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How to Bring a Service Dog to Disneyland
Trained service dogs are more than welcome to join their handlers at Disneyland. In this guide, we’ll explain Disneyland’s policies and give practical advice for bringing a service dog to Disneyland for the first time. Disneyland’s Service Dog Policies The Magic Kingdom is happy to welcome trained service dogs across most park locations! They kindly […]
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Can Dogs Eat Tomatoes?
Yes! Dogs can safely enjoy tomatoes, but there are a few risks to be aware of so you can feed your dog responsibly. Fully ripe tomatoes (without the stems and leaves) can actually have nutrients that are good for your pup. Tomatoes have chlorogenic acid, an antioxidant that can have anti-inflammatory effects in cells. They’re […]
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Can a Primary Care Doctor Write an ESA Letter?
Your family doctor, also called a primary care physician (PCP), can write a letter recommending an emotional support animal. We’ll explain what legally gives them that ability and explore what better options might be available for you. Why are Physicians Able to Write an ESA Letter? To turn your pet into an emotional support animal, […]
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How do you go about training a service dog or giving a service dog to train
You can hire a professional trainer or train a service dog on your own. It is strongly recommended to hired a professional trainer or work with a training organization if you are not experienced in training dogs.
I’m not knocking making a connection to whom may need one. You must judge every encounter and act appropriately. Our animals must be under our control at all times. This protects the animal sa well as people by law.We must protect our protectors.
I understand the public need more training than my dog. I put a patched vest on her cuz if I didn’t, people will feel even more open to
petting her. My answer is please don’t approach her, or don’t pet her. She’s working. That’s if they ask. Parents please train your kids to not just walk up to a strange dog. Even one in a store. Ask mom first ASK OWNER SECOND.
I’m not knocking making a connection to whom may need one. You must judge every encounter and act appropriately. Our animals must be under our control at all times. This protects the animal sa well as people by law.We must protect our protectors.
I’m not so sure about the “Do Not Pet” dogma. My dog is a hearing dog, tasked only with alerting me to my cell phone appropriately. My dog is also an ENS dog that began the process at age 3 days (the military conditions its dogs similarly I understand) and she is superbly socialized, as well as obedience trained. She is an Ambassador for trained dogs and does not fail to do her task. I control who and when may pet her and she is a joy to all who do so, and she loves the attention but always breaks to do her job appropriately and without fail. I think to keep her isolated and cordoned off would not only be harmful to her spirit, but would convey a sense of servitude rather than service with joy that my dog exemplifies. Perhaps if she had other tasks to do it would be an issue, but she has proven that in her case (and mine) that it is not. With living creatures, nothing is set in stone. This is but one example.
Thanks for calling this out. I’ve recently been struggling taking my dog into restaurants because they assume she is an ESA. I’ve been training her for the last couple of months to be a psychiatric dog and I choose to allow people to pet her because it’s comfort and love she brings to me when I need her. That is her job, also she’s a natural at it so why take it from her.. She’s starting to sense when others are having a moment, she’ll look for my approval and once I tell her it’s okay she’ll just sit near providing her same loving, unbothered purpose she provides for me when I feel some type of way (anxiety, panic attacks or flashback…) since I’m new at this I always wondered why if my animal is able to perform do I need to separate work and play so much? Should this be reevaluated? Possibly, I could see if she had more physically demanding tasks that it might be different. Also I’m very sure I don’t require her to wear a vest and it gives me so much more panic that public places assume she’s not providing me a service, her breed also plays a role in the stereotype that I need a much bigger dog. Leaving the house lately has been hard but much better when she’s with me. I honestly wish I knew more about how other people with service dogs deal with so much adversity. She’s been great at training but it’s the public around me that has made it difficult for me and it’s starting to become a cycle of anxiety. Anyway thanks for sharing.
You don’t sound suitable for a PSD. first of all “comfort and loving” is NOT a task. do you mean deep-pressure therapy? I understand adjusting to service dog life can cause anxiety as I am going through that right now as well with my PSD but if it doesn’t get better a service dog might not be for you. please look up the specific psych tasks because it doesn’t sound like your dog is performing a task. I am not trying to sound rude I wish you the best of luck. some tasks my dog does is – Interrupting a panic attack by pushing my hands away from my face. -block (he stands behind me side to side so people can’t spook me when they come up behind me) -deep pressure therapy (he lays on my legs to stop shaking from anxiety) (he also does dpt for chronic pain) -leg shaking alert (he just paws my knee when I shake my keg too much)
I hope some of this helps. If you truly are disabled from anxiety and can’t go out I would highly recommend training in some actual tasks.
Also it is up to you to let other people pet your service dog which is fine (I’m usually pretty loose with people petting my boy as well as you 🙂 ) please understand though that if you constantly let other people pet your dog it might cause more problems like people calling you a fake and people could see you let someone else pet your dog and then everyone else will want to pet and then you will never get anything done! lol.
again no hate I would just recommend reevaluating this choice to have a PSD if it is causing you to have even more anxiety and if you choose to go to sd route (because you must be legally disabled!) then you have to teach at least 1 task to be a service dog. don’t get me wrong comfort and love is a wonderful benefit but it does not make your dog a service dog so don’t take your dog in any non-pet-friendly places until they are obedience trained and know at least 1 TASK.
If you have any questions I’m totally open to help! :)))
cheers! -Rebecca
Thank you for your post Rebecca! It is important to recognize that in order to own a PSD, you must have both a qualifying disability and an actual need for a task-trained service dog. If you do not need a task-trained dog but have a mental health disability, an ESA might be more appropriate: https://www.servicedogcertifications.org/how-to-get-an-emotional-support-dog-letter/