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<h1>The Dos and Don'ts of Service Dogs on Campus</h1>

<div id="MainImg" style="margin-bottom:20px;margin-top:5px;"><img src="https://images.higheredjobs.com/images/articles/article_3077_1.jpg" alt="Jill and her guide dog Hannah" class="" style="" /><div class="ArticleCaption">Image from Grand Valley State University</div></div>

<div id="article-byline">by Jill Hinton Wolfe</div>

<div id="article-content"><strong>Tuesday, June 7, 2022</strong> -
<p>Last year <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/11/26/1045708726/more-veterans-with-ptsd-will-soon-get-help-from-service-dogs-thank-the-paws-act" target="_blank">President Biden signed the PAWS Act</a>, which requires the VA to conduct a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder. So, if you do not already see service dogs on campus, we'll likely see more accompanying our student veterans soon.</p>

 <p>Recently I was "issued" my own service dog, Hannah. She's a guide dog that helps me navigate the world due to my low vision, not a PTSD dog, but the same rules apply to both kinds of service dogs.</p>

 <p>If I've learned anything over the past few months Hannah and I have been working together, I've learned how much people love service dogs -- and I mean LOVE them -- and can hardly keep from talking to and petting them.</p>

 <p>I get it! They're amazing animals that do fantastic work, and you can't help but want to reach out and touch them. I try to assume that most people just want to do the right thing, so in that spirit, here's what you need to know when interacting with a service dog -- on campus or off.</p>

 <p><strong>Don't Talk to My Dog (Or Pet or Feed Her)</strong><br />When dogs are in their harness, consider them in uniform. You wouldn't start chatting it up with the airplane pilot mid-flight, would you? <strong>PLEASE don't talk to my dog when she's working -- which is when she's wearing her harness.</strong> <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2021/communications-faculty-takes-interdisciplinary-style-to-meijer-honors-college.htm" target="_blank">I have a visually impaired colleague</a> who has a clip-on necktie, the kind that little boys often wear, for her guide dog. That way, people know when "Professor Chad" is working and shouldn't be touched.</p>

 <p><strong>Ignore Her, Talk to Me</strong><br />You can tell me how gorgeous, intelligent, and amazing my dog is all day long! That's one of the perks of being a guide dog handler.</p>

 <p>Just make sure not to ignore me. As I mentioned in my post <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.higheredjobs.com/articles/articleDisplay.cfm?ID=2855" target="_blank">How Not To Be Awkward Around Your Disabled Colleagues</a>, being ignored equals feeling invisible. No one wants to feel invisible and that people don't care about you. You can ignore my dog, but don't ignore me. Feel free to strike up a friendly conversation (which is hard for us Midwesterners to do, but we can try!).</p>

 <p><strong>Please Don't Gawk at My Dog</strong><br />I joke that walking through the world with Hannah feels a little like traveling with Beyonce (not that I would know). I've mostly learned to ignore the stares, whispers, and open jaws, but I always appreciate it when people at least try not to make a huge deal out of the fact that there's a giant German Shepherd standing right there.</p>

 <p><strong>Do Give Us Plenty of Space</strong><br />As we used to say in the military whenever there was a crowd, "MAKE A HOLE, MAKE IT BIG!" Hannah has no qualms about running you over and neither do I. Don't make it embarrassing for everyone by "testing" how blind I am. Luckily, campuses tend to be places where people walk fast.</p>

 <p>Also, I've noticed that students are way better at ignoring her than faculty and staff.</p>

 <p>If you're walking with a guide dog and its handler, ask which side you should walk on. Hannah is constantly pushing me to the right, so it's better if people walk next to her on the left, but that confuses some service dogs.</p>

 <p><strong>Don't Expect the Dog To Be a Robot</strong><br />Yes, they are highly trained animals that have been born, bred, and raised to provide a service, but they are also just dogs.
<br /><br />
For example, the first week I had Hannah, I was taking her out to use the bathroom, and she lunged for a guy who was walking by and waved at her. "Huh, she must need some more training!" he exclaimed. No, sir, it's you who needs more training. Ignore all service dogs when they're working.</p>

