The TRUTH about FAKE SERVICE DOGS (and what to do about it)

[@jadespades4237]

I was confronted today with my dog and it made me cry. I'm training my dog and he's very good at the doctor's office. He was lying down at my feet in the waiting area, not bothering anyone or making any noise. Then this other patient gets in my face and the first thing she says is, "Is your dog certified?" I thought it was a moment to educate about ADA law, but no. She had zero interest in listening to me because she was getting her own dog "certified." She wanted everything about my medical history. It didn't help that my dog is still a novice; because of her proximity and posture, he thought it was an OK time to go say hello. Next time, I'm just gonna say, "Is your health insurance up to date?" It's just as invasive and rude.

[@DoggyU]

I'm so sorry that happened

[@nadinabbott3991]

I am debating of when to take lobo. Some people are just rude

[@SocialWorkerMandi]

YES! TO all of this. I am a clinical therapist, my wife has trained as a veterinary technician and dog trainer...but she still struggled with self-training a service dog for her own mental health needs. Call-out culture equals increased anxiety and makes it uncomfortable to go back out in public. Barking dogs is ABSOLUTELY part of the real world and when I hear call-out accounts state that barking dogs or distraction is ABSOLUTELY a sign of an un-official dog, I want to yell.

[@EpsilonAD]

Good point. Barking can also be part of an alert or notification for an AD.

[@courageousintentions]

Clinical Social Worker here, self training mine and working with my clients on advocating for themselves. This was the perfect video to share!

[@bambilackner]

Well then you aren’t listening to what ppl are saying, these dogs shown barking are barking at other dogs, or just barking and raising hell in the store while the owner is unbothered and continues shopping even arguing when ppl call them out, I have yet to see any video where a supposed service dog was called out for the constant barking alerting ti a medical issue about to happen. So do everyone a favor yell until you show us videos of this barking for a medical issue.

[@sarcasticcat4982]

​@@bambilacknerI can't find it now but one gal was " called out" as fake when it's obvious her dog is well behaved and trained. She made a video here on KZbin as a response showing exactly what her dog does. Her dog is truly a service dog. These people call out dogs that are well behaved. They call out dogs that are distracted for a moment or having a bad day. The gal you're watching was called out because she took her dog to a dog friendly park and let him lead. Watch her video "dogs are not robots" I have seen these people call out little dogs in carts saying " That dog can't help you riding in that cart!" This needs to stop. These people go and follow other people throughout the stores even once the situation is remedied saying "Your dog is distracting mine." From experience I couldn't train my own dog for all situations at home. In the beginning my dog reacted to the hum of the service carts. She reacted to screaming children in the store.( She likes little kids and their screaming sounding like they were dying was getting to her). A shih Tzu tried to attack her in the store. We had to leave and come back or go to another part of the store. A psycho cat in a hardware store followed us everywhere until the owner kicked the cat out. My dog didn't want to get clawed. She did great considering the cat was diving off shelves and running up to her trying to claw her. She had dog food tainted with salmonella and had to be rushed to the vet. But all that morning she was off her game, feeling sick and I didn't know. There are some that are not service dogs. I have seen that too. But I have also seen people police others , bully them, and call them fakes when clearly they are not. I started to rethink my own mission with my own dog and was about to give up. I can't control my dogs braiñ every moment of every day. She isn't perfect. If these other people are going to bully others like this.... But then my dog alerted me in the store the other day. She led me to a bench. We did our thing.... If it's not hurting you directly then it needs to be left alone. Let the stores handle it or you yourself get away from it. Let other people be.

[@sarcasticcat4982]

@ThatsWhat-She. But every dog has its Day.....

[@poz8807]

I can't thank you enough for this video. I'm fricking crying right now. I'm owner training my first service dog and between the imposter syndrome, my disabilities, and the unexpected issues my dog has had, I constantly feel like what I'm doing is never enough to 'make the grade'. My family has to constantly remind me that my boy really is a good dog, that we've worked so hard, and are making progress, but even with that it still sometimes feels like I'm fighting a losing battle and it will all be for nothing. Aiming for that perfect .5% leaves so little room for error and so much for failure. For someone already struggling with disabilities and the high stakes involved in your first SD, it's all beyond overwhelming. We all need more people willing to show/talk about the bad days, the early issues, the good enough but not perfect that dogs can be and still be a SD.

[@DoggyU]

💜💜💜

[@debrafarrimond7966]

I tell myself, that losses (bad days) are simply the speed bumps along my way to successfully training my SDiT. There are quite a few owner-trained service dog groups on FB that have been really helpful. That said, almost every week someone posts about fake service dogs. I just take them with a grain of salt:)

[@MysticalHomeCreations]

I couldn’t agree more I’m going through the same thing with my boy and this cancel culture on service dogs makes me feel like just because my dog occasionally barks or gets distracted he won’t make the cut to be a service dog but you gotta remember they are still learning and shouldn’t be told there not good enough but instead given some space to do what they need to do to work through the training needed and help better there partnership each day and better information for new handlers like this video helps a lot and since you found this video I’m sure your on the right track too! And yes it’s hard there will be good days and bad but dogs will never be robots and they shouldn’t have to be either

[@winifredherman4214]

@@MysticalHomeCreations”Make the cut”? What cut? Who determines the “cut”?

[@InternalTaiChi]

Thanks for your video. My dog (18 months) is doing very well after alot of hard work. What I'm surprised about is the sneers and stink eyes I sometimes get when I walk into a building with him, despite his good behavior. He's not perfect (his main flaw is he wags his tail in joy at others 😊) but he is pretty darn good at being on task. I'm shocked and dismayed about this judgemental behavior from some others. I get the two extremes: either they ooh and aaaaw over him with love exploding out of their hearts(can't blame them), or they sneer and roll their eyes at me. I'm a healthcare professional who developed vestibular disorders and Monty (standard poodle) assists me with stability as needed. It is an intermittent and unpredictable condition. Do you have suggestions for handling those sneers (I believe they are insinuating he is a fake service dog). This is sort of a reversal of your video content but worth asking, I think. So far I just ignore them and rally on. But a part of me wants to gently educate.

[@alexlucero9676]

you've brought up a lot of things that I have been having issues with training my 7 month old. It's reassuring to hear that the journey of training isn't going to be perfect every day.

[@analarson2920]

So true, I'm iny 60s, my 3rd SD, and when training our pups are unique and each team varies, that said so will training and it's outcomes. Hang in there and keep moving forward.

[@coor0kun]

One of the best service dogs I’ve ever met was a long haired Chihuahua - one of it’s primary tasks was a scent alert, so the handler chose a small dog that could be held and kept close in any situation. Small dogs can work, too!

[@EpsilonAD]

Epsilon gained her full AD jacket and passed PACT yesterday (the Spring Equinox here in Australia). She helps me an enormous amount with mitigating the challenges with my disability. She is only 4.7kg and that is fine for the AD tasks and alerts she is trained for. It is helpful for me that she can ride on my shoulder when needed out in public. Being able to lift a dog can matter too. Smaller living spaces can fit smaller dogs more easily. They also eat less. Eps being small is handy for fitting under tables, crowded spaces and public transport. I can ride an ebike and carry Eps. I feel very lucky to have found this clever little Tenterfield Terrier. Balancing prey drive, strong love of scents, reactivity and generally playful character of this small breed has been a huge amount of her training and Yay She did it! There are so many different ways an AD can assist a PWD. #SmallAssistanceAnimals

[@AssistanceDogEducation]

My first SD was a long haired chihuahua :)

[@coor0kun]

@@AssistanceDogEducation They're such fantastic dogs!

[@Jschraft4971]

I'm training my first SD and she is a chihuahua!

[@Scarletlight525]

Just this morning at the bus stop my guide dog was being an absolute spazz! Whimpering, refusing to sit still, not focused... After we got off the bus though he found his rythm again and the rest of the day he's worked wonderfully! But to a stranger, his behaviour at the bus stop would not have looked appropriate.

[@TR_Riding]

I relate!! I feel like your dog is going to be stressed out the for the first month or two of going out in public. Thats why you have to take it slow!! But how is your dog doing now??

