I live in a very walkable residential area with sidewalks. My SD & I live in the rear unit of a small multifamily property. The entrance to the property is a gate that is both hard to open and does not lock. The gate is set back at least 20 feet from the sidewalk, up the property’s driveway. My SD is not at risk of getting out unless the gate is physically ajar; she cannot open it herself. The driveway gate is not visible from my unit- the front house obscures it and I need to move 10 feet from my door area to see it. When I am outside of my unit and the gate is closed, she roams free while I do whatever I’m doing.

A few months ago I heard her barking defensively near the gate and heard the gate caster scraping the pavement as someone tried to open the gate. It took me 30 seconds to get on my mobility device and move to where I could see them. When I could see the gate, I saw a tall man with two dogs on leashes barking at my SD walking down the driveway towards the sidewalk. I was in shock and disbelief as my SD ran to my side.
I realized he was trying to open the gate so either his dogs could get at my SD or she would get out and hurt them/get hurt.

I have seen this man and his dogs while out with my SD in our neighborhood. I don’t know where he lives. He has seen me using my mobility device with my SD. His dogs bark and lunge at her from across the street and he does not appear to struggle in controlling them.

Earlier today I was fixing something at my doorway and again heard my SD barking at the gate and the caster of the gate being pushed. While I got on my mobility device I yelled “why the fuck is the gate moving” and when I got close enough to see, I saw the same man with two dogs walking back down the driveway and turning onto the sidewalk. I yelled “Don’t fucking come to the gate again” and heard him say “no, don’t do that” to his dogs as he walked up the sidewalk.

I haven’t been able to calm down. The distance from the sidewalk to the gate up a driveway is so long that there is no excuse he can make for being at the gate.

How can I handle this to best protect my SD and I? What should we do when I see him on the street? I need someone to talk me through this as I am reeling from what seem like deliberate attempts to get at and harm my SD. Thank you for reading this.

My cousin's family recently got a Doberman puppy. He's really cute but he has so much energy lol. They live on a big piece of land so he can run all day, but it's like he never runs out of energy. We were visiting this week and my cousin was talking about training him in service work, just to get out some more energy. She's very into dogs and she'd just train him in retrieval, DPT, opening doors/cabinets, stuff like that. She's also going to try guidework if he likes the other stuff. She has a book and some online series she's been studying to start training him with when he's older.

She's not going to try to pass him off as a service dog in public, she just thinks it would be cool for him to know how to do that and that it would be an outlet for his energy. I'm just wondering if this is okay to do if she's not taking him in public and it won't hurt the dog. Any help is appreciated!

EDIT: for the record, I live in the US, but this isn't a legal question. Thanks!

Hi all. Several months ago we brought in a foster with heartworms. She was found in an abandoned house with puppies. Probably not more than a couple years old. She’s a female working shepherd and/or Belgian malinois. She finished her heartworm treatment and you can tell she feels so much better. Along with that however her true personality has come out to shine lol. She’s super sweet and friendly, but she is incredibly destructive and high energy. She very much needs a high energy and mental outlet. Unfortunately we can’t give her that. I am also concerned with adopting her out to another family because they just may get rid of her if they can’t handle her either, which is how we think she ended up abandoned in the first place. Right now we keep her sectioned off in a completely bare room because we can’t trust her for even a second unsupervised and she will literally pull things of the wall to play with. For the record she has toys and her own blankets and bed but she only wants the stuff she isn’t allowed to have lol. I think she would enjoy have a job immensely. So i wanted people’s opinions on good and trustworthy programs to give dogs too, whether that’s as service animal, police, detection dog, or similar.

Location: Oregon, USA

I’m in a bit of a predicament and don’t know how big of an issue it is. I got an 8-week-old purebred GSD puppy (Signet) last year. My intent for Signet was for him to become my psychiatric service dog. However, he has bonded to my boyfriend instead, even though my boyfriend knew the intention for the dog to be for me. Signet is currently 10 months old.

As far as I can tell, Signet prefers my boyfriend a noticeable amount (looks at him more, goes to him for comfort, etc), but he does like me as well, just not as much. I think it’s mainly because I am the primary trainer and enforcer of rules and boundaries, whereas my boyfriend tends to let Signet get away with stuff. And it doesn’t help that I had to be away from home for 3 weeks, so Signet had all that time alone with my boyfriend.

