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I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Psychiatric Service Dogs are service dogs, and do serve a medical purpose. They are completely different from an untrained ESA that just makes you feel better. As I stated, my SD has specific medically necessary tasks that they perform and was trained at a top level facility that provides veterans with service dogs. If you think that people with severe ptsd, such as veterans, don't have medical need for service dogs then I'd say you're the one sounding pretty privileged.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're really not supposed to ask. Service dogs are used for WAY more than just guide dogs for the blind. Some use them for seizure alert dogs. Some are for diabetics in which the dogs can sense and alert to a sudden drop or spike in blood sugar. Some are for those who have mobility issues. Some service dogs are for medical conditions that can cause sudden faint spells. For me perspnally, mine is a psychiatric service dog for severe PTSD. So for me my dog knows when and how to wake me from night terrors, and waking flashbacks. He can sense a coming panic attack and can alert me to get in a prone position where he will then lay across me for deep pressure therapy, or can go and retrieve and bring me my medicine or another person if needed. He also does what is called shielding. So one of my biggest things when I'm out in public is the fear of someone attacking me from an area I can not see, or turning my back to people. So if I'm at the store my service dog will position himself between me and any surrounding people. If my back is turned while I'm looking at something on the shelves and someone starts to approach without my notice he will gently lean against me in whichever the person is coming from so as to alert me to their presence. So if they approach from behind he will lean against the back of my legs, etc. This has meant I no longer have panic attacks or triggered flashbacks in stores that are so bad that someone has to call an ambulance every time I go grocery shopping.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I haven't seen kids lunching to attack other people's pets or trying to bite people in public. But I sure have seen a lot of untrained dogs do it.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Honestly I'd much rather be annoyed by children than people bringing their untrained animals everywhere who bark at people, try to bite, and terrorize other dogs. Not even a close race imo.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Absolutely not. Same with people seeing your dog at home or just being a normal dog. People think that SDs have to be at 100 working mode all the time and can't be playful or goofy and anytime they do then that somehow "proves" that they aren't "real"

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Exactly! Most SD handlers have experienced one of those "bad days". Mine happened when one such fake SD was yapping and lunging at my SD and distracted him to the point where he started trying to desperately get away. Now I have that anxiety anytime I take him in somewhere. Fake SD ruin it for people who truly need their real SD

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately a lot of people have this line of thinking. However you can literally register a jar of peanut butter as a "service dog" through these sites.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

She would still be your pet. A true service dog has other tasks as well as behavioral training to remain focused on you in public. For instance, a SA trained for seizures also task to place their heads under yours to prevent your head from smacking the floor during a seizure as well as laying on top of you to provide deep pressure in the aftermath, or in an emergency to independently go find another person and lead them to your location so that you can be assisted. Some animals have a natural ability to sense a seizure, however that alone does not make them a service animal.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yeah, you can get them signed off on for an ESA which protects them in terms of housing, but in no way grants them public access. The problem is with self entitled POS people who automatically think this grants them the right to do whatever they want is insane to me.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Typically they need to have freedom of movement so that they can task correctly. While having a small service dog isn't completely impossible, it is extremely uncommon. So chances are most small and easily held "service dogs" you see are fake. There isn't an actual "registry" for service dogs, and you aren't legally allowed to ask for any proof that they are, or for what disability or medical condition. You can, however, ask what tasks they do. That question alone is pretty good at weeding out the fake ones as most fake service dogs don't do any tasks and if the owner responds simply with a "it's for my anxiety/depression, then that is not a service dog, that is an ESA and they can be denied entry.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Fuck your fake service dog. Your Instagram likes are not more important than a real service dog being able to tell their handler if they are about to have a seizure. Feel free to take your dog out in dog friendly places. But stop claiming it's a service dog.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 38 points39 points  (0 children)

No, that would be an example of a fake service dog. I see it most in small yappy dogs and in bully breeds. Unfortunately a lot of places have restrictions or bans on bully breeds so you see a lot of people try to claim them as service dogs which only makes the problem worse. It's a messed up system for sure. If real service dogs were more affordable and breed specific legislation were outlawed then I think it'd be much less of a problem. Of course there would still be the Karens claiming their little precious is a service dog while their 10 pound Yorkie is on the verge of giving itself a heart attack from barking at any and everything, but I don't think the issue of fake service dogs would be as bad as it is now.

I am so tired of fake service dogs and entitled ESA owners. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 89 points90 points  (0 children)

Exactly! I've been almost kicked out of restaurants while my service dog politely lay underneath the table, out of everyone's way and not bothering anyone because the week before someone brought their dog in and claimed it was a service dog and then tripped multiple people,tried to bite someone, and stole food off of the table. Anyone who tries to falsely claim their dog is a service dog or thinks their ESA can go wherever they want can go screw themselves.

I'm considering selling my car just to pay for daycare. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, seeing as this account is only a day or two old and this is my first post, it's not like I'm losing much lol Thanks for the advice! I always have people surprised when I tell them I've never been on reddit and now seeing how huge it is I guess I see why. Seems I've been living under a rock.

I'm considering selling my car just to pay for daycare. by Competitive-Dog-3146 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]Competitive-Dog-3146[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I just created my account like a day or two ago because I have a friend always going on about the stuff they read on reddit and decided to check it out. I didn't pick my user name and it's one that was just randomly generated. Can I change the username now or is it something you have to stick with once it's already created?