helped me calm down. I admit that I made a few mistakes in training my service dog that I will not make with my next one. But she behaves perfectly in public.

THANK YOU. I recently made a post about this with many of the same points. I have all the same opinions and views! I have multiple disabilities (diabetic, legally blind, autistic, severe anxiety disorder, unfortunately the list goes on) and I don't have a service dog. I wish my GSD could be my service dog but he is just too reactive, he is a reacue and unfortunately the product of backyard breeding. I accept the fact he will never be a service dog but still strive to make him the best dog he can be! Your vics are very helpfu! He can be my non-public service dog, do tasks at home 😂 I have a lot of empathy for disabled people who are working with the best they have, even if it's not perfect. Their life is already difficult enough

Thanks so much for this fantastic video Laura. Having watched your channel for some time now, I appreciate how much you bring to the community by having an understanding of both sides of the situation - being both a trainer AND someone who has their own SD. Managing a disability AND a dog can be challenging.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

Thanks Tracey 💜

Thank you for your graceful take on this. ❤

thank you for this!

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

You're so welcome!

This is one of the most well-spoken and neutral videos I've seen on the topic. My current SD graduated a week ago. She was thrown, unintentionally, into a real word medical emergency for me and handled it perfectly, amid two small aggressive dogs in a stroller, in a mall. She was on her first trip to the mall. She ACED everything given to her that day and I knew she was ready because of that. I'm still actively working on improving her behavior and skills because we represent all service dogs, not just ourselves. Our behavior could impact the others that come after us and how easy their access is. I strive to leave a place with a better dog, and the staff better educated, than when I entered. Every single day, we go out there and make a difference in how people perceive service dogs. And that's important to me.

I think you explained this very well. I hadn’t considered the fact that lack of resources in education for owner trainers in the US could create some of the problems with dogs in public not behaving the way you would expect from service dog. I am a relatively new handler having only had my dog for just over a year, but so far the dog I’ve encountered who have barked or tried to come toward my dog and I in a way that I wouldn’t expect from a service dog, seems to be one that’s just someone taking a pet in public. This is because people often tell me how they’re bringing their dog with them because they like to companionship or they use emotional support and therapy interchangeably with Service not understanding the training and legal differences. I wish there was more regulation on online websites that sell service dog certification tell people that there’s no legality bassist of that and I wish that all the websites that sell service dog gear required to give some kind of disclaimer at the heading of other pages stating that buying the gear and put it on your dog does not make them a service dog but that the training and task work does. I definitely think you’re right to emphasize a point but it’s not our job at handlers to post about or follow or call out other people with their dogs. Regardless of whether they’re pets or service dogs that’s employees jobs not other customers and frankly I wouldn’t want my dog getting that close to other dogs I don’t know anyway and it’s not right to judge other people so I wouldn’t want to prying to somebody else’s Life and personal business.

Very well said. We all hold ourselves, or should, to a high standard and probably dont consider someone having a bad day.

Just last week my guide dog was nearly attacked by another dog in the lobby of a DOCTOR’S OFFICE. The dog was big, loud, barking and probably lunging, I couldn’t see exactly what it was doing but my guide dog quickly got me away from it. That is unacceptable behavior and situations like this inspire me to advocate for tighter regulations on what is considered a service dog.

Apologies for the long comment. I recently posted a link to this video ( Hope you don't mind) on a Facebook page I belong to for Service Dog handlers because I whole heartedly believe in the massage. Coincidently, I came across a "fake" service dog while food shopping this past Sunday. I then posted what message I took away from your video. Here it is "I did run across a non-service dog the other day while grocery shopping. An older person entered the store with a pug sitting in the child seat of the carriage. (they did put a blanket down but still...). I mentioned it to the on-duty manager who seemed to be familiar with the person and their dog. The manager told me they tried to address the issue but the person claims the manager can't talk to them and then proceeds to make a complaint. (although to whom I don't know) I provided the manager with a couple of cards that explains the questions they can ask, expectations of the dog's behavior, under what circumstances they can eject the dog, etc. Knowledge is power, right? The manager thanked me and stated that this person is always an a$$ when they are in the store. The reason I'm telling this story is I thought about this person on the way home and what Laura talked about in the above video. She mentioned that people with "fake" service dogs may have a disability that we don't know about. Maybe this person does not understand what the definition of a service dog is. (us older folks gets confused sometimes) Maybe this person is all alone in this world and their only friend is that dog. The real thought that occurred to me is that, as we go about trying to address these issues, showing a bit of compassion isn't such a bad thing, right?"

