Haha. I'm just kidding. But I did get into a bit of a smack-down with this one guy. Ok here goes. I'm just gonna write down the conversation as I remember it.
Well, first off, Aflie had an amazing day at school with me today, I had to be there an hour early because Darrell's class started at 9:00 and mine started at 10:00 so I spent my hour doing laps around the school having him find me trashcans and seats and sitting at doorways and stairs. He's also really good at stepping up on stairs and curves. Anyways, he did great in class I think he even fell asleep at one point. Lots of people thought he was a grown service dog, like a mini poodle or something. I guess it's because you can't really see his puppy face through all that hair lol. No body really bothered me either, just lots of "Oh he's so cute" This one lady got scared of him, I thought that was kind of dumb.. whatever lol.
Ok, on to the juicy part. I had another hour to kill after class because Darrell also had an 11:00 class. So I decided to go to the computer lab to print out some notes for a class I would need. Well I walk in and as soon as I sit down my phone rings. You're not allowed to talk on the phone in the computer lab so I walk out and come back a few minutes later. Well I'm guessing this guy was watching me because he confronted me as soon as I walked in. Now, before I start the conversation you must know there are 3 characters stared in the play. Me, stupid guy #1 and stupid guy #2. Ok, here goes. Now I say stupid but I really mean uneducated. Not their fault but stupid is more fun to say.
Stupid guy #1: Excuse me, is that a service dog?
Me: Yes, he's in training.
Stupid guy #1 after staring at me for a minute: Well... he can't be in here.
Me: Oh, yes he can, see he's in training so he's allowed to go wherever I go.
Stupid guy #1: Oh ok, well come here for a second.
I follow and he takes me to a little side office right off of the entrance so I couldn't avoid it even if I wanted to.
Stupid guy #2: Ma'am you can't have that dog in here.
Me, starting to get really annoyed by this point: Yes I can, he's a service dog in training.
Stupid guy #2: Well is he registered with Disability Services?
Me: No, I called DS last week before school started and they said I didn't have to do anything.
Stupid guy #2: No listen ma'am you don't understand, you can't bring a service dog in here that isn't registered with DS.
Me: Yes Sir I can, I called DS and they said I didn't have to do anything. I can go right upstairs and have them call you if you like.
So Stupid guy #1 rushes to give me this guys card while guy #2 hands it to me he smiles all sarcastic and says he'll be waiting.
So as I start to walk out here's what goes on.
Stupid guy #2: Sorry but you just can't bring any old dog in here. (This really ticks me off)
Me: Sir, by law I am allowed to bring him wherever I want, here is the law if you would like to check.
I whip out my handy dandy little ID badge that Michelle gave me :) and the guys reads it.
Stupid guy #2: Oh, well that looks all right. You can go ahead, I didn't know you had that.
Me: Well thank you so much.
I was so irked after this. I didn't stay in the computer lab for long but after a while I did call DS to tell them what happened. They said they would send out an email informing them what the rules are.
So yup, there's my big introduction to the world of Puppy Raising I guess...
Does this kind of stuff happen often? How have ya'll handled it?
17 comments:
Yup. It happens. Most of the time I notice that people are to scared to confront me or they just give me a weird look OR they are really stupid and come up and start babbling like Stupid guy #1 and Stupid guy #2. You get used to it!
In the past six years I've only had one problem with admittance to a business. It sounds like you handle it really well though. Better to get the bad ezperiences out of the way right out of the gate! Glad to hear Alfie did great!
Yup and just when you think everyone is used to seeing the dogs out and about, it will happen again. You handled it like a pro!! There will be many more stupid guy #1 and Stupid guy #2's to come. ;) It gets entertaining after awhile.
I wasn't denied entrance very often, just once or twice, but that's probably because GDB and Canine Companions are both located in this area. So people around here are pretty educated about service dogs. It sounds like you did handle it well, and thank goodness you had that little ID badge!
But I just have to stick up for the lady that was scared of Alfie. My sister is deathly afraid of cats and dogs, and it's totally unrelated to how nice and sweet and calm an animal may be. It's not a logical or intellectual decision to be afraid or not afraid; it's purely emotional. So it may be a little dumb since obviously Alfie isn't going to hurt anyone--but some people just can't help it!
