Service dog questions

[Allison]

Heads up-the discussion won't last much longer if you continue to post like this.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Whether you like the comments here or not, the fact is that your narrative is all over the place, and there are some things that just don't jibe with what people are used to with regards to a service dog, such as tying her up, allowing people to pet her, aggressiveness, etc.

I hope you have a good trip, but I would pay very close attention to her demeanor, otherwise you could find her banned from the parks.

 

[DisneyBigSis]

Your trainer should have explained to you that people shouldn't be coming up to pet her while she's on duty.

People CAN pet her. She loves it. Especially kids. And it's good for me to socialize with non threatening people.

 

[DisneyBigSis]

So he becomes a tripping hazard for other's? Because I guarantee you they are t looking down at Disney! Where is the "threat zone" 5 feet? 1 foot? Disney gets crowded! For me, if I dog growled at me in a park/on property and I thought I was minding my own business, I would perceive it as a threat and a risk to my health and report it to a CM.

I would expect you to perceive it as a threat.

The great thing is that she would never growl at you if you weren't hurting me.

 

[DisneyBigSis]

So he becomes a tripping hazard for other's? Because I guarantee you they are t looking down at Disney! Where is the "threat zone" 5 feet? 1 foot? Disney gets crowded! For me, if I dog growled at me in a park/on property and I thought I was minding my own business, I would perceive it as a threat and a risk to my health and report it to a CM.

Also... Do you think most service dogs you can walk through? What are you talking about? How is my service dog more prone to tripping someone than another service dog. He's still on a leash?

 

[DisneyBigSis]

So he becomes a tripping hazard for other's? Because I guarantee you they are t looking down at Disney! Where is the "threat zone" 5 feet? 1 foot? Disney gets crowded! For me, if I dog growled at me in a park/on property and I thought I was minding my own business, I would perceive it as a threat and a risk to my health and report it to a CM.

And also, there isn't a "threat zone". Threat zone is when you have your hand on me and I clearly don't want you to.

 

[DisneyBigSis]

I don't think you get to tell other posters to "shut up". Whether you like the comments here or not, the fact is that your narrative is all over the place, and there are some things that just don't jibe with what people are used to with regards to a service dog, such as tying her up, allowing people to pet her, aggressiveness, etc. I hope you have a good trip, but I would pay very close attention to her demeanor, otherwise you could find her banned from the parks.

There is a difference between actively being rude and attacking me and insulting my dog and giving me advice/opinion, the comment was unwarranted and rude and I'll respond however I want.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Yeah I don't care. If I'm attacked I'll attack back.

No one has attacked you, and the person you told to shut up didn't even mention you - she made a comment about the dog.

 

[DisneyBigSis]

No one has attacked you, and the person you told to shut up didn't even mention you - she made a comment about the dog.

Yeah a rude insulting comment about my dog.

 

[already]

I am sorry you are feeling attacked about your dog. I don't think that is anybody's intention.

However, so much of what you have posted is so contrary to what is normal in the service dog industry that it makes one wonder if your trainer may not be what he is telling you he is.

I still cannot wrap my head around a service dog trainer that would purposely train a service dog to growl to alert people to stand back, when growling is one of the very few things that can get a service dog removed from the premises. It doesn't matter if the dog thinks you are going to be attacked, the dog may not growl. I cannot imagine a trainer who is familiar with PTSD thinking that it would be ok for the handler to have to deal with being asked to leave an establishment if the dog growled. That would be so stressful! In one sentence, you say she is trained to growl to alert people to step back, then you backtrack and say she will only growl when she feels you are being attacked. No matter, any service dog that is trained to growl for any reason is just way out of the norm.

Or that a service dog trainer is perfectly ok with tying up a service dog outside an establishment. That is such a huge no-no. A service dog is not just a dog or a pet, its skills are considered as necessary a piece of medical equipment as somebody's oxygen tank. One would never think about leaving a piece of medical equipment on the sidewalk where it could be easily stolen.

A service dog wears a vest mainly to alert people that the dog is on duty and should not be pet. Again, if your trainer has told you that the dog is allowed to be pet while on duty, this is way out of the norm. When a dog is being pet, their focus is on the person petting them, taking their focus off of you and she is not doing her job. I don't know a single service dog trainer that would tell you to encourage petting while she is on duty. What would you do if she was being distracted by kids petting her and somebody comes up behind you and gets into your space? She is distracted from her job and you would be the one to suffer. A working dog should never be put into the position of being distracted from their job.

