A service dog that is pulling away from its owner and jumping at other people should have failed out of training. That's not appropriate behavior. One of the whole reasons they are allowed in places other dogs aren't is because the presumption is they've been trained to behave.
The ones LoTF saw either needed further training or should have been failed out of their job. They were able to do their JOB based on her description, but good behavior is required, too.
My answer is way too long because I stopped and ran to the WW thread a few times in the middle, so I really ramble. Sorry.
So, I actually asked about this, because in both cases, the dogs pulled on their leashes, approached other dogs and people and the blood sugar alert dog had to be muzzled for part of it's exam... they didn't seem like awful dogs to me, but not as well behaved as I would expect, and the seizure alert dog was basically still a puppy...
Anyway, the diabetic just said she doesn't have her dog wear a vest normally, though she owned one, and the dog did wear a tag that looked like a medical alert bracelet with instructions for an emergency on it, but mostly she just avoided places she would have to explain the dog's behavior. She also said she paid full price when she flew (once) and used a delivery servive for groceries. She said it was tested first and foremost for the ability to smell and alert only when needed and trained to do bare basics otherwise. It is a whole different kind of service dog and as long as she stays polite, the dog meets her need.
When I asked the seizure alert dog's owner, she responded first with something about "least restrictive environment," which I did not understand until I started therapies with my daughter. Her dumbed down version was, "We had actually ordered a trained seizure alert dog when we got the script. He was too aggressive in how he did things and didn't get along with our family. He pulled my son off a chair, knocked him over... I just didn't feel comfortable. We prepared to trade him for another dog when the puppy started doing the alerts by himself. The first time, he laid next to my son, with one paw on top and barked for us like we were told the other dog would. We sent the other dog back. We still had a second dog for a few months while they tested (Jaxson?... little black lab mix, about a year and a half old...)."
"He doesn't need to pass most of the tests for Good Citizenship or whatever, since he is my son's dog first and just happens to also alert and fulfill the need requirement."
She said they were planning on training him to do other assistance tasks and work on obedience, but legally, he could be a dog that needed a muzzle in public and it would not change that he was a service dog who performed a medically required service.
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This is quite a few years ago, so I know I got some of the wording wrong, but she actually had a written script for her dog from a pediatric specialist of some kind and from an organization that trains and tests multiple kinds of service dogs (not just a print off the interwebs, but a legit, they were paying all medical bills on the dog, nationally recognized golden and lab breeding, seeing eye dog training organization) and I kinda get it now that I have my special needs kid.
I'm getting too into the nitty gritty. The point is, you cannot judge whether or not a service dog is actually a service dog just by watching it get freaked out at the airport. If it is an alert dog, it can be an alert dog with only the ability to alert. It is considered a good idea to have a trained dog so that people feel comfortable about you bringing the dog places, but IT IS NOT ACTUALLY A REQUIREMENT for many types of service animals. Other people do not need to be served by your animal, just you. If your animal hurts or intimidates a person or creature, they have every right to kick you out, defend themselves, whatever, and you should probably have a dog with better behavior than that, but it isn't required to make an animal a legitimate service animal.
Now the people who actually come out and say, "oh I slapped this vest on Attila so he could come into Walmart" or "I got a certificate online so that Baby is a certified companion animal and can fly free" yeah, go ahead and hate on them. But just because a lady has a Papillon who bounces all over her lap and yips when your clinic door opens, doesn't mean she isn't telling the truth about it being a medical alert dog, and when the dog digs at her bag reminding her to eat or licks her face excitedly to remind about insulin... you just accept it. When the mom beams at her dog and says that puppy saved her kids life, you ignore the bouncy pup behavior.
This was too long and I probably didn't get the point across clearly, but it is a phone, so I ramble. Just, don't judge unless you know. Once you know based on more than a few minutes of people watching, sure have at the lady.
I will just naively accept it unless 1. She says otherwise 2. I recognize the name of the certifying organization as a fake 3. The dog actually hurts someone (then I don't care what certifications it has or what need the owner has)