WOW - welcome to the world of puppy raising is RIGHT! We get denied quite a bit - but we don't have a state that is friendly to puppies in training. But, 8 miles east is Missouri and they are! :D
Oh, sorry Mimi, I didn't mean to make fun of people who are scared of cats and dogs.. It was just the way it happened, I don't even think she was scared.. just weird. She had plenty of time to move out of the way but decided to move against a wall (pinning herself between it and Alfie) She didn't freak out until he tried to sniff her... that's what was dumb about it.. lol. Guess I should have clarified haha.
I have never been denied entrance anywhere with my puppies. But Colorado has a law protecting all puppys in training.
I once was at a restaurant and my waitress was deathly afraid of Gabrina. My mom had to give her my order and get my food from her to give it to me. It was a little ridiculous. And she totally panicked when Gabrina snored a little bit. I mean I understand being afraid of dogs, but we could have switched tables or she could have had another waitress cover our table. Silly people :)
Hmmm, maybe that lady was self-conscious about the way she smelled? Ha ha! After all, the worse you smell, the better dogs like you!
you get used to it. I've cultativated this stare that kind of blows people offf. It is helpful when people want to have inappropreate contact with her, or when I need to get from point a to b in a hurry and don't want to stop.
be glad you have a law - welcome to the world of puppy raising.
Excellent! Ok, first of all, you've educated those guys, and that's what needs to happen.
Secondly though, I must point out, that I am grateful to them in a weird way. There are so many fake service dogs. And fake service dogs are bad for legit ones. So, in a way, those guys were seriously doing their job. They could have asked you up front if you had identification for the dog, but I just found out that not every service dog has them. So, they might have handled it poorly, but I'm grateful to those who won't just say "ok" if someone just says, "yeah, this is a service dog". It'll make it better for people like me, if I go places that won't allow fake service dogs.
That aside, you hadnled the situation lovely, and now things are cldared up at the school with disability services. All's well that ends well!
Hmm. I agree with you Ro, I hate when I see fakers out in public because they can effect working teams and real service dogs. I think it was just the way they were treating me. I told them several times that I had taken care of what I needed to and they just didn't listen to me. Maybe they had bad experiences with other liars or something but Alfie had his little jacket that said "Guide dog in Training" and he wasn't acting badly. I honestly think they were just trying to get me out because even though I showed them the laws that still doesn't settle what his "real" problem was. Which was me registering with DS. So when he just let that issue drop I knew he was just talking out of his uh.. feet. lol.
Hahahaha talking out his feet, love it!!!
Hi Natalie, just got Alfie back...ENORMOUS THANK YOU for puppysitting!!! He's asleep by my feet all exhausted, yay! :-) So fun catching up on all your adventures with him.
Re: access issues, I've had a bit more trouble with the doodles b/c they don't fit most people's mental image of "service dog." Altho now, I have less trouble than I used to. Either people are getting more educated or I'm getting more confident...maybe both! :-) Sounds like you dealt w/ the situation exactly right...way to go! One time I was at a Wendy's w/ Willie & was told that I could stay since he was a service dog, BUT I'd need to take my food & my dog & go eat...get this...STANDING in the little entryway b/w the outer & inner doors of the restaurant!! If I hadn't paid for my food already, I'd have probably left...but since I had my tray already I explained politely that he was allowed access by law & I'd be happy to talk to the manager about it if necessary, but we were going to stay IN the dining room to eat, thank you! That was the end of it, thankfully...btw, Willie was not misbehaving at all! A bit of a stressful meal though, to say the least!
Haha Thanks Beth, It kind of took me by surprise getting held up (My first real day out.. what?) haha. So I kind of panicked.. I think I should have been a little bit nicer but I'm happy I was firm about it!
Anyways, I'm pretty sure I didn't steal anything you gave me but if I did let me know and I'll try and get it to Michelle as soon as possible :)
Nope, I think it's all here! :-) We definitely owe you one!
Oh, by the way Beth.. I don't know if his systems are changing or what but he only 'went' about 3 times a day.. worried me the first day because I was expecting 5 but yeah.. just so you know I didn't mess him up lol. :)
Great job to you!!!! Sounds like you handled your situations really well,I haven't gotten denied too often, but have had some situations where these people didn't realize the situation & had nothing better to do but harass the girl with the dog. They all have been worked out in my favor, but its always nerve racking/blood pressure rising! LOL
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