@littlebitofhope1489

8 ай бұрын

What does having the dog on the cart seat have to do with it being a legitimate Service Dog? You do know that allowing a dog in carts is at the discretion of the store, right? It is not against the law. Sometimes when you complain about other people, a manager will act like they are talking about the other person, when they are really talking about you. If that is the ONLY evidence you have that the dog is "fake" I think the manager may be correct.

@barronleeds8597

8 ай бұрын

@@littlebitofhope1489 couple of things if I may. 1) animals of any type are prohibited from being in shopping carts in grocery stores in Massachusetts regardless of whether they are pet friendly or not. 2) I've known the manager for several years now and we have had a number of discussions regarding a business's rights in addressing issues with pets in the store. The reason she comes to me with these questions is because I'm Law Enforcement and I train a Service Dog in this particular store every week. 3) I did not make a complaint, I brought it to the manager's attention. There is a difference. Have a great day.

You’re incredible! This video is GOLD!

@DoggyU

6 ай бұрын

Welcome Alejandra! I'm so glad you're finding my videos helpful!

To owner trained service dog handlers - As a Guide Dog Handler from a credited school, please give us room and respect when you see us working our Guide Dog. Our Dogs have been raised by volunteer puupy raisers for almost 2 years before going back to school for advanced training, and it's estimated taht only 50% make the cut. It's estimated that a school trained Guide Dog costs around $50,000 to become a properly trained Guide Dog. Most schools use labs and golden retrievers for a reason, they have a track record of doing good work. They are smart and have a good track record. Thanks for your understanding.

Thank you. So many people on my SD facebook groups complain about fake service dogs. A harness that’s says SD isn’t required. I get it helps but not required to label them for the public.

Im a high strung individual and i really appreciate your outlook like you saying look at things like people are doing their best. That is Amazing advice not just dog advice but just life. Great video!

@DoggyU

24 күн бұрын

💜💜💜

You are a very understanding individual.

Thank you SO much for this. The fake SD callouts have been bothering me so much lately. I think as a community we need to reserve our judgement and feel compassion for one another. I personally do not care if someone has a real or fake SD as long as the dog is being behaved, or is away from causing us problems. I try to look at things as: oh, their dog isn't behing behaved? I can use this as a reinforcement training opportunity for "leave it!" for my own dog. My husband has so much anxiety over taking my SD out he usually requests I leave her at home, which is inhibiting her ability to help me when I need it. I feel scared to take my not-perfect SD out due to anyone possibly recording us. It makes my anxiety problems that much worse. We aim to build our skills, but it's hard when you feel so much pressure all around. It's hard for me to express to people that she is a SD and needs to be treated as such. I have had many lovely experiences, such as going to Costco, with my SD but I'm more afraid of other handlers than the general non-disabled public.

@DoggyU

5 ай бұрын

I think it can be really helpful to do a lot of work un-vested in dog friendly areas to build my confidence for non-dog-friendly trips! Or wearing a vest that simply says "in training" in dog-friendly areas so you can practice asking people not to interact while still allowing for less pressure when mistakes happen. Happy Training!

This. My 6 month old pup is great 90-95% of the time. And I'm doing what I can to help him get through that last 5-10% of "bad" behavior. I would never ever have brought him anywhere if he barks in public or pees indoors. He pulls some, can get excited/scared sometimes, but it's stuff we're working through. And it makes me super happy that my college is pet friendly (doesn't advertise for obvious reasons, but they are). As long as he behaves appropriately *in class* (where pets aren't allowed without written consent from a medical professional and the college, which I have), they don't mind that he's not task trained yet. The only time people realize I have a dog in class is if they physically see him walking in, or if he's drinking from his water bowl. If he starts getting up and walking around, that's his way of telling me he needs to go to the bathroom, so I quietly excuse myself and take him outside.

