It's sad. Service dogs are doing important jobs but people treat them like objects to gawk at.
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Asperger's & Autism Forum
Kisa the tea
Misery
Honestly I think people just get really enthralled just by the presence of a dog that anything else wont occur to them. And Enzo really is quite striking, no wonder people are drawn to him.
Misery
I'm curious, what do you do in those sorts of situations? When people come up to you and whatnot.
Gerontius
Walking in somewhere as a nice looking lady with a nice outfit leading a champion show dog is a recipe for drawing attention. People enjoy seeing other people look nice..
Gerontius
Perhaps a vest for him stating he's a service dog and needs left alone?
I don't mess with service dogs--they are at work.
I don't mess with service dogs--they are at work.
Forest Cat
Do they know he is a service dog and what that means? It sounds like they really like Enzo and are excited to see him again.
All-Rounder
Aww, sounds stressful. Some service dogs are trained to keep people away especially from people's backs because it's a particularly vulnerable spot for victims of abuse.
All-Rounder
I stay at a distance from dogs with a service vest because they have to find their master spots for rest and stress and pathways to safety if they are overwhelmed and dogs in general because some are untrained or some have a dislike of touch or closeness or the owner does not like it. I love dogs but abstinence is important.
Rodafina
Luca, I think you’ve mentioned it but I forget… Does Enzo wear a service dog vest when you guys are out?
oregano
I've noticed in your pix that Enzo doesn't seem to wear a formal service dog vest when you are out with him. Some people may think he's just a cute emotional support dog and not a formal service dog. You should go to the service dog association in Massachusetts and get him a formal vest. They say "Service dog don't pet me I'm working".
oregano
Most stores have a policy where employees cannot interfere with a service dog wearing a formal vest, and if they do they can get fired. Outside of stores most people are smart enough to stay away from a dog with a vest.
oregano
For a while a cashier at the Raley's (supermarket) in Yreka had a companion service dog, and it wore a vest and lounged on a dog bed and watched his human. I never saw anybody approach the dog and if they did they were warned by the other front end staff.