[@Scarletlight525]

@ThatsWhat-She. Right u should pull him out of work, when everything else works perfectly well, because of his ONE problem of being anxious ONLY while waiting at a bus stop! 👍

[@Scarletlight525]

@@TR_Riding he is still anxious in that one circumstances if standing around and waiting at a bus stop. I've had multiple sessions with our trainer and consulted a behaviorist. Their conclusion was that his behaviour is a combination of excitement to get to where we're going, and a bit of anxiety due to the fact we've had many access refusals & hostile situations in public transit. Our trainer is, however, not concerned that it poses a safety risk in any way since he's only showing anxipus behaviour in this one situation and goes right back to working when a bus services am& I ask him to find the door

[@khanhhm5762]

@@Scarletlight525 I just watched this video, so that's why this comment is late. I've had a similar experience with a previous dog who did something similar at certain bus stops; she was a complete spaz and wouldn't settle. But it wasn't always consistent. Once she got off the bus though, she was a fantastic worker otherwise. We worked on it and got through it, but oy. It sounds like you are a very proactive handler who also has a very good trainer and it also sounds like overall, your dog is a great worker who works well for you. Every team has their struggles and bad days but also great successes. Nobody else but you really knows the big picture or what works and doesn't work for you. Keep up the good work.

[@Scarletlight525]

@bruhmoment5974 yeah apparently it's really bad considering you felt the need to reply to a comment that's a year old... 👀

[@earth2wendy]

Urging compassion, grace and a wealth of really solid free training resources, consistently served up with good cheer: you’re my kind of HUMAN, let alone dog trainer. You make me proud to promote DoggyU. Congrats on your amazing wedding!!! Lost my donkey, feeling devastated, been recalibrating. Back to watching DU again, because it’s uplifting and I need that. Thanks. ❤ Also, I’m a diagnosed, invisible spoonie. I know how hard it is to pull off even a single clean training session. I once read about the six magic words for someone who’s having a bad day with kids, whatever: “You’re doing a good job.” It helps. 😊

[@DoggyU]

I'm so sorry to hear about your donkey Wendy - thinking of you

[@earth2wendy]

@@DoggyU ♥️

[@CharlisDailyDiary]

Thank you for this! I’m a disabled person that doesn’t look disabled with a puppy that I am attempting to train to be my service dog. You are so helpful and I really appreciate all that you are doing.

[@littlebitofhope1489]

Just remember, that if you have a puppy, the washout rate is high. Be prepared. You have about a 60% chance of being successful.

[@Snix210]

@Charlis same! I park in handicap parking & have ppl come up & tell me all the time how I should b ashamed 2 b stealing a spot from a real disabled person... & am afraid it would b the same w/ my dog

[@BielatheDog]

I self train my because I cannot afford a $3-4k to start the training, I love your videos it helps me tremendously, on top the financial part I don't have unlimited spoon supplies... Thank you for emphasize on compassion!

[@winifredherman4214]

“ spoon supplies “??

[@BielatheDog]

@@winifredherman4214 spoon theory?!

[@Izamota-q5v]

I super appreciate you talking about this - We don't give people enough grace these days, and are too soon to react with hostility - I'm hoping the community starts to take your approach more, rather than the reactive shaming route it tends to.

[@Mushuservicedragonprospect]

What gets me is the people who walk around filming and stalking someone that has a “fake” service dog instead of just avoiding it then whine when their dog is attacked when it’s avoidable, we are not the police

[@sheilawallace9177]

If a true disabled person who can't just whizz a way in another direction is in an aisle with a barky and snappy fake service dog that's OK?

[@sheilawallace9177]

It is not our job to avoid people qho break laws. Why there is a 500 fine and 60 day in jail consequence in Florida. Obviously you do not speak for all of us.

[@bubblegumbitch]

that’s not what that commenter was saying at all and you know it. it’s literally not your job to deal with. you filming random people actually solves nothing and does nothing for a situation like that. if a dog bothers you so much, complain to someone at whatever store/place you’re at. simple as that

[@bubblegumbitch]

focus on your dog first before getting caught up filming other people

[@Boone22]

Thank you Laura, it's not the PUBLIC JOB to police a store.

[@calliepatteen]

Right but it’s important for you to protect your own service dog 🐕‍🦺 so use discernment and caution I let live until the dog tries to attack my service dog I try to help new handlers with training tips if they ask

[@Boone22]

@@calliepatteen the only time I would say anything, is I am personally being attacked by another handlers dog.i have a giant breed service dog,extremely rare does any other handler tries to approach me. I've had a boarder/aussie cross that pulled leash tight ,walking on hind legs trying to attack us. I spoke out told that dog handler he needs to get better training skills on his dog.

[@calliepatteen]

@@Boone22 I had a Pitt try that yes my border Aussie is good about not being reactive use caution

[@Boone22]

@@calliepatteen my SD is 150#great Pyrenees. She is non-reactive period. She just crossed in front of me as a body block.

[@calliepatteen]

@@Boone22 a gorgeous dog omg I love that breed ♥️

[@tiffanybeck1803]

Love your content! I agree on all points! It saddens me that the service dog handler community is not more supportive of each other. It feels more "comparison" driven and isolating, than "compassion" driven and supportive. Thank YOU for creating content that is helpful, compassionate and encourages us all to be supportive of eachother. Bless you!

[@gillb9222]

My understanding is that if a dog can carry out three acts of assistance for the owner then it classfies as a service dog. My dog is young but he can carry out 5 assistance tasks but he still gets distracted when he sees another dog or when people pay him attention. My spoons are pretty minimal but I do train my dog every day and he is learning so quickly. I am still very uncomfortable taking my dog out under the role of a service dog but he really helps me get out of the house and ensures that I carry out basic self care like eating, showering and getting dressed. He calms me down when I am about to have a panic attack and he stops me going into meltdown. I really appreciate your understanding and your kind words. I feel better hearing that even fully trained service dogs can have a bad day. Thank you

[@DoggyU]

Hey Gill! I definitely recommend you take my Service Dog 101 Course at courses.doggyu.com/ to help you clear up a lot of these questions around laws for SDs! SDs only have to perform 1 task, not three. This is also covered in the course which I think would be really helpful so you feel confident navigating the world with your service dog!

[@gillb9222]

@@DoggyU I've just had a look at your website. Your courses look great. I'll enrol

[@Poodleinpink]

Fake service dogs has been one of the reasons I hesitated to get a service dog in the first place. It scares and upsets me that me or my SD might be injured due to people bringing a uncontrolled pet into the store.

[@gabrielamora6265]

Your dog could be injured walking down the street if he meets a violent dog. If someone else has a dog in public you need to be able to get your dog away.

[@thecawckiestking]

Its been my personal experience that the majority of people, with or without a service dog, aren't even so much concerned with whether or not another dog they see is an actual service dog, but whether or not that dog is socialized and properly trained enough for public access that its not a nuisance or threat to anyone around them, including other dogs, and won't set back or interfere with a real service dog's tasks and training. I've seen plenty of people, including service dog handlers, just assume someone's pet is a service animal and not care about its presence because it was properly trained in public access etiquette, to the same degree you would expect a service dog to perform. And therein lies the real problem in 99% of circumstances is people who bring their untrained, aggressive, destructive, disruptive, and sometimes outright dangerous animal into public space and say its a "service animal" so they can take Kujo everywhere with them unchallenged and pull some DARVO nonsense that its everyone else that's the problem instead of them even as their dog tries to maul everything that breathes in its vicinity. And then when a person with a real service dog enters a business, the business just assumes those people are walking another Kujo and deceiving the business in order to get special treatment. As it stands, most people can't even train a dog to walk nicely on a leash, never mind train it to the level needed for responsible public access. And most people also aren't particularly honest about how well or poorly trained their animals actually are, as shown by the number of videos where people make excuses for how good their dogs are while the animal is actively attacking another person or animal, sometimes to the point of killing another animal.