I really appreciate this ! and The free training mini course. I am currently teaching my dog to be my service dog and this is so helpful and eases my anxiety because we've been working together for about a year and she's a quick learner but we still have so much to learn before her exam.

@DoggyU

29 күн бұрын

So glad you’re enjoying it and the mini course!! Happy training! 💜

I have also seen videos that try to claim the "Fake team" has done certain things that never happen in the video. Like "Their dog lunged at my dog!" and the video shows neither dog lunging at all.

Thank you for this information! I have been fortunate enough to be invited to join/help with veterans groups training their personal service dogs. These individuals need their animals. They do not have the thousands for formally trained service dogs. As you explain - training is hard and it can be even harder for some individuals that have issues such as PTSD. Thank you!!!!

I was just talking to my grandma about this. Dogs aren't perfect. Even the most well trained dogs make mistakes. Even the most well trained people sometimes need additional help or training knowledge. People need to stop being so judgemental. It's so scary for me to get a service dog for my family because of strangers, but we NEED a service animal. Also since finding and training service dogs is so hard, I have also decided to do what I can to make service animals more accessible to us all ❤ love your channel

TRUTH AND AMEN!!! I love you channel.......your mindset..........your approach filled with intelligence and common sense.....and a huge dose of grace and acceptance to those around us.........we never know what someones journey is all about. Blessings......I look forward to learning from you......Thank you for all you do! Hugs and luv Robb

@DoggyU

2 ай бұрын

Thank you for your kind words, Robb!

Great way talk about a tough topic. It feels like the fake sd videos are looking for a problem. To each is own as we all need to work the dog that is in front of us.

Thank you for this! In my area, we only have access to a couple of trainers. They are extremely expensive and VERY abellist in their attitudes and training. But I don’t have the spoons to train my own dog. Thank you for putting this into the world for us. ❤

Yes, I've gotten to the point I dred going out even to train because people are just going wild with this stuff. I'm so so happy you talked about this thank you

@DoggyU

5 ай бұрын

You're welcome! Don't let the few difficult people limit your life. Most people truly are kind. You've got this!

Thank you for this! I have POTS and EDS and basically training myself..I have a trainer who we only meet with once a week so I'm doing the rest myself and it's hard sometimes when out in public and I have a flair up or anxiety attack it makes things worse when people yell at us. because

It’s a huge problem in the Netherlands as well. I use a service dog too but actually I don’t use a vest in most cases. I am getting so frustrated about the whole thing about ‘who is showing the most real’ than what it is really about: just taking care about your dog and make sure that your dog behaves well. To me: it’s not about the vest but about the behavior the dog shows. I have a experienced dog at the moment who is going to retire and a young dog who is still in training and who needs a lot of handling. I take a decision day by day which dog is able to take with me and sometimes a go without if I have the expectation none of them is able to fulfill this expectation. And of course, the youngster is in training and that means you have to turn around and manage the situation sometimes. And sometimes you are big surprised by new steps you didn’t expect. It happens. That’s what growing together means with a young pup. Whatever happens, the most important thing is that you as a handler always take care for the pup and your surroundings instead of being selfish. Because it’s never about ‘you and the pup’ but about ‘how to blend in with the pup’. That distinguish you as a real team from the fake ones.

This is such a compassionate perspective. Looking forward to hearing more thoughts about what we can do for each other as handlers. I have been taking an agility course, and one of the handlers uses a prong collar on her reactive dog. It brought up some negative emotions for me, but also questions about how best I can help my friends and their dogs from a place of compassion rather than judgement.

@DoggyU

4 ай бұрын

I think one of the things many handlers are looking for is connection. Saying to your friend - hey do you want to work on some exercises together? We can both work on engage/disengage! Or whatever, is helpful. I also think forming local service dog groups where handlers can train around other handlers is soo helpful! So much of service dog training is just putting in the time around other dogs so it becomes less novel. So those would be my two recommendations off the top of my head! Engage/Disengage Game: kzread.info/dash/bejne/f2mDo7CAd5aaYrw.html

@apriloliver

4 ай бұрын

@DoggyU I would happily recommend this video to my classmate. Your engage/disengage video was how I found your channel in the first place! I have already been reaping the benefits of this game with my own reactive teammate. The nice thing about agility class is that it is a controlled environment where we can give our nervous dogfriends the space they need to be successful.

