I'm training a 10 mos old 100+ lb slightly wild Bernese boy (he's a good boy but he's a BIG puppy & can get excited)... Idiots keep running up to him and flinging their arms around his neck! ("OMG he's so CUTE and I know he's friendly, I used to have one of these") Its driving me faintly insane and I've come to the point of saying "Can't you read??? The patch says "Please Don't Pet Me" "Service Dog at Work"." At which point they apologize but the damage is already done. He's distracted.
I don't want to make him leary of strangers which will happen if I start grouching at the offenders. He's learning a quick wrap-around turn so I can block them with my body and forestall some of it.
Sadly the situation is even worse when I'm in public training the Samoyed boy... less petting, flinging themselves at the dog but WAY more stopping me to converse about him.
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Recommended Answer:The t-shirt for you is a good idea. People do not realize that 1 minute of convo results in major distraction and loss of focus for the dog. I am sure you already have handouts that you give explaining service dog etiquette, if not you may want to print some out.
What I do is have one in my hand or pocket ready to give at a second notice, if I see someone approaching fixated on the dog (you know the look) I step out in between them and offer the pamplet, as soon as they take it I say "thank you for wanting to learn about service dogs" followed immediantly by 'back to work boy/girl' and I walk away.
It gives them something to read and learn from, it acknowledges their interest and tells them politely that the dog needs to resume work. You walk away before they have a chance to protest.
Some people just dont get it and will follow you and may require a more direct 'hes working so can you please not distract him'. Some will get mad because you didnt stop to chit chat. They have no clue how many 2 minute convos that means between one side of the store and another. Sometimes we simply dont have time even as handlers to stop and chat. It is especially hard on a dog who needs to focus on ignoring people who wont let the dog ignore them.
I doubt there is any useful info in this post, I am sure you have tried anything I have listed. You might try less crowded places until his focus improves. People wont notice the patches even if they had little neon lights around them that flashed!
The handing out a pamplet and leaving them standing there is likely your best defense, at least its quick to the point and can be done with little loss of pace so from the dogs pov much less distracting. If you ever find something that works let us know!
I am currently training a red/rust cropped doberboy. I catch it from both sides, the interest in the breed because they are not common in the area and the disbelief that dobermans do make good service dogs and their brains to not continue to grow until they turn on you.
sighs
My last service dog was a german shepherd, german import lines, very large (27" 85 lb female) and very very dark marked. People were intimidated by her and approached less even tho they are considered a 'traditonal' breed. I was ask countless times 'is she a drug dog?' ' does she sniff out explosives?', while shepherds are a traditional breed they are more often than not seen by the public as police and SAR dogs. People assumed the 'service dog' meant police etc.
My choice being a dobe this time had a lot to do with the shorter hair, less shedding, less grooming, and less bulk for the height. They absolutly take up less room trying to fit under a table or in an airplane while still being large enough as an adult male for counterbalance, very smart and stable confident dogs.
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- I liked the idea of wearing a shirt warning people not to touch the service dog in training.
I know these dogs need to be socialized but a lot of the training can be done in less crowded areas. And when his training has become more dependable you can venture into more crowded areas.
Perhaps he could wear some kind of saddle with a sign attached that stands up & is easy to see, along with a shirt in bright yellow or orange.
In training Police Dogs, they are trained in a compound or river bottom or along ditch banks until they are dependable & then they are worked through crowds. Constantly changing the footings & enviroments.
Perhaps you could have some pamplets that you can hand to people starting to reach for the dog explaining what you are doing. This will take the attention away from petting the dog.
Best of luck, you are providing a wonderful service.
I really enjoyed training dogs, especially when they finially get it right. The look in their eyes & that one little proud moment of insight.
- "When we walk our puppies and people try and pet our dogs we politely but firmly ask them not to touch our dog. If questioned, we simply tell them the dog is being trained as a service dog. "
there's one suggestion...you do not have to be rude but you should stop them before they come to close to the dog.
just relax and don't let the dog feel your frustration. you should show to the dog that you do not care about these people and that neither should he.
i hope that this helped at least a little....the best of luck to both you and the dog! :)
- i think you need to wear a bright shirt explaining that the dog is working also.
- I never distract service dogs or their handlers. I won't allow my children to either. We actually ran into a service dog a while ago in the store and boy did my 6 year old want to know why he was in the store and wanted to pet him and I explained the dog was working and we couldnt disturb it.......well, he told me our dogs need to get jobs too and is obsessed with that now lol! I think getting a shirt made is a good idea but its weird to me people would do those things anyways as its obvious the dog is a working dog!!
On a side note, when I was a kid my parents friend had a seeing eye dog, a great big beautiful black lab. I went and was sitting next to the man and the dog jumped up and started whining to the man. The man said "okay go ahead" and all of a sudden I had a huge black lab licking me. The man told me I was the first person the dog had ever whined for. Guess the dog could tell how much I love dogs, and ever since then when ever he would see me the man would let him come play with me for a while :)
- HI!