[@ShamanicSavant]

I didn't know what to expect before watching, but this was probably the most level headed fair handed approach to this I've seen on YT. I have a Lab who wears a tactical vest and is well marked as a SDiT, so we really don't get any grief from people, but some days I feel like if I saw us on an off day I might have some reservations too. My current girl is 7 months and we're at that stage where she's really not ready for or good at some things, but we jump in with both feet because it's the only real way to know what you need to work on. We both make a lot of little mistakes, but most of them go unnoticed because she's naturally calm and well mannered. The places we frequent were also familiar with my previous dog, so they're pretty accommodating. I know I'm seeing a few untrained dogs that shouldn't be out in public touted as SDs, but it doesn't happen that often. They tend to give us a wide berth because they know they'll look bad if people see their out of control dog next to mine. I'm with you, it's not my job to police the situation, but it doesn't prevent the occasional eye roll from me. I don't think most people really care if it's real or fake, as long as the dog is well behaved :)

[@michelleplummer5980]

Omg thank you so much for this video and you absolutely nailed it on so many important points and important feelings/concerns that us people with disabilities feel out in public

[@Catbooks]

Coming from the perspective of compassion and that people are doing the best they can with their current resources sounds like the best way to live life in general, not just on this topic. My dog isn't a trained service dog. I have a letter from my doctor stating he's an emotional support dog. Not the same thing, I realise. He is beautifully trained and beautifully behaved though, and I don't fear bringing him with me anywhere. I do often feel more comfortable when he's with me. Guess because of this, I've been spared the call-out/fake service dog videos, and I'm glad. How awful for people with service dogs to feel like they're under so much scrutiny and criticism. Like having a disability in the first place isn't enough stress. I hope your attitude, and this video, catches on and spreads. You are a gem, you know.

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Jay

[@peckainaleng4434]

I'm finishing up my Animal Science degree, currently taking a course in understanding ESAs and SAs. Looking at cases and the laws related to assitance animals just keeps me asking " whhhhhyyyyy?" So many "whys" and it was making me feel hostile and it's a very ugly feeling. I want to help as a trainer, not tell people they're doing things wrong. I love this video. It immediately calmed my senses. I'm able to refocus without getting triggered by the subject. I will watch this a hundred thousand times and share this a million. Thank you for the insight. I really needed it. ❤😊

[@DoggyU]

💜💜💜

[@sarahcash9943]

Thank you for this. I use a cheap Amazon vest for my SD. I have such a fear of those flashy SD handlers calling me out in public because I don’t have a fancy cape like theirs. It’s so silly. It feels as though the SD community has become more about who has the cutest gear than about standing up for disabled handlers.

[@DoggyU]

My first service dog vest was off of Amazon. It was what I could afford, had access to, and it accurately labeled my dog. No shame in using affordable accessible gear.

[@winifredherman4214]

There’s no “ gear” or ANYTHING required. Just taking your money because you don’t know how it works! LOL

[@Felix-jo7nj]

Not required, but it makes it easier for handlers when its obvious why their dog is there! ​@@winifredherman4214

[@lolly1405]

I disagree. The problem is fake service dogs, and people who parade their fake service dog around. I don’t care what your service dog is wearing. As long as he’s an actual service dog which means you have an actual disability and the service dog does something to help manage that disability. And being cuddly and cute does not qualify them as a service dog. I love people who are pushing a little dog with a service dog vest on it in shopping carts are in those little baby carts. I can’t think of one disability a service dog could manage from a shopping cart or a baby cart. They are not service dogs and we need to start calling these people out

[@englishrider91]

Being in a cart does not disqualify a small dog from being a service dog. Service dogs neither need to be medium to large dogs nor do they need to specifically walk by your side. Small dogs can absolutely do things like alerts for seizures, low blood sugar, panic attacks, PTSD, and a whole hoast of other tasks that I'm probably forgetting right now.

[@copperGlass]

Thank you for being so smart and compassionate about this. I respect you so much.

[@gretchenbrownb]

I have had my share with fake and or untrained service dogs. People in my town brag about bringing their ESA's in to stores. If people would have seen my guide dog and I this afternoon they would have thought she was fake. We were at the checkout counter and she jumped up to try to get the dog toy that was being scanned. Of course I corrected, but if I had been a new handler I would have been very upset by this. I normally don't confront people in public about their dogs because we've been attacked by dogs before so it's to risky especially because you don't know what the other dog might do. Thank you for making this video.

[@krisvanallen]

And thank you for talking about small dogs! I am training my Havanese to be a psych service dog. Her tasks require her to be lap-sized.

[@thatonepossum5766]

Hey, fellow havanese owner! I’ve got one currently, and hoping to get a second to train as a service dog (my current dog is just not cut out for it, he’s too reactive). They really are a great size for psychiatric service dog work, and the hypoallergenic coat is a major plus. If only they weren’t the most irresistibly cute dogs on the planet- it’s hard enough for people to ignore labs and poodles while they’re working! 😅

[@dogtraininginthedark]

I am also a guide and service dog trainer. My attitude used to be if pet dogs were not allowed, pet dogs should not be in the store. Now, after 35 years of using guide and service dogs, I feel a bit differently. I don’t really care anymore if a person has a pet in a place that isn’t pet friendly, as long as the dog is well behaved. As for folks with legitimate disabilities, I have stopped and offered help and my business partner and I have even given mini free training sessions for people. However, I draw the line at when dogs are actually showing aggression towards people or dogs. While I will not generally get involved if a dog is sniffing, pulling, etc, if a dog is acting aggressive, I will tell the appropriate people so that the dog can be removed. My guide dog has become fearful of our local supermarket, because we have been attacked by aggressive dogs in the store. This means, we have to drive an hour away to get groceries and basic supplies, all because people can’t keep their aggressive dogs, service dogs or not, at home. It’s also important to remember that even program trained dogs can be badly behaved for whatever reason.

[@kfry7929]

I LOVE and watch all of your videos, but this may be my favorite so far!!! This is something I try to express to people all the time - let's all go out into the world and show the same grace and and patience (or at least indifference) that we would want to be shown in that situation. I've been a handler for 6 yrs, and though I live in a less populated area, I have never had to confront or challenge anyone. I may have to educate when questioned or stand up for my rights, but I've been fortunate to never have been attacked verbally or physically and I would never put someone else through that. Don't try to take things into your own hands - keep your dog safe, keep yourself safe.

[@KB-we6pf]

I do have a lot of compassion but it is really tested when I am shopping in the grocery store and a “ service dog “ ends up on top of my Seeing Eye Dog . There were 5 employees right there and they , like , me were stunned . I had ZERO chance to see it coming .

[@FR-zq4ue]

Thank you Laura this was a beautiful, sensitive way to address this issue.

[@DoggyU]

Thank you 💜

[@koyotestudios4182]

I needed to hear this. I've had several very close calls with my service dog. She's fantastic but it has built up into a lot of resentment and severe anxiety towards people who are bringing their pet into stores in me. One of the many close calls is even with my neighbor who didn't know the service dog their dog nearly bit lived downstairs until the got home that day. It's been frustrating to have so many close encounters and I've begun to just think what am I going to have to protect my service dog against today. It doesn't always help my already existing anxiety to be looking for threats to my dog but it's so common where I am that people do actually just bring their pets, not even dogs having bad days. There are days that we don't look great. This is especially true when my girl is actually tasking for behavior interruption. People don't know that her jumping up is to stop me from skin picking which I do when I'm anxious and so that must look bad at first. She's had an accident in a store before. She went through a reactivity phase where she barked at another dog barking at her because of previous bad interactions. (obviously there was an immediate attempt on my part to create space and redirect). My biggest fear is someone thinks we aren't legit because of her alert but that alert is the only way I pay attention to her. Recently my trainer however hot a new client who had seen us, spoken to us and came to her because she thought we looked amazing. All that said this gave me a lot of perspective and I really appreciate it.

[@DoggyU]

Thank you for sharing your story Koyote

[@katelawson1406]

Just last week my guide dog was nearly attacked by another dog in the lobby of a DOCTOR’S OFFICE. The dog was big, loud, barking and probably lunging, I couldn’t see exactly what it was doing but my guide dog quickly got me away from it. That is unacceptable behavior and situations like this inspire me to advocate for tighter regulations on what is considered a service dog.