@DoggyU

4 ай бұрын

@@apriloliver I love that! Yes, classes can be a great place to train because it's a "captive" audience and there's usually plenty of space to move away. And everyone there "gets" it because we've all had our own dogs that need a little support over the years

Fantastic video! I'm always worried my service dog will be seen as a fake when he makes a mistake (such as getting distracted by people or noises) so I label him as a service dog in training. Technically, he will always be in training as we are always working on getting better. I'm just not sure when I should start labeling him as a service dog (fully trained). He has already passed his CGC, CGCA, and CGCU tests and is task-trained.

I am also glad you are a handler not just a trainer

@killeenryan7284

2 ай бұрын

I was wondering if you train your dogs to wear boots? If they are on asphalt in the summer for extended periods I was thinking of training this.

Thank you so much for making this video. I started recently debating about getting a service dog and started watching other people's videos. I qiuickly noticed that there are a large number of self-appointed SD advocates. Who make videos, whike they are out in public with their SD calling out and posting videos on fake SD. I only had pet dogs years ago, but I thought of all of the points you mentioned and thought a) these KZreadrs go around saying what their rights are including not being asked directly about your medical conditions, for proof your dog is in fact a service dog B) then go around to a number of locations, calling out people in front of everyone, plus uploading the video. They make statements like a SD doesn't do xyz. Well if you or your dog is hsving an off day, yes they may not be 100% perfect. Not to mention that dog maybe or the medical client maybe still in training mode. I also thought, if Your dog is so perfectly trained, then shouldn't it be able to handle people's pet dogs in public or other distractions? I seemed very hypocritical and potentially damaging to others who have SD or Emotional Support dogs as well. It just builds suspicion from the general public, store employees or even other self training SD owners, which doesn’t benefit anyone in the long-term. And yes I noticed the small dogs were being more often than large dogs as possible frauds. Also, they claim your dog acting up is reason to report to the business staff/manager to have the other person and their dog asked to leave because it is placing their health in danger. I would think, using that situation to reinforce their own dogs and their own abilities with dealing with a difficult situation would be more meaningful. But there's this level of attitude with these types: everyone must accommodate me and I don't have to accommodate anyone else. Aren't there safety spots that work on your dog, that you can disengage and go elsewhere. I mean, parents do this with their children when they are being difficult as a cool down spot that you figured out is away from most people traffic. If these types of SD owners were really that concerned, wouldn't they have figured out safe spaces in public? I am just so glad to finally come across a KZreadr who seems to grasp the reality of dogs snd people in general. I agree, positivity and providing proper education for those starting out is a much better solution. As you said, bringing these people in instead of pushing them out seems much more kind, patient and understanding. And having realistic ideas of how an average days and rough days actually look like. Honestly, I was starting to just throw the whole idea of a possible SD because of how these Self-appointed SD advocates acted seemed like a can of worms I didn't want to deal with. It wasn't pet owners in public places, it was the advocate group that I found discouraging.

I’ve been training my whippet for my service dog to serve for ptsd due to my tbi brain injury and he’s wonderful but he’s got a ways to go he’s only 7 mo old and ppl look at me like he’s should be perfect like a dog that’s 2-4 years old and trained that Long ! He still sometimes reactive to other dogs but doesn’t bark and isn’t aggressive at all . I feel so anxious and judged when ppl stare at me with my dog Merlin . I will continue and try to give him and myself grace ❤

I have a German shepherd guide dog. She is wonderful. She’s very well behaved. But she is not a robot. I don’t expect any dog to be a robot. I admit that the problem of fake service dogs and poorly behaved legitimate service. Dogs is really one of my pet peeves. I’ve had numerous runnings with these types of dogs, and I have zero tolerance. I’m just plain tired of dealing with it. At this point the fake aspect bothers me less than the misbehaving aspect. for local businesses, I give out cards with the ADA service dog information on it so that they know their rights. they have all been very appreciative of getting it and knowing more of what they can do and can’t do about a dog that is miss behaving. I think it is a copout to say that the person with the dog has a disability, yeah, that’s kind of the point. But if that person cannot control that dog or handle that dog appropriately, then they should not have it. And if the dog is not appropriate, it should not be a service dog. You’ve got to have some basic level of competence on both sides of the equation. you can usually tell the difference between a dog just having a bad day and a dog that is like that all the time. Kind of like you can tell the difference between a little kid having a bad day and one that is always a terror.

