AIBU to take my dog everywhere I go

[Loopylouloves]

After several posts recently about dogs in public spaces I wanted to add another angle. For context I wasnt a dog lover and never thought I would own one. However I am now the owner of one but with a difference. I have a serious medical condition which causes me to become very unwell quickly and my dog is being trained to detect when this is about to happen so I can take action promptly and get help. She goes everywhere with me including supermarkets, cafes, friends houses etc.

The issue is that shes a puppy (12 months) and is very much in the training phase so sometimes she doesnt behave when we go out. But its so important that she lives my life with me so she learns to alert me even when we are out and about. Once fully trained she is going to change my life and give me so much freedom and peace of mind.

Because she doesnt always behave like a service dog should, aibu to think that people should be more understanding and tolerant of her.

Service dogs are almost always exempt from any "no dogs" rules in shops etc, so you shouldn't have any problems, providing it's obvious (usually from the special harness worn) that the dog is a service dog.

Doesn’t she have a “Service Dog in Training” tabard thing?

I love dogs and would love this. This rarely happens to me, you must just be unlucky.

Dogs fall into two very distinct categories: service dogs; and all other dogs. People complaining about dogs are referring to all other dogs. Service dogs are exempt and everyone who isn’t completely ignorant knows this. You have a service dog. Make sure they are always wearing their harness stating that they are a service dog in training. If their behaviour is a problem though you need to discuss this with the people who are responsible for training and maybe make some changes in the short term about how you take them out in public. It’s important that this training stage is successful.

YANBU to take your dog everywhere you go. But neither is anyone else BU if they refuse to allow your dog in. When it's a service dog, by law public places must permit it. But it isn't a service dog yet - and "sometimes she doesnt behave when we go out", so when she doesn't behave do you remove her from wherever you are? Are you upholding your end of the social contract?

Unfortunately @Loopylouloves while not unsympathetic I’m extremely allergic to dogs which means I have to try to avoid them. Your dog would be no more of a problem than anyone else’s though, as long as you had it under control and a reasonable distance away.

It's a given that legitimate service dogs are allowed everywhere and rightly so - so why would the op even think of asking, unless of course they're indeed just trying to validate inflicting another untrained nuisance dog on others....? 😑

For most places i think it's fine. But until she is trained I think you should avoid places where her behaviour could cause damage. For example a supermarket where she could be touching food.

Isn’t the issue that service users don’t normally train their service dogs? I’ve seen guide dog puppies in training but the people who have them I don’t think are blind or partially sighted. Do they go to the service user fully trained? Yours seems a hybrid where she needs to know you but also needs some “not being a dickhead” training! I’d expect that to be done before she gets to you. Having said that I’ve never seen anyone do anything other than be lovely when they see a guide dog in training.

I think you need to be mindful - when you say "cafés" there's a difference between lunchtime in Costa in an area full of shops and offices vs. a local café in a small town. Going everywhere with you doesn't mean you shouldn't work your way up to cramped/noisy/busy places.

I think a lot depends on where you are taking her. If she is in a cafe and is barking and is jumping on people then yes it probably isn't right to take her there if she is not trained. Better to find a dog friendly cafe.

Places like supermarkets and shops should be find. I assume she is house trainied.

Some people may not want her in their home if she behaves like a puppy in chewing things etc.

No, you shouldn't be taking a service dog in training everywhere. You should be taking it to places that are manageable for it's current level of training and as it moves through the training phases you can take it to more and more places until it is a fully-trained service dog and allowed everywhere. It's a gradual process.

You should also be aware of people who are allergic and phobic, their health conditions are no less important than yous so you need balance the benefit it brings to you vs the harm it can do to others.

Sounds like your dog identifies as a service dog, rather than being one. Just stick to the rules hun.

You are anything but a goody, smack a dog in the head with a stick, that's called animal abuse.
I dont agree with untrained dogs running around, and it causes a lot of issues for my leashed dog at all times, unless in an enclosed field.
But hurt a dog, who is not at fault, it's the owners, borders on psychotic. Why dont you smack the owners, oh, they could hit back.

I think if she’s genuinely in training then you will have been given the rules to stick to by the agency .

However, in my experience, it’s good for all dogs to be trained to be comfortable being left alone.

Plus , training or not, if the dog misbehaves, you should remove it from the situation.

@Ablondiebutagoody name change probably appropriate - goody? really?
if it happens hopefully you'll be arrested, charged and imprisoned.

Did you buy/choose your puppy or did the charity acquire it for you?

I think YABU only because legally an assistance dog in training has no more rights than a pet dog (I used to work at an assistance dog charity). It's why charities like Guide Dogs will work with cinema chains or theatres etc to host trainee dogs for specially put on events. So yeah, just because your dog has a vest, it doesn't give you the right to go in non- dog friendly businesses and if you do then you need to be okay with being asked to leave.

What does she do that you feel people should tolerate more? Can you provide examples?

Have you read the full thread, "hun?". Might be an idea 🙄

Great idea! You'll either be sued, or you'll get yourself smacked in the head with a stick 😏

since she’s not a proper service dog. Yes YABU. I know people who use the service dog excuse to take their dog everywhere.

The dog obviously needs more training so it can behave properly when out and about. Or else perhaps it just isnt suitable for this kind of role. USually service dogs are very well behaved.

This. So many dog owners insist on taking their dogs everywhere, and making it everyone else's problem.

So she isn’t yet a service dog and won’t act like one but you want everyone to treat her as if she is. YABU