Out in Public With A Service Dog

 

Dear Readers!

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Imagine you have a disability! Do you think life is easy, -- fun???...
Probably not!

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Now you are training your service dog, or already have one- like me! Great! At least now you have help, now you can get out in public, you can have fun again! You have spent lots of money, hundreds of hours of training lessons, you practiced tireless with your doggie!

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I ask you again? Can you imagine, as a healthy person doing this, if you would have to do this?

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Do you know, how hard it is to train us to be a service dog, teaching us all the public access cues, the skills for the disability, not getting us distracted by all these different enviroments, movements, lights, different floors, and noises? Not to mention all these people that like to talk to us, or pet us, or even stare us down? Not to mention the untrained dogs barking at us? We still need to work!!!!! We might have to detect a seizure, or blood glucose change etc.! And all this, without barking, doing always what we have been asked to do, even if we have a bad day! After all, we are just doggies!!!

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Do you honestly think, if you would have a disability, you like to be stared at, multiple times per hour engaged in conversations from all kinds of people about you, and your dog? After all, you are not an entertainer, or working for a circus, I guess?  

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Do you think, you would just like to go by your business, like any healthy person??? Have your peace, enjoy your day, and relax?? After all you are out with your dog all the time. Do you think, you just don't want to talk sometimes, even though your are not an unfriendly person? I would bet you do!

Oh, and how would you feel, if you been asked about your disability, and your medical history? Would you like that?  I didn't think so!!!! 

Now think about, if you have PTSD? You like your space towards people! For God's sake, without your dog, you would not even leave your house!

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So please, next time if you see a person with a service dog, show a little bit respect! The person is not unfriendly, just going by it's business. After all, they don't bother you, the healthy one, every 5 minutes. Think about this! The person and their dog you see, is working hard as a team, just to survive the day! Thank God that you are healthy!

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And if you are so crazy about dogs, there are plenty of homeless dogs in shelters (just like I was, and my lovely siblings) that would love it, if you come by, talk to them, pet them, or volunteer to get them walked. They need the attention. Hey, they are even more happy, if you adopt one of them!

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On this note! Take care!

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Yours always,

Strudel