Community Chat

[minkbunny]

There is a little boy that lives up the lane from us that has Asperger's syndrome. He has a companion dog (a Golden Retriever) that goes to school with him and has for several years. If anybody has ever complained about it, I haven't heard it.

[minkbunny]

For those that complain about someone being allergic to a "faux" service dog, wouldn't they be just as allergic to a "real" service dog?

My edt.

[kdgn]

On 6/14/2014 minkbunny said:

For those that complain about being someone being allergic to a "faux" service dog, wouldn't they be just as allergic to a "real" service dog?

Yep!

[Q_spirit]

On 6/14/2014 minkbunny said:

For those that complain about someone being allergic to a "faux" service dog, wouldn't they be just as allergic to a "real" service dog?

My edt.

this is a good point.

[Free2be]

The primary concern is control. Does the owner have control of the animal? Pets can be home trained and be just as controlled as if professional trained.

In fact, service dogs are not required to be on a leash because control supercedes.

edited by me

[missy1]

What kind of training do "" emotional support dogs"" get? What is the criteria is which you get one? Can any Dr. Just write an RX for these dogs?

[SusyQ22a]

My neighbor teaches at a school for children with learning disabilities, ADHD, anxiety issues, students on the autism spectrum including Asperger's and they have a sweet therapy dog. It is a yellow Labrador retriever and from what my neighbor says the dog had to go through special, intense training to become a therapy dog. Not all dogs have the personality to become a therapy dog. The dog goes from classroom to classroom and visits the students daily. Students reach down and pet her. She says it is such a calming environment. Apparently the owner of the therapy dog breeds and trains dogs for this purpose. Some are just pets and some are trained to be therapy dogs.

[kingtut]

I don't know about emotional support dogs but some people have dogs for other reasons except blindness. The other day a man in a power chair had a very large lab which he said could pick up things, get things for him and he could use it for support when he tried to get from the chair to something else. It was well behaved and was allowed to be petted unlike a seeing eye dog. Near where I live there is a group which trains Great Danes to be literally support dogs -- they can be leaned on for balance and help the person to stand and I guess walk. They are seen being pre-trained as young dogs in such places as Walmart.

I remember a movie where the lawyer had a dog and insisted on keeping him in the courtroom with him. The dog was acting strangely and he wanted to leave -- in the end it turned out the dog was telling him he was about to have a seizure.

I will admit we had a lady in our community who had a so called service dog which she said she trained herself for some psychiatric problem -- to be honest the dog was certainly friendly but she never had it groomed and it was a mess/

Have known people who pretrain seeing eye dogs and they even as puppies wear a vest and act politely -- they are only allowed to be petted for a few months and then no one is allowed to touch them because they have to concentrate on their job.

[sidsmom]

I totally 'get' a service dog providing a physical need...dogs are more agile & can bark & carry things in their mouth...not many other domesticated animals can do that. ..but for emotional need?

Maybe it's not a dog that would calm me. Could be....a large snake draped on my neck. Would I be given the same rights as a support dog owner if I went into a restaurant? Physical support is much different than emotional support.

[qualitygal]

Where I once worked, a doctor had to sign a sheet my company (worked for) faxed to the doctor's office. Doctor's had to send it back that the person who'd requested a companion/health dog was truly needed.

My little dog helps me out by being my little buddy. I'd be lost w/o her companionship. My back limits what I can do, so we're home together mostly now. There has to be others that are kind of in the same boat.

She of course, doesn't go where dog's aren't allowed, never to a restaurant.

However, if someone truly needed a companion dog, I'd not want to say no to that.

I need to add, she goes with us to the nursing home and dad's so happy to see and be kissed by her. As we walk to his room, it puts smiles on some of the other patient's faces. She will see them, if they invite her over to their wheelchairs. Some of these people may not have any or very many visitors. I would like to think she's helping them too.