To think this doesn’t need explanation…

[ClearConfusion]

If you came across this, would you try to pet the dog, speak to the dog or stand so close your leg was touching the dog? One person did all three things to my dog today. I was stood at the counter in a small reception area, booking my next appointment, when a woman bent to pet my dog whilst saying hello to him. I had to side step to avoid the contact. She then stepped right next to him touching his side with her leg, so I had to move again. When I told her she couldn’t stroke the dog as he was working, she asked in a challenging manner, “how exactly is he working and why can’t I say hello”. I didn’t answer straight away, as I was already in conversation with the receptionist. She then asked again why was I training him, what was I training, and who was I training him for. I told her, she can’t pet him, as then he will expect to say hello to everyone he meets and would be distracted and not concentrating.
YANBU- the jacket clearly states not to distract, you don’t need to explain anything

YABU- she was just interested in the dog

Your harness and signs are totally clear to anyone with more than a couple of brain cells.

She may be totally thick. It's a surprisingly common affliction and you can't argue with thick!

I love dogs and usually talk to or stroke any I meet but I would have understood the importance of not interacting with yours!

Good idea, I'll suggest it to my friend😀

I think there are some people who would see that jacket as a challenge and try to stroke them on purpose to be honest. Some people just like to generate drama to feed off.

I think a pp is right that you’d not get this with a bright red DANGER -AGGRESSIVE DOG sign!

Agreed.

That jacket could not have been clearer.

I believe people like this are batshit and not normal.

This won't be in isolation.

I would have looked longingly at your dog, but there is no way I’d have tried to interact with one in a jacket. A working dog - even one in training - has more important things to do than interact with me. When you think of the massive impact they will have on someone’s life, it’s unspeakably selfish to get in the way.

I was in ASDA recently and they had stand with a few blind people and their dogs, alongside some sighted people.
A little boy about 4 was jumping over a dog lying down next to his ownwer and landed on the tip of his tail. Apart from a slight squeak there was no reaction from the dog, but the owner heard him and one of the sighted people told the little boy to stop. He looked very put out.
An untrained GSD could have done some serious damage.

Me too! Why is it that she thinks I want means I get and never mind who is effects? So many selfish, entitled people these days I find myself walking round the supermarket sighing to myself about all the idiots that think they are the only ones that matter.

I’ve been in a checkout queue and a man in his fifties, intentionally trod on my dogs tail. The dog was sat quietly, he jumped forward, the man smirked. I settled the dog and he trod on him again!! It was at this point that I threatened violence if he did it again. Some people are obnoxious.

Unbelievable! It's really depressing how many utterly stupid and unpleasant people there are running around. As for the twat who deliberately stood on your poor dog's tail....I think you were quite right to threaten violence, but could possibly have spoken to the store manager about a potential disability hate crime!

YANBU, some people are dicks.

Have you posted before about assistant dog problems?

You can't have aggression and biting warnings because people will try to be a dog whisperer and 'tame' your wild beast, or quiz you (taking up your training time) about why a dangerous dog is not muzzled, or want to know their life story... all of which makes the problem worse, not better!

I don’t know if this a serious comment or not, but it’s not a good idea to do that. If the reactive dog ever ended up in a fight with another dog, even if it didn’t start it and was just standing up for itself, your friend would potentially be admitting liability by knowingly taking out an aggressive dog. Especially if it wasn’t muzzled. Also it could lead to confrontation with certain cognitively-challenged members of the public.

This just begged belief, some people are just moronic. Speechless…I remember reading not so long ago about a guide dog that was assisting a blind lady down into the London Underground, someone got inpatient and kicked the dog to move it 😡

I don't know, I thought an assistance dog would just be a really nice dog and it would be fine to say hello. But I would not because I am really not a dog person.

No I wasn't being serious.

It's just a shame for the dog that people take no notice of the nervous sign on his lead.

He actually a lovely dog and not 'aggressive' as such but fearful, which, of course, can result in aggressive behaviour.

He's a rescue and had a pretty awful start in life, having had multiple homes and been badly treated.

His current owners have had him now for about six years and they've worked wonders with him. As long as a dog doesn't run at him he will walk past completely calmly, it's just the dog's that run at him that he will react to.

Funnily enough, he's never been aggressive towards my dog, probably because she ignores him and doesn't get in his space when they meet.

Ideally, people would realise that a dog in training should be left alone.

Realistically, you're going to get some people like that who just don't/won't understand and the dog's going to have to cope with them too.

It’s times like this that I really miss social distancing…

I am one of those people that says "hello" to passing dogs😁 - but never if they've got a "support dog" jacket or harness on - or I have seen jackets that say "nervous" etc.
Even with non-working dogs, I might make eye contact and say hello, but always ask permission before I pet or touch a dog.

One neighbour trains guide dogs for the blind dogs - I stop and chat with her and ignore the dog, even though we usually talk about him and how he's progressing. Occasionally he's out on a non-training walk, no harness - but I always wait until my neighbour says it's OK to pat him.

Perfect!

There are unfortunately absolute twats in this world.

Yep - a surprising number of people can't read (a hell of a lot if you include those who don't wear their glasses!) And a lot of people, perhaps due to intellectual impairments, really don't understand anything outside their personal experience.

Or she might just be an arsehole. Either way, YANBU!

I always say hello to dogs unless they have a jacket on. Even DD knew from about 5 that a jacket meant a dog is at work and couldn't be disturbed.

My favourites to watch were the ones in Cuba, I assume bomb dogs, who get to go all over the baggage claim carousels. SOOOOO cute. Still don't touch though.

One of my rescues had terrible treatment before we rescued him he is a soppy sod but can be unpredictable with strangers and dogs; sometimes friendly as you like next time growling and teeth showing warning. We have him with caution red coat lead and collar and still people let dogs and kids rush up to him 🙄

Nope no explanation needed. You should never touch a working dog. They literally teach this at schools