The "Why I Hate Dogs" Series
Today while at a certain Big Box store that starts with “W’, I see a parade of three large dogs being led across the main aisle. A Siberian husky, a big rust-colored hunting dog, and a mutt, which was wearing an obviously fake service vest, being walked by a family of three, a mother , father, and boy aged about 7, none of whom were disabled in any way shape or form.
Naturally I said something snide. “What the….hey, this isn’t a dog park!!”. They didn’t hear me, but a nearby customer did. He approached, explaining the dogs were service dogs in training. I replied, “Yeah right. You might be duped by that, but I’m not”. He was taken aback for a split second but said, “They have a vest”. I told him the vest was likely phony, that dog owners pull this ruse all the time. He walked off, calling me a moron.
This goes to show how indoctrinated into dog worship society has become. People now have a knee jerk belief, blind faith, that any dog in a store is a “service dog”. It never crosses their mind that maybe, just maybe, dog owners are pulling a fast one. In fact, I’d say that 98% of dogs brought into stores, restaurants, etc. are NOT service/therapy dogs. Vests can be hand-made, phony ID badges can be bought on-line, owners can fake a disability, though most don’t bother.
Even real service dogs, certified, doctor recommended, the whole nine yards, aren’t exactly necessary. Without opposable thumbs and a three pound brain, there’s not a whole lot a dog can do for a disabled person at a store.
A dog can’t drive to the store, can’t reach up and grab a jar of mayonaise off the shelf, can’t pull out a wallet and swipe a credit card, enter pin numbers and a signature, can’t load groceries into the trunk…can’t put batteries into a flashlight, can’t cook dinner,…. so much a dog cannot do.
As I was leaving the store, a woman entered, carrying a Jack Russel terrier in her arms. I suppose the sucker who called me a moron believes the terrier was a “comfort dog”.
By paul on 23 August 2013
(This post was extracted from the site WhyIHateDogs.com, that does not exist anymore, with the sole aim to keep it alive for all the normal people out there as the great info on that site is always relevant and timeless. Any concern, just drop a line.)
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60 comments
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August 23, 2013 at 2:30 pm
- Bravo for being assertive. I find one of the biggest problems is the tolerance of dogs in inappropriate places ,and other annoying behaviors, by folks like us. I always utter “pathetic” in a low voice when I see some guy with a little shit-eater in his basket at Home Depot. I like seeing the heads turn but they aren’t certain if it’s directed at them.
I always wondered how in the hell does a guide dog know where to go. Even if it was a regular route a blind person probably would be able to negotiate on their own after a while. How pathetic does one’s life get where they have to resort to a dog for “comfort”? I guess we know the answer to that one….
Anyone with a dog is damaged goods anyway. Amazing how much time you spend dodging these cretins when you’re out and about. I think my look of disgust keeps them at a distance -
August 24, 2013 at 7:07 am
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August 24, 2013 at 7:45 am
- By definition a person must be DISABLED to have a service dog and the dog must be trained to DO SOMETHING that assists the person; not just a fur covered security blankie. This problem has gotten SO out of hand I think the majority of ‘service’ dogs are fake anymore. Even most of the disabled IMO don’t NEED a service dog. Have trouble walking? Get a walker, not a ‘service’ dog. Leaning on the dog making its back and legs sore is cruel anyways. Diabetes smelling dogs are a complete scam (http://doghatersunite.com/2012/11/29/another-family-accuses-service-dog-provider-of-fraud/), epilepsy can be CONTROLLED with medication (and don’t give me that shit about not being able to afford the medication when your dog costs and arm and a leg), a dog doesn’t address the root CAUSE of PTSD/anxiety but only provides a crutch to reinforce the problem. If you’re in a wheelchair you can get a long handled tool to pick up anything you might drop. I truly believe the ONLY legitimate service dogs should be guide dogs for the blind. Many imbiciles get the vest for their aggressive dogs under the false belief that making a pit bull or other inappropriate breed into a ‘service’ dog will keep it from getting euthanized if it goes canine IED on someone, which is NOT true. This is the essential article on everything WRONG with the ‘service’ dog INDUSTRY: http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-06-17/news/service-with-a-snarl/full/
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- There is no ADA police but there is a COURT SYSTEM which can and will be used to sue the ASS off people. That is the big problem. Even the threat of a lawsuit will in most cases deter someone from asking questions. The service animal rules had good intentions but the situation has been taken advantage of and is utterly out of control. Business owners should be allowed to ask questions without repercussions, and people OTHER than the blind (because it’s pretty OBVIOUS they’re disabled and have a real guide dog) should be EXPECTED to show a card for their dog. Dogs of breeds that are inherently aggressive, unfriendly to strangers, animal aggressive, food aggressive, unpredictable, easily startled, and all fighting breeds should be automatically banned for any service dog status.
