Ripper

[mariamousie1]

If I was the gardener, I'd be suing the guy with the dog. That dog should be muzzled at the very least. It doesn't matter where he goes with the dog if the dog is violent. I hope he does come back so you can maybe get his license number and report him before someone else gets hurt.

[EvilEmpryss]

That's why we need some kind of visible indicator that it is a service animal. {edit} There are too many people claiming that their pets are service animals.

While I sympathize with employees who have to ask about whether the dog is a service animal, the Americans with Disabilities Act is *very* clear that any kind of attempted regulation of that sort is prohibited. There's a few reasons for it, not the least of which that those silly orange vest decked out in patches can run upwards of $100, and that doesn't count the cost of any special harness the dog needs to do it's job. That can be quite a strain on a disabled person's limited income. I made a homemade version from a human safety vest, but the patches are still easily $15 each.

Then there's the fact that some people do not want to announce to the world that they have a disability by decking their dog out in day-glo orange. This is especially important for people with "invisible" disabilities. IMHO, not having the vest is fine unless you want to go on public transportation or into a restaurant. I don't care if people know 'cuz I'll chat your ear off about what my dog does for me, but the ADA makes the rules, not me.

As for people claiming their little snooky-wookums with the bling collar being carried about in the pink leopard fur hand bag is a service animal just to get past the door of a restaurant: it's illegal as all hell, but you the business worker/owner are stuck between a rock and a hard place. By law, all you can ask is 1) Is that a service dog?, 2) Are you disabled (i.e., is it working for *you*)? and 3) What does it do for you? If the person answers yes to the first two questions and something as simple as "mobility", "seizure alert", or "psychiatric", then pressing further can get your business slapped with an ADA lawsuit if the person really *is* disabled. It sucks, especially since a chihuahua can be a legitimate service animal in certain situations (they won't do as a mobility animal, but they're okay for something like a seizure alerter). There is no tag, registration, or identification required anywhere in the US, so that's no help, either.

But I've actually had an SC accuse a deaf man of *faking* his deafness and making a "fake vest" just so he could come into the donut shop I was working at to buy donuts! She got that cat butt look once I turned to the gentleman and explained to him (in sign language!) what she was accusing him of. His response was a single finger sign that she understood perfectly.

[boringscreenname]

I'm glad to hear the gardener will be ok. At least you know what the SC and his dog look like in case they ever try and go near the place again, I'd just call the cops.

I don't understand people who insist on taking their dogs everywhere. My dog only goes to the pet store (rarely) and the dog park. She's too hairy and sheds too much ride in the car on a regular basis.

[EricKei]

If I was the gardener, I'd be suing the guy with the dog...I hope he does come back so you can maybe get his license number and report him before someone else gets hurt.

If this was the US, I would say that the PUB would stand a very good chance of being sued, especially if the dog owner could not be found and/or successfully sued ("Well, it's YOUR fault for not throwing having the guy arrrested as soon as he was in sight of the pub"...)

But I've actually had an SC accuse a deaf man of *faking* his deafness and making a "fake vest" just so he could come into the donut shop I was working at to buy donuts! She got that cat butt look once I turned to the gentleman and explained to him (in sign language!) what she was accusing him of. His response was a single finger sign that she understood perfectly.

That is simply concentrated AWESOME ^_^

[IT Grunt]

But I've actually had an SC accuse a deaf man of *faking* his deafness and making a "fake vest" just so he could come into the donut shop I was working at to buy donuts! She got that cat butt look once I turned to the gentleman and explained to him (in sign language!) what she was accusing him of. His response was a single finger sign that she understood perfectly.

The universal sign language.

[ralerin]

I don't understand the people that take thier dogs into stores and restaurants with them. I love my dogs, but I leave thier hairy asses at home when I go somewhere. They aren't well behaved anyway. Not that they're aggressive or whatever, they just get very happy when people are around. I'm sure some dude at the store would just love my 80lb shepherd mix giving him kisses.

Edited to add: the SC with the pit is an enema. I would call him a douchebag, but that isn't nearly crappy enough. I used to have a pit, and she was the sweetest thing ever. Her name was Roxy.

