Lancelot PTSD SDiT practicing at Petco

     
       Lancelot training at petco. We're trying something new at the end of the video. Apparently he only likes to take things TO me and not FROM me to someone else.. lol. We'll work on it. This is his first time being trained to do it. He did it on his own at the zoo with his water bowl, which was a huge surprise to me. Now I'm trying to teach him to do it on command. After that is mastered, then we will use that command to tell him to "go get ...... and bring it to mom" or "go get ....... and take it to .......".

      We also practiced distraction training and socialization with small animals while at petco. The only animals he was interested in were guinea pigs, ferrets, mice, and fish.  He didn't care about anything else, which surprised me because at the zoo he was pointing at the snakes to show me where they were. We're working on teaching him to point at all snakes to alert me if we ever see one out of a tank..

       His "stay" is also getting GREAT! I walked out of his sight, around a few isles and then back and then I went halfway across the store before he thought he should get up. We're working on not getting up at all unless I tell him to or unless he needs to alert me. More videos to come soon!

Service Dog in Training at the zoo

       So I went to the zoo today with Sir Lancelot (16 weeks), my Service Dog in Training. I couldn't have been more nervous because he's still a puppy. I wanted to take Addy, but I happened to have Lancelot the night before, so he's the one that got to go. But he was absolutely amazing. He was the perfect example of a model service dog (in training). He did everything right; didn't bark at any of the animals even though MOST of them were interested in him and came up to say hi! This was the most fun Zoo trip I've ever had.  I've never taken a Service Dog to the zoo before because I've always been nervous of them causing a scene due to the strange animals that they've never seen before. Anyways, it was a really great day.

       We did start off with a minor access issue because apparently "in training dogs in Missouri aren't welcome in the zoo; only full service dogs", but we talked to the ranger and he let us in because "trainers are allowed to have in training dogs, but not disabled people with in training animals" (which is true for Missouri). I live in Illinois. Since I'm also the trainer as well as the disabled person, it worked out. The only things we weren't allowed to do were go to the antelope house or play with the goats at the petting zoo (the zoo is legally allowed to do that). But I didn't mind.  So first we went to the snake exhibit house,  and apparently Lancelot can spot snakes IMMEDIATELY and points for me! I'm happy about that. Then we went to the lemur house and all the lemurs were so excited and interested in him! It was the cutest thing!  I have decided I'm getting one. Then we went to the big cats area and the pumas were super interested in him and came right up to the fence to check him out!  I wanted to snuggle with them; they acted exactly like huge house cats (curious of him but nervous, but kind of wanted to play). Then we went to the apes house and the gorillas and orangutans were super curious of him. The orangutan swung over to the glass, pounded on the glass 3 times and then tried to interact with Lancelot.  I'm really surprised he didn't bark or flinch at the pounding on the glass (I did). And then we went and watched some seals preform and they blew whistles and yelled and Lancelot just sat and watched,  cocked his head and sat still. And then we went to the polar bear exhibit and the polar bear played with him!! I'm not even kidding!  The polar bear acted like a dog,  pouncing to play and following us! He was my favorite. He was seriously the cutest thing I've ever seen in my life! I've decided I need to adopt a Polar Bear and train it.  I'll post the links to those videos at the end.  A stranger recorded the bear and happened to get on camera where the polar bear was playing with Lancelot.  <3 So she sent the videos to me after finding me later in the park. Then we went and saw elephants and Lancelot was interested in them and put his paws up as if to say "What are we looking at over there, mom?" (So cute)

       I wish my phone wouldn't have died because those were seriously some precious moments.  I'll have to go again with a full battery. He even rode the train and was PERFECT. He's never ridden a train before. He even alerted when I sneakily did a surprise drill with him of hidden shakey hands. The only thing Lancelot didn't like were the penguins, because the floor was wet and it was in a cave. But we got to go through one of those spinny doors and he's never experienced that before. Another thing he did was a huge surprise to me. I gave him water in his collapsible bowl and when he was done drinking, he flipped the bowl over, stepped on it to collapse it,  and then brought it to me! I didn't teach him this, but I am totally going to mold that into a task! I am so proud of my boy. I could not be more proud of him for being a model citizen Service Dog. He didn't do ANYTHING wrong and I was worried for no reason. I am so proud. I am so glad that I took him to the zoo. I am going to try to take him often so that he can get socialization and so that I can train his reaction to the snakes into an alert to warn me if he sees a snake in the future. Here's some cute pictures I got before my phone died. But just FYI, the zoo is WAY more fun with a Service Dog to lure the animals over to you.  Lol!

3 Polar Bear-playing-with-Lancelot Videos: 

https://youtu.be/ErWlHbgYIO4

https://youtu.be/fiqPnC4RAzo

https://youtu.be/S5tTZRcTQKk

Sir Lancelot: PTSD Service Dog in Training at Walmart

Sir Lancelot task training at Walmart at 2 AM. 16 weeks old. Alerting to shakey hands, alerting to harmful behavior (nervous scratching/picking), and training to alert to tapping feet. This dog never ceases to amaze me with his intelligence.

Sir Lancelot learning to turn OFF lightswitches

Every once in a while, we need a friendly reminder that Service Dogs are not robots.. This is one of those times. He's doing well with his progress, but this was a VERY VERY busy day for him and he was tired.

Sir Lancelot PTSD Service Dog in Training at Starbucks

Sir Lancelot practicing his task training at Starbucks. He just learned to flip light switches the night before. Might as well get some educational Service Dog information out there while I'm there! :)

Sir Lancelot PTSD Service Dog in Training : Lightswitches

I'm sorry about the aweful music. It was not my choice as we're at a bar with a juke box. But this is Sir Lancelot figuring out how to turn on a light switch! I love this little genius.

Sir Lancelot PTSD Service Dog in Training: Touch Command

This is Sir Lancelot's first official step in Service Dog training. In this video, he is learning the touch command in order to be able to alert to shakey hands to prevent panic attacks before I have one. This is from step one to show you all how I train this task, although this is not his very first time learning this; we practiced in a quiet place first about 10 minutes prior to this video.

Sir Lancelot: PTSD Service Dog in Training

Sir Lancelot at 14 weeks old task training: alerting to shakey hands, distraction training, and beginner public access. This is at my boyfriend's work and it is a safe environment for me to train in because the people are all familiar with Service Dog etiquette and I am protected if for any reason anyone tries to mess with me or my SDiT.

Sir Lancelot: Service Dog Basic Training Training 10 weeks

This is Sir Lancelot. He is 10 weeks old and is in training to be my Service Dog for when Adira Rose (Addy) retires. Adira is retiring to breed as she was originally bought to add to my breeding program, but she started Service Dog training after my first Service Dog passed so that she could be a temporary replacement until I could find a male to become my long term Service Dog. Well, that time has come and this is Sir Lancelot of Gallifrey and he will be trained as a PTSD/Mobility dog to be my Service Dog for the long haul. This is his first step in training. I am very impressed with how fast he has learned this. I brought him home 2 weeks ago and started training last week. He's my little genius! And just look at that drive!

Sir Lancelot PTSD Service Dog in Training: Basic Training

Basic Training part 2: High five and down training.

Sir Lancelot PTSD Service Dog in Training: Basic Training

Sir Lancelot learning sit

Introducing Sir Lancelot

This is Sir Lancelot. He was born July 28th, 2015 and he is a Blue Harlequin Great Dane. He is going to be my future Service Dog. As you all know, I currently have a Mantle Great Dane Service Dog named Adira Rose (Addy). What you don't know is that Addy is a temporary Service Dog to mind the gap while I found my long term Service Dog to replace my first Service Dog, Simba. Simba died of bone cancer almost a year ago now.. Addy has been my Service Dog for a little over a year, now. I originally bought Addy to add to my breeding program, but once I found out Simba couldn't work anymore, I started training Addy to replace Simba until I could get the right puppy to properly replace Simba. I have finally found that puppy. It took me about a year and 3 months, but I think I have found the perfect puppy to be able to be my Service Dog. He is an AKC Great Dane from Texas (I live in Illinois) and he is going to be huge. His mom is about 31-32 inches at the shoulders, but his dad is 36-37 inches at the shoulders. His dad is MASSIVE. Addy is currently 32 inches at the shoulders and almost a year and a half old. Sir Lancelot will definitely be bigger than Addy. His dad DWARFED Addy in size. I hope Lancelot turns out exactly like his sire. Lancelot is also a perfect color to breed with Addy. Since he is a male, he can breed without me having to worry about not having a Service Dog for many months out of the year, which wouldn't work for me. That's why I have to have a male. I also need a strong, tall male to be able to support me for those times that I need mobility support. Sir Lancelot will be trained for PTSD and Mobility and I cannot WAIT to see his progress.  

Sir Lancelot

Sire                                                                                                            Dam

Sir Lancelot 1 day old - 8 weeks old

 

Psychiatric Service Dogs

Psychiatric Service Dogs

 One topic that I am very interested in that relates to Psychology and the Law are Psychiatric Service Dogs. Of course there are Service Dogs for a lot of disabilities, such as guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf, mobility dogs for the impaired, Medical Alert dogs for things such as low blood sugar in diabetics, brain aneurisms, traumatic brain injuries, etc., but what interests me the most are Psychiatric Service Dogs, used for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Autism, Anxiety, Panic Disorders, and other hidden disabilities. The reason that I am so interested in Psychiatric Service Dogs is because I, personally, have a Service Dog for my PTSD.

While the laws are different in every state regarding Service Dogs, one thing we can all count on is the Federal Law’s version of the law, which every state has to abide by. According to the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA), Service Animals are defined as dogs or miniature horses that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as Service Animals under the ADA. ("Service Animals."). There is a fine line between Psychiatric Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals under the law. Psychiatric Service Animals are for disabilities such as PTSD, suicide prevention, Autism, Anxiety, Panic Disorders, etc. Emotional Support Animals are for comfort, only. Emotional Support Animals are basically pet dogs who are trained to comfort their owner for their depression, anger issues, etc. Service Dogs require the owner to have a disability, and they are not considered pets; they are working dogs.

Service Animals do a lot to help people with disabilities cope with everyday life.  For someone with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), everyday life is very hard without a Service Dog. I attended years of therapy after being attacked and forced to watch my father kill himself, and therapy did not help; pills did not help. I talked to my doctor about Service Dogs for PTSD after hearing about Service Dogs for Veterans and he told me that a Service Dog might be exactly what I need. My Service Dog has been training for over a year, now and she has learned to prevent and stop panic attacks, stop flashbacks, wake me up from nightmares, she performs Deep Pressure Therapy (DPT) when I have bad anxiety, and she also helps me walk when my knee gives out, unexpectedly from being broken a few years back in the traumatic event. Without my dog with me constantly, I would be an emotional wreck. Certain things trigger my panic attacks and my dog can sense a panic attack coming before I can. Without her with me, I would break down for the whole world to see and judge me for. Psychiatric Service Dogs (PSDs) are also for disabilities such as Autism or panic disorders. A lot of children and adults with Autism cannot express themselves, as most of them do not talk. These children usually keep to themselves and are scared of strangers or new people. Service Dogs make people with Autism (especially children) more secure with themselves, and able to meet new people without being so scared of the unknown. Outings to public places can become less stressful and families can enjoy greater freedom and mobility. ("Autism Speaks”).

Under the American’s with Disabilities Act, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the general public must allow Service Animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go. ("Service Animals.").  This includes restaurants, shopping centers, libraries, hospitals, public transportation, as well as most other places. The only places that Service Animals are not allowed to go are Sterile Environments, such as a burn unit, or inside an operating room, or in a church if the church does not welcome the animal. Churches are allowed to say no to Service Animals because there is a separation of Church and State in our country. Unfortunately, that gives Churches the right to deny or refuse Service Animals from entering the building if they choose to.

            When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task. ("Service Animals."). There is no such thing as certification for Service Dogs. People may register their dog online and get an ID for their Service Dog, but those registries and IDs have no legal bearing, because there is no such thing as a Service Dog registry; they don’t exist. Any registration or certification for service dogs is fake, and usually, that is the easiest way to tell if the Service Dog team is fake. Most people with disabilities that choose to have a Service Dog help them know the laws and they know that there is no certification for them. There are on the other hand, training requirements. No 2 dogs are trained the same, which is why there is no certification. There are so many different disabilities and so many different kinds of tasks that Service Dogs perform that it would be impossible to test them all in the same way to get them certified. Most Service Dog handlers choose (they are not required) to get training certifications, such as the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. That test requires 10 things in order for the dog to pass. The dog is required to Accept a friendly stranger without acting shy or aggressive, sit politely for someone to pet the dog without the dog reaching for the evaluator to pet them, they must be well groomed and not be afraid or act aggressively to a stranger grooming the dog with a brush, they must be able to walk on a loose leash without pulling, they must be able to walk through a crowd without being distracted by the crowd members or going to sniff the people, they must Sit, Lay Down, and Stay on command, come when called, act politely when introduced to another dog, not freak out by distractions such as a person on a bike riding by or a door opening or shutting, and they must behave without whining or barking when separated from their handler. (Evaluator Guide AKC Canine Good Citizen Program).  Most Service Dog owners choose to have this evaluation completed to be able to prove in court that their Service Dog is properly trained and behaves in public if they ever end up in a lawsuit because of discrimination that happens very often. In 2 years, I have had 2 major discrimination events happen while out in public because of my Service Dog, and I am currently in the process of suing a local bar/restaurant for assault and battery as well as discrimination because of my Service Dog. Because the ADA is federal, it is breaking a Federal Law to discriminate against a Service Dog. The bouncer at that restaurant/bar decided that he did not want my Service Dog to be in the building, so after I told him that I was not leaving because it is illegal for him to ask me to leave, he decided to use the leash to choke me and force me out the door that way. Discrimination happens very often with Service Dogs, unfortunately. According to the ADA, a person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his/her service animal unless the dog is out of control and the handler does not take effective action to control it or if the dog is not housebroken. ("Service Animals.").  Allergies, fear of dogs, and local health code laws are not legal reasons to deny a Service Dog from a building that allows the general public. When a person who is allergic to dog dander and a person who uses a service animal must spend time in the same room or facility, for example, in a school classroom, restaurant, or at a homeless shelter, they both should be accommodated by assigning them, if possible, to different locations within the room or different rooms in the facility. ("Service Animals."). People with disabilities who use service animals cannot be isolated from other patrons, treated less favorably than other patrons, or charged fees that are not charged to other patrons without animals. In addition, if a business requires a deposit or fee to be paid by patrons with pets, it must waive the charge for service animals. Basically, Service Dogs are medical equipment and are compared to items such as wheelchairs or oxygen tanks. The disabled person cannot be told that the Service Dog is not welcome, because it is not a pet; it is medical equipment.

Until recently, I did not know that there were categories of Service Dogs. I did not know that Psychiatric Service Dogs had their own category and are treated any differently than other Service Dogs. I have had a Psychiatric Service Dog for 2 years, and I always categorized it with all the other Service Dogs. I recently found out that Psychiatric Service Dogs can be discriminated against a little bit, but only at airports. Airports are required to allow Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals fly in the cabin with the handler at no cost, but airports are allowed to ask Psychiatric Service Dog Handlers to provide a doctor’s note before boarding the plane. The airport may not ask for a note for any other kind of Service Dog, but they are allowed to require notes for Psychiatric Service Dogs and Emotional Support Animals. Airports are also allowed to ask what the disability is. Most places, like I stated earlier, are only allowed to ask if it is a Service Dog, and what tasks the dog performs, but airports are actually allowed to inquire about the disability itself. According to the Air Carrier Access Act, Carriers shall accept as evidence that an animal is a service animal by written documentation, presence of harnesses or markings on harnesses, tags, or the credible verbal assurances of the qualified individual with a disability using the animal, unless the animal is a Psychiatric Service Dog or an Emotional Support Animal. ("Details of the Air Carrier Access Act."). Carriers must permit a service animal to accompany a qualified individual with a disability in any seat in which the person sits, unless the animal obstructs an aisle or other area that must remain unobstructed in order to facilitate an emergency evacuation. ("Details of the Air Carrier Access Act.").

The Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development are jointly responsible for enforcing the federal Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, and disability. (FHEO-2013-01).  A housing provider is not allowed to inquire about the nature and severity of an individual’s disability unless the tenant requests a reasonable accommodation or modification. In response to a request for a reasonable modification, a housing provider may request reliable disability-related information that is necessary to verify that the person meets the Act’s definition of disability (has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities), describes the needed modification, and shows the relationship between the person’s disability and the need for the requested modification. (FHEO-2013-01).  Any person or entity engaging in prohibited conduct, such as refusing to allow an individual to make reasonable modifications when such modifications may be necessary to afford a person with a disability full enjoyment of the premises, may be held liable unless they fall within an exception to the Act’s coverage. (FHEO-2013-01).  For example, if a tenant asks for a wheelchair ramp because he/she is wheelchair bound, the housing provider must install a wheelchair ramp at the tenant’s expense, according to the Fair Housing Act. On the other hand, if a person with a mobility related disability asks for clay or fiberglass shingles instead of the shaker shingles because clay and fiberglass shingles are less flammable, that is not a reasonable request, so the housing provider is not required to grant the request. If a person needs a Service Dog for a disability, then the housing provider must allow the tenant to have the Service Dog in the apartment/house free of charge regardless if the complex/house has a “no pets” policy.

            There are many struggles and hassles involved in owning a Service Dog, but in the end, it’s worth it. There is a lot of training that goes into owning a Service Dog, and I’m not going to lie, it’s not easy, but dogs can be the best therapy in the worst situations. Service Dogs do a lot to help people with disabilities, but Psychiatric Service Dogs in particular help in a way that is unexplainable. Before having a Service Dog at my side, I was not able to work or leave the house without being terrified of being attacked again, which would send me into panic mode. Being afraid for your life is crippling and is something that I would never wish upon anyone. Psychiatric Service Dogs do a lot to help people with psychiatric disabilities cope and move on from their past. Some PSDs will block for their owners (meaning, they will get in between their owner and the thing that their owner is afraid of). This is not to be mistaken with guard dogs. Service Dogs are in no way comparable to guard dogs, because Service Dogs are not allowed to show any kind of aggression. They are for passive guarding, only. Sometimes my panic attacks are so bad that my dog cannot stop them before I lose consciousness, so she has to lay next to me or stand over me if we are in a crowded place where people could trip over me. That is as far as protection should go with a Service Dog.  There are many things that PSDs can do for disabled people, and far too many to name, but in many cases, such as mine, Psychiatric Service Dogs help more than therapy alone, and they help the handler become a stronger person to deal with everyday struggles in life.

 

Works Cited

1. "Details of the Air Carrier Access Act." Details of the Air Carrier Access Act. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Civil Rights, 2014. Web. 19 May 2015.< http://www.disabilitytravel.com/airlines/air_carrier_act_details.htm>.

2. Evaluator Guide AKC Canine Good Citizen Program. Raleigh, NC: American Kennel Club, 2001. Print.

3. H.R. FHEO-2013-01, SPECIAL ATTENTION OF: HUD Regional and Field Office Directors of Public and Indian Housing (PIH); Housing; Community Planning and Development (CPD), Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity; and Regional Counsel; CPD, P11-1 and Housing Program Providers 7 (April 25, 2013) (enacted). Print.

4. "Autism Speaks”. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2015.< https://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science-news/parents-report-service-dogs-keep-kids-autism-safer-and-calmer?gclid=CjwKEAjwm-aqBRD39YPqhbzthzYSJACFj-AtleBf3fb1Rsn8TAheC2uRKFSTsz3CcpE77BIbAAMX5RoCgx_w_wcB>.

 

5. "Service Animals." Revised ADA Requirements:. U.S. Department of Justice, 15 July 2011. Web. 19 May 2015.< http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm>.

6. United States. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION. JOINT STATEMENT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REASONABLE MODIFICATIONS UNDER THE FAIR HOUSING ACT. U.S.C. ed. Vol. 42. Washington, D.C.: Department of Justice and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, March 5, 2008. Print. 3601-3619.

My Baby Is ONE!!!

 

 

After a very long year of training, my baby is finally One!!!!

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Training With Ducks!

Oh, you know, just upping the difficulty for Addy's "Leave it" and "Ignore" commands! We went for a walk today, and I brought my other dog (not a service dog) with us and made Addy ignore the other dog that was with us. Then they got tired, so we decided to go home and play with the baby ducks that we just got for Easter! We reinforced "Leave It" when introducing Addy to the baby ducks and she is so good with them! She is so gentle and they like her. (They don't like the other dogs so much...) Anyways, she's been doing so well that I wanted to share our progress with you and share a few of the pictures that I took today! By the way, meet Stryker Eleanor, Buckley Harold Billingsworth, McCallister Quincy Waddlesworth, Ava Renee Spashmeister, and Hugo Arnold Quackmire. :)

 

 

This is when they got tired of walking, so we decided to take a break and go to a playground. Stryker has really grown since I first brought her home!!! Addy and Stryker are only a month apart in age, but when I brought Stryker home, she was a good 8 inches shorter than Addy. She's really grown in the last couple of months! Stryker is a rescue that I recently adopted who was very badly malnourished. She's all better now and she LOVES her Addy Rose! She even gets to help train, now!

 

 

 

 

 

Addy says, "Mom, I don't know what these are, but I want to play with them." She won't hurt them, but she does very much want to play with them... She follows them around the yard and touches their butts with her nose to make them start walking. It's so cute! She's like, "C'mon guys, let's go for a walk!" And they'll follow her around like she's their mother. I love ducks. And Addy is so gentle!

A Little Moment of History

Today, my Service Dog (Addy) and I went and visited the statue and grave of the tallest man in the world.

 

Just to give you a little history lesson, he was born in 1918 and died in 1940, and still remains the tallest man in the world. His name is Robert Wadlow and he stood 8 foot, 11 inches tall and weighed 439 pounds. Holy Crap. He was referred to as the Alton Giant or the Giant of Illinois. He died at age 22. Wadlow became a celebrity after touring with the Ringling Brothers Circus in 1936. Robert Wadlow is buried in Alton, Illinois and his remains are buried in cement so nobody can dig up his bones.

Jokes That Only Service Dog Handlers Will Think Are Funny

     We've all heard the crazy questions and comments that people just seem to spew out of their mouths when we bring our Service Dogs in public.  You know the ones. "What is that dog doing in here?", "You're not allowed in here with that thing.", "Look mommy, a pony!", "But you're not blind...", "Aww are you training her for someone?", "Oh crap, a drug dog!", "Why can't I pet her? Will she bite?", "What's wrong with you?", "I wish my children behaved that well...","Can you train my dog, too?", "But you don't look disabled..", etc. So here's a few Service Dog jokes to cheer you up and make you forget all about the idiots in the world. Or not..


Person: "Is that a Mastiff?"
Handler: "Um, no - She's a Great Dane."
Person: " I didn't know they were allowed to be Service Dogs.. What does she do?"
Handler: "She prevents panic attacks, stops flashbacks, and helps with mobility."
Person: "Oh - so what's wrong with your vision?"

Person: (talking to their child) "Look at that dog, he helps that lady see."
Handler:(talking to SD) "Ugh...sorry Addy, you just got sex changed again."

Person: "How old is the service dog?"
Handler: "She's 11 months."
Person: "Wont it be hard to give her up when she's done training?"
Handler: "She's for me..."

Person: *jumps in front of handler and waives their hand in their face*
Handler: "What in the heck are you doing?"
Person: "You can see that? I was testing to see if you were really blind."
Handler: "By waiving your hand in my face??"
Person: "I didn't think you could see me."

Employee: "Is that a licensed dog?"
Handler: "No, she only has her learner's permit since she forgets to use the clutch when shifting."

Employee: "You cant have your dog in here, Ma'am"
Handler: "Um, I believe the correct wording to your question is, "Is that a service dog?"

Person: "If you're blind, how can you drive a car?'
Handler: "It's one bark for left, two barks for right. And bites my ear to brake."

Person: "What branch of the service was your dog in?"
Handler: "Isn't it obvious? Navy. She is a salty dog and a Navy Seal."
Person: "Cool!"

Person: "Is that a blind dog?"
Handler: "No, she sees just fine, thank you."

Child: "Mommy -- look!! A doggy."
Mom: "Now little Johnny, what have I told you about saying things that aren't true. No dogs are allowed in here."
Child: "But Mommy - there is a dog. It's right there" (pointing at you)
Mom: "Johnny, stop it. There are no dogs in here."
Child: "Mommy - it's right there by the milk." (as you are walking away from the milk and disappear from sight)
Mom: (finally turning around) "I told you that there are no dogs in here."
Child: "But Mommy, I saw it. I really did!"

Child: "Mommy -- Mommy -- Mommmmmmmmyyyyyy....loooooook - that lady dressed her doggy up as a horse on Halloween. He is wearing a saddle."