I have volunteered for a facility for seeing eye dogs and yes w e wore a T-shirt that said Please don't touch the working dog! If I saw someone approaching me with "THAT" look on their face I simply said ,working dog in training and kept doing what I was supposed to do. It's not about being rude, it's about getting the dog trained.
LOL I think I trained more people than dogs sometimes.!
Let see if my fairy George shows up! He never disappoints me! Hi George! LOL
- Wear a shirt that says Caution: He Bites!. Getting him to do a wrap around turn is great, and when people do stop you, tell them you don't have time to chit chat and continue on your way.
- ... do people really say "OMG" out loud? Just kidding.
Personally, I think the T-shirt idea is probably your best bet. Make a few, each in different colors that you like. :) Sometimes patches just aren't enough.
Perhaps you could also talk to your local Petco or Petsmart about doing a "seminar" for the public about how to deal with people and their service dogs while out and about.
I kind of understand your frustration. I do my best to "let working dogs work" -- when I'm not with my own. I'm currently training my 120 lb Great Dane as my service dog. However, she's also training as a therapy dog learning to deal with the public, so for her having people come up and pet and ask questions is GOOD, something she and I both like.
What it boils down to is there are dogs/handlers on both sides of the coin, so we as handlers must deal with the public as gracefully as possible. If wearing a bright t-shirt saying "IN TRAINING" is what it takes, then go for it.
And please let me know how things work out for you. :)
- Oh, I feel your pain. I'm training a 9 month old lab puppy to be an Autism Assistance Dog. Perhaps you need a bigger cape with a bigger patch? Just kidding, in part, but the patch I'm sure looks tiny on your big 100 pound baby. People miss Jenna's sometimes and she's only 40 lbs.
I actually like the attention Jenna gets cause I'm working right now on teaching her not to solicit more attention when it stops.
I really don't have very many ideas for you, except the patch that's as big as a billboard that says Do Not Pet, Or Mommy will Bite you. I have a friend who may be able to help you with that.
perhaps a Yahoo group I'm on Owner Trained Service Dogs for Beginners may have some pointers (it's not all beginners).
Anyway, good luck.
- well...i personally KNOW better to stop a service dog in training (my hubby is a military cop and works w/K9 handlers) BUT most of the general public don't understand WHY you shouldn't bother a service dog that is *working* or training.
perhaps you and some other fellow service dog trainers in your area could set up a public awareness meet and greet in some public spot, like a mall or city park. you could put on a demonstration for the public and explain what service dogs do...and tell them what the public should NOT do when they see these dogs in a public setting. you could do this once a month or so. it would be informing the public and getting your message out there to "please do not disturb" while in training.
also call up local TV news and radio stations...and see about some airtime to talk about your service dog(s).
i don't think these ppl are idiots, just uninformed and curious.
BTW-thank you for dedicating your time to train these animals!
**i have an aunt that is blind, and has a seeing eye dog**
*edit* im in no mood today....Thumbs down fairy...kiss my white @ss.
- I always respected the 'Dog at Work' signs. When I was younger (>10) I might go up, and say something like, "Hi, I like your dog" to the trainer, but that's it. Never asked to pet the dog, and never took up more than a moment of the trainer's time. Now, normally, probably because I'm older, I just watch from afar; maybe smile at the handler.
I don't get why people ignore the signs. Kids do it just because they get overexcited. A lot of people just aren't wired to read at first sight. (I read just about everything I see, so words are usually the first thing I notice...)They see a dog, and their brain says "OMG cuuutttteeeeeee!", so they react on that, never noticing the polite requests. But that's part of being in a mostly animal-loving culture, I suppose.
What you're doing is a public service, and I respect that. But I just don't get how others don't.
Best thing to do is to keep correcting people gently. Eventually people will get the idea, and the people you've corrected will probably never do it again.
Good luck with the dogs!
- I think you need a shirt that says, "Don't touch the dog, the owner bites"
People are such morons.
The only other thing I can suggest is working him through the distraction. In other words, don't allow him to be distracted but insist he focus on the job at hand. After all, he will still encounter morons when his training is finished and he's working for real.
EDIT: Because Bassets are so cute and harmless-looking, it's quite common for parents to let their little children run up and pet or hug my dogs. WTF are they thinking? My dogs are not used to children, and although MOST of them will be just fine with this there are two that would be frightened and might bite if a child ran up and grabbed them.
- you know what - a lot of even pet owners can understand and relate to what you are saying. i have an on-leash aggressive dog and quite frankly, I don't want anyone coming up to him at all on walks. I have two pitbull lab mixes, and little wee children come screeching up to them and want to pet them and who knows what else.
I never ever let people's kids pet my dogs if their parents aren't around - and um - how often are kids parents there? - practically nil.
So even though I don't have service dogs I can totally emphatize. I say it now when people ask to pet, I say, nope sorry we are in training.