Thank you for another useful and helpful clip. In Australia there is a certification process for Assistance Animals. It includes a Public Access Certification Test (PACT or sometimes called PAT). Your great channel has been helpful with training this cue giver. We are having a day of rest today after passing our full certification (yay Epsilon AD) yesterday. 🎉 Invisible disabilities can make things difficult for the general public to understand when it comes to ADs. Respectful space and not insisting on discourse can be very helpful out in public (especially when in jacket and working). We will keep striving to improve skills and move forward adding some new helpful tasks as I feel we are only just beginning the journey of learning. Your channel and clips are inspiring and appreciated. The kind and empathetic way to look at helping non service dogs who are in public spaces generally not for pets is such a good set of suggestions. The free course sounds like an awesome resource.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

Congratulations on passing your PACT! That’s such a big deal!! You should be so proud of you both! 🎉 🎉🎉

@EpsilonAD

9 ай бұрын

Thank you very much DoggyU. Your skilful training tips have helped us with skill building and I am grateful.

@DoggyU

9 ай бұрын

@@EpsilonAD Thank you! I'm so glad the videos have helped you along your journey!

I love your approach to this! Just some of us can't explain in that moment, we're only human. Like when someone accused me of faķing it when my dog was leading me to the toilet. Sorry, I was so out of reality i couldn't talk, my dog was in control. He was and always will be my hero for doing what he did for me, I can never forget my best friend ❤️

Even if my dog is a was a service i would never post about that part on social media b/c of the call out culture , i have noticed it is very toxic environment, and i don’t have the spoons to deal with that , i just post our adventures and that’s it i like to keep my social media a positive place , Just want to say thanks for all your videos they are very helpful, in our training journey ❤

@DoggyU

8 ай бұрын

Thank you Dawn :)

This entire video has just been every thing I have ever thought on the whole "Fake" service dog thing. I personally am one of those owner trainers who, until your patreon recently, who could not afford access to a trainer so my dog has been limited to very few training interactions for public access and I there for have not had access to having her with me in public.

@DoggyU

3 ай бұрын

So glad the resources have been helpful!

SPOONS!! ❤

I see many people posting videos of "fake service dogs" on a Facebook page and I often comment that I could take a photo of any service dog handler and show it to be a "fake service dog" if I was inclined to do so but who and how would that help? I get a lot of s#@$% for what I say but my point is that if nothing good comes from what you do, what is the point of doing it?

Great video and info! I’d like to train my 4 mo. Old GSD rescue as a service dog for me. As a pup, she’s still somewhat unfocused, but super smart. Where can I learn how to train her myself? Thanks

My family owns a rejected guide dog when my brother and mother were still training that dog and in guiding eyes for the blind , only reason why we got to keep her and she was rejected was her ear infections , without that she would be able to be a great guide dog and tho still is for my brother who needs her a lot since he has a lot of mental disabilities, tho I wished the fake guide dogs weren’t as much in public or media , or I don’t know if it’s legal or illegal for our dog to help my brother and still appear publicly with her service jacket , which we don’t do in general, but for unique circumstances like that it wouldn’t be completely morally wrong since the dog had training experiences , besides that by now she’s almost a senior dog and too used to being a house pet , I would still like to go back to the guiding eyes for the blind for the experience again . To see the dog we raised graduation and matched with someone

Laura I appreciate this so much may I send you a video to show you my sdit?