Man asking librarian in a frantic voice "When did the state start issuing drivers licenses to blind people?" - The man had just witnessed a Service Dog handler wearing sunglasses get in her car and drive away.

Store owner: "No dogs allowed, you are not disabled."
Handler: "Do you need proof?"
Store owner; "Yes, I need proof."
I walked to the window and pointed at my car and said: "Do you see the license plates? That is my car.."

Child to mom: "Mom, why does that woman have a dog in the store?"
Mom to child: "She's blind and the dog helps her see."
Child to mom: "But she's looking at her phone..."
Mom to child: "Well, that's because she has the dog with her!"
Child to mom: "Oooooh!"

Person: "I had a Great Dane just like that one. He was so smart. They're great dogs"
Handler: "That's cool."
Person: "He died."
Handler: "I am sorry to hear that."
(Why random people feel the need to stop me and tell me about their dog - and tell me their dog died, I am not sure)

Person: "Can my child pet your dog?"
Handler: "Can I pet your child?"
Person: "Freak!!" --{and runs away screaming down the aisle - dragging child after her and saying to child: "Never talk to strangers and never ask someone to pet their service dog!")
   Lesson learned!

Person: "I want a dog just like him!"
Handler: "I'll give you the disabilities to go with the dog"

Person: "Oh, what a beautiful dog. Are you training him?"
Handler: "No, she is mine."
Person: "Oh.. uh... so, what's wrong with you?"
Handler: "How were the results of your last (prostate or mammogram) tests?"
Person: "What?! That's personal."
Handler: "Yeah - so is asking me what my disability is.."

Person: "Is that one of them blind dogs?"
Handler: "I certainly hope not!"

Person: "It's amazing how they know!"
Handler: "It's amazing how you don't realize they're trained and it's not magic."

Person: "Oh, but you don't look blind."
Handler: "I'm not. She's for PTSD/Mobility."
Person: "Oh."

Retail store worker reaches down and pets service dog, stating: "Pet the working dog, pet the working dog"
Service dog handler reaches up and starts patting the man on his hair: "Pet the working man, pet the working man"

Hope you enjoyed today's blog! I've had a rough week and needed some light-heartedness in my life. :)

Update on Access Issues: Mac's

    Let me say, the ONLY reason that I went back in last night and today was to prove a point so that they wouldn't get away with what they did to me last night and do it to someone else in the future. My anxiety was raging last night and my dog was going crazy alerting me. (Looked normal to everyone else, but nudging me over and over and eventually whining).

     ALRIGHT, well... I went back to MACS today with a service dog advocate to try to talk to the owner/manager, civilly, about what happened last night. The owner wasn't there, so I talked to a manager. Everything was going fine until the owner burst in the room screaming at me to get out because I "struck his employee last night". I did. BUT, only because he was choking me with my leash and I got scared. And I didn't really hit him, I pushed his shoulder really hard. I purposely missed his face so that I wouldn't be starting a fight. Anyways, I waited for last night's officer to get on duty and my advocate and I went to file a formal complaint and press charges since the owner refused to talk to me today. 
    
     I went to the police station after going to Mac's first to try to work it out, talked to yesterday's cop and asked what I could do. He said assault and battery charges would not stick because I'd have to prove intent. Meaning, I have to prove that he intended to choke me. BUT,  the officer called the owner of Mac's and talked to him, told him what happened, told him that I was not intoxicated at the time and that his employees had lied to him. Mac, then called my SD advocate and apologized to her for yelling and not being willing to listen and agreed to a Service Dog information lecture for him and all his employees. 

     I'll let you guys know what else happens. We're waiting on a call to set up a meeting to talk to the owner, civilly this time. If he doesn't agree to apologize to me, get his employees to apologize to me, unban me, and punish his employees, then I will sue, picket his business, make sure news and newspapers are aware of the situation and make sure no one goes there again. Today, my advocate and I went to EVERY bar in Alton, informed them of the laws, my rights and their rights, and informed them of the situation that happened last night. So, hopefully I won't have any more problems. Hopefully...

     If any of you would like to help me and other Service Dog owners by picketing Mac's establishment with me, then feel free to! I would LOVE the company and the more Service Dogs, the better! I will be there Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm - 2 am to warn other patrons that Mac's is not Service Dog friendly and that they don't want any disabled customers, including veterans.

