Don’t Distract the Service Dog
Dating dogs is fun, so we understand why you might want to meet all of them, even service dogs. But it is very important – to save lives – to understand the difference between a pet and a dog doing its job. As Mashable explains, distracting a service dog can endanger the life of its owner .
As part of Bark Week , an inspirational and adorable dog themed week, Mashable lists nine things to remember about service dogs. The most important thing is that you do not approach a service dog and start communicating with it as you would with an ordinary dog. If you see a service harness or vest on a dog, this dog is helping its owner function in the world. If you want to meet or pet your dog, you must first ask the handler for permission. Mashable cites Hayley Ashmore who fell and injured her head while her watchful dog was distracted.
If you have your own dog, you need to keep it away from the service dog. Even a well trained service dog can be distracted by people or other dogs, so it is your responsibility to let this dog focus on his work.
Mashable has a lot more tips for dealing with service dogs. If you want to get to know these dogs without lending a relationship to their owners and owners, read on.