[@cchambersglenn]

This is a wonderful video. Unfortunately, there are a LOT of shaming videos on KZbin and Facebook. I love your attitude. I’m very happy to support you on patreon.😊

[@Hailey-ge9qn]

THANK YOU! Thank you for bringing up on how you brought up people calling out fake service dogs can cause problems and stress and FEAR for people who actually have a fully trained service dogs!

[@MarleneSAyres]

Very thought provoke info. Thanks Laura

[@EmilyEverglot]

Well said! I trained Service dogs for 10 years! The ADA service dog laws are civil laws. They were never put in place for disabled people to police other disabled people. They certainly were not put into place for non disabled people to police disabled people.

[@traceyallen8286]

Thanks so much for this fantastic video Laura. Having watched your channel for some time now, I appreciate how much you bring to the community by having an understanding of both sides of the situation - being both a trainer AND someone who has their own SD. Managing a disability AND a dog can be challenging.

[@DoggyU]

Thanks Tracey 💜

[@kylaallen822]

Wonderfully stated. I have had many fake service dogs around me and my canine, but only 1 that directly interfered with my animal (owner was looking at the meat and her husky was at the end of an, at least, 10' lead. Dog was barking - of course-its a husky. Then it saw my girl and beelined for her. My hubby threw the shopping cart between us and it and I used my mom voice to yell, "Control your dog!") And yes, after seeing so many videos with people calling out illegitimate teams, it is very anxiety causing when I have to go into a large store, and that is what my girl is supposed to mitigate! Thank you so much for this video!

[@DoggyU]

Sounds like good thinking in the moment. Using physical barriers can be so helpful. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@CarBoH42]

I HAD a friend with a fraud service dog. It was so frustrating, she loved the attention she got. The dog had NO training, but she bought all the stuff on line and expected to have the respect when she took the dog everywhere. It was also embarrassing. She continues on…we’re no longer friends.

[@IslanderT]

Thank you for discussing the trouble with healthcare access in America as related to service animals!

[@seigedrakonera5689]

Thank you so much for this, I have a service dog an shes a small-medium size dog. Shes small because I needed to have a dog I could lift, bathe an handle on my own as my illness leaves me tired-weak and I live in a converted van. We don't have much issues and aside two minor bad habits Amber has time to time on bad days where she will look at other dogs briefly an/or make a micro "woof" if a dog comes from nowhere an is scream barking at us. That aside she's an amazingly well trained pup an rarely misses a task. But in recent years I have been dealing with an increase of folks fake claiming Amber mostly because of her size an breed because she "doesn't look like a *real* SD", whatever the hell that looks like. An some of my worst encounters *have been by outher handlers* . (I suspect it's mostly fake handelers in a "I gotta get them before they get me" thing but thats not an easy call) or someone who knows someone who has "a real service dog" and should get arrested an Amber taken away. Its vexing an I have resorted to just information cards an walking away with toxic encounters like this. The store owners in my town know me an Amber, an thats all I need. But I had one handler, fallow me in a store treating me like trash, insulting Amber, asking how much did I pay for the cheap gear, how awedlfull I was for faking this. It took my pharmacy saying to fuck off before she stopped. But even after finding that Amber was a real service dog she was allready too invested (and embarrassed) and clamming to find something anything wrong with Amber an it was "her size" or being the "wrong breed" is a common one. Every time I swear. Honestly I just don't care about outhers dogs when Im out an about. As long as they are behaving very well an away from me cuz its not my job (thank god) to do! I just want to do my chores like a normal person.

[@nogames8982]

I have a German shepherd guide dog. She is wonderful. She’s very well behaved. But she is not a robot. I don’t expect any dog to be a robot. I admit that the problem of fake service dogs and poorly behaved legitimate service. Dogs is really one of my pet peeves. I’ve had numerous runnings with these types of dogs, and I have zero tolerance. I’m just plain tired of dealing with it. At this point the fake aspect bothers me less than the misbehaving aspect. for local businesses, I give out cards with the ADA service dog information on it so that they know their rights. they have all been very appreciative of getting it and knowing more of what they can do and can’t do about a dog that is miss behaving. I think it is a copout to say that the person with the dog has a disability, yeah, that’s kind of the point. But if that person cannot control that dog or handle that dog appropriately, then they should not have it. And if the dog is not appropriate, it should not be a service dog. You’ve got to have some basic level of competence on both sides of the equation. you can usually tell the difference between a dog just having a bad day and a dog that is like that all the time. Kind of like you can tell the difference between a little kid having a bad day and one that is always a terror.

[@annadefreeze]

Thank you! It scares me how mad sd owners get sometimes… I get it but we need to be kind of each other

[@asecretcourtofcrowsandcloc4084]

I think you explained this very well. I hadn’t considered the fact that lack of resources in education for owner trainers in the US could create some of the problems with dogs in public not behaving the way you would expect from service dog. I am a relatively new handler having only had my dog for just over a year, but so far the dog I’ve encountered who have barked or tried to come toward my dog and I in a way that I wouldn’t expect from a service dog, seems to be one that’s just someone taking a pet in public. This is because people often tell me how they’re bringing their dog with them because they like to companionship or they use emotional support and therapy interchangeably with Service not understanding the training and legal differences. I wish there was more regulation on online websites that sell service dog certification tell people that there’s no legality bassist of that and I wish that all the websites that sell service dog gear required to give some kind of disclaimer at the heading of other pages stating that buying the gear and put it on your dog does not make them a service dog but that the training and task work does. I definitely think you’re right to emphasize a point but it’s not our job at handlers to post about or follow or call out other people with their dogs. Regardless of whether they’re pets or service dogs that’s employees jobs not other customers and frankly I wouldn’t want my dog getting that close to other dogs I don’t know anyway and it’s not right to judge other people so I wouldn’t want to prying to somebody else’s Life and personal business.

[@StarkK9Academy]

Yes operating from a place of compassion, observation, discernment, and educating others.

[@camerazeye7923]

Very well said. We all hold ourselves, or should, to a high standard and probably dont consider someone having a bad day.

[@khanhhm5762]

I was late in watching this video, and while I didn't read through all the comments, I read through a good number of them because I'm always curious to hear other perspectives and to learn from others. I love the compassion that you show in this video. I hadn't thought about health care access but that's a very good point. There have been moments in my service dog handling career when I have gotten completely exasperated with another dog handler and automatically jumped to the conclusion that their dog is a fake service dog. This was especially true when I was in my early twenties and very new to having a guide dog. But the more I have reflected over the years about my own experiences, the more I've mellowed out and have empathy and compassion for others. There have been many moments when my dog and I have miscommunicated, had a bad day, one or both of us was exhausted, and a number of other reasons where a passerby has thought we eiither aren't a real service dog team or my dog is poorly trained. I also agree that it's not our job to ask someone else with a dog to leave a business. The only time that I will say anything is if the dogis either in my space and/or directly interfering with me and my dog. I don't like those fake service dog shaming videos, and I'm deeply sad that they get so many views. I'm especially sad that fellow service dog handlers are posting them. I'm all about educating people as long as it's done without shaming. I was once a brand new, inexperienced and very anxious handler who made tons of mistakes with my first dog... we all were.

[@DoggyU]

💜💜💜

[@danascully1248]

It's so scary to think that anyone could be having a bad day with their dog and just straight up get filmed, harassed, and posted on youtube for thousands of people to hate on.

[@BlitheApathy]

My goodness thank you for this video. To keep my sanity my policy is if I see a questionable service dog, as long as its behaving well, quiet an not going after Amber an myself, I just ignore it. It sucks but it is what it is. I dont know its tasks, it's not my job. An honestly I just don't ever want to be "that a-hole service dog handler" , because I have had a few nasty encounters with these type of handlers who cought us on a bad day and similar. For instance Amber one time from the blue she got a terrible stomach bug and started doing her "I NEED to potty" look but unfortunately we didn't make it out in time an I ended up sacrificing my hat completely mortified. An from nowhere this handler sees this an she just went off on me! She ragged an raved at me so much that I had a full meltdown panic attack while still trying to help my sick pup. Eventually she got told off by a worker who knew me. It was awefull. I get it, it can suck being a SD handler an haveing to navigate around people abusing the privileges that come with haveing an amazing often life changing service dog. But you can't let it harden your heart.