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- It’s funny, the few blind people I’ve known or met never had a “guide dog”. I’ve seen far more blind folks feeling their way down the sidewalks with a cane than those with a guide dog. I think they are over-rated and something the worshipers use to set precedent for other types of fleabag intrusion. As I’ve said, unless it’s a familiar route how does the dog know where to go? The dog doesn’t get in the car and drive you out to the country where you proceed to stroll around. I suppose you could get on the bus with a guide dog and go somewhere you’ve never been but that is probably rare. Human companions do that for you and the few blind I’ve known had human friends and family to take care of them. As one other poster commented recently, modern assistance technology has pretty much replaced the need for ‘assistance” dogs.
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August 24, 2013 at 7:14 pm
- “Many imbiciles get the vest for their aggressive dogs under the false belief that making a pit bull or other inappropriate breed into a ‘service’ dog will keep it from getting euthanized if it goes canine IED on someone”
How insipid. Promoting an aggressive individual or breed as a service dog is dangerous. And like it has been said, these days most service dogs are either unnecessary or phony. Comfort dogs are the dumbest of all in my opinion. Another annoying thing is that where I live, people don’t even have to buy a fake vest. Some places will let a dog inside as long as they don’t take a dump or a piss on the floor. This is why I ended up sitting next to a “sweetie” pit bull/Rottweiler cross inside a coffee shop, among other incidents. The dogs get booted out if they act aggressively too, but if that happens it might be too late to keep someone from getting bitten. -
- “Landlords, transit drivers, health inspectors, security guards, and even the police told SF Weekly that the possibility of being on the wrong end of a federal disability lawsuit keeps them turning a blind eye to all but the most disruptive creatures claimed by their owners to be service animals. “I get cops calling telling me someone’s dog has bit somebody, or someone isn’t cleaning up their dog’s poop, or is walking unleashed, and [the excuse] is, ‘It’s a service dog,'” Denny says. “What are you gonna do? I don’t want to end up in federal court.” http://www.sfweekly.com/2009-06-17/news/service-with-a-snarl/full/
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- Here it is, in the pit nutters own words: http://grippingtruth.blogspot.com/2013/04/so-it-shall-be-written-so-i-shall-be.html
And yes, it is dangerous and essentially provides them with more chances to get their mauler euthanized. Here is a case of a fully vetted therapy pit bull reverting to its genetic fighting dog heritage with no warning: http://www.dogsbite.org/dangerous-dogs-pit-bull-owners.php
In a famous example of a trained “therapy” pit bull reverting back to genetic pit bull animal-aggression, Anna Klafter’s pit bull, Nettie, unleashed an attack upon a mounted police horse.
Sergeant David Herrera was bucked off in the 2003 incident and suffered neck and back injuries. Klafter suffered a fractured skull after the horse kicked her in the face. At the time, Klafter had been trying to gain control of her “extensively trained” animal assisted therapy dog. Klafter had adopted the dog from the San Francisco SPCA, where she volunteered as a dog trainer.16 The horse, AAA Andy, was bitten in the legs and belly and never worked another day of service duty. -
August 24, 2013 at 11:02 pm
- Paul, you’ll surely enjoy this:
http://consumerist.com/2011/11/10/why-is-there-a-dog-sitting-at-the-table-at-outback-steakhouse/ -
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- We should be calling it “Steakback Outhouse”. I had an incident like that once where my brother and I started reprimanding a hag who actually brought her purse-sized fleabag with her to the salad bar. We made such a scene the owner comp’d our meal .We were shouting all the way out the door with threats to call the health dept, etc, then we laughed at the scene we caused which made everyone in the place uncomfortable. Dog owners are POS.
