As a service dog trainer, I tend to have a critical eye when evaluating the relationships and level of training in other service dog teams. It is not uncommon to see dogs that aren't kept in top condition (overweight or with very long toenails) or that are more interested in what is happening around them than in their human partners. It takes work to maintain a healthy and highly functioning working team and unfortunately some people don't put in the effort it takes. For those that do, it is truly a pleasure to watch them work together so seamlessly.
I was very impressed by most of the service dogs I saw at the conference. I was also impressed by Morey's behavior around the other dogs. In the past, he has gotten a little too excited around other dogs because he thinks he is going to get to play with them. I really think his agility classes have helped him since he is now more used to being around other dogs without getting to play with them. This is a huge relief to me as his behavior around other dogs was a little hard to manage.
There was one dog that we saw a lot throughout the conference, a female yellow lab service dog. We ended up sitting across from each other during one session and although Morey stayed in a down, he was quite interested in her every move. That dog gave her human partner such great eye contact and I mentioned this to her partner when our paths crossed. It turns out her dog was trained by NEADS, a program located in Massachusetts, and they have been together less than a year. It definitely looked like their partnership is off to a great start!
This dog used a Gentle Leader (a piece of equipment that loops around a dog's muzzle to give the human handler a little more control over the dog. Although it might sound cruel it's actually not at all and is a lot better for the dog than a choke chain). My co-worker commented to me later that she was surprised to see a service dog muzzled. This gave me a chance to provide some education and launch into my "it is not a muzzle" speech. Since I don't use a Gentle Leader with Morey I forgot how much misunderstanding and confusion they cause for the general public.
There were several older services dogs who had obviously been working with their partners for many years. One of the them was an old golden retriever who was white in the face. It looked a lot like my precious Jessie and it made me tear up each time I saw this dignified dog. There was also an older black lab guide dog who was obviously quite experienced. One thing I have learned to do when I am working around guide dog teams is to let their partner know that I am approaching with another dog. This is just as a courtesy to let them know why their dog might be distracted. However, this dog didn't even seem to notice or care that there were other dogs walking by.
There were two service dogs that weren't quite as impressive. One was a Pomeranian/Chihuahua hearing dog. It would bark/lunge at other dogs if you got too close so Morey and I kept our distance. During one of the breaks, the woman with this dog came over to sit at the table where Morey and I were sitting. She explained that her dog had been brutally attacked from behind by a dog a few months ago and that ever since then her dog had been very defensive around other dogs. She said that the conference had been a good experience for her dog because it had exposed him to dogs that weren't a threat and really didn't want to interact with him.
It made me very sad to hear her story. Unfortunately it is fairly common to hear about working dogs being attacked and often their person is unable to do anything about it-especially if they can't see or hear it coming. Sometimes attacks like this force a dog into early retirement if they aren't able to recover their confidence and ability to work around other dogs without being defensive/aggressive. Some states have passed laws or ordinances that set stiff penalties for people who attack, or have dogs who attack, a service dog. However at that point the damage has often been done and no amount of renumeration can replace the working partnership you had with your dog.
I'm not sure if one of the dogs we encountered was even a service dog or just a pet that a person with a disability had brought to the conference. It was a small white dog and it often rode around on her lap while she used a wheelchair. It had no vest or bandana (which is not required) and did not seem to have any training. At one point the woman, who is a single leg amputee, was standing up using her crutches and left her dog sitting in her wheelchair which was parked near a table. The dog climbed up on the table and began eating off a plate of food that had been left there. I was horrified!!
The woman was also letting the dog run around with its leash dragging behind it. While Morey and I were leaving one day, her dog started running after us and would not come back to her when she called it. Thankfully another person stepped on the leash and was able to stop the dog before it got to us. While service dogs aren't required to be on leash they are required to be under the control of their human and this dog was definitely not under control. It is disappointing that some people choose to take advantage of the laws that provide people with disabilities public access with their service dogs. When people see dogs like this who are being touted as "service dogs" it gives a bad name to all service dogs, even those who are well trained.
Morey and I received several compliments on our working relationship from other conference attendees. A few people commented on how in tune Morey is to me and how often he checks in with me without being prompted. Sometimes I take our partnership for granted and these comments made me realize how proud I am to have such a wonderful working relationship with Morey. Like any relationship it takes work and effort on both of our parts but when other people can notice our connection it means we must be doing something right!
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