I think a t-shirt is perfect- and get a sweatshirt too for colder weather.
- I don't know how to keep people away, I am not out there training a Service dog but I have the same problem with people..
When I see someone working a Service Dog, I watch from afar and do not bug or interfere.. I figure if they want socializing, they'll see me watching and approach me.. If not, I am not going to be the one messing with the training!
- Unfortunately, all people see is the dog. My hearing dog is a large (28" at the shoulder), white standard poodle. Security guards have told me that dogs aren't allowed in their mall, then claimed that they didn't see the bright orange service dog vest when I pointed out that he is a service dog. If they don't see the vest, they don't see the "do not pet" badge.
To make matters worse, most people don't know what a service dog is. All they know about is guide dogs. Most people think, if it isn't a black lab in a guide dog harness, it isn't a service dog. Most people have no idea what distracting a service dog can do. I printed cards that briefly describe the major types of service dogs and mention possible consequences to distracting a service dog. (When I am crossing the road, I need to know about the emergency vehicle running the light with its siren blaring. A diabetic needs to know that he will go into a coma if he does not take his medication immediately.)
The biggest problem are the people who feel that the rules do not apply to them. I try to explain things politely. If that does not work, my dog is trained to step away from people and put me between himself and whoever is trying to pet him when I use the "leave it" command. (I hate to do this because we volunteer at hospitals and seniors' homes with a therapy dog group.)
Having a shirt printed that says the dog is in training, please do not pet will reduce the number of people who bother you, but it won't help with the ones who don't think the rules apply to them. I wish I could offer some advice, but other than educating people, there is little we can do.
- One thing we try where I volunteer is when we are out doing public training is to go in pairs (if you can). You have a blocker and you.... When we go to the mall - we have 3 people. Can you get a couple of your friends to help on occasion?
What about making up cards to hand out? We've done this as well. They simply say - We aren't trying to be rude. We'd stop and chat but this dog is in training and he can't stop right now - it's distracting to him. To learn more about service dogs - a link to our website. Literally, you hand the card and keep walking. It explains it all. That combined with the shirt (we wear our logo shirts) but I like a BRIGHT RED shirt saying SERVICE DOG IN TRAINING. Combine those 2.
It helps because so many people have no idea.
Just a couple of ideas that work when our handlers are out and about.
- Tough issue. On the one hand, it's a lot of your time and distracting to the dog. On the other, it's an opportunity to do a little public education, and the dog will probably have to deal with this once it goes into service. Perhaps the T-shirt with large, bold lettering front and back might help. In terms of maneuvers, maybe a quick sit, stay, then just step in front of him
Sometimes I just want to smack people who run up and grab a dog without so much as a please, may I. It's bad manners at best, and dangerous at worst.
Thumbs up to you for training service dogs.
- I highly agree... Bright, neon shirt, big bold black letters.
People don't seem to understand.
Whenever I see a working dog, I will stand back and admire the work and then if the person wants to share with me I will talk to them, but I never go up to them and fling my arms around their dog or even do things to get their attention.
I have had younger working dogs in training come through my gate at the Seaport, and I will comment on how lovely they look and ask if they are able to be pet, because I understand that sometimes they are in a stage where they are being socialized and its ok for them to be pet, but under their handlers terms.
I know how difficult it can be training a non working dog, I really give you credit for doing this and wish you the best of luck.
People really need to be more educated about how to react and heck... They need to learn how to read.
Maybe the fact that the husky and bernese are not like the labs, goldens, or shepards that people normally see and associate with working dogs and training, that they think its ok to behave like idiots.People have such one track minds, that I wouldn't put it past them.
But yes, BIG NEON SHIRT IN BOLD LETTERS, maybe even one for your pups as well.
Thank you for devoting your time, energy, and patience to the training and raising of such wonderful animals.
- Oh man, these people are so STUPID. I am in junior high and I am not half so retarded.
If this keeps going on, this is a plan made up by me, not a professional, but to be used only if very desperate:
Hire some people to NOT distract him by petting, put them in a park or something where you can reserve the land for a certain period of time (so he gets used to being around people) and train him that way.
You should only use it if very very desperate because (A) I don't know if there are any land spaces like that and (B) How will you find anybody willing to do that, milling around for an hour or so to train a dog? But if you can find a spot of land like that and you can find a large amount of people willing, I say go with it.
- Since your dog is so cute and attractive to people, YOU must make yourself as repulsive to people as possible. Think body odor, unibomber hoodie, a weapon of some kind?
Seriously though, the t-shirt and handing out cards are very good ideas. But I think you must look like too nice of a person, which is really a compliment. Some people never get approached. I had a neighbor who always wore a dirty undershirt and a fur jacket around the neighborhood (combined with greasy long hair). Even in the summer. His dog was this cute springer spaniel, but for some reason they never got approached. I guess if you cultivate a serial-killer-look, your dog is left alone.
