NicoleLJ, I thought of you, Ajax and Sheena when I read this. It was in Saturday's Chicago Tribune... There is a family at my church that trains puppies before they go through their assistance dog course work. They currently have their third "trainee" puppy, who -- like the other two -- is absolutely adorable. They bring him to church sometimes because the puppy is to be introduced to lots of different situations as part of training. The word has finally gotten around that if you'd like to pet him, you must ask first. they make an exception for toddlers, but many of the parents know to keep the child from petting the dog until the parent can either ask or have the child ask.
Don't distract assistance dogs
Dear Abby | Jeanne Phillips
December 29, 2007
Dear Abby: I was having lunch in a restaurant recently. Seated next to us was a family who had an assistance dog for their teenage son. I was appalled when someone from another table approached the dog, began talking baby talk to it (while ignoring the people!) and dropped a scrap of meat on the floor in front of the dog's nose.
The dog ignored the "treat," and the mother calmly asked the person to please stop distracting their assistance dog while it was working. I was dazzled by her politeness in the face of such rudeness and thoughtlessness.
Abby, people need to know how to behave around assistance dogs so they don't endanger the person with a disability or the dog:
* Always speak to the person first. Do not make distracting noises to the dog.
* Always ask before you pet. Do not touch the service dog without first asking for and receiving permission. Petting should be minimal and cease as soon as the person gives the dog a command.
* Never feed or offer food to a working dog. It distracts him and lures him away from his important job as an assistance dog.
* Do not let your dog initiate contact with a working dog while it's on duty.
* Do not ask personal questions about the person's disability or otherwise intrude on his/her privacy.
The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) ensures people with assistance dogs have access to public places and businesses. Please welcome them into your establishment.
-- Karyl Carmignani, Canine Companions for Independence
Dear Karyl: It's amazing how many animal lovers do not grasp the fact that when they see an assistance dog out in public that the animal is working. Although wanting to reach out and touch it is natural, it is no more correct than it would be to pet a dog that works in law enforcement. Thank you for your informative letter. I hope readers will learn from it because many of your comments apply to animals in general.
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