[@LoneLupine]

THANK YOU. I recently made a post about this with many of the same points. I have all the same opinions and views! I have multiple disabilities (diabetic, legally blind, autistic, severe anxiety disorder, unfortunately the list goes on) and I don't have a service dog. I wish my GSD could be my service dog but he is just too reactive, he is a reacue and unfortunately the product of backyard breeding. I accept the fact he will never be a service dog but still strive to make him the best dog he can be! Your vics are very helpfu! He can be my non-public service dog, do tasks at home 😂 I have a lot of empathy for disabled people who are working with the best they have, even if it's not perfect. Their life is already difficult enough

[@redfailhawk]

This is one of the most well-spoken and neutral videos I've seen on the topic. My current SD graduated a week ago. She was thrown, unintentionally, into a real word medical emergency for me and handled it perfectly, amid two small aggressive dogs in a stroller, in a mall. She was on her first trip to the mall. She ACED everything given to her that day and I knew she was ready because of that. I'm still actively working on improving her behavior and skills because we represent all service dogs, not just ourselves. Our behavior could impact the others that come after us and how easy their access is. I strive to leave a place with a better dog, and the staff better educated, than when I entered. Every single day, we go out there and make a difference in how people perceive service dogs. And that's important to me.

[@Therealcadesaslcovers]

Absolutely. I have multiple disabilities, but seizures is mainly my issue, along with blindness. My boy is really good at learning but he really struggles with not barking at people. And he’s getting better but he’s still struggling. He’s good at his job and I think he’s starting to understand all humans don’t want to hurt me. All he has to do is focus on me and he’ll be okay.

[@AmandaMearesMorris]

Yes! Thank you for all of these well thought out points. Let’s all be a little kinder to each other.

[@audracapriola9243]

Thank you for this information! I have been fortunate enough to be invited to join/help with veterans groups training their personal service dogs. These individuals need their animals. They do not have the thousands for formally trained service dogs. As you explain - training is hard and it can be even harder for some individuals that have issues such as PTSD. Thank you!!!!

[@saltydevildog120]

Im a high strung individual and i really appreciate your outlook like you saying look at things like people are doing their best. That is Amazing advice not just dog advice but just life. Great video!

[@DoggyU]

💜💜💜

[@dadrian5963]

Thank you for this video. It’s a great reminder that the dog or handler with SD can have a bad day. We have a SD for my husband’s mobility. I’m the trainer and take the dog for walks. A few months ago we (SD and I) were crossing a street and were hit by a car. Driver not paying attention and not ticketed. We are doing better but I am having to work through a lot of re-training. I take him to car lots for non-moving cars, sit at corners and quietly watch traffic (at a distance), etc. Some people doubt because our SD may have a bad day, but most are very understanding. Please be kind to those you may see training out there. You never know what they are going through.

[@poodleguiderpeyes7388]

To owner trained service dog handlers - As a Guide Dog Handler from a credited school, please give us room and respect when you see us working our Guide Dog. Our Dogs have been raised by volunteer puupy raisers for almost 2 years before going back to school for advanced training, and it's estimated taht only 50% make the cut. It's estimated that a school trained Guide Dog costs around $50,000 to become a properly trained Guide Dog. Most schools use labs and golden retrievers for a reason, they have a track record of doing good work. They are smart and have a good track record. Thanks for your understanding.

[@tkh0077]

We are owner-training a guide dog for my daughter. She's not able to get a trained guide dog from a program yet and she has a complex disability - more than blindness. To get a program-trained dog she needed to wait another four years due to her age, and even then it's subject to assessment, availability, getting funding - lots of hurdles. We asked a local professional guide dog training school to help train our dog (it would've been a lot cheaper than $50K it usually costs, we're already raising our dog as a service dog and I was doing the training, I only needed some advice regarding guiding tasks), but they were really arrogant about this and refused. So, the channels like this one is really helpful as well as the owner-training service dog community. We were able to find a totally blind dog trainer who is giving us a lot of unvaluable advice. Other blind people who have guide dogs are helpful too. As for 50% fail rate - it's a shame really, some of these dogs just need a bit more training to pass. What my daughter noticed from attending a camp for the blind was that program-trained dogs had really poor down-stay - they were almost never on the same spot thier handler left them. They were also often jumping on people. She thought our dog was much better behaved even though it is still inn training. Our blind friend who used to have a program-trained guide dog (now retired) and has a lot of other blind friends mentioned program-trained quality went downhill a lot lately. She's also thinking of owner-training.

[@khanhhm5762]

@@tkh0077 That is really awesome that you are involved in assisting your daughter to train a guide/service dog for her. I can definitely see your point in feeling like the organization you reached out to for advice on guide tasks was arrogant. And I'm not at all invalidating your feelings. As someone who has gotten guide dogs from a program as well as owner trained, I can see a school's reluctance to give training advice to someone who isn't part of their program. The school doesn't know you and they may see it as a liability, even if you don't. I'm glad you have been able to find owner trainers who have been helpful to you, your daughter, and her dog's training. I can't comment on the quality of the programs' training degrading in quality because I'm not familiar with every school. I will just say that much of how the dog works or doesn't is dependent on a variety of factors including handler's abilities, experience level, environments etc. Once the team leaves the program, it's completely out of a trainer's control. Your daughter is lucky to have a parent who wants to help and support her. I certainly never had that growing up. I would have gotten a guide dog much younger than when I did.

[@khanhhm5762]

That's great your guide dog comes from an accredited school. I would say that your comment can be directed towards anyone with a dog, service or not, not just owner trainers. At the last convention I attended, I was working my German Shepherd guide--from The Seeing Eye--and there was another team coming toward us. The handler of this team--which also came from an accredited guide dog school--allowed their dog to get excited and in my dog's space. Even after I politely asked the handler to pull their dog back and give us space, they did not, the handler saying: "He just wants to say hi to everybody." Approaching an elevator an hour later, I heard the voice of another guide dog handler, an owner trainer, who quietly told their dog to "Leave it". And when we entered the elevator, the owner trainer made sure that their dog wasn't anywhere near us. My point is regardless of where the dog comes from or how he/she was trained, it is important for everyone to do their best and give each other space. It's also equally important that we give people some grace and empathy when people make mistakes.

[@MeowficerMage]

When my puppy is training out in public, people always coming up behind me to pet her.

[@thelighthouse1604]

I had another service dog handler follow me out the grocery store because my dog reacted a little. It just made my service dog more spooked. She did not know we just got into town the day before and my dog was tired.

[@2bYshuas]

Thank you so much!!

[@barronleeds8597]

Apologies for the long comment. I recently posted a link to this video ( Hope you don't mind) on a Facebook page I belong to for Service Dog handlers because I whole heartedly believe in the massage. Coincidently, I came across a "fake" service dog while food shopping this past Sunday. I then posted what message I took away from your video. Here it is "I did run across a non-service dog the other day while grocery shopping. An older person entered the store with a pug sitting in the child seat of the carriage. (they did put a blanket down but still...). I mentioned it to the on-duty manager who seemed to be familiar with the person and their dog. The manager told me they tried to address the issue but the person claims the manager can't talk to them and then proceeds to make a complaint. (although to whom I don't know) I provided the manager with a couple of cards that explains the questions they can ask, expectations of the dog's behavior, under what circumstances they can eject the dog, etc. Knowledge is power, right? The manager thanked me and stated that this person is always an a$$ when they are in the store. The reason I'm telling this story is I thought about this person on the way home and what Laura talked about in the above video. She mentioned that people with "fake" service dogs may have a disability that we don't know about. Maybe this person does not understand what the definition of a service dog is. (us older folks gets confused sometimes) Maybe this person is all alone in this world and their only friend is that dog. The real thought that occurred to me is that, as we go about trying to address these issues, showing a bit of compassion isn't such a bad thing, right?"

[@littlebitofhope1489]

What does having the dog on the cart seat have to do with it being a legitimate Service Dog? You do know that allowing a dog in carts is at the discretion of the store, right? It is not against the law. Sometimes when you complain about other people, a manager will act like they are talking about the other person, when they are really talking about you. If that is the ONLY evidence you have that the dog is "fake" I think the manager may be correct.