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- They are involved: Please sign the petition to end the use of FAKE service animals, which is harming people who are truly disabled and creating a public nuisance: http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.3978475/k.BED8/Home.htm
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- A service dog should NOT bite or be off the leash. If it’s a blind person I sort of understand waste not being picked up but even then, I bet plenty of blind people pick up after their dog anyway. Compared to non-disabled dog owners at least. Using the phony service claim as an excuse for someone’s dog to bite or run off the leash–unbelievable. Disrespectful to the truly disabled and those who have legitimate service dogs.
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August 25, 2013 at 12:35 pm
- Ha, uttering “health department” regarding a dog will put fear in any restaurant.
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September 5, 2013 at 7:44 am
- OH! You’re going to love this, brace yourself. Here where I live there is a local coffee/pastry shop that bans strollers/breastfeeding because “it’s disruptive to the other customers” BUT permits dogs inside, service animals or not! W-T-F…Seriously, someone was huffing oven cleaner when that rule was made up.
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September 17, 2013 at 6:15 am
- Given the amount of work that having a mutt entails, I have often wondered whether a blind person’s guide dog creates more work than it offers in benefits. For example, it has to be fed (which is costly). It has to poop. If it poops indoors and the blind person lives alone, do they step in it? It needs to go to the vet. Here in the UK (I think I’m right in saying) blind people are the only people who are exempt from picking up after their dogs, but I sort of understand that and the amount of poop is minimal given that there are very few guide dogs in relation to the millions of pampered pet dogs.
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- From the Wikipedia entry for ‘therapy dogs’: “The dog might need to be lifted onto, or climb onto, an individual’s lap or bed and sit or lie comfortably there.” When did you last see a dog wipe its backside?
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- Oh God, why? Today I was in a clothing store that takes PRIDE in being successful and professional, and at the checkout counter I saw a woman walk past with a Rottweiler lumbering at her side. The dog was wearing a harness with words proclaiming service, and after paying I said, “Hey, what kind of service does your dog do?” She replied that he was a diabetes dog.
I’ve gotten these “He’s totally legit” claims before, but come on, a Rottweiler? So I kept going and said, “So, uh, why did they give you a Rottweiler?” A few bystanders had crowded around to listen. The woman, looking slightly panicky, launched into an explanation of how the dog was was in-training and had three trainers to socialize him and so forth. During this time the dog barked at me a few times, and…I won’t call it a growl, but it didn’t sound very friendly. The woman hurriedly insisted that he’s been socialized so much he wants to talk to everyone. Yeah, okay. I went to go find a sales associate while the three bystanders stayed to talk more.
I told two associates that people can buy fake service vests, and that they had the right to ask for documentation on a disability, that service dogs should be kept to a select few individuals from three to five breeds ONLY, and that I didn’t think the Rottweiler was a real service dog. They didn’t do anything; in fact, one even told me she had a service Rottweiler who was so sweet (“comfort” dog). So I left. But the more I thought about it, the more gypped I felt. Dogs being in places they’re not supposed to is one of my biggest pet peeves with irresponsible owners. So I went back in the store, found the associate from checkout, and said, “Is that woman with the Rottweiler still here? I want to tell her that statistically, Rottweilers are the second most dangerous dog in America. The only breed that disfigures and kills more are pit bulls.” The associate was looking rather unnerved, and basically said some officials from the store had seen the dog and they would handle it if they thought it was wrong. I didn’t think they would be told to leave anyway–this stuff happens a lot where I live. At least there was that one old woman who made eye contact with me–I whispered, “I don’t think that’s a real service dog” and she whispered, “Neither do I. I know someone who was bit by one. In the eye.” Sorry, this is a long post, but I had to get it out.
