Please Don't Pet Me I'm Working

Hello!

This might be the all-time most disregarded sticker in the world. Each of my dogs has had the 'Don't Pet Me I'm Working' patch sewn prominently on the back of their vests. Frax, being so long, has good exposure with the patch that anyone ought to see it. In all fairness, Jet was rather short-waisted, and his vest wound up under his working harness...still. The patch in all fairness ought not be needed. People really should have the courtesy to just ask if they can pet. It's stunning the amount of folks that don't have any idea what to do when encountering a service team.

They don't however. It seems that people are paying better attention to these things in the last few years. I like to think that all of us out there using these moments as an opportunity to inform rather than getting huffy about it is helping. More people will ask nowadays if they may pet. Many will say “your dog is so beautiful, and I would love to pet him, but I know I am not supposed to.” If I'm tired, or Frax is having an off day, I may very well say 'no' in the most pleasant way, and explain we are on a schedule or that it's not a good time for Frax or me. I know I don't really have to do that, but I do in the interest of making things easier for the next service team that comes up to this person, or store. If Frax and I are one thing, we are ambassadors each time we step out of the house.

If you see a service team, and the dog is wearing his vest or the entire harness, rest assured that they are working and ought not be interrupted. If it was up to Jet or Frax they would visit with every human on the planet and want to lick them all as well. That makes for a very distracted dog, who isn't focused enough to predict or help with a seizure, or assist me with walking. It is downright dangerous for their person and canine. Always ask.

One experience will stick in my mind for the rest of my life. Most electric wheelchairs are pretty heavy, even the fold-able lightweight that I am lucky enough to have. The battery is the greatest area of weight, centered nearly in the middle of the chair. It takes a lot to tip one of these chairs. They are normally very secure...except.

Frax and I were a new team and had to go to a local hospital for me to have a test. Bill was walking on my right, Frax heeling wonderfully on my left, attached to 'pinkie' my bright pink chair by a stout carabiner that had been sturdily duct-taped to my chair. A person saw Frax, actually bent down and called him to her, “here puppy, puppy, puppy!” I tried to intervene by instructing Frax to 'leave it' and luckily Bill leapt to the left side of the chair to grab the leash as it was snapped out of the carabiner, then to catch the wheelchair as it tipped over to the left, nearly spilling me on the floor!

It was terrifying for us all, and you know, that person just continued on, chuckling like it wasn't any account at all that she nearly caused a calamity for my dog and I. As it was, Frax felt badly, he knew he had broken training...but it wasn't his fault at all. We had the chair fixed in a shop, and a main part of the left handrail can never be fixed because the lightweight metal actually bowed. We had to retrofit a much sturdier carabiner on the same site as the old one as soon as we got home. All because someone didn't use their common sense and social skills. Bill and I were too stunned and busy dealing with the damage to go after the person and explain what they had just done.

In our corner of the world, people seem gradually getting better educated and at least asking before they lurch in and start petting. What if the dog was sick, or just come from a procedure at the vets?

Maybe the dog is actively doing his job, or getting tired and doesn't want visit...I sure wouldn't.

I urge folks reading this to have this conversation with friends and family. I would compare it to going out in public and grabbing up someone's baby or child to cuddle out of the mother's arms. That surely wouldn't go over too well. Nowadays they would likely be tackled by another person, and clapped in jail for breaking all sorts of social rules. It really is the same with a service team. Ask before petting or interacting with them.

I'm honored that people think Frax is beautiful and that they like him enough to want to pet and socialize with him. I get that, and am very appreciative of it. It's very difficult for me to say “not right now” to folks. I'm naturally accommodating so it's been a difficult thing to train myself out of .

Frax loves all that attention, but it isn't good for his training and working. It puts him in an untenable spot, making him think he's done something wrong, when he didn't even initiate the interaction.

This is a difficult subject for those of us who are a service dog team. We appreciate that the public appreciates our dogs. Really. We do. You will hopefully be seeing them more and more as the disabled learn the benefits a service dog can give them, enriching their life and their family's life. Help them help us all to become easy and less stressed when we go out in public!

Today we went to a local family restaurant on the opposite side of town. As we left the manager stopped us and asked if everything went OK. We said that it had and prepared to leave. The fellow wanted to speak however. He wanted to assure us that he and the staff had trained on how to act when a service team came into the restaurant. We were really stunned and amazed, but very thankful. I gave him an information card (love those things!) and reiterated how much we appreciated the restaurant's diligence. It was great to experience in person the climate change about service teams. Obviously information is getting out there to the public. I've said it many times: “information is power!”

Later...

LV, FX & JT

http://www.anythingpawsable.com/cant-pet-service-dogs/#.VVhU9GfbJdg

http://pleasedontpetme.com/etiquette.php

http://www.pacer.org/parent/php/php-c164.pdf

#workingdogetiquette #workingdogdontpet #interferingwithaservicetea