Guide Dog School: Day 18
Iva was so good yesterday at the restaurant, but back at school last night during dinner, she kept popping up. Then I remembered what was wrong last time she did that; she needed to relieve herself. I had finished my delicious dessert, so I proceeded to her park area. I did a victory shout and a few fist pumps when she immediately “got busy”. Yes!! I know my dog!!
We had our ADA lecture, and I learned many amazing facts such as:
- Guide/Service dogs cannot be denied access in any public place.
- You are not required to show your certification or photo ID.
- The places you will experience denial will most likely be Chinese restaurants and taxi-cabs.
- In recent years, people have used vests to fraudulently present pets as service dogs, making life more complicated for genuine service dog handlers.
- You can be denied access if your dog misbehaves or is unclean.
- It is a felony offense when a dog attacks your guide dog.
- If you are denied access, do not yell. Remain calm, begin to video the situation. Explain that a public Facebook post will be made, and if they still do not comply with the law, file a report with the Department of Justice.
Can I pet your dog?
- The first 3 months is an important bonding time. It is easier to keep Iva’s interactions limited during this time to avoid correcting bad behavior later.
- It is best to introduce Iva to people one at a time.
- Iva must be out of harness before someone can pet her, speak to her, call her name, or interact with her in any way. She is working, and it would be the same thing as if someone grabbed the steering wheel from you while driving.
Our graduation ceremony is Saturday at 1:30 EST. You can watch live streaming or catch the replay at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNZDA-ib_Pc
Please remember the first 20 minutes appear blank for some unknown reason. Patience is a virtue!
A Mountain of Faith 