Actually, I'm almost hoping that your trainer is deceiving you. That would give you plenty of time to have a consult with an experienced service dog trainer and maybe get a bit more training in before you go to Disney so that you can have a wonderful time. Your dog should be there to make everything go smoothly, not for you to be worrying if she 'may' attack, even if it is animatronics, if she feels you are being threatened.

Maybe it would help if you read this great article about how PTSD trainers are popping up right and left due to the large increase in demand for PTSD service dogs. And that unfortunately, most of them are not well trained in service dog training or even worse, are completely unscrupulous.

Read all the questions and ask yourself if your trainer meets all the criteria of a PTSD service dog trainer. Try not to be defensive (I know, very hard when you have put your trust into somebody) and read it with an open mind.

If he does, then great. You just have a very unorthodox trainer. Ask him all the questions you have asked here. Find establishments with animatronics (Chucky Cheese comes to mind) to see how your dog reacts. Just be careful around the kids.

If he doesn't meet all the criteria, it would give you time to contact another trainer for a second opinion and some additional training if needed.

http://www.surfdogricochet.com/my-blog-ricochet-speaks/so-you-want-a-ptsd-service-dog

 

[Allison]

Yeah I don't care. If I'm attacked I'll attack back.

Then just be prepared for the consequences. Carry on...

 

[sunshinehighway]

I don't think you get to tell other posters to "shut up".

Whether you like the comments here or not, the fact is that your narrative is all over the place, and there are some things that just don't jibe with what people are used to with regards to a service dog, such as tying her up, allowing people to pet her, aggressiveness, etc.

I hope you have a good trip, but I would pay very close attention to her demeanor, otherwise you could find her banned from the parks.

Banned from the parks should be the least of her concerns. The dog misreading something and causing someone (including her and the dog) to be injured should be concern number one.
Imagine being on POTC with a dog that gets spooked and starts growling and baking. ..not good.

 

[sunshinehighway]

Yeah a rude insulting comment about my dog.

Other than growling or being aggressive in some way I can see no reason why a dog that is tied to something would be hard to steal.

 

[Traveliz]

Come on. Of course you can't tie her up at the exit.

There are portable kennels at the attractions that the service dog can't ride. It will take a few minutes to get it coordinated as I believe a coordinator or manager will have to help you but there it is possible.

It is briefly explained here:

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/service-animals/

The link also answers some of your other questions.

Liz

 

[phorsenuf]

I am sorry you are feeling attacked about your dog. I don't think that is anybody's intention.

However, so much of what you have posted is so contrary to what is normal in the service dog industry that it makes one wonder if your trainer may not be what he is telling you he is.

I still cannot wrap my head around a service dog trainer that would purposely train a service dog to growl to alert people to stand back, when growling is one of the very few things that can get a service dog removed from the premises. It doesn't matter if the dog thinks you are going to be attacked, the dog may not growl. I cannot imagine a trainer who is familiar with PTSD thinking that it would be ok for the handler to have to deal with being asked to leave an establishment if the dog growled. That would be so stressful! In one sentence, you say she is trained to growl to alert people to step back, then you backtrack and say she will only growl when she feels you are being attacked. No matter, any service dog that is trained to growl for any reason is just way out of the norm.

Or that a service dog trainer is perfectly ok with tying up a service dog outside an establishment. That is such a huge no-no. A service dog is not just a dog or a pet, its skills are considered as necessary a piece of medical equipment as somebody's oxygen tank. One would never think about leaving a piece of medical equipment on the sidewalk where it could be easily stolen.

A service dog wears a vest mainly to alert people that the dog is on duty and should not be pet. Again, if your trainer has told you that the dog is allowed to be pet while on duty, this is way out of the norm. When a dog is being pet, their focus is on the person petting them, taking their focus off of you and she is not doing her job. I don't know a single service dog trainer that would tell you to encourage petting while she is on duty. What would you do if she was being distracted by kids petting her and somebody comes up behind you and gets into your space? She is distracted from her job and you would be the one to suffer. A working dog should never be put into the position of being distracted from their job.

Actually, I'm almost hoping that your trainer is deceiving you. That would give you plenty of time to have a consult with an experienced service dog trainer and maybe get a bit more training in before you go to Disney so that you can have a wonderful time. Your dog should be there to make everything go smoothly, not for you to be worrying if she 'may' attack, even if it is animatronics, if she feels you are being threatened.

Maybe it would help if you read this great article about how PTSD trainers are popping up right and left due to the large increase in demand for PTSD service dogs. And that unfortunately, most of them are not well trained in service dog training or even worse, are completely unscrupulous.

