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.

No, you take them to normal places dogs go. You don’t overwhelm a puppy with learning to be in places that aren’t puppy friendly, hence that part is a structured plan.

I went to the Garden Centre today .. lots of dogs (no suprise as no dog can be left at home anymore) .. someone had 4 dogs with them .. chaotic was the word.

The people who care for guide dog puppies don’t take them everywhere with them. They are exposed very carefully as part of a structured plan.

Then yes, I would expect people to be more tolerant and understanding. Maybe she could also wear something saying she's just a puppy/ young dog in training, people might not realise her age and are being judgemental because they think she's an adult? I think most people realise that you can't expect perfect behaviour from a youngster!

We did that when she was very young, she's 12 months old now and is ready to come with me as I go about my normal daily life. I'm doing all of this under the guidance and supervision of our trainers.

Service dog trainers training a service animal are very different to pet owners. Right now, OP is a pet owner.

So, as someone who has trained one dog (awaiting PAT test) and is training another, there is absolutely no need to take a 12 month old puppy into non dog-friendly environments, in my view. There are so many places where you can go that are dog friendly. The Range are dog friendly, so you can practice lifts and aisle walking. Costa Coffee is dog friendly, so you can practice settles. Many shopping centres are dog friendly. Garden centres. Pubs. Pet food shops, farm shops.

It's really only hospitals, etc., that you can't replicate, and she's too young to be working in those environments anyway. She'll burn out.

Ok I see what you mean now. I guess my title implies that I'm doing that now. I don't like crowded busy places myself so the places we go to are dog friendly. The Tesco I mentioned in pp is a small one in the village, I am careful where I take her as I don't want to overwhelm her, and I want a stressfree time. Thanks for you input.

She is being trained by trainers and goes to a training centre. She's not a pet and is legally owned by the charity.

What - even if they have cats? There is no way you should be taking a dog into a house with cats regardless of how nice your friends are. If you still expect that, then YABU.

My best friend has a cat and so do my parents. We visit regularly with no problems at all, she's used to cats and avoids them because of teeth and claws. She's not daft.

So if this is the case why are you taking your dog to places that are not suitable for it yet. No one should have to tolerate your UNTRAINED dog.

It is not a service dog and as you have already stated in your OP, sometimes she doesnt behave when you go out. You are also not a trainer and do not have the skills to teach them in difficult settings.

So you should treat it like a pet in settings for pets and pets only and stop annoying other people. No one should tolerate your pet being trained by a novice in places it should not be.

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

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.

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.

To be honest my dog has more intelligence and comprehension then alot of posters on this thread. I feel like I've explained several times quite clearly she is being trained by a trainer, this training is specific to her role for me. Noone is having to tolerate her behaviour as she is better behaved then most dogs, people and children. Honestly the ignorance and stupidity on this thread is unreal.

I just want to clarify once more as it seems it's impossible for some to grasp that my trainee ASSISTANCE dog sometimes...sometimes doesn't behave in a way that the average person would expect a ASSISTANCE dog to behave because shes TRAINING. HOWEVER she is fully trained to behave well in public. She DOESNT jump up at people, or approach them, she DOESN'T create havoc and mayhem wherever she goes, and has never savaged a cat. She's extremely well behaved generally, I've NEVER had to remove her from a public place or been asked to leave one.

She has regular training by professional trainers, and they are impressed by her progress. She is well on her way to being a accredited assistance dog and always has her harness and vest that clearly says she's training.

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.

@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

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.

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.

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 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 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

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.