[@barronleeds8597]

@@littlebitofhope1489 couple of things if I may. 1) animals of any type are prohibited from being in shopping carts in grocery stores in Massachusetts regardless of whether they are pet friendly or not. 2) I've known the manager for several years now and we have had a number of discussions regarding a business's rights in addressing issues with pets in the store. The reason she comes to me with these questions is because I'm Law Enforcement and I train a Service Dog in this particular store every week. 3) I did not make a complaint, I brought it to the manager's attention. There is a difference. Have a great day.

[@mscsm2946]

Great way talk about a tough topic. It feels like the fake sd videos are looking for a problem. To each is own as we all need to work the dog that is in front of us.

[@chanaLMAO]

I really appreciate this ! and The free training mini course. I am currently teaching my dog to be my service dog and this is so helpful and eases my anxiety because we've been working together for about a year and she's a quick learner but we still have so much to learn before her exam.

[@DoggyU]

So glad you’re enjoying it and the mini course!! Happy training! 💜

[@proverbsgal]

So in a nutshell if the dog isnt trained properly its NOT a service dog!!!! This is a big problem in apt complexes. My neighbor has a "service dog" but the dog barks, not on a leash and charged at another tenant. Thats not a service dog thats a pet!!! If were residing in a no pets allowed residence thats a violation that we have a. right to call out.

[@free2bkittenforever]

They could be a service dog in training

[@proverbsgal]

@@free2bkittenforever THey need to be Trained before they move in!!!

[@free2bkittenforever]

@@proverbsgal that’s not how it works if you owner train. You get an 8 week old puppy

[@free2bkittenforever]

@@proverbsgal the training also needs to include public access training, training them in public environments. They’ll never learn how to handle public situations if you never expose them to public situations. That’s the only way to train them

[@amayzingyoga6403]

i’m glad you touched in the fake service dog section.. I’m a person with anxiety and I have been deep diving into how to get the training and legal certification for a dog I need, so that when I go out in public I feel like I have to prove the service needed. 😢😢 I really need a service dog but knowing someone will judge me for the type of dog I might get and where I am able to take them is horrifying and exhausting . ❤ Thank you, You clearly have the knowledge and I’m glad I saw this video, it brought my anxiety down a bit 😅 ❤❤

[@DoggyU]

The reality is that lots of people are going to judge you for what you do, and what you don't do. Don't let it stop you from using the medical equipment that helps allow you to lead a more independent life.

[@CleverClover2023]

My SDIT and I encountered our first aggressive pet in a walmart. A big white husky that went mental when it saw her....barking and lunging. That dog was NOT a service dog in any sense and the woman was NOT disabled in any sense. I immediately told the front girl to kick that dog out and threatened to call AC and the police. My SDIT is a very shy girl. We are working on exposure to public places and slowly working on exposure to new people. But she doesnt like people for the most part unless she knows you or feels randomly comfortable with a stranger. Her personality is fine with me as I dont want an overly friendly dog. I want her to be reserved and alert to the things around me. People who fake a service dog arent 'disabled', they are entitled and dont care that they are breaking the law. They dont care that their dogs are aggressive and untrained. They dont care that their dogs pose a threat to teams or even other shoppers. Could some of them be disabled and just not know how to train...sure, but that number is going to be very very small.

[@ColorfulBallerina]

THANKS for making this video. I'm autistic and I trained my own service dog because there weren't any trainers available in my area. Two weeks ago I walked into a book store and a customer looked at me and after one second (no exaggeration) said "I hate it when I see fake service dogs." Then continued to badmouth me to her friends. One of my autism triggers is when people make assumptions and accuse me. I started having a panic attack and I shut down. I had to leave the store. Thankfully my service dog helped me calm down. I admit that I made a few mistakes in training my service dog that I will not make with my next one. But she behaves perfectly in public.

[@khanhhm5762]

I'm sorry you had that terrible experience at the bookstore. Some people are truly clueless and nasty. As for making mistakes, we all make mistakes with every dog, even the most experienced trainers and handlers.

[@ColorfulBallerina]

@@khanhhm5762 Thanks!

[@SkarGig]

I was just talking to my grandma about this. Dogs aren't perfect. Even the most well trained dogs make mistakes. Even the most well trained people sometimes need additional help or training knowledge. People need to stop being so judgemental. It's so scary for me to get a service dog for my family because of strangers, but we NEED a service animal. Also since finding and training service dogs is so hard, I have also decided to do what I can to make service animals more accessible to us all ❤ love your channel

[@tondriasanders6306]

Thank you for this! In my area, we only have access to a couple of trainers. They are extremely expensive and VERY abellist in their attitudes and training. But I don’t have the spoons to train my own dog. Thank you for putting this into the world for us. ❤

[@elainenelson476]

thank you for this!

[@DoggyU]

You're so welcome!

[@AmandaHugandKiss411]

Thank you so much for making this video. I started recently debating about getting a service dog and started watching other people's videos. I qiuickly noticed that there are a large number of self-appointed SD advocates. Who make videos, whike they are out in public with their SD calling out and posting videos on fake SD. I only had pet dogs years ago, but I thought of all of the points you mentioned and thought a) these KZbinrs go around saying what their rights are including not being asked directly about your medical conditions, for proof your dog is in fact a service dog B) then go around to a number of locations, calling out people in front of everyone, plus uploading the video. They make statements like a SD doesn't do xyz. Well if you or your dog is hsving an off day, yes they may not be 100% perfect. Not to mention that dog maybe or the medical client maybe still in training mode. I also thought, if Your dog is so perfectly trained, then shouldn't it be able to handle people's pet dogs in public or other distractions? I seemed very hypocritical and potentially damaging to others who have SD or Emotional Support dogs as well. It just builds suspicion from the general public, store employees or even other self training SD owners, which doesn’t benefit anyone in the long-term. And yes I noticed the small dogs were being more often than large dogs as possible frauds. Also, they claim your dog acting up is reason to report to the business staff/manager to have the other person and their dog asked to leave because it is placing their health in danger. I would think, using that situation to reinforce their own dogs and their own abilities with dealing with a difficult situation would be more meaningful. But there's this level of attitude with these types: everyone must accommodate me and I don't have to accommodate anyone else. Aren't there safety spots that work on your dog, that you can disengage and go elsewhere. I mean, parents do this with their children when they are being difficult as a cool down spot that you figured out is away from most people traffic. If these types of SD owners were really that concerned, wouldn't they have figured out safe spaces in public? I am just so glad to finally come across a KZbinr who seems to grasp the reality of dogs snd people in general. I agree, positivity and providing proper education for those starting out is a much better solution. As you said, bringing these people in instead of pushing them out seems much more kind, patient and understanding. And having realistic ideas of how an average days and rough days actually look like. Honestly, I was starting to just throw the whole idea of a possible SD because of how these Self-appointed SD advocates acted seemed like a can of worms I didn't want to deal with. It wasn't pet owners in public places, it was the advocate group that I found discouraging.

[@robertendicott-powers3099]

TRUTH AND AMEN!!! I love you channel.......your mindset..........your approach filled with intelligence and common sense.....and a huge dose of grace and acceptance to those around us.........we never know what someones journey is all about. Blessings......I look forward to learning from you......Thank you for all you do! Hugs and luv Robb

[@DoggyU]

Thank you for your kind words, Robb!

[@laurenb3928]

Thank you for this! I have POTS and EDS and basically training myself..I have a trainer who we only meet with once a week so I'm doing the rest myself and it's hard sometimes when out in public and I have a flair up or anxiety attack it makes things worse when people yell at us. because

[@EpsilonAD]

Thank you for another useful and helpful clip. In Australia there is a certification process for Assistance Animals. It includes a Public Access Certification Test (PACT or sometimes called PAT). Your great channel has been helpful with training this cue giver. We are having a day of rest today after passing our full certification (yay Epsilon AD) yesterday. 🎉 Invisible disabilities can make things difficult for the general public to understand when it comes to ADs. Respectful space and not insisting on discourse can be very helpful out in public (especially when in jacket and working). We will keep striving to improve skills and move forward adding some new helpful tasks as I feel we are only just beginning the journey of learning. Your channel and clips are inspiring and appreciated. The kind and empathetic way to look at helping non service dogs who are in public spaces generally not for pets is such a good set of suggestions. The free course sounds like an awesome resource.