Read all the questions and ask yourself if your trainer meets all the criteria of a PTSD service dog trainer. Try not to be defensive (I know, very hard when you have put your trust into somebody) and read it with an open mind.

If he does, then great. You just have a very unorthodox trainer. Ask him all the questions you have asked here. Find establishments with animatronics (Chucky Cheese comes to mind) to see how your dog reacts. Just be careful around the kids.

If he doesn't meet all the criteria, it would give you time to contact another trainer for a second opinion and some additional training if needed.

http://www.surfdogricochet.com/my-blog-ricochet-speaks/so-you-want-a-ptsd-service-dog

This. This. This. This! Sorry OP, but the way you describe everything about your service dog just seems so completely opposite of what and how a service dog is trained. Your scenario really makes no sense.

My main concern would be in a situation say after the fireworks and you have a huge throng of people going down Main Street. Someone may not see your dog (or something, a curb, a little kid, whatever), lose their balance and possible fall into you. Your dog perceives it as a threat and reacts in a threatening manner. Ok, maybe it doesn't seem threatening to you, but could to someone else, especially a small child. They get spooked and that in turn spooks your dog even more. It could really turn into a bad situation fast if that is indeed the way your dog is trained.

You seem to be getting very defensive when in reality people are trying to get you to look at this from another point of view. Out of curiosity, what kind of dog is it and how old? How long was she trained for and how long did you work with her prior to you having her full time on your own?

 

[aaarcher86]

And I'll post this again. My dog will not growl at you unless you lay your hands on me and I scream/cry/ etc. she's not going to growl because you're too close or because you approved me too fast. She's going to growl because you grabbed my hair. Hit me. Pushed me. And if you were to physically attack me I'm positive CMs would have to removed before my dog.

Nonviolent protection under ADA is creating the barrier between you and others. Growling is not considered non violent protection.

And earlier you said it's her way of telling people to back off and give you space.

Honestly, this while thing sounds like a really bad idea in the making.

 

[islandmum]

She only growls when someone is ATTACKING me.

When she growls it's to tell the person not only to back off. But to protect me from myself. So that I don't have a panic attack.

.

rubbish.

No partner dogs are trained for "attacking" scenario's.

I dont believe a word of it. Would love to see you post the contract document you will have received from your service dog provider listing fully the training specifics the dog has trained and passed before being given to you.

I'm willing to bet you wont post it .....

 

[aaarcher86]

There is a difference between actively being rude and attacking me and insulting my dog and giving me advice/opinion, the comment was unwarranted and rude and I'll respond however I want.

How old are you?

 

[sookie]

Exactly
True service dogs are not trained for protection. That would be too dangerous, especially with a novice handler, to be out and about in public.

If your dog is growling, you need to send her back to the trainer.

Less than 2 months would also be considered a novice.

I would check and make sure that your program was legitimate.

1) How long ago did your doctor prescribe the dog?
2) How long have you handled the dog (you say 2 months).
3) How long was her training before you received her? What type of training was it? Where did she reside?
4) How long did you train with the dog before you took possession of her?
5) Who trained her, what were their credentials, and what was the cost of the dog?

Those might be some things to think about when distinguishing a working dog vs. a dog for "comfort". Those are hard to come by, you have to go to specialized programs, and it is quite an ordeal to both waitlist and obtain one.

 

[sookie]

Bumping into me is much different then grabbing or pushing me. He doesn't just find people threatening because they are moving. And his movement to step in front of me and someone approaching me applies to everyone. Even my boyfriend who spends the 2nd most amount of time with her besides me.

I've been both grabbed on the shoulders to guide me out of the way of a concerned parent, and I have been pushed aside at WDW during parades, shows, and when trying to exit Wishes.

During the electrical light parade, I had one guy basically attack me with his stroller by ramming me against the legs because he wanted me to move. He could not see that I was leaning against a black rail fence during the electrical parade and COULD NOT actually move at all, because lights are down in the park for best viewing. I was also wedged between scooters without people in them (had been left by the rails) for the parade. I couldn't move. Crowd level is high. I told him several times to stop and why, and even had to raise my voice to get him to stop. My DD was with me and pretty upset about it. He finally left after quite an encounter. Not that he wasn't being a huge jerk.

That is mild. Did it irritate me? Yes, of course! Actually, I was downright upset. Would I want a dog put down because some guy yelled at me and rammed me with a stroller? No. If I had a dog that was trained to "protect" me, it might have attacked both the stroller and the person pushing it. Not a great idea. What if that happened to you? What would your dog do?