The Rottweiler had a choke chain on, by the way. I’m pretty sure service dogs don’t need choke chains. -
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- You don’t need to tell me comfort dogs aren’t real service dogs. And I went overboard mentioning the part about Rottweilers killing people. It’s frustrating is all, because I figure if a service dog isn’t totally fake, it probably is either unnecessary anyway or not an appropriate breed choice. There’s a reason people choose Labs over mastiffs in real harnesses. Why did they decide to use a Rottweiler is the question here. That is, if the woman really meant it when she said he was a diabetes dog.
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- Have a look at this:
http://www.care2.com/causes/mcdonalds-manager-punches-mother-over-autism-service-dog.html
The kid’s ‘autism service dog’ was loping around the children’s indoor play area in McDonald’s! I am amazed that there is such a thing as an ‘autism service dog’! I have an autistic son here in the UK and no-one I know here has been offered or has ever expressed the need for a ‘service dog’. God help them if they tried to inflict one on my family! The service dog industry is exploding in the US, it seems – and, like those damned dog clothes and dog strollers, will soon be here in the UK. But carry on to the second page of the article. A female Air Force veteran’s ‘service dog’ crapped in the aisle of a supermarket and she was told not to bring it in again (hardly surprisingly) and all hell was let loose. Well, I don’t object to dogs being used by blind people, but I sure as hell do object to them being taken into restaurants and shops by people who can see where they’re going. I don’t want to encounter your mutt in a restaurant, thanks – and I don’t want to run into your mutt in a supermarket, especially if it decides to take a dump in the aisles. -
- Today in the world of fake and unnecessary service dogs: I have officially met an “anxiety” pit bull mix.
It was bound to happen someday. -
November 18, 2013 at 4:24 pm
- I dislike dogs because the smell of them makes me GAG. Cannot stand being near one and will not go to any place where they are. Those “fake saddles” that say they are SERVICE or COMFORT dogs can be purchased without providing any
service or comfort. I steer clear of all dogs and wish they would never allow any of them in a place that sells food or where people eat — like a restaurant. BEGONE!!! -
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December 11, 2013 at 8:49 pm
- my 12 old son has balance and mobility problems. He has a service dog that he uses rather than a walker or crutches. He can go places with the dog he can’t go with the crutches, like camping. He is safe walking down the stairs independently. he’s fallen down the stairs before. for a 12 year old boy, a service dog allows him to fit on better with the other kids. He wants to be just like everybody else.
granted I am sure there are annoying people that abuse the system. I met a lady on a plane that said she was training a small service dog. after getting into the program, I realized there was no way she was.
but to assume the majority of people with service dogs are cheaters, is a stretch. sadly there were also some very cruel and unkind comments here. I really hope you don’t one day find yourself either with a family member or personally on need of a service animal. -
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January 26, 2014 at 10:29 pm
- i understand your concern and I am sorry that you felt slighted by the situation but there are a few things you might like to know … first of, there is NO documentation required for someone who has a service dog to carry and second any bred can be a service dog. I know someone who has a doberman as a diabetic service dog and he has saved her life twice by detecting a dangerous low she was having. I also know someone who has an Akita as a PTSD service dog who now can go into public and no longer locks himself in his house. Yes, I agree that there are too many fake service dogs out there, just like there are people who have fake handicap window tags for their cars so they can park in a handicap spot. I feel both are disgusting and should be arrested.
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- Okay, so there’s no documentation required. I still think that’s a good loophole for people to get away with bringing their dogs to places they don’t need to be.
I really don’t think fighting breeds, protection breeds, breeds prone to aggression should be used as service dogs. Or that PTSD is a good enough reason to have a service dog, sorry. I understand that animals can be comforting stress-relievers in hard times, but PTSD can be controlled with medication, therapy, and the support of family and friends. You don’t need a dog as a crutch — especially not one used in fighting.
