Assistance dogs/ esa's/pets

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I have a bit of a special interest in assistance dogs (specifically those for autism) my own dog was bought with the hope of becoming my assistance dog but due to her own disabilities (she suffers from CCD- the dog version of OCD) she will never be able to work. I wondered how many people have dogs in their lives and the function they serve both technically (status type thing) and to you personally.
Thanks for your thoughts and comments

I have had five dogs (pets) over the course of my life. I don't have any pets now.

Two dogs bit me and I am afraid of dogs

Monday the librarian asked the dude sitting on the computer next to me if his dog was a service dog. Answer :. "emotional support"

Wtf?

The emotions of the owner matter. The emotions of people afraid of dogs don't matter

Looked it up and, the staff are only allowed to ask what job skills the dog has

The staff legally can't ask for documentation or that the do demonstrate the skills









So everyone can claim their dog is a "service dog"


Service dogs legally do not need vests, training, or leashes

Some job descriptions say " must be comfortable with dogs"

And the job has nothing to do with dogs


It also makes me wonder how many jobs are "dog friendly" and do not specify so in the job description


Today at aikido, I was lying down stretching. The instructor came and an off leash dog started running after me




And I screamed I was so scared






The instructor apologized and she looked sincere

But even if nobody in the building was afraid of dogs, letting the dog run around the mat could injure the customers or the dogs







Precious lil "people" act like their. Dog is so special


"She won't bite"

"She's friendly"

"She so cute"



Why are dogs even called "he," and "she" instead of "it"?









Some precious lil "people" care about their dogs a lot more than they care about other people

As much as I am sympathetic that you have a fear a genuine service dog allows people to do things that would otherwise be impossible.
I don’t agree with the way some people claim their dogs are service dogs but as a person who massively prefers animals to people I am surprised but also sympathetic that you have such a strong dislike of them

I've been adopting retired racing greyhounds all of my adult life but none were ever what I would call an ESA. They do make lovely pets.

The one exception is our most recent adoptee and I didn't train him to be an ESA. He trained himself. He follows me everywhere and always has an eye on me. He gets visibly agitated when he can't keep tabs on me. He is very finely in tune with my emotional states and will press his face against mine when I cry or drape himself over me when I have a panic attack. This is like having an 80 lb. weighted blanket. He walks with me when he sees that I am wobbly from meds and allows me to lean on him. He even sleeps on the bed (graciously tolerating the cats). He is not an official ESA so I don't bring him everywhere, but he is highly intelligent and could easily be trained to pass any certification if it was necessary.

I have a service dog, Asher.

Really? That's certainly great news!


Because a dog is a she or he, not an it. Dogs are no more 'it' than any other species consisting of the two sexes, including homo sapiens.


Yes, we do! I'd pick any one of my pets over the entire human race any day.

I have a service dog for my autism. I have made a few posts about him.

I take him to school with me every now and again, when I know I will need him.

Here are some pictures of him:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/AnRdgsr5JMX9LFqc6

The last picture shows a new patch I got for his vest. The blue patch that used to be in it's position is now switched to the side with the "do not pet" patch.
The neon yellow/green vest is his backup vest.

The patches (all except for the "all disabilities are not visible") are attached to the vest with velcro so they can be removed and switched out whenever

Aww, more pics of Latte! Thanks for the new link, he is so lovely!

Thanks!

I second Skilpadde.
Though I still think Asher's cuter

pixie

some service dogs allow some owners to do things that would otherwise be impossible. (fine).

but whose needs take priority, the owners', or people that are allergic to or afraid of dogs?

the "emotional support" dog from last monday did not (according to the owner) do anything the owner otherwise could not have done.

maybe i ought to get a service lion .

nobody cares how i feel, and i do not have legal authority or anything like that. i do not even have a service dog.

Wait, hold up. You can have a trained and legal service dog.....for Aspergers??! !
If you dont mind me asking, what exactly do they assist with? Cause I see, hear, and walk just fine and have no extreme illness.

A properly trained, certified service dog should behave well and its owner should always have it under control. It sounds like perhaps you encountered a bogus ESA. That kind of thing gives all service dogs a black eye and makes it harder for people who legitimately need them to take them anywhere.

People with ESAs should be able to have them but it is their responsibility and common courtesy to keep them on task, away from people who are frightened by or allergic to them as much as circumstances possibly allow.

Graceksjp, ESAs not only help keep people calm, they can physically intervene in situations where their handler is unstable (such as keeping someone having a meltdown from hurting him/herself) and help with physical mobility if that is an issue. I'm sure others who have certified animals--as opposed to my greyhound who just decided I need his help--can provide more examples.

BTW I love your avatar!

Yes.

Latte is trained to do DPT (deep pressure therapy) and do light guide work (like walking me home). He also helps if and when I have meltdowns.

Legally, it's both. I take Latte (trained Service dog) with me to school because he is specially trained to help me and I have a legal right to have him with me everywhere that I go - even schools, hospitals, stores etc. If someone is allergic to dogs, the school cannot deny him (and in extension me) access. They can and should in such a situation make reasonable accommodations to suit both me (and Latte) and the allergic student/teacher. An example of such would be that I sit in the front of the class and the allergic student in the back - or that we are not put in the same classes.

The same goes for people who are afraid of dogs, although I have never encountered it. Because he is a service dog that i require for my disability and a fear of dogs is not a disability, I do think that the scared person would need to partially just get used to him or they would be placed in other classes.
An example that I like to use: You wouldn't say to someone in a wheelchair that they cannot come to an event in case someone is fearful of wheelchairs - that would be ridiculous. The same goes for Service dogs.

Legally, Latte has the exact same rights as a guide dog. Would you tell a guide dog team that they cannot enter a store because someone is or might be allergic? No, you would not. (And if you would say that they cannot enter, you are legally in the wrong).