[@DoggyU]

Congratulations on passing your PACT! That’s such a big deal!! You should be so proud of you both! 🎉 🎉🎉

[@EpsilonAD]

Thank you very much DoggyU. Your skilful training tips have helped us with skill building and I am grateful.

[@DoggyU]

@@EpsilonAD Thank you! I'm so glad the videos have helped you along your journey!

[@killeenryan7284]

Thank you. So many people on my SD facebook groups complain about fake service dogs. A harness that’s says SD isn’t required. I get it helps but not required to label them for the public.

[@catherineoneillthorn]

Thank you for your graceful take on this. ❤

[@Raethiance]

Thank you SO much for this. The fake SD callouts have been bothering me so much lately. I think as a community we need to reserve our judgement and feel compassion for one another. I personally do not care if someone has a real or fake SD as long as the dog is being behaved, or is away from causing us problems. I try to look at things as: oh, their dog isn't behing behaved? I can use this as a reinforcement training opportunity for "leave it!" for my own dog. My husband has so much anxiety over taking my SD out he usually requests I leave her at home, which is inhibiting her ability to help me when I need it. I feel scared to take my not-perfect SD out due to anyone possibly recording us. It makes my anxiety problems that much worse. We aim to build our skills, but it's hard when you feel so much pressure all around. It's hard for me to express to people that she is a SD and needs to be treated as such. I have had many lovely experiences, such as going to Costco, with my SD but I'm more afraid of other handlers than the general non-disabled public.

[@DoggyU]

I think it can be really helpful to do a lot of work un-vested in dog friendly areas to build my confidence for non-dog-friendly trips! Or wearing a vest that simply says "in training" in dog-friendly areas so you can practice asking people not to interact while still allowing for less pressure when mistakes happen. Happy Training!

[@kristenfleming7681]

Thank you. I’m crying. I’m owner training, and I was fake called out and the person actually attacked us. (My BP hit 180.) She claimed she was fake for alerting me with a single bark to someone coming after us (with a hand on their gun on their belt), and she was “too small.” I tried to explain her trained tasks and she said she was just an ESA and she didn’t “want to hear it.” All over one escalated alert and her head full of opinions. It took us 3 weeks to get back out, and I had panic attacks every time I tried to go out for almost 2 months- with my dog or without.

[@DoggyU]

I'm so sorry this happened to you. Dealing with the public and a disability can be so dang challenging sometimes

[@FenrirAldebrand]

This. My 6 month old pup is great 90-95% of the time. And I'm doing what I can to help him get through that last 5-10% of "bad" behavior. I would never ever have brought him anywhere if he barks in public or pees indoors. He pulls some, can get excited/scared sometimes, but it's stuff we're working through. And it makes me super happy that my college is pet friendly (doesn't advertise for obvious reasons, but they are). As long as he behaves appropriately *in class* (where pets aren't allowed without written consent from a medical professional and the college, which I have), they don't mind that he's not task trained yet. The only time people realize I have a dog in class is if they physically see him walking in, or if he's drinking from his water bowl. If he starts getting up and walking around, that's his way of telling me he needs to go to the bathroom, so I quietly excuse myself and take him outside.

[@RicardoRodriguez-vo6sc]

Currently have an Airbnb guest who informed us she has two service dogs. We have to abide by ADA rules. My understanding a service dog must be handler with handler at all times. However, we have seen her leave with her service animals then return without her service animals. I feel this is people who take advantage of the system.

[@ElianneSpeksnijder]

It’s a huge problem in the Netherlands as well. I use a service dog too but actually I don’t use a vest in most cases. I am getting so frustrated about the whole thing about ‘who is showing the most real’ than what it is really about: just taking care about your dog and make sure that your dog behaves well. To me: it’s not about the vest but about the behavior the dog shows. I have a experienced dog at the moment who is going to retire and a young dog who is still in training and who needs a lot of handling. I take a decision day by day which dog is able to take with me and sometimes a go without if I have the expectation none of them is able to fulfill this expectation. And of course, the youngster is in training and that means you have to turn around and manage the situation sometimes. And sometimes you are big surprised by new steps you didn’t expect. It happens. That’s what growing together means with a young pup. Whatever happens, the most important thing is that you as a handler always take care for the pup and your surroundings instead of being selfish. Because it’s never about ‘you and the pup’ but about ‘how to blend in with the pup’. That distinguish you as a real team from the fake ones.

[@apriloliver]

This is such a compassionate perspective. Looking forward to hearing more thoughts about what we can do for each other as handlers. I have been taking an agility course, and one of the handlers uses a prong collar on her reactive dog. It brought up some negative emotions for me, but also questions about how best I can help my friends and their dogs from a place of compassion rather than judgement.

[@DoggyU]

I think one of the things many handlers are looking for is connection. Saying to your friend - hey do you want to work on some exercises together? We can both work on engage/disengage! Or whatever, is helpful. I also think forming local service dog groups where handlers can train around other handlers is soo helpful! So much of service dog training is just putting in the time around other dogs so it becomes less novel. So those would be my two recommendations off the top of my head! Engage/Disengage Game: kzbin.info/www/bejne/g2aycoF9fJhnaLs

[@apriloliver]

@DoggyU I would happily recommend this video to my classmate. Your engage/disengage video was how I found your channel in the first place! I have already been reaping the benefits of this game with my own reactive teammate. The nice thing about agility class is that it is a controlled environment where we can give our nervous dogfriends the space they need to be successful.

[@DoggyU]

@@apriloliver I love that! Yes, classes can be a great place to train because it's a "captive" audience and there's usually plenty of space to move away. And everyone there "gets" it because we've all had our own dogs that need a little support over the years

[@zackgovoski6830]

My dog gets questioned because of my adhd and autism because mine crys to alert instead of silently, because sometimes I’ll zone out and need to be snapped back into reality or a panic attack she pushes me torwards the outside to get me to my safe place(which is what I’m not at home my vehicle) before doing DPT to stop it or calm it back down. I also use basically a traditional police K9 stab resistant vest because I want her to look as legit possible, because people who don’t know things about service dogs usually think all the dogs look like either a lab or a shepherd with a police style vest it might be a little uncomfortable for her but at the end of the day she’s a working dog, her job isn’t looking pretty or cute. Her job is to be my support system, my gaurdian, and to save me from myself. It sounds horrible to say because we ALL bond to our dogs regardless but a service dog isn’t a pet, their a TOOL, to help us through life. Growing up for me even into adulthood. I only had one true friend, and unfortunately a couple years ago, he killed himself, and being my only friend, I felt, responsible because we were always saving eachother from our selves, when he died I thought there was no point to live, I lost my only friend and support system… It had been 3 years since and on the anniversary of it, I was gonna go be with my friend. And luckily I didn’t because after I chickened out my parents showed up with this little Australian Cattle Dog, and I literally haven’t spent more than maybe 5 hours away from this little puppy since I got her a year ago. These dogs literally can be life and death for us.

[@Foxnsox23]

Amen. I have a Boston terrier chihuahua service dog. I can not tell you how many people say she’s not a real service dog. Yes. She is. She is my life.

[@khanhhm5762]

That's fantastic. Those little dogs, when trained properly and if they are with the right person, can be fantastic at so many things including different areas of service work. My 9 lbs rat terrier is my medical service dog; he doesn't always work in public spaces, but he's a little rocket and is brilliant at helping me find things, doing DPT work, and if I'm in a real pinch, he can get me to an exit.

