1. You get tired of being asked if they’re a service animal

This has become an issue as of late due to people bringing non-service animals into public places, and they misbehave. That means every time my animal and I enter somewhere, we will now be interrupted in our tasks to defend ourselves to someone even if my dog is behaving and performing her tasks.

If you’re gonna bring your non-service animal into public anywhere, at least train it.

2. Being asked for papers and having to defend yourself is getting old

No, there are no “papers” you are entitled to see unless you are a landlord.

I get asked to “prove” that she is a service animal more often than not. It makes my time inefficient when I’m having to argue with the bagel lady that my dog who has yet to move from where I asked her to stay and took the lady 20 minutes to notice, is indeed, a service animal.

Also, FYI to everyone, if you ask someone more than “is that a service animal?” or “do you need that animal?” you can get yourself into deep legal trouble.

3. The training never really stops

People always ask me, “how did you train her to be a service animal?” expecting a quick fix to training their dog to be a service animal. The truth is, I have put a lot of time and money into training her, and I am ALWAYS training her.

That is why I ask you to not touch her until I have given her a command to deserve a reward, or get angry when people bring untrained animals into public; it all interrupts her training and mental process.

4. You dread running into untrained animals or fake “service animals”

These animals are easy to spot as they immediately start to freak out. I can’t tell you how many times my dog has been bitten by untrained dogs and just sat there; she’s trained to do that, but she still shouldn’t be put into pain because you didn’t properly train your animal.

They also can teach our dogs terrible behavior through observational learning. My dog now jumps on people she knows because of this, and now I’m having to get her to unlearn that behavior and relearn “four on the floor.”

5. Vesting up is annoying, but you get harassed if you don’t

Identification is not required for service animals to wear; you cannot require someone to put a vest on their animal, yet so many people think they have this authority.

Anyone can go online to Amazon and buy “service dog” vests and equipment, but how you’re going to know it’s a service animal is based on how well it behaves.

For some people, not vesting is more of a privacy thing; they don’t want people knowing they need a service animal. However, you’re less likely to get harassed with the “is that a service dog? I need to see papers” if you just put a vest on.

6. Nothing makes you happier than when your service dog can get their “dog time”

I absolutely LOVE seeing Poppyseed jump through the air for a Frisbee or taking her camping, hiking, or backpacking. She’s clearly the happiest in this phase, but what makes me love it even more is that she doesn’t stop being a service animal.

She will still perform her needed tasks should something happen to me during her playtime. She’s so loyal that she once stopped mid-poop to listen to my command (I didn’t realize she was pooping when I gave her the command until I looked up)... If only I had a man that loyal, right?