AIBU to take my dog everywhere I go

As long as you're removing her swiftly from environments she can't handle, rather than ignoring her getting overwhelmed, I am not bothered.

I will say, this was a silly thread to start given (as evidenced by the replies) most people here do not realise you can 'owner train' an assistance dog entirely yourself, or you can do it with the aid of a charity (Dog A.I.D, Canine Generated Independence, i think there are some others too), or you can do it with the assistance of a private trainer.

So without explaining that, you're always going to get some negative responses from those who think assistance dogs are either born aged 2 and totally trained or can only come from a charity that trains the dog, then supplies it to you.

Do make sure you have permission to take her to wherever you're taking her - it is not a legal requirement for ADIT's to be given access as it is with fully trained AD's.

For those actually interested, AD's can be trained to:

Do physical tasks an owner cannot do - open doors, pick things up etc
Alert to medical conditions - cardiac, seizure, blood glucose
Alert to things the owner cannot hear - alarms, doorbells
Guide an owner who cannot see around obstacles, to pre-trained destinations or places like exit doors, toilets, seating.
Alert to an allergen - theres far too many of these to list, AD's are most useful for the airbourne/contact allergies.

Alerts to medical conditions may look like the dog is misbehaving - for example, alerting someone to an impending seizure may mean the dog wilfully disobeys an instruction to cross a road, or seems to tow them out of a shop or to a seating area, or the dog may seem to repeatedly poke or bark at the owner to get them to pay attention.

My dog alerts to high/low bg - his alert is him putting his paws in my lap and trying to stick his nose down my throat. A quiet alert is no use for me as I am most likely to have a big high/low when very distracted/stressed, or when asleep - if I am calm and able to focus, I am much more likely to recognise the symptoms myself.

Assistance dogs should NOT be taught to approach other people, or to protect people from others. They can be asked to leave a premises if they are out of control in a way that is unreasonably risky for other people - ie, off lead running around, jumping on members of the public would qualify - being a potential allergen for someone who can simply leave the premises would not.

If she is a service dog aren't they fully trained before you get them?
I have absolutely no issue with genuine service dogs being allowed in any space , as long as it is clear they are service dogs
I don't like dogs who are clearly not service dogs in cafes and food shops

I wouldn't object to a service dog being anywhere, as long as it was clear to see from their harness. You don't really see people complaining about service dogs here though do you?

It depends really. You're only protected in law once your dog is trained. Our organisation has 4 levels (puppy, bronze, silver, gold) then a public access test. For Puppy and Bronze, we are not expected to take them to non dog-friendly venues. For silver (minimum age 9 months) we are allowed to ask permission to train in non dog-friendly venues. For gold (minimum 12 months) we are allowed to go to non dog-friendly venues without asking but must leave if our dog does not behave as we hoped.

I'm one of these who is generally against the "my dog must go everywhere with me" brigade but I have no issues with service dogs going anywhere.

The issue I have is with poorly trained dogs in public places, jumping up at me when I'm out on a run, jumping at my kids who have no interest in going near them, being dragged into shops when they are clearly distressed, coming over to me in cafe's because the owner isn't paying attention, and being in places that are clearly marked as "no dogs" because their owner can't be parted with them for more than 30 seconds. Not to mention the 💩 everywhere.

Really, I'm not against dogs, I'm against shitty owners who think their dog's needs come above everyone else, and the massive increase since Covid in those type of owners.

But you're fine OP. Crack on. I hope the training is completed quickly so you can get the full support. Service dogs are an amazing invention.

I say this as a dog lover.

you’re dog is “being trained” and therefore not actually a service dog as yet? Don’t then expect people to make allowances for a pup not acting like a service dog. Don’t use her as a service dog till she is properly able to do so.

when the charity training her sign her off it is a different scenario.

If it's allergies you suffer from, I fail to see how a dog can help. Unless she is trained to smell whatever you are allergic to.
Also, you keep referring to her at a year old as a puppy. Even a giant breed is past being a puppy at that age. Not mature granted, but not a puppy.

Yes YABU

If she genuinely and identifiably is a service dog, then fine.
If she isn't, then there are obviously places where it's not appropriate for you to take her.

Yes you do! That is literally the role of the puppy walking stage of guide dog training for example. To expose them to as many environments as possible before they start their intensive training once old enough.
If they are not exposed to the environments they are going to work in how the hell are they going to be able to work?
Sounds like the OP is at the fairly early stages of training and this is exactly what she is supposed to do.

They can give me a gummy bite when they've lost their teeth

YANBU while in training or once she has passed but YWBU if she doesn't pass to continue to do this.

My friend had a shih tzu who was a trained diabetes alert dog. She wasn't bought with the intention of becoming an alert dog, she just naturally started alerting and so she was trained to alert and seek my friends medical bag and find a safe space to lay down.

Nobody assumes she is a service dog because she is a shih tzu, but she's genuinely a life saving disability aid.

Imprisoned? For defending myself from an out of control dog? Hardly.

The owner has a duty to keep it under control.

I have every sympathy with anyone taking a dog into public places for health reasons but as per previous comments they should have a harness so that is clear. My son was badly attacked by a dog when he was 12 and had a broken nose and a large piece of skin ripped from his face and now has a scar. He’s 40 now but understandably nervous around dogs. I’m allergic to them. It annoys me that we have to suffer dogs in places like John Lewis for example. I mean, is it a shop or is it a park?

So if it was a guide dog in training they shouldn’t be allowed to go anywhere, outside of structured training…….according to you.

@Loopylouloves

So it sounds to me as if you bought a pup on your own and then asked this charity to train it rather than working with one of their dogs?

1-Is this a 'known' and reputable charity? I'm in the US and there are some fly-by-night 'charities' who will 'certify' a dog as a service animal with very little training. Some with no training at all. You pay some money and get a 'certificate' so you can take your dog wherever.

2-Has this charity vetted your dog's family history and temperament for training and said he/she is suitable? Not all dogs have the temperament.

3-What 'tasks' are you (and they) training your dog to do? I don't know about the UK but in the US a dog must perform a specific task related to a disability to be a certified service dog. 'Emotional Support Animals' no longer qualify.

Service dogs are amazing and life changing. And they are thoroughly reliable and obedient. I know they all go through a 'training phase' but if your pup is getting unruly or not listening, maybe it's time for both of you to work more with the trainer in public places.

I think in puppy stage you need to be considerate and realistic and go where the dog is going to be able to be managed and not break anything, cause an issue or confined places where you might worry people who are scared of dogs for example a toy shop where there are small children, a boutique store full of china ornaments etc.
As she gets older and better behaved, introduce her to more places as time goes on and you see fit.

Maybe not taking her to the higher-stakes type places, where an occasionally excited puppy would be more out of place, would be a good idea while she’s still in training? Completely understand she has to get used to all these places but as she gets calmer and better trained, the chance of her getting overexcited as a young pup would reduce.

It’s like children - I’d take mine to more relaxed restaurants first so they learn how to behave there, before taking them somewhere really nice where it wouldn’t be appropriate if they got silly.

In time your ddog will change your life. Fact.
You aren't suggesting you bring a yappy no point handbag dog around with you for the laughs....
Ignore the doubters.. Having your dodgy with you strengthens the bond you both need for the training to work.

If it’s a service dog, it’s completely different to just wanting to take your pet out with you. I would have absolutely no problems someone bringing their service dog to my house and legally you can take her anywhere in public. Rocking up to a party with your pet dog - No thanks