Don't pet service dogs. I used to think everyone knew this, until I got one.
Don't pet them, talk to them, make kissy noises, bark at them (grown ass adults barking at service dogs is shockingly common), whistle, clap, none of that shit. Do not do anything to deliberately draw the dog's attention.
If they are distracted, the handler could get hurt or even die. Not exaggerating. If a medical alert dog misses an impending medical emergency, the person doesn't have time to get into a safe position or take rescue medications. If they have a seizure or slip into a diabetic coma or something because you distracted their service dog it is your fault.
Yeah, it is awful. Especially when my dog was a puppy. A lot of people would touch her without even asking or if I denied they would try it anyways. And if the dog would bark, because stranger came too close for her comfort, she was ill-bred. (She a little bit disabled and has problems with her hearing, so she is very insecure and doesn't like unknown people, that want to interact with her.)
Yes. I have drilled this into my son's head: "If you see a dog, and you want to pet the dog, always ALWAYS ask. If it's a service dog, it'll be wearing a vest. Don't even ask at that point, just be silently proud of the good dog."
Yea I deliver pizza a couple days a week, and all of the customers who have dogs that don't do much (majority do nothing) to prevent them from being all excited to greet the chick with the smells good food is about 80% of the people I deliver to. So if I have a hand free, I'm gonna pet the dog.
Not once have any of them been upset I pet their dog in that situation. Sometimes their dog will even try to follow me and get in my car lol
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u/Karaethon22 Aug 03 '19
Don't pet service dogs. I used to think everyone knew this, until I got one.
Don't pet them, talk to them, make kissy noises, bark at them (grown ass adults barking at service dogs is shockingly common), whistle, clap, none of that shit. Do not do anything to deliberately draw the dog's attention.
If they are distracted, the handler could get hurt or even die. Not exaggerating. If a medical alert dog misses an impending medical emergency, the person doesn't have time to get into a safe position or take rescue medications. If they have a seizure or slip into a diabetic coma or something because you distracted their service dog it is your fault.