You're walking down the aisles in your local supermarket, and suddenly you see a dog. There's a dog in the supermarket. Your first reaction is to squeal, "Puppy!" Then you notice that the dog is marked as a service dog. Instead of trying to excitedly greet the dog, you decide to ignore his presence and go about your business. You have just made a service dog handler's day.
The following quotes are from service dog handlers.
1. "How to make my day as a service dog handler? When people address me directly and ignore the fact that there is a 120 pound dog standing next to me." - Kwyn Dragyn
2. "Treat me like anyone else out in public. Talk to me, not the dog." - Jen Keel
3. "If you want to know about my service dog, Whyatt, I would prefer that you come and ask me. I'm usually happy to answer questions and I always prefer that to horrible, awkward stares. If you want to pet him, I'm usually pretty accommodating, but please don't just come and distract him. It could really put me in danger." - Jennifer Barrios
4. "I wasn't having the best of days, but I went shopping at our local mart anyway. As I rounded a corner to go into an aisle, there was a mom and two teenage girls at the other end. I started to turn around to leave the aisle when one of the girls said, 'Aww, look at the dog.' Without missing a beat the other girl exclaimed, 'That's not a dog. That's a service dog!' I came across them in another part of the store, so I thanked them for putting a smile on my face and turning my day around." - Myke Goings
5. "It makes my day when someone says, 'I didn't realize you had a dog with you! She is so quiet and well-behaved!' That makes me feel great because I've put so much time and effort into training my pup and it's nice to see it paying off!" - Ashley Qualls
6. "A surefire way to make my day is to tell me that my service dog is well-behaved. People always tell me that he is pretty. That's true for sure, but what we spent hundreds of hours on is training!" - Caitlin Dobran
7. "Way to make a service dog handler's day: Address the handler, not the dog." - Destiny Lynn Chase
8. "Treat a service dog as if it was a piece of medical equipment. A person in a wheelchair would find it not only very odd, but extremely offensive if you talked to their wheelchair rather than them. The same can be said with a service dog." - Sam Short
9. "My six year old great niece has helped me train my service dog since she was only four years old. I love when I hear her advocate and explain to other children and adults about service dogs. Education is the key for understanding, acceptance and making things safe for service dog teams as well as the public." - Rita Gallegos
10. "Ways to make my day: respecting my space and maintaining it." - Lucy Bourque
11. "One time I was at the grocery store with my service dog and we came across a family who had young children. One of the kids spoke up and said, "We talked about helper dogs in school! That dog must be really bright. Only bright dogs can be helper dogs. Our dog could never be a helper dog." - Alecia Frazier
Next time you see a service dog, remember these quotes and make a service dog handler's day!