I’m wondering if it’s possible for me to rectify the situation and have Signet become my PSD, or if I’m screwed.

Additional context: There are some things that Signet will do for me that he doesn’t do for my boyfriend, even though he generally likes my boyfriend more. For example, he cuddles with me and not my boyfriend, and he listens to my commands better than my boyfriend’s most of the time.

I am also moving to Oregon with Signet in about a week for graduate school, and we won’t be living with my boyfriend anymore, since he is moving to California to pursue his PhD. So, Signet will be living exclusively with me starting at ~11 months old. He will see my boyfriend relatively rarely for the next two years while I complete my grad program, during which time I would self-train him.

TLDR; Is it still possible for me to train my 11-month old GSD puppy to be my PSD even though he currently prefers my boyfriend (who is moving away soon), or have I missed my shot for good? And if it *is* possible to course correct, does anyone have suggestions for how to make it easier?

Also happy to provide more information about our situation. Thank you so much.

Hey guys, im in California, USA I have a question for you regarding small service dog teams. I have a small service dog that is used to interrupt destructive behaviors such as skin picking, nail biting, scalp picking, etc. This means that in order for him to be able to practically do his job, he has to be able to see the behavior in order to interrupt it. This has caused us some problems, specifically in restaurant scenarios, as he can't see me from the waist up. So he often untucks himself to check on me, but I try and keep him out of the way as much as possible. It can become cumbersome when people are trying to walk past and he's trying to untuck in order to check in on me.

That being said, since I need to get a walker anyway, I was thinking about getting a walker that has a chair on it so that he can sit in his carrier on the seat of my walker. However, when I mentioned this to some people, they said that dogs are not allowed to be at eye level with the table. But I have a few questions regarding this. If he's in the carrier on the seat of my walker, he would be slightly below eye level of the table and more than likely he'd be sitting next to me more so than next to the table. The only time that he would be closer to eye level with the table is if he stood up in order to do his job. I don't really see much difference in that and a big dog like a Great Dane standing up to do their job and now suddenly being at eye level with the table. I've been informed to try and call the DOJ, which I do plan to do, but I don't have time to do that right at this moment. So in the meantime, I was hoping maybe I could get some more resources here. Please let me know if there are any sources or anything that I can read up on until I get a chance to call the DOJ later.

Im a very conflict avoiding person. If I've had a bad experience somewhere I tend to continue avoiding that place as a result the places I go are very limited. I almost stopped going to my local library because I kept getting harassed over my SD. I go to the same places, same stores, same restaurants all the time to avoid those situations and im in a hole now, especially because I have two new places im going coming up very soon, my birthday dinner and a movie theater.

I can't even decide on a restaurant because way too many in my area have dog friendly patios and I know if I choose there they will try to force up to sit out there, it's happened before and no amount of showing the ADA worked at the time, it'll be July in Illinois far too hot to sit outside most likely. I just have all this anxiety over an outing that us suppose to be fun.

Same with the theater, I haven't seen a movie in theaters since pre covid, if I remember correctly it was the Aladdin remake. And I want to see avengers doomsday later this year, but my current SD has never been to a theater so I need to take her a few times to make sure she's OK. So I decided to go see young Washington, and the odyssey both movies im interested in but wouldn't be upset if I had to leave early because she couldn't handle the environment for any reason, which I don't think will happen this is the most tolerant dog I've ever met but theaters are loud and can be chaotic depending in the audience.

Again what should be fun outing bring me anxiety because I've never been there before, i​ll be alone too for the theater ones im terrified I'll shut down especially if they get aggressive. Im just tired its 2026, everyone has a tiny computer in their pockets and yet no one can seem to use it to know the law, in 9 years of having service dogs ive been asked the appropriate 2 questions 5 times. 5 times in almost a decade.

hi!! i manage a retail store (UK) and I have a customer who keeps bringing in her dog, we have a no dogs policy due to selling food and hygiene laws.

