Bitten By BC Service Dog today...

[moonchild1970]

I took Popcorn to the vet today and met this seemingly nice lady, with a BC for a service dog.

Since her dog seemed to get along so well with Popcorn inside the office, she wanted to have them hang out briefly oustide, after our appts were over.

Well I went outside with Popcorn still on his leash, and she was about 50 feet away and already had her dog off leash. The moment she saw us she let her dog, J.C. off her leash and she came barreling at us!!

I thought "Uh-oh" but it seemed to start off well, until I noticed her dog J.C. kept rushing Popcorn and trying to roll him.

Then it came running up behind me, launched itself into the air and leapt up and and bit me on my left elbow when I was telling Poppy what good patient dog he was in a really high voice he just loves!!

Though it was a quick bite and release, I don't mind telling you that it hurt like hell. Thank God it didn't break the skin.

I said, "What the hell?! You're dog just bit me!"

And she said, "Oh she gets excited but usually with just kids",.

Like it was no big deal! (And this behavior from a service dog!!)

So I told her "I don't allow ANY dog to bite me. And it isn't going to happen again".

Well I noticed that Poppy saw this and heard me telling her dog, "NO BITE!"(Poppy knows what that means) and so then he started hovering around me, getting overprotective.

Well we got ready to to go And I noticed that Poppy was started to hang his head and was avoiding all eye contact with this dog J.C., which usualy means that although he trying to appease the other dog, his patience is wearing thin because the other dog won't let up on him.

The dog kept snapping and growling at him, finally he had enough and they got into it.
For like a minute straight.

I just let them sort it out, as they were just mainly bluffing and just snarling but making no mouth contact with each other and plus I really didn't want to reach in and get bit again...unless it looked like it was getting real bad.

And meanwhile the lady is proudlly telling me (for like the 20th time)that her dog is the dominant one and she has never seen her roll over for any dog.

I just couldn't believe that she thought this was acceptable behavior was from a "trained" service dog!!:yikes:

 

[Zoom]

What type of service dog? That's horrible behavior for any dog, much less a service dog.

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

Wow.

That's brutal.

~Tucker

 

[moonchild1970]

The woman has osteoarthritis and is hypoglycemic.

 

[Sweet72947]

He can't be a TRUE service dog with all the special training. Those behave better.

 

[Barb04]

Sounds more like a dog she trained herself.

 

[DanL]

Sounds more like a dog she trained herself.

And then bought a harness with "service dog" written on it so she can take the dog places with her.

 

[shadowfacedanes]

Sadly there is no official certification process for service dogs. There is a member on another forum who has a "service" dog which didn't pass formal training, so she trained it herself and bought a vest, now she takes the dog everywhere as a service dog....

From what I've read, establishments cannot question you on your disablity or the training your dog has had. This is scary.

There needs to be more government regulation on this matter...before the owners of true service dogs lose their privelidges at the hands of these do-it-yourselfers.

 

[FoxyWench]

i was going to say, sounds more like this lady saw "service dogs of any kind must be allowed anywhere the public can go" and thought "oh i can take my dog everywhere with me, did some basic traingin and bought a harness (which you can get online for under $50) by law your not required to have formal service dog training on any dog, and ive see people simply slap a harness on their dog so they can go everywhere with them, unfortunatly these dogs recive NO real training from their people. (i am fine with self trained service dogs, i myself suffer from epilepsy which both vixie and dodger "alert" to, but never realy go anywhere alone that i need them with me at all times, but the key word in self trained is TRAINED)
this seems like a case of "self trained"
there is not a single service dog training facility that will pass a dog agressive (or overly dominant) dog as a service dog as the risk of that dog not doing its job in the presence of other dogs is way too high.

I would personally talk with an animal control officer, as much as obviously she loves her dog she has absolutly no idea how to handle the dog, and takes pride in its dominance! yes you just got nipped but what heppens when the dog comes across a dog that wont back down, or a hyper child!? a service dog should remain calm and "working" at all times.
even offleash service dogs are expected to be under the control of their handler at all times.

im sorry you had a bad experience, its people like that that give every other "none seeing eye/hearing dog" a frowned upon gaze...
im just glad you and your popcorn didnt get hurt.

 

[RD]

Osteo and hypoglycemia requires the use of a service dog? I can see how arthritis would get in the way of life but to the extent of needing a service dog? I don't think so . . . My grandpa had both, as well as depression issues. He had a mini schnauzer. She was not his "assistance dog" or his "psychiatric service dog".

I have SAD. Its a problem, yes, but my dogs aren't service dogs. I take Dakota all over the place, but if someone asks me if he's a service dog I say no. I imagine a lot of people assume that he is, but since he's very well trained and impeccably behaved in public, what they don't know won't hurt them.

I don't think the dog was legit, and I'm saddened that people like that woman jeapordize the right of truly disabled people to have their service dogs. Every bite from someone's so-called service dog is a mark against dogs in public places.

