Everything You Need To Know About Service Dogs

The answer is generally no, there is not a mandatory and/or federally recognized registry. There are other registries, some with meager government ties that the person could be referring to, or they could have just been scammed by an online registry.

Whatever the situation, no registry would stop you and your coworkers from asking him to correct the behavior of the dog or asking him to remove the dog if he cannot correct the behavior. Service dogs cannot alter the main function of a public entity that they enter, and that includes blocking aisle so people can’t get where they need to go.

Here are the basic service dog laws (note the .gov) and you can see it clearly says the dog must be under control and the handler not controlling the dog is one of the few times you can request the service dog be removed from the premises. While a leash is not necessarily needed to control the dog, if they are leashless the dog must then be controlled by voice or body commands.

To do this properly, you must first request the handler take effective means to control the dog and give them a chance to do so. If he does not, you may then ask him to remove the dog while giving him the chance to return and obtain goods or services without the dog.

I answered the second question with my usual “Mobility and psychiatric” but they pressed me further which confused me and said “well like, what does that mean. I don’t know what ‘mobility’ means. What tasks does she do?”

I was extremely confused, as was my mom, like did they want me to divulge my medical needs? My mom ended up helping and saying snarkily “she helps make sure she doesn’t fall”

Was the person asking in the wrong, or should i have answered differently?

Wow, it's been a while since I've answered any questions. Years even?? I've been real busy with my personal life. I'm probably going to continue not answering stuff often lol but here I go!

The person who asked you what tasks your service dog performs was in the right. The two questions businesses are allowed to ask are whether the dog is trained to assist with your disability, and what work/task(s) the dog is trained to perform. (src)

They aren't allowed to ask what kind of disability you have, but they are allowed to ask, as they did, what specifically is a thing that your dog is trained to do that helps your disability.

For your situation I assume as a mobility service animal your dog may be trained to brace and be used as support when you are unsteady, or pick up dropped objects. Or if you fall, your dog may be trained to get help or assist you in getting back on your feet.

Psychiatric service dog tasks can include alerting to a medical episode (you don't have to say it's psychiatric in nature unless you feel comfortable doing so), reminding you to eat or take certain medications at specific times, or guiding you out of a building safely.

That is of course a short non-exhaustive list of potential tasks, but there you go.

For further clarification, businesses are allowed to ask what your dog is trained to do to help you, but they cannot ask for a demonstration of your dog's trained tasks.

When I stay in a hotel with my service dog, I don’t call ahead or anything, I usually just walk up to the front desk with him in his gear and check in. I don’t believe I’ve ever had a problem doing something like that before. If you do, treat the challenge as you would any other public access one. This is a service dog, two questions, and everyone should go to sleep happy. Def don’t pay any extra fees, absolutely not allowed.

thinking of getting a pull strap but we have balance issues and don’t know if a pull strap would knock us off our feet

Here’s a post about the difference between a lot of the most common gear you’ll see on service dogs.

Typically they either find a trainer who can perform that test or who is experienced in training for that test, or they just. Don’t, ever. It’s not a requirement.

what would be the correct attachment for going on stairs? a guide handle or a pull strap?

Pull strap. Absolutely do not use a guide handle for balance purposes when going down stairs; do not use it for balance or momentum purposes at any point in time.

I was wondering if using a guide handle for someone that isn’t hard of seeing would be bad? I have a reason that in my mind is ok, but I wanted to make sure that when I do eventually get an SD that using that handle wouldn’t be means to cause a stir with others.

My second question is if I were to get a breed that home insurance sees as “aggressive” would I still get charged extra for that? Thank you in advance!

Uhh well there’s not a rule you can’t use a guide handle or anything, it can certainly be helpful for someone who isnt blind. It’s generally not considered best practice to use one for legitimacy, so like in situations where you have it and people see it so they think your dog is a guide dog rather then the typically less recognized types of service dogs. That said, if that’s something you think can really help you with public issues, then go for it, because your wellbeing is more important than “best practice”

We typically recommend A Dog Who’s Always Welcome and the Teamwork Service Dog Training products.

The good thing about “find a” tasks is that it’s not that hard to generalize them. The tougher ones are other people and cars, but if you can locate a tutorial on how to find another person or another important item, then sub chair in place of that item, that should work nicely for you.

My suggestion would be to be minimally responsive. Don’t make any contributions to the story and when they’re done telling it, say something like “my condolences” or “i’m very sorry” and don’t engage further. They shouldn’t expect people to want to engage with them at such an emotional level in public and that sort of distant response will remind them of that.

I’m sorry it’s hard for you emotionally, I can totally understand that. But it really is best for you to at least pretend the story isn’t effecting you, because that’s part of what’s going to make them realize they’re committing a social faux-pas by dumping all of this on you

It’ll be active when I have the time and ability to manage it.

Very illegal. This article by the Job Accommodation Network is super helpful and gives a ton of information about going to work with your service dog. They specifically talk about allergies in it too.

Of course not. Whoever said that is an idiot and a jerk. Always trust the ADA laws (that you can see on a .gov) before just anyone running their mouth.

Been to jury duty with my service dog, they have to let you in. Security at the door tried to stop me, asking for papers, but called his supervisor or something and they let me in and had someone escort me up which I thought was funny.

Uh yeah. Like those are tasks. Any action a service dog takes that they have been trained to do specifically for the purpose of mitigating your disability is a task. That’s what task means.

If your dog caused a ton of damage or like an excessive mess, yes. But if you left the room normally with just like a little bit of hair then no, it isn’t legal. 

If you’re talking about that video of the shepherd mal thing that is in a training facility it is a video that is showing how he is NOT a service dog and cannot be one because of his drive. So no, a dog would not be a service dog if it had those issues. That’s the point of the video. He isn’t one because his ball drive and toy drive is way too high. 

And it was a pretty funny video. (: