# Service Dog



## Punkristo (Apr 27, 2007)

I got a dog and I want to make her a service dog cause that way is a lot easier to travel with her. Does anyone know how to do this?


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## Doobie_D (Apr 27, 2007)

It doesnt work all the time but 75% of the time we used to just tell the bus driver our dog was a service dog for petty mild seizures. As in a petty mild seizure detecting dog. Apparently there is a such thing. But other than that id recommend making a service dog vest. Most bus drivers dont really question you that much about it. If they do you just flip out and scream alot. You can usually get alot of things by just demanding that you be treated with respect. Altho one time my girl friend did get slammed, repeatedly in the door by this one bus driver in Seattle. He didnt even wait to hear what she had to say just closed the door with her in it again and again. But we just recently received word that he got fired cause she put in a complaint and the bus company actually reveiwed the tape. crazy shit.


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## xmattx (Apr 27, 2007)

the american disabilities act does not require you to tell anyone your disability and they (legally) cannot discriminate against you for using a service dog. just get a vest and you should be set.


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## scottyfoothill (Apr 27, 2007)

yes, some places are satisfied with you just saying its a service animal (even without a vest), favoring a loose rule to being accused of discrimination.


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## Punkristo (May 17, 2007)

Thanks, Ill try the vest.


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## Poking Victim (May 18, 2007)

Your dog should be carrying it's own weight anyways, so get it a pack thang. I think you could probably get your dog registered as a service animal, but as stated, bus drivers can't ask about it anyways.


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## nobo (May 18, 2007)

haha. sorry, i just found this. check out the anxiety wrap or the doggles.
http://store.landofpuregold.com/clothing.htm


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## cantsay (May 27, 2007)

I know two people who have service dogs. Basically, any dog is a service dog if you say it is. that is the beauty of the law. So long as your dog is well behaved and you demand legally proper treatment, you should be able to go pretty much anywhere with your dog. it helps to have little cards with legalese on them. Print out americans with disabilities act or whatever, the part about service dogs, and have the dog carry them in his backpack, or you carry them in yours. Then when anyone hassles you you simply pull out a card with the law on it, give it to the person who is hassling you, and tell them that if they refuse you entry or service, they are breaking the law and you will call the cops.


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## Linda/Ziggy (Mar 18, 2011)

Hey,
I've met a few folks on the road/street with service dogs.

When ever I see a service dog it has several things on it's body:
=Vest with 'Service dog' printed or patched on it.
=Dog tags that say 'Service dog', 
the tag always says what service the dog provides you:
emotional support, seizures' etc.

I don;t know if you have to register a dog as such?
Try asking at a dog shelter or disability rights support service ?


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## boxofrocks (Apr 12, 2011)

Just make sure your dog is well behaved when you bring it into places. Wouldn't want to ruin it for people who actually Need a service animal. They get hassled just the same. You're legally supposed to have a doctors note I think to have a service animal. Of course you don't need any proof of a service animal on your person while going into places. It's just easier. It is illegal if they find out your dog is not a service dog, but unlikely.


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## Heron (Apr 12, 2011)

http://squattheplanet.com/diy-die/how-2/12099-taking-your-dog-everywhere.html

from what i've read, your dog doesn't need to be a registered service dog or any such thing to be considered one. so really it's just about making sure you do it right- a vest/harness like most 'real' service dogs have would help a lot with looking official- which i imagine is your number one concern. kinda like how it might be legal in a state to carry a handgun in the open on your belt or w/e, but you'd still get pigs threatening you and probably arresting you even though it's legal. same sort of thing with a service dog when you're not obviously handicapped except not so bad

i imagine if you have a 'uniformed' service dog that behaves then you'll almost never have a real problem. im considering raising a dog on the road and if i do, ill definitely get it all the service dog gear so it doesn't have to leave me every time i go into a store or w/e


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## bryanpaul (Apr 16, 2011)

make up somethin like this on microsoft paint.....you can laminate it and put it in one of those id holder doohickeys..legally you dont need it but usually it helps save you from having to argue


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## Lizzzzz (Apr 16, 2011)

i made a fake card for my dog to be my "emotional support animal" but they just recently, like in march, changed the laws on that and emotional support animals are no longer considered service animals and can't go everywhere with you now... i've never had to show my fake card but i wont be able to say she's my ESA anymore. but that siezure dog thing is still valid. so yeah, no more ESA's on the bus...


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## L.C. (Apr 16, 2011)

doggie dmv.com has all you need.


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## shanwich (Jan 31, 2012)

i travel with a REAL service dog . i hate fakers . what would your dog do if it encountered a real service dog? i can tell you - my SD has been attacked by a "vester ". the hippie douche owner went to jail for 60 days, his dog was put down , then i sued him for $5K. all the money when to retraining , it put my life in danger .


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## Asar (Jan 31, 2012)

A dog *without* a fake service vest and card can still attack you and your *real* service animal. All that having a fake one does is help people who are homeless or traveling be able to keep their dogs safe and with them at all times. Not every "vester" is a dodgy mutt trying to take your face off. 

The inclusion of a fake vest doesn't increase or decrease the likelihood of mishaps in life, figuratively and literally. I can understand the frustration but what are you doing on STP if you're so opposed to people doing what they want in spite of the law, just because of your misfortune? And to "hate" an entire group over one persons mistake and irresponsibility? 

Some dogs will always bite, there will always be shitty animal owners. Laws and hate wont fix that.


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## ayyyjayyy (Jan 31, 2012)

Thes already a fuckin post about this asshole. It's called "search" you should try it...no one likes to have to tell people the same shit over and over.


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## shanwich (Jan 31, 2012)

my SD was attacked in a store. a store that doesn't allow pets . if your going to to take advantage of a law that was made to protect disabled people - at least put "in training" on your dogs gear . sd's in training have all the same access rights as fulling trained service dogs . you have more leeway for bad behavior . and you dont have to lie about being disabled . i have no problem with "in training " dogs . but, trying to say your pet is a fully trained service dog- undermines all the work and training that real service dogs go threw .


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## Rager (Apr 21, 2012)

thats the life on the road.....crazy shit happens....oh well


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## Shakou (Apr 23, 2012)

The tags don't always work. If you want to do it right, get an actual real service dog jacket. You can buy them online for about $50. So long as your dog is well behaved, NO ONE will give you issues then.


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## Shakou (Apr 23, 2012)

shanwich said:


> what would your dog do if it encountered a real service dog?


 
Absolutely nothing so long as YOU obey the leash law and keep your fucking dog away from mine.


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## Shakou (Apr 23, 2012)

Asar said:


> A dog *without* a fake service vest and card can still attack you and your *real* service animal. All that having a fake one does is help people who are homeless or traveling be able to keep their dogs safe and with them at all times. Not every "vester" is a dodgy mutt trying to take your face off.
> 
> The inclusion of a fake vest doesn't increase or decrease the likelihood of mishaps in life, figuratively and literally. I can understand the frustration but what are you doing on STP if you're so opposed to people doing what they want in spite of the law, just because of your misfortune? And to "hate" an entire group over one persons mistake and irresponsibility?
> 
> Some dogs will always bite, there will always be shitty animal owners. Laws and hate wont fix that.


 
And a *real *service dog can turn on a dog that isn't a service dog. It's happened to us before, and I'm sure we weren't an isolated incident. Service dogs are still dogs, and at the end of the day instinct will always over ride training.


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## Mei (Jul 17, 2012)

The HYA here in SF has an on-call counselor who will give you a letter of recommendation for companion animal status. Just go in there on a Wednesday or Thursday if yr ever in town and tell em you get scared at night and have really bad anxiety and shit and he'll write you a letter within 24 hours. Then you go to the Animal Care and Control and give em like 20 bux and you have a service dog


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## bikegeek666 (Aug 8, 2012)

xmattx said:


> the american disabilities act does not require you to tell anyone your disability and they (legally) cannot discriminate against you for using a service dog. just get a vest and you should be set.


yeah, you can buy a vest online. then use this info and don't answer any questions. make people feel bad for asking. you can also claim you are *training* a service dog, which i would probably suggest given the above discussion.


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## Nikki (Aug 27, 2012)

bryanpaul said:


> make up somethin like this on microsoft paint.....you can laminate it and put it in one of those id holder doohickeys..legally you dont need it but usually it helps save you from having to argue


 

I did this for my dog, also had a certificate made up for him too the same way.. didn't even have a vest and it worked... every time


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## Nikki (Aug 27, 2012)

Nikki said:


> I did this for my dog, also had a certificate made up for him too the same way.. didn't even have a vest and it worked... every time


 
the only place that ever gave me any trouble was in atlanta trying to ride on their metro rail thingy. this lady cop was not about to let my pitbull ride because she said he had to have a vest in the rule book. i asked her to see her rulebook and if she could point out where in the hell it said that and she refused.. because she was full of shit. she called her boss and her boss told her that legally they weren't supposed to mess with me about this and she let me right on ;-)


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## Johnny P (Aug 30, 2012)

shanwich said:


> i travel with a REAL service dog . i hate fakers . what would your dog do if it encountered a real service dog? i can tell you - my SD has been attacked by a "vester ". the hippie douche owner went to jail for 60 days, his dog was put down , then i sued him for $5K. all the money when to retraining , it put my life in danger .


 
I hate cop callers, you should've just kicked his dog in the face. Way to ruin somebodies life by having there dog put down. I would find you after I got out of jail and poison your dog if you did this to me.


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## Earth (Aug 30, 2012)

kick the dog in the face???
wrong!!!
beat the owner up.....
when my dog got bit by a loose dog just before christmas last year while out on my street, i threatened to burn their fuckin house down if it ever happened again.
i never once even considered harm to their dog, who was just being a dog... for it is the owners responsibility to keep their dog under control at all times.
problem solved.


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## Johnny P (Aug 30, 2012)

If an aggressive dog is coming at me or my dog, i will strike the dog in order to get it away from me or my dog. Then I will deal with the owner. 

What would you do if a dog was about to attack you? Let it bite and then beat up the owner? I think not. You have to defend yourself.


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## Earth (Aug 31, 2012)

well, in a roundabout way... thats what happened except that my dog intervened first, got bit in the leg then she clamped down on the other dogs head, and that was that.... she let go and the other dogs owners pulled their dog away.
now, where this took place was on an icy snow covered road by me, so i was doing the best i could not to break a leg again, but truth be told it was over in an instant.
after hurling some choice threats, after i got my dog home and bandaged up, i went back to see how their dog was, who had a head wound.
we spoke, i cooled down... and today we are friends.
the thing is, out here its open season on dogs like mine, meaning its legal to shoot to kill them if they show agressive behavior.
the pigs shot about six dogs within a couple of months just to prove a point, so thats why i really go beserk on dog owners as opposed to the dogs, because everythings on the owner in my book...
and speaking of owners, the human who rescued my dog at age two could not control her.
at age four, i cant either... so therefore ive got to be ultra responsible and know that if something goes wrong no matter whos at fault, my dog gets an automatic death sentence.
that ever happens, then im willing to spend the rest of my life in jail to right that wrong, for my dog saved my life......


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## Earth (Aug 31, 2012)

...and, tbats why as incerdible as this sounds, i consider my dog a service dog to me, but i would never try to pass her off as one.


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## Shakou (Sep 3, 2012)

Two words: CATTLE PROD. Any dog, regardless of breed will halt in their tracks when they come nose to nose with one of those. I carry one with me to protect myself and my dogs from loose dogs and Coyotes. Works like a charm EVERY time.


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## Deleted member 2626 (Sep 6, 2012)

Yeah a good pack reallllly helps i got a mounaintsmith i believe it is and its red and looks really legit but it works well too and straps nicely. I ordered tags from servicedogtags.com and i havent really had a problem where i couldn't get on to go where i was going. Rode amtrak and greyhound almost the whole way across the country and was pretty good. Stores usually never even ask especially the big corporate stores. I remember fondly taking him into a bunch of dennys and no one ever said a word and id give him some scraps under the table but like said your dog should be pretty calm and listen to what you say and simple commands and not freak out for other dogs and people


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## Shakou (Sep 8, 2012)

Shakou said:


> Two words: CATTLE PROD. Any dog, regardless of breed will halt in their tracks when they come nose to nose with one of those. I carry one with me to protect myself and my dogs from loose dogs and Coyotes. Works like a charm EVERY time.



Also wanted to add that sometimes shit simply happens. Maybe the dog slipped it's collar, or got out of it's yard. Point is don't always assume the owner is an irresponsible dick. In addition, if your dog is off leash at the time and chooses to fight back, weather it was protecting you or not, YOU are just as much at fault as the other owner, as you're not controlling your dog either.


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## Eli Whitney (Oct 2, 2012)

The only one thing you really need to have your dog with you at all times is an accual doctors note describeing why you need your dog as a service animal.I always keep my doctors note on me.And yes it is an "Accual" printed note from the doctors office not something i wrote out or typed on my own.Of course one should also have tags and even maybe a vest(my dog hates the vest) to visually show that the dog is a working dog and your not just takeing an animal into a store,bus,ect.And if your trying to fake it by just haveing a tag or vest with no doctors note you better know what your getting yourself into its a federal offense to fake a SD so if you must do this at least pay the $50 to a doctor for a basic visit and get the note.And also know the laws governing the subject ive only been fucked with twice(both by police) were i knew more of the laws for SD than they did and almost immediately after they realize i know more thatn they do on the subject they drop it and leave me alone one of those run ins accually just happend three days ago where the pig just wanted to hassle me and i accually said to him quote"sir your makeing it very obvious to me that i know more about the laws regarding SD than you do and right then he agrred and left me alone. I understand the need first hand of why any of us travelers would need a dog with us especially in sketchy places where someone would want to harm you with a dog (depending on the breed) that risk is greatly reduced.


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## Eli Whitney (Oct 2, 2012)

Shakou said:


> And a *real *service dog can turn on a dog that isn't a service dog. It's happened to us before, and I'm sure we weren't an isolated incident. Service dogs are still dogs, and at the end of the day instinct will always over ride training.


 I couldnt agree more with Shakou my SD has not attacked but has definatly snipped at other dogs a few times she simply dosent like other dogs near me like she is protecting me. Even the most well trained SD is still an animal with instincts.


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## deleted user (Apr 29, 2013)

shanwich said:


> i travel with a REAL service dog . i hate fakers . what would your dog do if it encountered a real service dog? i can tell you - my SD has been attacked by a "vester ". the hippie douche owner went to jail for 60 days, his dog was put down , then i sued him for $5K. all the money when to retraining , it put my life in danger .




You pompous asshole.


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