What other reasons do people need a dog in a store with them besides being blind?

Question

I work in a store and sometimes I will see people walk their dog into the store and they are not blind. It is store policy to not ask them about their dog so I cannot ask them.

Answer 1

Stupidity, probably. Most people these days believe the rules don't include them.

Legitimate registered help dogs are required to wear a vest (or collar, or tag, something visible) stating their purpose. If the dog is not wearing a vest, it's a pet, and the owner is a jerk.

Accepted help dogs:
-seeing eye dogs
-hearing dogs
-disability dogs (for phyiscally handicapped or paralyzed people , wheelchair-bound, etc.)
-psychological health dogs- a new listing, and somewhat bogus I think, supposedly they maintain a calm state of mind in people prone to anxiety attacks or other nervous disorders.

There are some dogs that are also registered as personal protection dogs, they have to pass intense training and certification to prove they are safe to have in public. A friend of mine years ago got out of an abusive marriage and got a trained personal protection dog to keep with her.

Answer 2

From the first link, below:

The main types of Assistance Dogs (called Service Dogs in the Americans with Disabilities Act and many laws), are:

Guide Dogs:

Probably the most familiar type of service dog is the guide dog that is trained to help blind or visually impaired people. These dogs serve as the eyes for their owner, navigating them through traffic, stairs and sidewalks while avoiding all obstacles that could cause injury.

Hearing Dogs:

Similar to guide dogs, "hearing" or "signal" dogs are specially trained to assist deaf people. They alert their owner to sounds, usually by approaching their owner and then by going back to the source of the sound. They signal such noises as doorbells, phones, smoke alarms, crying babies, microwave bells and even tea kettles whistling. These dogs have the same access privileges as guide dogs and are permitted in all public and private facilities.

Service Dogs:

Service Dog is the catch all term for any dog that helps a physically or mentally disabled person. You have the following catagories:

Mobility Assist Dog: Pulls a person's wheelchair, carries things in a backpack, picks up things a person drops, opens/closes doors, helps the handler get dressed or undressed.

Walker Dog: Helps the handler walk by balancing or acting as a counter balance. Does many of the tasks that the Mobility Assist Dog does.

Seizure Alert/Response Dog: This dog is trained to respond to a person's seizures and either stay with the person, or go get help. Some dogs are trained to hit a button on a console to automatically dial 911. When the dog hears the voice over the speaker, the dog starts barking. The disabled person would have arranged that the system is dog activated.

Psychiatric Service Dog: A person with a mental disability may need a dog to be able to go out in public (agraphobic), or may be autistic and need the dog to keep them focused. These dogs are trained NEVER to leave their handler's side. For more information on tasks that a dog can do, go to the IAADP PSD Info page.

SsigDog: A dog trained to assist a person with autism. The dog alerts the partner to distracting repetitive movements common among those with autism, allowing the person to stop the movement (e.g., hand flapping). A person with autism may have problems with sensory input and need the same support services from a dog that a dog might give to a person who is blind or deaf.

Combo Dog: Some programs, Paws With A Cause, for example, have started training dogs for people with multiple disabilities, like a guide/mobility assist dog.

Answer 3

Alert dogs are service dogs as well. People have them for diabetes to detect low and high blood sugars. Many are seizure alert dogs too.

In some cases, they may have a service dog for hearing impaired, too.

We have a place here that trains service dogs for a variety of service jobs and these trainers often take the younger dogs still in training, out with them into lots of public places to get them used to a variety of environments. Service dogs need to be exposed to everything possible.

Answer 4

Service dogs are no longer only the Guide dogs for the blind. Service Dogs are trained to assist people who have a wide variety of mobility impairments and other hidden disabilities, such as seizures, psychiatric disorders, life threatening medical problems, or chronic pain. These dogs provide services to disabled individuals helping them function with greater self-sufficiency; prevent injuries; and summon help in a crisis.
They even have dogs that help Autistic children to help keep them safe.

Answer 5

There are other medical reasons for owning a dog. There are dogs for the deaf (they listen for fire alarms etc.) dogs that can sense epileptic seizures,dogs that can hand things to their people that are unable to do for themselves.Dogs can be trained to do many many things.It does seem strange to see a dog in a store but is often necessary. Their are times though that people just want to have their dog with them and don't care what the rule or the law says. These people irritate us all.

Answer 6

Also, A LOT of people have these dogs with them because they are training them. A family I know constantly is training a new dog, but in order to train them, they must take them everywhere as if they were the ones that were blind.

Yeah, you definitely don't want to ask -- not only would it be against policy, but it's just rude. :)

Answer 7

I know a woman whose dog is trained to pull against the leash - which gives her stability while walking just as if someone were holding her arm, therefore it prevents her from falling over. There are also dogs taht are trained seizure dogs.

However, I also have a friend who takes advantage of store policies like yours and takes his mutt into stores knowing full well that no one will confront him.

Answer 8

There are other reasons to have a service dog; some people have seizures, some people have nerve disorders so they can't pick up things, etc.

Service dogs in training have capes, but actual working service dogs often do not. (And if I remember correctly, I think is actually against the law to ask for ID for a service dog.)

Answer 9

Some dogs are referred to as seizure dogs. These dogs alert their owners if they are going to have a epileptic seizure. Usually these dogs will be wearing a banner or coat of some kind indicating that he is a working dog.

Answer 10

wonderful answers ahead of mine so i neednt be redundant. but all therapy dogs are required to wear ID so if people look like thier walking in with thier pet w/out a vest on maybe they are..just sayin cause sometimes people will do that because theyve seen other people bring dogs in. and if you see alot of that, i would let your boss know and perhaps they will put a sign up or something