 

[nikkichan]

And she said, "Oh she gets excited but usually with just kids",.

What!!?? Makes me wonder how many kids have gotten bitten!

 

[bubbatd]

She sounds like something out of " Dragnet " ...... Dum de Dum, Dum ----DUMB !!

 

[moonchild1970]

He can't be a TRUE service dog with all the special training. Those behave better.

Exactly my thoughts.

Sounds more like a dog she trained herself.

Couldn't have seaid it better myself.

Every bite from someone's so-called service dog is a mark against dogs in public places.

That is the sad thing and what really pisses me off.


I mean C'mon I would love to have Popcorn be a service dog and go everywhere with me to help me with my advancing muscle disease and all my other health probs, but I can admit he is not stable enough so I wouldn't even attempt training him. He just doesn't have to personality and the calmness, not to mention he isn't great around little kids that are strangers to him.



BTW- Her dog, J.C. , was wearing a blue vest that said, "Service Dog, Donot Disturb." Not sure if it was legit or not. I know it never passed REAL service dog training!!

I myself also have hypoglycemic blood sugar problems, and have
osteo-arthrtis and had no idea that service dogs even helped with this!!

Also, I called AC today but haven't heard back yet...

 

[IliamnasQuest]

I agree that this dog doesn't sound like a "real" service dog. I've never heard of anyone with an actual working service dog that would let it off-leash to interact like that in an unstructured situation.

Service dogs can be very handy for people with arthritic conditions, but the condition would have to be relatively debilitating for it to be a true need. I have rheumatoid arthritis and there are times I can't close my hands and can barely walk. When I was really bad, I did have my dogs bringing me things and helping me out to the best of their abilities. Because there is always the potential for a severe flare, I will train my next dog to be a service-type dog.

However, a service dog that willingly nips someone would be a huge liability - and anyone who would shrug it off doesn't deserve to call their dog "service dog". I'm sure you're not the only one this dog has chosen to nip especially given the woman's response. It's very bad PR for someone to use the term "service dog" for a dog with that poor of a level of training/socialization.

Keep us updated!

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

 

[otch1]

Hi moonchild. We are both in Washington and my having had involment with a nationally recognized organization for the physically challenged and hearing impaired, I am certain this is not a certified service dog. There are only 2 groups in our area that are really recognized nationally, as well as Guide dogs for the Blind. There is a group though (dark green packs on harness, won't give name) that have been claiming to teach owners to teach their own pets to be service dogs. It's been scarey seeing people go to them. These dogs do not legally have public access as they're simply the equivelant of a therapy dog. Big difference in service verses therapy dog certification and businesses can and do deny them public access at times, in our area. Guessing I know who the group is, did you remember seeing a name on pack? Sad, as groups like this and owners like this give some of the new organizations trying to get started, less credibility.

 

[atldoglover]

Yikes!:yikes: That's about all that I can say!

 

[Denaluvscorgis]

Wow...that's disturbing for sure. I'm glad that you're ok!

 

[IliamnasQuest]

. These dogs do not legally have public access as they're simply the equivelant of a therapy dog. Big difference in service verses therapy dog certification and businesses can and do deny them public access at times, in our area.

According to the information I found online, there's no requirement or documentation required for service animals (according to this statement put out by the U.S. Department of Justice: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/animal.htm). So while there may be groups saying that they certify, people have a right to use their non-certified dogs as service dogs too. They have as legal a right to access public places as a "certified" dog does. Public places refusing to allow them to enter are basically breaking the law.

I'm not saying it's right, but unless things have changed since the Dept. of Justice issued that statement it's the way it is. I think they may have to show proof of disability, however (the human, not the dog).

You mentioned two groups that are recognized nationally in your area - would you mind sharing the names of those groups? In doing searches online I find a lot of information but it's impossible to know which groups are more legitimate than others (they all give a good hype, you know? *L*).

I did find this and it was interesting reading the list of tasks - scroll down to "service dog tasks" - wow, that's a lot of stuff those dogs can learn! http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html

Evidently they are taught the specific tasks needed for their situation, but I get a lot of ideas from this list. I would be concentrating on bringing the phone, turning on/off lights, opening/closing doors, bringing other items, etc. for my own dog. I never thought of things like having them put dirty dishes in the sink - heck, if I handed a dirty dish to one of the dogs I have now they'd just lick it clean for me! *L*

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

 

[colliewog]

I agree that this dog doesn't sound like a "real" service dog. I've never heard of anyone with an actual working service dog that would let it off-leash to interact like that in an unstructured situation.

That was the first thing that got me! When the dogs are in public, they should be working, no matter WHAT type of service dog they are. If they do decide to let them socialize, they might let them be petted, but to run off lead? Nah. I'm in agreement with the others - she bought a harness and made herself a "service dog".

 

[moonchild1970]

Yeah and I'm thinking that if it's biting people I think it is definately time to retire that "service" dog.