[@shiori510]

I love your approach to this! Just some of us can't explain in that moment, we're only human. Like when someone accused me of faķing it when my dog was leading me to the toilet. Sorry, I was so out of reality i couldn't talk, my dog was in control. He was and always will be my hero for doing what he did for me, I can never forget my best friend ❤️

[@ledaniels4586]

I have a small under 5lb dog who has been trained to warn me of an oncoming episode of my Narcolepsy and Cataplexy. He does better when carrying him. He was professionally trained for me and I was trained to work with him. When at home he has saved me many times from collapsing and possibly being hurt. Outside the home if I don't keep him in a pouch he is easily distracted and protective of me. Many stores seem to have a rule that the service dog must walk or you can't bring them in. I try explaining he is a medical alert dog and not the typical, but he is a service dog. I am about to travel by plane and I just don't think he will behave as most service dogs with all of that. He is tiny and has been trained to stay with me. I've seen where tsa will ask the dog to be separate from you when going through the metal detector and such. I don't think he will do that. Everyone keeps saying just try because my family likes that I have him with me, but the fear of him being called fake and not being able to make my trip would just be overwhelming. My trip is next week and I hope I can get the courage to do it, but we'll see. He is almost 5lbs and barking is his way of alerting me

[@jgm33884]

Thank you for addressing these issues

[@danawalker9417]

I’m currently training my 3rd service dog. The other two turned out to be too small for why I need a service dog. Don’t worry, I didn’t rehome them, both girls are now happy “regular” dogs in my home. The problem I have with the current dog in training, is that no one takes him seriously as a service dog because of him still being a puppy. He’s 5 months old. It’s like people think he’s playing dress up with his “service dog in training” vest on. I am one of those people you mentioned who are afraid to take my dog into public places for fear that people will think he’s a fake even though he’s still in training and has a very long way to go. I honestly don’t know how those people have the time to walk around stores with their service dogs, looking for “fake” service dogs and film them.

[@littlebitofhope1489]

He is pretend. He is fake. He's a puppy. He is supposed to be those things. He's supposed to be silly and goofy for about two more years. Then he will settle down. As far as the people who video go, they are causing problems to make money. Think of them as used care salesmen who will lie and cheat to make a buck. If you live in an area with a lot of them, just avoid or ignore them. If you can't have something prepared. Something I have done before is to make up a "certificate" saying my dog is a Service Dog. They drive those people nuts, and in small print I would put the law saying that this was fake and they had been pranked. But by that time you are gone. Just think of creative ways to get rid of them. And you don't have to tell the truth.

[@jazminlawson1673]

Yes, I've gotten to the point I dred going out even to train because people are just going wild with this stuff. I'm so so happy you talked about this thank you

[@DoggyU]

You're welcome! Don't let the few difficult people limit your life. Most people truly are kind. You've got this!

[@colbyreader]

My dog is very well behaved in public but I can tell he’s anxious, especially around refrigerators and automatic doors. So my anxiety is up, my dogs anxiety is up, and then come the employees. “In training? What’s he trained for?” Deep pressure therapy. I just want to get out of the store. “We get so many fake service dogs barking and peeing” imposter syndrome coming in at full swing. I hate going to the store and sometimes my dog makes the experience worse because other people feel the need to address my dog instead of just walking by. I feel bad because my dog won’t take treats outside of the house so his reward is getting to play before and afterwards, I can’t tell him he’s being a good boy without him getting more anxious because I’m anxious. I just have to push through and get out without having a panic attack. When I do have them he is very helpful and he can be the space between me and someone who is a little too close in lines or aisles

[@GrannyLovesSquares]

Thank you for preparing me for this.

[@wendywertz8828]

I’ve been training my whippet for my service dog to serve for ptsd due to my tbi brain injury and he’s wonderful but he’s got a ways to go he’s only 7 mo old and ppl look at me like he’s should be perfect like a dog that’s 2-4 years old and trained that Long ! He still sometimes reactive to other dogs but doesn’t bark and isn’t aggressive at all . I feel so anxious and judged when ppl stare at me with my dog Merlin . I will continue and try to give him and myself grace ❤

[@AllysonBurkholder]

You are a very understanding individual.

[@killeenryan7284]

I am also glad you are a handler not just a trainer

[@killeenryan7284]

I was wondering if you train your dogs to wear boots? If they are on asphalt in the summer for extended periods I was thinking of training this.

[@GoldenWolf248]

Fantastic video! I'm always worried my service dog will be seen as a fake when he makes a mistake (such as getting distracted by people or noises) so I label him as a service dog in training. Technically, he will always be in training as we are always working on getting better. I'm just not sure when I should start labeling him as a service dog (fully trained). He has already passed his CGC, CGCA, and CGCU tests and is task-trained.

[@ws90ninety]

Store owners might not know about fake service dogs. It is OK to call them out because it makes the scammer know that he/she's not fooling everyone. FAKE SERVICE DOGS MUST BE STOPPED.

[@free2bkittenforever]

How do you know they’re a scammer and not an actual disabled person simply having a bad day?

[@mirroravis]

You just missed the whole point of this video 🙄

[@nogames8982]

I have ADA service dog cards in my guide dogs, hardest pouch. I give them out to business owners all the time. And they really appreciate the information. And I tell them that they have every right to even kick me and my dog out if my dog is miss behaving. Thankfully, she does not miss behave, but if she was, they would be within their rights to kick me and my dog out. And I would not blame them. Fake service. Dogs are one of my biggest pet peeves. I admit that I have very little tolerance of them. I don’t even care at this point if a dog is a fake service dog or not, I just want them to be well behaved. And I will very definitely call out somebody with a dog that tries to go after my guy dog. It is happened several times, and I will not tolerate it at all.

[@gabrielamora6265]

How is it a scam? Are they stealing something from anyone else? People have dogs out in public all the time. It is up to the store owners to set policies on whether they allow dogs or not.If it is not your store it is not your problem.

[@ws90ninety]

@@gabrielamora6265 So, you're "one of those", huh? Why don't you just leave your dog at home? You know you CAN function without having fluffy with you 100% of the time, right?

[@alejandraarguello]

You’re incredible! This video is GOLD!

[@DoggyU]

Welcome Alejandra! I'm so glad you're finding my videos helpful!

[@xBloodxFangx]

I have autism and look “normal”. I self trained my service dog who is a doberman and yes I got my vest from Amazon cause thats what I had access to. He is 100% trained and does well in public and has been for 9 years now. Yet even when he is calm, focused and behaving we have been harassed for faking. We also have had “service dogs” lunge and attack several times who look like “friendly” service dogs.

[@kitsuneayano]

My family owns a rejected guide dog when my brother and mother were still training that dog and in guiding eyes for the blind , only reason why we got to keep her and she was rejected was her ear infections , without that she would be able to be a great guide dog and tho still is for my brother who needs her a lot since he has a lot of mental disabilities, tho I wished the fake guide dogs weren’t as much in public or media , or I don’t know if it’s legal or illegal for our dog to help my brother and still appear publicly with her service jacket , which we don’t do in general, but for unique circumstances like that it wouldn’t be completely morally wrong since the dog had training experiences , besides that by now she’s almost a senior dog and too used to being a house pet , I would still like to go back to the guiding eyes for the blind for the experience again . To see the dog we raised graduation and matched with someone

[@alternaterikku]

Yes my service dog makes mistakes and that is okay

[@Jschraft4971]

Thank you! I am currently owner training my SD prospect. She is a 3.5 lb chihuahua that is 7 months old. I am taking it very slowly because I need to get it right. We are no where near ready for public access but it scares me to death due to being called out for having a fake SD. I don't need mobility help. I need allergen alerts and medical alerts. Those fake service dog videos had me to the point of being ready to just train her for the medical alerts at home and just hope for the best with the allergens. I have decided to go ahead and train the allergen alerts also, but we will see how public access training goes and if I get harassed alot or not. I am trying to learn everything I can to make sure we look as legit as possible with a 3-4 lb cutie pie.

[@CleverClover2023]

Speak up everytime you see a pet in a place they dont belong. Be prepared to protect your pup. Learn the ADA law, get law cards and be prepared to educate. Get her a professional In Training Vest (TaskingThroughLife is a great site and very well made). I personally worry more about people than other dogs. People are rude and probably will ask about your dog or try to pet her. Advocate for her and you will be fine.

[@dawnswkt]

Even if my dog is a was a service i would never post about that part on social media b/c of the call out culture , i have noticed it is very toxic environment, and i don’t have the spoons to deal with that , i just post our adventures and that’s it i like to keep my social media a positive place , Just want to say thanks for all your videos they are very helpful, in our training journey ❤

[@DoggyU]

Thank you Dawn :)