I had an "auntie" (not really an aunt but called that anyways) who had a Yorkie that she took with her everywhere-to the movies, to restaurants, to Goodwill...Even though I told her that it was weird and that they're gonna throw her out if she's caught, she still didn't care. The dog has long since passed away and the last time I saw her, she hadn't yet gotten a new one. The dog was just a pet, not a service dog, although said aunt was handicapped. How do I know she wasn't a service dog? Because said aunt took pains to buy bulky purses and oversized clothes to hide the dog underneath them and told me and best friend to be careful to not make the dog bark or make any noise.

Side note: Roxy is a popular name for dogs, I've met a golden and a pit with those names, such sweet and adorable dogs. My mother met a goat named Roxanne, once, and was insulted, as that was her name. Similarly, mom's friend was insulted when she met our Sally, as that was her name.

There was a customer who came into Store2 on occasion; she had a seeing eye dog - a gorgeous black Lab. The dog didn't wear a vest but she did have the harness with the handle, so it was obvious. If she was standing still, the dog would either sit or lie down at her feet (often they'd be in magazines with whoever she came with). When they sat at a table in the cafe the dog would lie under her chair. The only problem I ever saw concerning another customer was a little girl who was terrified of the dog and freaked out. But she was probably not more than 8 years old so she can be forgiven.

6 year old cousin was scared to death of dogs for some reason (hey, beagles have big mouths and have MEAN SCARY TEETH to kids), and I decided that I was going to kill her with information. I told her that the dogs bark because they're scared and that if you're careful with them, ALWAYS ask permission of the owner and ALWAYS offer them a hand to sniff first, then the dogs will be ok. But if the dog has his teeth out and is still growling and barking, then that dog is not nice and she should move away from the dog.

It worked, she never was afraid of our dogs again.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I always thought it strange that pitbulls were singled out, when the most savage dogs I have ever encountered have been Jack Russel terriers. Mainly cuz they are working dogs and a lot of old dears tend to have them; therefore, they don't get enough exercise.

I remember once having to go to my dog's defence back when I was a teen walking her, and this Jack Russel came out of nowhere and jumped at her. I kicked it off her, and then it ran off yelping. Nope, no owner in sight. I wouldn't normally kick a dog but I wasn't about to let my gentle collie cross get savaged by some mad mutt.

As for service dogs; well, all the ones I've seen wear a yellow vest. O_o I'm not overly sure about the law with them, but I haven't seen one without it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

(hey, beagles have big mouths and have MEAN SCARY TEETH to kids)

My friend has beagles...they're so cute as puppies. I'm not a big fan of the hound dogs because they tend to howl.

I was walking to my car last week one morning and a basset hound barked at me from someone's upstairs apartment. Not the best breed to try to hide in a complex where dogs are NOT allowed. I got caught with little 5-pound Pablo out on the grass once and they flipped out. They didn't even know he'd been inside, and had been there for several days.

[Sliceanddice]

I always thought it strange that pitbulls were singled out, when the most savage dogs I have ever encountered have been Jack Russel terriers. Mainly cuz they are working dogs and a lot of old dears tend to have them; therefore, they don't get enough exercise.

I remember once having to go to my dog's defence back when I was a teen walking her, and this Jack Russel came out of nowhere and jumped at her. I kicked it off her, and then it ran off yelping. Nope, no owner in sight. I wouldn't normally kick a dog but I wasn't about to let my gentle collie cross get savaged by some mad mutt.

As for service dogs; well, all the ones I've seen wear a yellow vest. O_o I'm not overly sure about the law with them, but I haven't seen one without it.

ive been nipped and attacked by chiuahahas and my old border collie mix was concidered a mean dog for pretecting me from a masstive mix who wanted me hurt or the wolf hounds we helped raise once.

[Fire_on_High]

My friend has beagles...they're so cute as puppies. I'm not a big fan of the hound dogs because they tend to howl.