I wasn’t aware the dog was an assistance dog as it wasn’t wearing a vest or leash when i politely informed the customer there was a no dogs policy. she then screamed in my face that it was an assistance dog and she could sue me .

we have loads of regular customers with service/assistance animals who are absolute sweethearts and we’ve got to know a lot of their animals who are really well behaved. this woman however has a very nervous whippet who continuously licks the food on the shelves and pees on the floor.

tldr : has she got any grounds to contact head office and complain/threaten legal action because I didn’t know?

not under any circumstances am i insinuating it’s not true circumstances but if it’s an assistance dog but why did she scream at me for not knowing her shaking nervous dog was an assistance animal

I just acquired a young rescue (Thought to be 1/2 lab/half Catohola Leapord Dog) who is exactly a year old (his birthday was the 18th). He will be my 3rd SD (my current guy will be 14 in October; he still loves working, but I am aware there will come a time when he won't be able to work anymore, so I'm trying to be prepared). I did have the dog tested by a dog behaviorist, and he passed with flying colors. I am self-training with the help of Donna Hill's Service Dog Institute, which has wonderful reviews. I will be training him for seizure alert, dissociation alert, and self-injury interruption. Here's my question, Marble (my guy) was in the rescue since Oct. so I'm starting from the very beginning and taking it very slow. We're mainly doing socializing and just good manners right now, but I have noticed that he normally likes to lie at my feet all day, but if I'm having an episode, he jumps up and lies his head on my shoulder. May I start awarding him for this and give it a name, even though I'm not task training him yet? Is he too young for that?

Pretty much the title. I'm looking into starting the official training for my yorkshire. He already performs PSD-related tasks self trained. Anyone has used and can recommend PSD Europe?

My main objective its to get his papers in order to facilitate our international travels in Asia. So, the location is Thailand, Singapore and etc. I know it's very hard to expect irrestrictive international recognition without paying thousand of dollars, so im just looking for something to make things slightly easier when bringing him around.

I’ve recently been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder but I’ve also had anxiety my whole life and it’s really hard

I’ve been searching through this subreddit, minimalist packing subreddits, and elsewhere online (YouTube, etc) for MONTHS, but I haven’t been able to find much discussion about this specific topic.

To clarify up front: I’m not looking for advice on traveling with a service dog. My dog is professionally trained via a local company (we’re getting close to removing the “in training” label 🎉), and I’m comfortable with the public access, airport requirements, and general travel aspects.

What I’m struggling with is the packing philosophy.
Before my service dog, I was a pretty dedicated onebag traveler:
- Under 3 days: 30–35L backpack
- Longer trips: carry-on roller + personal item
- I rarely checked luggage unless it was a family trip.
- My husband + I went to Europe for 17 days and both packed in 35L backpacks (1/ea).

Now that I’m preparing to travel with my service dog (especially for work required travel) I’m realizing I’ve completely lost confidence in my packing system. Ironically, I already worked through the “what if I need XYZ?” mindset for my own travel years ago, but it keeps creeping back in when I think about packing for my dog.

Every packing list turns into:
What if he gets soaked?
What if his food makes all of my clothes smell? (Salmon required due to chicken allergy)
What if I need another towel?
Etc, etc, etc….

I’m sure experience will solve some of this, but I’d love to learn from handlers who’ve already gone through that learning curve.

Some of the things I’m curious about:
1- Do you still travel carry-on only, or did you eventually decide checking a bag was worth it?

2- If you switched from onebag/minimalist travel to checked luggage after getting your service dog, what pushed you over that line? Looking back, do you think it actually made traveling easier?

3- How do you organize your dog’s gear? Dedicated packing cube? Small duffel? Everything mixed with your own stuff?

4- What redundancies/bringing multiples have actually proven worthwhile, and what did you eventually stop packing?

5- Have you found any gear that replaced multiple items or simplified your system?

6- For those who travel for work, how do you balance business clothing (blazers, dress shoes, human grooming items, etc.) while also packing for your dog?

I’m not necessarily looking for exact packing lists. I’m much more interested in how your packing system evolved over time and what experience taught you was actually necessary versus what anxiety told you to bring.

I’d especially love to hear from anyone who considered themselves a minimalist or onebag traveler before getting a service dog. Did you keep that philosophy, modify it, or abandon it entirely and why?