I just love you so much I have panic attacks and all that goes with it I also have little money and I am over 60 I just got an esa min pin as a big dog would be much harder for me with my physical disability I am trying to do the training myself and Keira is doing so well but yes I have a big fear that someone will call me out on her and I have PTSD also so when someone yells at me I fall apart I have spent the last 2 year's at home scared to go out but with Keira it seems to help a lot please keep making video's so pepole will try harder to understand how we as new handlers feel and our fears💓😘

I personally refuse to watch any of the "shaming" videos. I do feel like the lack of education and resources are challenging. But another problem I see is the numerous ads saying things like, "never leave your dog alone, register your pet as an ESA." I've had a few people try to tell me that I should do that, which I then explain to them that those ads are just wanting money and point them to the direction of ADA site so they can learn. My dog is definitely not cut out for service work because he is uncomfortable around people he doesn't know. However, at home, he helps me more than people know. My anxiety takes a lot out of me, and because he gets so stressed in public, I stay home a lot, unless I absolutely have to go somewhere. Then in those cases, I spend several days to weeks trying to recharge. It is a horrible feeling to not be able to function just because I had to go grocery shopping.

@DoggyU

8 ай бұрын

My service dog now barks once when she sees another dog. Started in her current adolescence. I am saving up for private training to change this. I’m curious if it’s okay for her to bark once without us getting kicked out of the store. It’s making me a nervous wreck which doesn’t help the situation and I now avoid going out altogether. NOT SAYING I THINK ITS OKAY SHE BARKS.

Yes my service dog makes mistakes and that is okay

Hey Laura, now you've called out handlers who are not as Compassionate as you😊😊 I Felt this video is incredibly challenging and important. I felt like you were talking to me. I do not know but please let me know if you read my last comment about what happened in Trader Joe's And what eventually took place which was a trader Joe email that went to every store and explained how to deal with dogs that say they are service dogs but because of bad behavior like trying to bite my dog They can now find out what questions can be asked and what to do In that situation. I felt I was doing something helpful because it was so obviously disturbing to everybody and this was a major issue of entitlement and that to me is not okay. However everything you said in this video Laura was really a paradigm shift and it was very interesting. I mean this from the bottom of my heart you really are a better human, you are more angelic than I am. And that is partly because where I live there is probably of all the dogs you see that say there's service dogs I think they told me at licensing 96% are not even real and I don't know if the person even has a dis ability. but you hit the nail on the head in so many ways. Like you said a person may be disabled not be able to afford help in training as you know that is my issue and I'm extremely disabled so having the energy and and the wherewithal to train my dog it's very hard for me. so what I've had to come to Is all I really must have is the tasks that I need to mitigate my disabilities. He doesn't have to do everything else perfectly but what I need and that's what he does and he's just learning to get better at it. I must admit when I see a dog in a grocery cart it just rubs me the wrong way because their butt is sitting on all the metal and it's drooling in the cart and to me it's so gross. Also if you read my last comment Laura I lived in a very very small town when I was traveling all over America and in this town the woman that ran the only market was shown those fake service dog laminated cards, and paperwork. And it's all coming from a place called service dog registry. she actually said to me I will not let you shop here unless you get those Cards and paperwork that prove to me your dog is certified. I tried to explain to her that that isn't real and it's not needed. Here's what it came down to. I had to go and get those cards made and the paperwork even though it's not real. But in her mind and in many owner of stores mind those are real because they don't know better and I felt bad and people that knew me who had service dogs said we'll now you're part of the problem. It was ridiculous the whole thing was ridiculous but if I wanted to get food I had to go get those things. LAURA, What do you think about educating places where dogs go and then the employees would know that they are legally allowed to ask 2 questions and going that route, educating managers, lifeguards , Now the reason I bring up life guards is I knew the head life guard in Redondo Beach he asked me would you come and give a meeting with all the guards in Redondo Beach because we're having such a bad problem with people that say it's a service dog and we can't do anything about it. We're not even allowed to ask is that a service dog. But we know it's a problem because they poop on the sand they run up to other people. So I went and I did explain what you can ask and I brought ADA paperwork so they understood and then they changed and they started asking people The correct questions and watching behaviors etc. I really want to know what do you think of that approach?? cause you did not mention that in this awesome video. So in a nutshell I think that that's a good you know Avenue Maybe to help with pets that are being unruly but saying to the lifeguard and showing a card or whatever that this is a service dog. Hmmm? Thank you for being such a compassionate caring human being

I wish I could give this video 1000 thumbs up!!!!

@DoggyU

8 ай бұрын

Thanks Roxy!