 <p><strong>Do Give the Dog and Its Handler Some Grace</strong><br />Once, at a weekend retreat, I learned the hard way that taking Hannah through the buffet line was asking for both of us to end up mad and covered in BBQ sauce (which she of course likes -- me, not so much). I was so grateful when my friend offered to get my food for me, so I didn't have to juggle plates of food and Hannah's harness.</p>

 <p><strong>Don't Hesitate to Tell Me if You're Scared of Dogs</strong><br />I am actually quite sympathetic (and if I'm honest, it's refreshing to meet someone who doesn't immediately start gushing about dogs). I will try to find a way to minimize your discomfort if I can. Recently I was at the grocery store, and the woman working the register was clearly scared of Hannah. I had my dog lay down while the woman scanned the groceries, which seemed to alleviate her fears. Let's work together to find solutions that can work for you, me and my service dog.
<br /><br />
<strong>Do Understand the Law</strong><br />According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm" target="_blank">Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)</a>, organizations "must permit service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas where members of the public are allowed to go."
<br /><br />
A hostess once told me that I couldn't bring Hannah into their restaurant. Thankfully the manager stepped in and explained things to the young woman, who later apologized profusely. Although technically refusing a service dog is illegal, usually the only recourse we have is to take our business elsewhere (and leave a Yelp review warning others about the lack of accommodation).</p>

 <p>Note: The Department of Justice defines service animals as "dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities" -- this does not include <strong>emotional support animals.</strong> You can learn about the difference between "<a rel="noopener" href="https://adata.org/guide/service-animals-and-emotional-support-animals" target="_blank">Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals: Where are they allowed and under what conditions?</a>"</p>

 <p><strong>Avoid Allowing Your Dog Near My Service Animal</strong><br />Last month, I was at a large networking event where a woman let her service dog come right up to Hannah.
<br /><br />
"We should let them play sometime!" she exclaimed while I tried to keep Hannah under control (thankfully, Hannah seemed just as annoyed as I was).
<br /><br />
There is nothing more distracting to my dog than another dog. It's dangerous for me, it's dangerous for Hannah, and it's dangerous for your dog. Even if you have a pet dog and we're walking down the bike path ahead of you (in harness), kindly give us a wide berth.</p>

 <p><strong>Do Know That My Dog Gets Plenty of Time To Be a Regular Dog</strong><br />The best part of my day is when I walk through the door at home, slip the leather harness off her shoulders, and she goes bounding after her toys. She's goofy and affectionate and lovey-dovey at home. But at work, she's literally on a mission and doesn't have time for nonsense.</p>

 <p><strong>Do Thank a Puppy Raiser (And Volunteer To Be One!)</strong><br />I will forever be grateful to the family who raised Hannah. They took her in when she was at her worst, staying up late with her, cleaning up all sorts of messes, and training her to have manners.
<br /><br />
And then they gave her back so she could learn how to be a superhero. They're amazing people, and we should all give every single one of them ten high-fives/day.</p>

 <p>(Want to be a volunteer puppy raiser? Reach out to Leader Dogs for the Blind and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.leaderdog.org/volunteer/raise-a-puppy/" target="_blank">apply</a>!)</p>

 <p>Service dogs are amazing animals, and it's hard to know how to behave around them. But at the end of the day, Hannah is there to keep me safe. If every member of the public starts coming up to her and talking to her, petting her, and otherwise distracting her, at best she'll be confused, and at worst she'll stop working to protect me from tripping, falling, or wandering into traffic.</p>

 <p>When you keep your distance from my dog and me (as hard as that is sometimes), you say, "I care about you, and I don't want you to get hurt."</p>

 <p>And that's what higher ed campuses are all about, isn't it?</p>

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