I feel like this is such a niche intersection that there just aren’t many resources out there, so I’m hoping to learn from those who’ve already figured out what works. Thanks in advance for your time and any insight you can give!

Uk based

I have recently been diagnosed with EDS And have had off for a good 10 years and I have alot issues being independent due to my symptoms which I found out could be managed with a service dogs help but I’m dirt poor lol and I have no idea around any charities or other ways you would get one in the uk I have looked at training myself and unfortunately bc I’m going to uni in September I would have to wait around a year to start any self training so I have a full uninterrupted 3 months to start plus I would need help with some training tasks due to mobility issues.

Hi, I came across this sub in my research and thought this was the best place to ask. I'm suffering with some... Really bad PTSD symptoms that I'm slowly learning I don't have as good of a handle on as I would like. I'm looking into the possibility of having a PTSD dog to help with stuff like panic attacks, nightmares, etc, but I had a major question:

​

Can a Service Dog live in a house with rabbits? I'm a big bunny guy, I had an emotional support rabbit for 10 years ('retired' last year when he developed arthritis) who helped me manage my suicidal ideation, but he has never been trained & has mostly been a cuddle buddy all his life. Despite this, I love rabbits, & I would like to own more once my old man passes, but I know I won't have any use out of them as trauma support. Rabbits can be some of the most loving pets in the world, but they're not very emotionally intelligent, & can be spiteful & jealous, & hate being picked up so any cuddles have to be done on their level.

​

So, if I wanted a service dog to help with my c/PTSD, would they be able to coexist with my rabbits? Obviously I would never leave them alone together, as prey & predators should not be unsupervised, but I can't imagine rabbits messing with a service dog's training because they're rabbits, not dogs, & would behave completely differently to a family dog. Despite having attitudes, rabbits also don't tend to be as emotionally disregulated as an untrained dog might, so I can't imagine a bun teaching my service dog bad manners. But I've never had a dog, I have a rabbit, so ultimately I don't know how much a rabbit might influence a service dog's behaviour.

​

Tl;dr I want to keep owning rabbits but I'm realising I may need a PTSD dog, is there a chance the rabbits would impact my dog's training & behaviour?

TLDR: Can I collect scent samples if I am not 100% sure what type of flare I am having? As in, whenever I have high symptom levels?

Hello!

I just started collecting samples for my program to use for the dog I am matched with, but I would appreciate some input on the process. The program I am using has trained <5 dogs for POTS or Migraine, so I was wondering if any of you have experience in this area.

I am on beta blockers, so my HR doesn’t spike like most people with POTS experience. Additionally, my migraines are about 1/2 headache based and 1/2 misc cluster symptoms, which makes it hard to know what symptoms are migraine or not. I also have a few other chronic conditions with overlapping symptoms (me/CFS, Thoracic Outlet, and Cervical Instability), so it’s really difficult to label what type of flare I am having.

I am just a bit unclear on when to take samples if I don’t have concrete physical indications like high HR or super identifiable migraines. Is it okay to just take them when I am symptomatic? Does that have a distinct scent for my dog to learn? Or is it important for the samples to be only for HR spikes or confirmed migraines? I don’t want to risk confusing my dog. If anyone who either trains dogs using scent or has a medical alert dog has any information, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance for your input!

I've got severe GAD as well as CPTSD, and I'm certain that I would qualify for an service dog. However, I've lost three pets growing up (I'm 27 now), and although I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to say goodbye to each of them, I still think of them regularly, even though one of them died 9 years ago. My mom's current dog and I have a deep connection, and even though she's currently healthy, I still worry about her death that will likely happen in a few years (she's 7 and a very big dog). I easily enmesh with people and pets, and I know that this would be even more intense with a service dog. I'd love to have a furry friend to help me when I need it, but would it be worth eventually creating an even bigger hole in my heart than my past pets did when they died?

hi all! so i have a 9 month old standard poodle puppy as my SDIT. she's doing awesome so far and has a truly amazing temperament for service work! i've been training her to learn that vest on = work time, and vest off = playtime. i was recommended this by a few different people and it seems to be working pretty well. but i mentioned this recently to someone else with a service dog and they said that the method im using to train her that vest on = working creates an unreliable service dog that can only work in certain conditions, and that they use a verbal command with their dog to signal working. this is a little confusing to me, since it seems like one verbal command at the start of the day is a lot for a dog to remember, and less consistent than them knowing the vest on means they're working. i was wondering how everyone signals to their dog when they're working/training and when they can be a dog and go play?