A few weeks ago I had to go into a local computer store trying to get a vid card fan quickly. They had the cutest lil guy...looked just like Porthos from Enterprise and wanted to bay and wash my face for me. I'm not really a doggie person*, but he was awfully sweet.

*Meaning I don't like the idea of having to get up every two hours to let a dog out or deal with the puppy chewing, housebreaking, etc. I'm perfectly content to snuggle on anyone else's dog tho!

[Seshat]

Even worse than the kvetchers, though, are the people who see a dog decked out in the orange vest with patches on it clearly saying "Service Dog, Do Not Touch/Pet/Disturb" but who still walk up cooing and wanting to pet the puppy.

I always want to pet the puppy too. But I'm a grown adult and have some impulse control. Puppy is working.

(unless it's got the Vest, in which case, puppy does not exist)

I've never managed to have that much self-control. But I can at least try to ignore the puppy.

What's really hard is when there's puppy-trainers. I keep wanting to go up to the humans and tell them how much I admire what they're doing. And I know they're just busy going about their own lives and socialising the puppies while they're at it.

(The puppies in training wear 'in training' versions of the vests.)

not the least of which that those silly orange vest decked out in patches can run upwards of $100, and that doesn't count the cost of any special harness the dog needs to do it's job. That can be quite a strain on a disabled person's limited income

Yet another case for universal healthcare systems.

Then there's the fact that some people do not want to announce to the world that they have a disability by decking their dog out in day-glo orange

Very true, and they shouldn't have to. However, a discreet card one can keep in one's wallet, which they can show when challenged, would work for such situations.

But I've actually had an SC accuse a deaf man of *faking* his deafness and making a "fake vest" just so he could come into the donut shop I was working at to buy donuts! She got that cat butt look once I turned to the gentleman and explained to him (in sign language!) what she was accusing him of. His response was a single finger sign that she understood perfectly.

As if anyone would FAKE a disability! Disability SUCKS!

[customersruinmylife]

Wow I cannot believe the kind of response this thread has got. It's a shame I don't have much of an update.

The customer with the dog hasn't been seen since the incident, but I spoke to a friend of mine who works in a bar down the road, and she says she has had problems with him before, saying he doesn't go anywhere without the dog, and is therefore banned from most places in town because he takes the dog in with him...restaurants, shops, bars, you name it, he is there with the dog, and it is NEVER on a lead.

The police haven't got back to us yet, but I have called all the pubs in our area to warn them about him and the dog, and have encouraged them to call the police if he enters. The gardener is still off work from the injury! A customer who witnessed the incident said there was blood everywhere and that he had to be helped back indoors, while the SC just sat there and stared at him.

[Salesmonkey]

dangerous dogs are loaded weapons.

It's been said that "there are no bad dogs, only bad owners" but the sad fact is that some breeds, like the American Bull Terrier (Pit Bull) attract heinously bad owners. It's an Advanced Level dog, and if you're not good at training you don't need one. I had a colleague who was a Schutzhund competitor. Her dogs were friendly and docile until she told them otherwise.

[Record Store Tough Guy]

It's been said that "there are no bad dogs, only bad owners" but the sad fact is that some breeds, like the American Bull Terrier (Pit Bull) attract heinously bad owners. It's an Advanced Level dog, and if you're not good at training you don't need one. I had a colleague who was a Schutzhund competitor. Her dogs were friendly and docile until she told them otherwise.

This is compounded when you realize a the problem is not the pit bull's temperament (they have been bred to be human docile, dog aggressive, and ANY dog can freak out and attack people), but their tenacity. They're terriers, so it's already dialed up to 11, but add in their fighting spirit, and you have an ambulatory bear trap that could go off without warning for no apparent reason. Add in the fact that some of the underground breeders, in an attempt to extend their breeder-peen, have been mixing them with human aggressive breeds like mastiffs, and you begin to see the problem.

[Kyree]

and you have an ambulatory bear trap that could go off without warning for no apparent reason.

I just wanted to say, that sounds very misleading. Pit bulls do not just snap with no warning or reason. It's very rare that a pure bred pit bull would ever try to bite a person.