I took my ADit to ho pick up my sisters from school with one of those cheap amazon harness vests with "assistance dog in training" on it for the first time. I wanted her to get used to the feeling of having gear over her back without using her vest which goes alot further down her back. Anyway, her first time being "vested" AND SHE BARKED AT A GUIDE DOG, granted it was only a quite "uff" but i was so embarrased she unfocused from it quickly and we saw them on the way back to and she didn't even give ot a second look so I was still proud of her. But sometimes its hard to focus on the positves when the fear of being "called out" when our dogs make mistakes is so ingrained thanks to tiktok. Our dogs arent robots.

I’m currently training my 3rd service dog. The other two turned out to be too small for why I need a service dog. Don’t worry, I didn’t rehome them, both girls are now happy “regular” dogs in my home. The problem I have with the current dog in training, is that no one takes him seriously as a service dog because of him still being a puppy. He’s 5 months old. It’s like people think he’s playing dress up with his “service dog in training” vest on. I am one of those people you mentioned who are afraid to take my dog into public places for fear that people will think he’s a fake even though he’s still in training and has a very long way to go. I honestly don’t know how those people have the time to walk around stores with their service dogs, looking for “fake” service dogs and film them.

@littlebitofhope1489

8 ай бұрын

He is pretend. He is fake. He's a puppy. He is supposed to be those things. He's supposed to be silly and goofy for about two more years. Then he will settle down. As far as the people who video go, they are causing problems to make money. Think of them as used care salesmen who will lie and cheat to make a buck. If you live in an area with a lot of them, just avoid or ignore them. If you can't have something prepared. Something I have done before is to make up a "certificate" saying my dog is a Service Dog. They drive those people nuts, and in small print I would put the law saying that this was fake and they had been pranked. But by that time you are gone. Just think of creative ways to get rid of them. And you don't have to tell the truth.

Yes. I do want an alert dog, but I am afraid people will think I am part of those scammers.

@kelleylegault5115

8 ай бұрын

May be a good place to start would be to not call them all ‘scammers’…For myself, it feels like that approach, presumes others to be guilty of an offence…You don’t know- and it’s not our business to know- what someone else has for disability, or how much money they have to throw at a problem. This trainer’s approach, is a wonderfully humane one. Empathy. And grace. And knowing that any one of us can have a bad day… and that’s OK. I, also, really wish they were more services, and resources, available for those trying to train their own SA… But, we can’t even count on getting the healthcare we need, never mind something to help us accommodate a disability, on our own. For most of us- with (‘visible’, AND ‘invisible’) disabilities, using tools to mitigate them- imposter syndrome is huge. Thank-you, to everyone who provides us with grace and empathy. And for those trainers, willing to share their invaluable knowledge and expertise… You are my heroes!🫡

I'm trying to train my German shephard to be a diabetic service dog. Right now we're starting at home depot and Lowes. Once he starts to ignore people he'll graduate to a different store. Maybe like Michaels. He does really well sitting when i stop walking. He doesn't pull much.. but he's young and that may change. He's only 11 weeks old right now. He knows sit, stay for 30sec, down, shake, and bow. Just trying to get him exposed to different environments.

You know, I appreciate this video and it reminds me of how much me and a our friend who is actually a certified dog trainer that her self trained dog WAS a service dog. Because whole Trixie is amazing at her job, she can be a little nervous. She doesn't bark, but she does sometimes jump. Although drastically less when she is in vest than when she was out of vest. She had such imposter syndrome and fear of Trxie being called a fake. Even though, she was a service dog and a good one in my opinion. As a side note, I have an almost 6 month old (6 months exactly tomorrow,) she has such a chill personality that when she's ready I think I'm going to get her trained as a therapy dog. While I wait, I have been trying to train her to the level I consider for Service dogs. For a few different reasons, 1. If she does end up becoming a therapy dog, we'll never know then exact environment she'll be going into. So I wanna know I can trust my excitable, people loving pup around anything. 2. Even if she doesn't become a therapy dog, she will be coming with me hiking. Possibly even long trail hiking/camping and I want to know she'll listen and respond to me, she won't be the dog that charges people on a trail. As that can be terrifying, regardless of if the dog is friendly or not.

I'm training 2 puppies that so far are great SD candidates an both have over 250 hours of training at 8 months old of just obedience, and 100+ for medical training in the past 2 months. It is no small task.