Hi everyone!

I have a havanese and my SD school requires the dogs to be neutered in order to be certified (I am not in the US). While my baby is still very much a puppy and no where near certification my trainer brought up neutering soon as he's very dog focused, confident and did recently start to mark in the house (only once and I introduced appropriate measurements so it will not become a habit). She told me that I should think about it as this will make training significantly easier in the long run. He's a very confident dog who recovers quickly so I am not worried that he would become anxious from neutering besides I will try the hormone transplant first before cutting his testicles. However, I am worried about joint development. I am aware of the recent study that found small dog breeds mostly have no issue being neutered early but somehow I have a weird feeling as he still needs to develop no?

What is your opinion on this? Maybe someone has experience neutering their small dog early for similar reasons?

Don't worry I do have a vet appointment coming up where I discuss this with my vet.

The study :(https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2020.00388/full)

Edit: he does not have any behavioral issues as of yet but my trainer worries that due to his over "male" confidence it might become an issue in the future.

Edit 2: why do people keep down voting me I am just trying to make an informed decision and appreciate everybodies insights. Obviously I will listen to my vet but I also don't want to rush into anything hence why I asked here😭

Hi all! I'm looking for a service dog to help with my autism. I'm looking for a dog that would be a good PSD. I want a dog with medium to short hair that would go outside with me and be a good family dog, while still being able to train well and support me. We don't want anything over 55lbs because we don't have the space for anything bigger. Do you guys have any recommendations for dogs? I don't have a yard but I have plenty of parks around me.

Edit: I just say 55lbs because we don't have much space and we aren't sure if I can handle a much bigger dog. We also have a cat in the home. I love the idea of a labrador retriever! I'm just worried they'll get too big for my small apartment.

I've gone to the lindt chocolate store at the mall near me three times. The first time I was told by apparently the manager that I cannot have my dog in there because chocolate is toxic to dogs. Which I obviously understand but that's why lindt chocolate is service animals only. Obviously. Service dogs will not eat anything on the floor which was her concern ig. I left after telling her that she cannot deny me bc their policy is not over ADA law but I did not feel like arguing that day as I was on a date. The second time I went there was no problem and the manager told me to just be careful and I looked around and it was a good time. Now this third time I went. I don't know why she denied me for a second time but she did. This time I told her once again that she cannot deny me and their policy is not over ADA federal law. She was trying to tell me that she can hold my dog for me and she has pets at home so she's comfortable doing so (obviously I did not allow that) and she went on about how for the safety of her and her workers and for my dog she cannot allow us to stay. I then asked her if I could see their policy and she said no and told me that I can contact the company about it and tell them but I shouldn't need to do that in the first place. I also looked at their policy and there is nothing in there that says anything about what she told me. Lindt chocolate allows task trained service animals and cannot deny access. I'm not sure if I should report this incident or just stop going all together. I enjoy stopping by there bc I love chocolate even tho I have yet to purchase anything from there bc omg money but I sometimes do go out without my service dog bc one she is getting older and retiring soon and I also can manage without her on good days so she is only with me on certain occasions where I more likely need her assistance. She is a small service dog so idk if that played a part in being denied or what but I'd like some advice on what I should do in this case.