I also felt bad for the way I treated the associate, so I went back the next week and apologized. It’s not her fault someone thinks it’s okay to use a Rottweiler as a service dog. Do ALL dogs of a breed prone to aggression, become aggressive? No. But if they’re prone, why use them for service work? -
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August 28, 2014 at 10:14 am
- I am a Diabled man & Have a Service Dog. Remember This ! NOT ALL DISABILITIES ARE VISABLE ! How would YOU KNOW a Real Service Dog from a fake ? It can be difficult to tell even if you know what to look for. LOOK up The ADA Laws for a Description of A Service Dog. No such thing As CERTIFICATION, NO VEST REQUIREMT ETC.
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- SORRY, I’m just so Fed up with ALL the Bullshit, now Because of people with the view you expressed/attitude I have go through retraining with my dog & spend more money then I can afford. My SD & me ( SD=service dog ) Have been SO Traumatized by people it has set us back Months of Hard Work and Training. We both have started Isolating And now must go through more consuling.
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January 30, 2015 at 9:37 am
- Hi, I have 2 Rottweilers that actually are my service dogs. I have Seizures and Ptsd. My first service dog Bruno would sit up with me when I had nightmares, he held me through my seizures, and stayed with me and or pulled me out of harms way. I also dibiluitating back pain that forces me in a wheel chair. He would open doors, help me with laundry, pick things up, if I fell he helped me up.
I could take him anywhere he was friendly, and approachable…iif a child came near he would roll over onto his back…but he also knew if someone meant me harm, or if someone was going to be aggressive towards me and he let them know not to touch me…he sadly passed away, but he taught my 2nd Rottweiler and she is great, and now she is showing the ropes to my newest addition.
I’m sorry dogs disgust some of you, but for some of us we couldn’t be without them.
I know a lot of people do pretend and that is sad, but at the same time you do not need to have a special certified dog to be a service dog but it does have to do a service.
These dogs are Not pets they are an extension to the one they serve…like hands, legs, eyes.
Please be kind because some disibilities are not visible to the naked eye.
Thank you -
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February 5, 2015 at 11:48 pm
- While there are highly trained, true service dogs out there, I suspect that the vast majority of dogs I see out in public wearing a “service” vest are regular dogs in disguise so no one will question the owner. I used to sell my pottery at local art and craft shows and one of the other regular vendors was a husband and wife team that had a line of dog clothing. I talked to them a little, and you guessed it, one of their most popular items was a dog vest labeled “Service Dog”.
What I’ve noticed lately more and more are people bypassing the service vest and just blatantly taking their dogs anywhere and everywhere…the hardware store, drug store, the mall, department stores, airports, airplanes, bookstores, and restaurants (thank god I haven’t seen them in grocery stores yet, but I’m sure it happens). It is almost impossible to go anywhere these days without encountering someone with a dog. Get this through your thick skulls, dog owners…I DON’T WANT TO SEE YOUR DOG, SMELL YOUR DOG, HEAR YOUR DOG, WALK AROUND YOUR DOG, HAVE YOUR DOG SNIFF ME, LICK ME, LOOK AT ME, PRANCE AROUND ME…I DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR DOG AND DON’T EXPECT ME TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR PATHETIC WASTE OF SPACE POOP MACHINE WHEN I’M OUT IN PUBLIC.
Last summer we went to this restaurant with an outdoor patio. We took our seats and I noticed a foursome that had their big german shepherd with them. We considered going to another restaurant, but since the dog was behaving at the moment, we decided to stay. Needless to say, not long after we placed our order, another couple came in with their big dog (not sure what is was). Of course all hell breaks loose…the german shepherd and the other dog are going nuts trading barks back and forth. For 10 minutes, neither of these owners made any effort to shut these fleabags up. After a while, I hear the owner of the german shepherd say to the waiter, “let us know if this is a problem.” Are you brain damaged, dog owner? Just look around the restaurant, everyone in the whole place is giving you the evil stink eye. EITHER SHUT YOUR FUR COVERED PEST UP OR LEAVE THE RESTAURANT AND LET EVERYONE ELSE EAT IN PEACE.