OMG! Thank you so very much for this video! I’m 57 years old, living on SSDI. I have had dogs all my life and have been great at behavior training all of my dogs. Since 2016 I have been disabled and it just didn’t dawn on me to get a service dog until last year. My older, corgi/pom, and best trained dog died last year and I knew he was too old anyway. He would have been awesome. Fortunately I have a, now 7 year old Chiweenie who is learning very quickly and doing awesome. Yes, because of YOUR videos and watching Cesar Milan. But she is older and we (I) struggle with 2 things 1. I can’t get her to stop sniffing the ground (she is only inches from the ground), and she does still pull a little, but otherwise she is doing phenomenal with all tasks and commands. I’ve been stressed out about making her perfect because of all the”fake service dog” videos.

@pawsomfunandfrugal

8 ай бұрын

In addition, I just adopted a Chi-pin puppy from the shelter. Your video is very helpful to help me relax about taking him out for public access training. He is picking up the basics and some of the service tasks well at home, but is a bit crazy in public because he LOVES everyone and he is super tiny and cute so it’s very challenging. My current service dog,Circe, has mastered ignoring everything and everyone, but Zenji, the puppy cannot help himself 😅. The stereotype put on little dogs is a problem for people like me who don’t have the body strength for a big dog, among other reasons. Thank you again for addressing this issue! 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

@littlebitofhope1489

8 ай бұрын

@@pawsomfunandfrugal Your older dog is fine. Just tell people he is an allergy alert dog scenting for allergens. As far as pulling, if it doesn't bother you or hurt the dog, ignore it. You can say it's a grounding task. In other words, if the dog works for you and is not harming anything it is no one's business. If they complain about something, have answers ready. Lie. And remember, it will be two years of training for your puppy. You have plenty of time, and he can't learn without making mistakes. Go easy on yourself.

@pawsomfunandfrugal

8 ай бұрын

@@littlebitofhope1489 thank you for that idea, because actually, that is not a lie. I do have allergies as well. So maybe that is a task that she can add to her skill set. And yes, I know to be patient with the new puppy, he’s catching on pretty quickly to the basics, but I can tell that tasks are going to take a while to become repetitive.

I live in Canada and we have the mira foundation.The waiting list is long you don't pick the sex breed of the dog and after 5 years you give them back. How can you give a dog back that you grown attached to. So I decided to get my own dog. Git it trained and she gets afraid some times we are working on her confidence. She is a certified service dog but I still have a trainer come over and I do a lot of work with her. I go in a store and a man asked how to certified a dog. His reason was he want to be able to take his dog with him everywhere he trained his dog. I was so mad it was clear he had no disabilities he just didn't want to leave his dog home I payed so much to get a well trained dog and here this man comes and just wants to certified dog with no real training

I no longer have dogs and never claimed that they were service dogs, however due to the treatment dogs receive when they travel in commercial flights, I think it is totally justified that people train their pets as service dogs so that they can fly in the main cabin. I know people whose dogs have mistakenly been sent out west when they were flying along the East coast. Dogs have been lost and killed because they are treated like luggage. How can you loose track of a living animal? Until airlines develop a safe way to transport animals, people will keep sneaking their dogs in as service animals. The alternative is potential death and certain suffering and being offered “compensation” from the airline if something goes wrong. I would not have accepted a travel voucher in exchange for my dog and neither would most people. I get that most places that don’t accept pets should only be expected to accept truly needed service dogs, but I feel like planes should be an exception.

I think a voluntary registration of SA would be beneficial. Notice I said voluntary. People that are legally disabled for whatever ever reason should be able to get documentation from a government agency. Having official documents to show in certain situations could be very good in many ways. Similar to a disabled placard for a car. Some people this may not work for and that’s ok also. This is a very insightful video that shows care for others good job😄. Owner responsibility is very important you don’t just represent yourself don’t make it harder for others 😎

@mirroravis

2 ай бұрын

That's not really helpful. Think of how many disabilities are still not even recognized. Most cardiologists don't even believe in POTS, even if you litterally faint in front of them bc your heart skyrockets

@hangsolow216

2 ай бұрын

@@mirroravis Do you have a service dog?