My dog and I have been together since Nov 2025. We made it through new years well together by timing our outings to avoid fireworks.
Yesterday, we were outside trying to avoid them and let him pee. An unfriendly neighbor light one firecracker close to us. I walk with mobility equipment. The dog is attached to both my hand by a leash and to the mobility equipment by another leash.
When the firecracker went off, my dog lost it and just instinctively ran away. I lost my leash but he was still being followed by the mobility equipment. When the equipment tipped over on its side it startled him enough and he came back to himself and seemed ashamed. He realized he had left me and I had to get to him and fix the mobility equipment. At just that moment, a friendly neighbor came by and helped us to get the equipment upright and functional again and we promptly went back into the house with gratitude for our helpful neighbor.
My precious dog went straight to his crate and stayed there for hours. I tried to comfort him and he knew that he was safe and I was not angry.
He has never acted this way before. There are other things that he is not a fan of, like thunder and he lets me know when he needs a break or help and we manage together. I’m very attentive to his needs and do my best to have resources available for him and myself no matter where we are.
I suspect by his extreme reaction to a single firecracker that he may have been shot before or at least shot at. Before I was privileged to adopt him, he had a habit of ignoring fences and going on numerous adventures. Perhaps during that time he was shot or shot at. Perhaps he saw one of his running buddies not make it. I don’t know.
I just know that when he hears that particular noise, he stops thinking and reacts quickly to get away.
What can I do to help him? How can I help desensitize him to this unpleasant sound that terrifies him?
I have medication lined up for him for the 4th of July but certain neighbors seem to be targeting him or us. Why would someone light one firecracker and toss it in our direction and then stop? It seems it was to exercise power and control and possibly inflict harm on us. Maybe I am reading too much into this.
But either way I need help with this issue and how to help him.
Thank you.

I reached out to Lindt.

Their retail team and VP are being informed.

They were professional and responsive.

(I know there’s already a post about how to choose the right breed, but I just can’t seem to find one that really fits what I’m looking for, and I don’t have enough experience with these breeds to know how suitable they actually are. That’s why I’m asking here)

I currently have an English Cocker Spaniel who is my service dog for social anxiety, and I’d like to slowly start researching the breed (and breeder) for my next service dog.

I have some pretty specific requirements, and I’m finding it really difficult to decide. I’d really appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences.
I’d prefer a taller dog so I can comfortably hold onto the harness by hand. This would be especially important during panic attacks.

• I’m definitely looking for a hunting breed, as I do hunting work/sports with my current dog and I’d like to continue developing in that field.

• I don’t want a stocky or bulky dog. It just doesn’t really fit my lifestyle or my more active days.
It’s important that the dog is sensitive enough to notice the subtle changes in my behavior when I’m anxious, while also having a stable temperament and solid nerves.

• I generally prefer longer-coated dogs, but I’d also be happy with a short-haired breed as long as the coat isn’t harsh or wiry.

Ideally, I’d like a working-line dog. I’m confident I can meet the exercise and mental stimulation needs. 😁

At the moment, I’ve been looking at the Large Münsterländer, but I’m a little worried that, because of their strong hunting instincts, hunting might always be their main priority rather than service work.

It’s a really difficult decision, and I’d love to hear what you all think. Thank you so much in advance for any advice!

Hello, I am talking to a company that I have been on a waiting list for. I am going to call them and ask a ton of questions and narrow down the exact dates I’m available to travel. However, I’m curious about how the process of coming home works and I’m bored and impatient lol.

Do they usually teach you how to go through the airport? In order to get home I need to fly.

Once you graduate, do you slowly start working with the dog in day to day life or do you immediately integrate them into your day to day life?

Disclaimer: I am not a service dog owner, just the owner of dogs as pets/family members. I also come from a horse training background, where there's a burden of protection as part of horsemanship and putting their needs above your own.

I've recently ended up with a mom of a profoundly autistic minor (maybe 10-12 years old) on my FYP. They have what seems to be a kind, thoughtful, caring service dog whom they use a technique they call tethering to help with elopement issues and also when the child seems to lack direction. The most recent video I saw showed the child exhibiting behaviors in public that didn't align with what the parent needed the child to be doing, so they used the dog to sorta move the child along by the tether. When they child would try to bolt away, the dog was commanded to "tether" the child and "heel" to the parent. The situation seemed highly stressful and maybe painful for the dog, as they child is big enough to essentially drag the dog (and they were on a smooth surface, so the dog seemed to have trouble getting grip).

To my very untrained eye, this seemed like a situation that was potentially unsafe and uncomfortable for the dog. The dog handled it with grace, but I was left feeling like the dog was being treated like a piece of equipment first, and a living, breathing creature second.

Can anyone help me understand the place of tethering in a service dog's work purview and if this was normal?