I said it before and I’ll say it again…dog owners, PLEASE STOP TERRORIZING PEOPLE WITH YOUR DOGS. -
- dogs are swine!
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April 8, 2015 at 2:54 am
- I agree that fake service dogs should be banned.
However, not all invisible disability have a fake service dog.
With medical alert dogs, they warn a person of an attack 30 min before a machine can do so and 1hr before the person knows about it.
Guide dogs people tell them whether to go left,right, or straight on it is the blinds persons duty to know where the team Is at all times. -
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- I agree that fake service dogs should be banned.
However, not all invisible disability have a fake service dog.
With medical alert dogs, they warn a person of an attack 30 min before a machine can do so and 1hr before the person knows about it.
Guide dogs people tell them whether to go left,right, or straight on it is the blinds persons duty to know where the team Is at all times.
Doubtful you Lear the facts stop going on -
- Oh and just because a dog isn’t a working dog, didn’t mean he is crap, it means that he isn’t trained properly which it mainly the owners fault!
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- Ok, people with PTSD suffer a lot more than you think. It’s not just the nightmares, it’s the abuse the flashbacks and stress.
None of you know who suffers.
Please don’t judge
And dogs are not pests or fleabags, humans in general are selfish,lazy,cheating morons -
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- First point: don’t have an SD
Second point my pet dog doesn’t cost Ltd to feed -only $7 a month
Third point; we have a thing called the NHS over here which means everything is free. -
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August 4, 2015 at 2:04 am
- It’s a little known fact that the dog industry started this dog worshipping idea, which brings in billions of dollars in sales each year, by whispering to advertisers that anything with a dog in the commercial and/or ad photo would help sell their items faster and better.
That’s a lie but people fell for it. There are more dogs in the US than ever before. What a nightmare to go out in public now and run into them everywhere. I’ve been nipped at, barked at, lunged at, growled at and have witnessed them licking the produce from the owner’s arms, their nasty unwiped butts in grocery carts (I can only imagine what the inside of a pocket pet purse must smell like – yuk)! And it doesn’t stop there. Pets on parade are harmful to people with legitimate disabilities who require legitimate service dogs. “Comfort and Therapy” dogs are NOT considered Service Dogs.
What is happening now is that the more people are bonding with their ‘fur babies’ the less they are interacting with other humans. The need to take your shopping pal everywhere you go is considered a mental issue. Why do you need to take Fido everywhere you go? That’s a question worth answering. Do you really need that much attention? Just hang out with other humans…the more you do it the better off you’ll be.
If I have to endure the barking of yet another dog while sitting at an outdoor patio of a restaurant, I’m walking out mid-meal and the restaurant can suck up the cost. Yes, I’m offended and don’t want to eat with YOUR dog! Gross! -
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- I agree untrained dogs should not be in certain places. And I fully respect your view because, yes, dogs are dirty. That’s dogs for you. The us law states that all dogs must be well trained and not bark or do anything disruptive. I agree that even pet dogs should NOT lunge, bark, growl ect when out and about. It makes me angry when I see untrained dogs everywhere, because it’s dangerous for one and just downright anti – social. Personally if I saw a ‘service dog’ that was pulling on the lead, barking, lunging ect then I would be having a word with the owner. it’s wrong to do this because it is breaking the law and just disrespectful. BUT did you know it also puts loads of stress on an untrained dog to be out. In my view no dog should be carried or ‘ walk free ‘ just in case. I was wondering about your views on psychiatric dogs? I hate it when I turn around and see a small dog sitting in his bag yipping away. Even in dog parks ect. That in my view is just wrong. In terms of what you saw, people that are not disabled can puppy walk an assistance dog in training, but the law varies here, and I very much doubt that they would allow a 7 year old to handle a dog like that. In essence if you don’t think that your dog will be calm and happy ( and clean!) when outside DON’T take him to dog parks or anything until you know for sure ( I have a small dog who used to go crazy when she saw other dogs but with a little hard work is calm now).
