AIBU to take my dog everywhere I go

Also, you mentioned friends' houses.

I do not automatically take my working dog to other people's homes. He's welcome in many, but I always ask first (and for every visit unless he has been explicitly given a permanent-invite) while making it extremely clear that there is no obligation to say yes. And when visiting homes with dogs I default to leaving him at home unless I know the dog and trust he'll be welcomed in their space. When he does accompany me I offer to keep him on lead in his work-mode or in specific areas rather than defaulting to letting him go into normal dog mode. I have a right to take my assistance dog out in public where others need to make reasonable accomodations but other people and dogs have an overriding right to comfort and security in their own homes. Always being respectful of that means that he's rather beloved by my friends and family and they're more likely to be supportive and accomodating, not resentful.

What I would say the earlier & the more you do it the quicker they acclimatise. I have a dog with separation anxiety you wouldn’t know if you met her, she goes in lifts, cafes, restaurants & Is very well behaved social with other dogs. Just keep it small amounts of time, most people in real life are much nicer & ask to say hello, mine is 3yrs old good with children but likes older people with grey hair😂

I'm a medical alert dog handler with my second assistance dog. He accompanies me almost everywhere (including for international travel) now, but certainly didn't at 12 months.

A dog in training is not a working assistance dog yet. Yes, your dog does need to accompany you in public places for training but this should be done with intention and consideration for where she is currently at in her training so that you're setting her up for success, and it should happen when you are able to actively train. A dog in training can't be expected to behave perfectly but they also can't be allowed to practice unacceptable behavior and they need to be exposed to challenges in a gradual enough way that they are actually able to learn. Quality assistance dog organizations take two years on average to train dogs, and outings to difficult places like food stores or restaurants come during the latter stages, usually past 18 months. Length of working/training sessions also needs to be gradually increased as they mature. Neither you nor your adolescent dog is capable of putting in quality training time all day long while going about your life. Just taking her everywhere with you right now is likely to do more harm than good. Talk to the training organization about the specific type, length and frequency of training outings and goals you should be engaging in as well as recommendations for appropriate social outings and recreation options that will not be counterproductive.

Why are you being so hostile? Why not just ask a question rather than being an arse.

If she's wearing the harness I would presume people would be tolerant? If she's shitting on people's carpets or biting their kids or something that's a different matter.

I live just down the road from a guide dogs training centre, see most of the dogs under a year old with foster parents either walking in cafe around children play area on lead of course. You are not allowed to make a fuss off them unless they are off lead in designated area.This is part of a structured programme.

i agree. For some reason MN is vehement in its hatred of dogs to the extent that, as a dog owner, is unrecognisable in the real world.
just carry on working with the charity and follow their guidance - if it’s the one I’m thinking of them they have many years of experience of training assistance dogs.
good luck and maybe avoid the nuts on here.

This is on the edge for me.
Fully trained service dogs have a legal exception, fine.
While I understand that a puppy in service training needs socialising and learning at places, I'd expect the trainer of not yet service dog to be proactively very mindful about people around and make sure that the dog doesn't bother anyone, not only by not jumping, but in any way at all.

You are moaning that "she said its unhygienic in a supermarket and she wouldn't be shopping there anymore. It was just very awkward and uncomfortable." - she was right, having dogs in shops is unhygienic and for many people having to be around a dog is awkward and uncomfortable no matter how that specific dog behaves. Too many bad owners mean many people are careful/afraid/tired of dogs.
Yes, it is specifically allowed for service dogs (and to some extent dogs in training), because it is seen as proportionate to provide a health/ self-sufficiency benefit to a person with some kind of disability. Technically, the law will give you a legal exception allowing you to make people who don't like to be around dogs uncomfortable. It's ok to use the exception. But it doesn't mean that some people won't be uncomfortable and some of them won't hide it well. That's the reality.

I have to take my dog everywhere as she barks the place down is she's left alone. It's utterly wearing at times. Bit such is life. I don't want to upset my neighbours

I love seeing assistance dogs in training - it always gives me a lift. I used to live near a guide dog training centre and it made me so happy to see the dogs. Sounds like you are doing amazing - there are a lot of people here who do not understand either dog training or what assistance dogs can do. Best of luck, and hope it all works out for you.

I think you know that YANBU to take a service dog in training everywhere you go. Your dog may save you life one day so this training is very necessary. You sound like you are being very responsible and trying to mitigate the impact of a puppy being places a dog wouldn’t normally be. I’m amazed at the number of people saying YABU but that’s MN. Just carry on and good luck to you both.

I trained mine completely self funding as no support available from charities

I took her myself to the normal places a pet dog would be allowed & socialized her normally, puppy classes etc.

She did the specialist training in places where only assistance dogs are allowed eg hospital, supermarket etc by visiting with the trainer supporting.

It can go very wrong if you try and do the specialist training alone so I would stick to doing those things with the trainer present.

For those commenting that assistance dogs (service dog is US & different definition) are given ready trained by a charity, this is often not the case anymore as charity funding is very limited & limited to a narrow range of disability. Many people do train assistance dogs privately.

There is no difference in status to a dog trained privately or by a charity. There is no 'register' of assistance dogs or certificate or official document & no requirement to wear a harness (although most choose to do so)

Emotional support animals are not recognized in the UK as assistance dogs.

Agree with a PP that you seem to have implied originally she’s not that well behaved then got annoyed when people have responded to that.

You say on one hand she wouldn’t approach people. But earlier said you can’t guarantee she wouldn’t invade a picnic.

This is why people are responding how they are. Quite frankly NO dog should be stealing pork pies from a strangers picnic. They should be under control at all times.

@Loopylouloves you don’t have to justify this to anyone. She is a service dog IN TRAINING. If people cannot understand that, that is on them. Dogs provoke some very weird responses on here that I don’t generally see IRL! Keep doing you, you and your lovely dog will do great xx

She is well on her way to being a accredited assistance dog 🤔

Earlier you said and I quote "sometimes she doesn't behave when we go out", " she doesn't always behave like a service dog should", " I couldn't promise she wouldn't nick a pork pie at a picnic tbh". So yes I would agree with you saying ignorance and stupidity on this thread is unreal.

Not to pile on Op, but you need to be clear , at 12 months she is no longer a puppy and you should expect her to begin to behave better; she is an Assistance dog, not a Service dog, and to be honest the fact that you misnomer this makes me suspect that she’s actually neither.

I have experience of trainee guide dogs, and assistance dogs, and while it’s very clear that guide dogs have higher standards than other trainers, they do all follow a plan.

As pp have pointed out , even when fully accredited , she can only go freely to public places, and there may well be areas/ locations where she is not welcome, and you need to get comfortable with this.

She is a Service Dog IN TRAINING. She needs to learn to be able to do her job and help you and she needs to be in public to do that. In much the same way that people bring unruly children out into public spaces, so they can learn how to behave. Yes, it can be annoying for other people sometimes, but that is how they learn. Keep her “in training” vest on and ignore the arseholes.

I don't think this thread is helping you @Loopylouloves