Access Issues: Macs Alton, IL

Ok, so I'm still a little drunk. Please pardon any mis-spellings. I would like to point out that NORMALLY, if he hadn't have triggered my PTSD, I almost always act civilly.

So, I was on a first date with a new guy (Stressful enough right?) We go to a bar to meet and we have fun playing pool, whatever. Then we decide to go to a bar around the corner to go get food and the "bouncer" refuses to let me in because of my dog. He said something along the lines of, "Could you please take your dog somewhere else because we're busy right now". I said "No. I am hungry and she is a Service Dog." He says, "Ok, but there's a lot of people here right now, so I don't want your dog in here." I said, "Regardless, I am hungry and she is a service dog and she is allowed to be anywhere I am allowed to be." At which point I started reaching for my wallet to pull out the ADA law. (I keep a copy with me at all times in my wallet). I unfold the paper and hand it to him and say, "Sir, please read this. This is the law regarding Service Dogs and our rights", and he pushed the paper away from him, back towards me. I, again, try to hand it to him, and say, "Sir, unless you want to get sued, please read this before saying anything else to me". He said, "Sue me? HA! I have no money! You won' t get anything!" At which point, one of the bartenders came up and got in my face saying, "I understand you have rights, but so does this bar. Health codes let us deny all dogs from coming in here. I'm sorry, but I don't want to get in trouble with my boss." Then I said, "Well if you don't want to get in trouble with your boss, then you need to read this" - As I handed the ADA law paper to the bartender, he pushed it away and the "bouncer" yanked it out of my hand and crumpled it up. He said, "Ma'am, I've asked you to leave and now I'm telling you. Leave." -Then he grabbed the leash.

I use a hands free over the shoulder, behind the neck and under the armpit leash for my dog. When he grabbed it, he pulled it to where the leash choked me. That is a trigger for me. Not being able to breathe and being choked is the MAIN trigger for my PTSD. When he did that, I SCREAMED, "DON'T TOUCH ME! GET OFF ME!!" and the bouncer, still holding onto the leash, tried to force me out the door (the leash still choking me). I then "punched" (kind of) in the direction of him, purposely missing his face, to push him away from me. He then said, "That's it, you're out!" And I said, "You're CHOKING ME! Get your hands off of me!" (-My date, watching the whole thing, mortified, waiting in silence)

At this point, customers are yelling at him to "leave her alone", "it's a service dog", "she's allowed in here", "get your hands off her", etc. And one customer came to his defense (that saw me push him away) and said "I've witnessed everything. You hit him." blah blah.
Anyways, I was forced to leave and I called the police. The police came, I told them what happened and they asked me what I wanted them to do. I told them I don't plan on suing and I don't care about tickets, I just want them to be informed of the law. And he said, "You still want to go back in there?" and I said, "Yeah, I'm hungry! lol". So, he went into the bar/restaurant (I have no idea what was said) and came back out to tell me that I can go back in now. After what felt like 5 minutes of the bouncer checking my ID, I was allowed to go in, and was left alone. By everyone. I got a table to sit down with my date and his friend and the waitress took our order. AN HOUR LATER, our food finally came. (I think they told them to make it take forever because of the scene I made.) At which point, there was 5 minutes until closing. They told us to hurry up and finish because at 3, we had to be out of the building, finished or not. Anyways, we hurried up and finished our food and as we asked for our check, one of the other employees came up to our table, looked at my service dog and said "I know not to F*** with you guys. How was your meal?". At which point, I chuckled and said, it's alright. Horrible treatment, cold and late food, and now we're being rushed out the door, but the food's alright." and then he went up to the bouncer, told him to leave us alone and to let us finish our meal in peace and other stuff that I could no longer hear.

As we were on our way out the door, the bouncer was still sitting there and rudely told us to have a nice night. (The kind of rude that he is forced to say those words, but he said it with the "I hate your guts" infliction with it.)

I'm not sure I'm going to go back there again. I'd say I visit there fairly frequently. I've been there 3 times in the last 2 months. The daytime bartenders know me and my dog by name and they love us. I've never been there at night before. After all that, I'm not sure if I want to go back. So I'm warning you guys. If you happen to be in Alton, Illinois, do not go to MACS. (Though they SHOULD know the law now.)

These are the marks from where he choked me with my leash.