# "Service Dog In Training"



## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I've seen a few people putting harnesses on their dogs with "Service Dog In Training". I know these are not SDs and are never going to be. Is this kosher? They are not trying to get access like a real SD (aren't going anywhere a normal dog isn't allowed) but I see pictures of people petting them and hear stories about socializing and it makes me think this could be very confusing to the public, since isn't it true that an SD or SDIT on duty would *not* be socializing?


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## GatorDog (Aug 17, 2011)

I don't like it when I see a dog with a 'service dog' vest that obviously isn't. It's one thing if they're in a public area anyways, but it really bothers me when I see someone slap a vest on their pet just to bring them into a restaurant while they eat or something. I just think those people are taking advantage.

I'm going to school for vet tech and I commute and am away from home for 10+ hours a day, so when it's ok with professors, I ask if I can bring Aiden. He just sleeps the whole time anyways, but I put on a vest without any labeling (mostly because the sight of a vest alone deters most people from getting all over Aiden and petting him without asking), and if people ask what he's doing there or why, I just say that he's there for socializing and training. I'd like to get patches that say "in training' or 'do not pet' but I won't get one that says 'service dog'. I don't mislead and tell people he's a working service dog when he isn't. I just got lucky in that my professors allow me to bring him with me to campus. It's generally pretty pet friendly with the whole vet tech program anyways.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Not kosher, to me it's weird and inappropiate.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

What confused me was not that the person was trying to gain access with the vest but was using it to *attract* attention to the dog and socialize it, which seems to go against what I know if SDITs (not supposed to be pet or disturbed while wearing their vets). But I've never trained an SD so maybe I don't know? My DH and I do a little presentation for his second grade classes on bite prevention and not interrupting SDs at work so I want to make sure I have this right.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

not kosher. I"ve seen SDIT vest that say to NOT pet because they are training. 

Maybe these ppl using these vests are not aware they can buy one that is appropriate for what they are doing.


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## Blanketback (Apr 27, 2012)

I always thought that a service dog was supposed to be ignored, but I've seen a few out lately that are approachable. I guess it depends on the service the dog is providing, but I don't want to pry and ask - I hate when people ask nosey questions, lol. I do know that some people don't distinguish between a therapy dog and a service dog, so that's more confusing too. I've seen people in the therapy program abuse the system this way.


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

also not kosher. I think it can ruin it for legimate service dogs


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

Someone at my GSD club is currently raising a future service dog puppy. It's a lab/golden mix and they're the family that socializes and teaches it the basic stuff and then after their year is up the dog is evaluated and put into actual SD training.

Not only is this dog able to be pet, he is also able to play with other dogs and just be a puppy. He loves playing with my boy and as long as he gets his release word he can pretty much just be a dog. Remember these dogs are still puppies and they do like to enjoy themselves. So I think while you might know that the dogs with those vests won't be service dogs, not all service dogs are trained from 2 months of age to be service dogs. I think most programs allow the dogs to have at least 1 year of growing up without hardcore service training. Now...this dog is definitely more trained than most 1 year old dogs I know, and he has a "work" word and a "release" word. He knows them really well and just flips the switch as soon as they are said.

Of course people at our club always ask to pet, and its actually welcomed because that kind of socialization is huge for a dog. He's wrestled with my boy plenty of times and whenever they see each other tails start wagging like you wouldn't believe. I've talked to the club member and gotten a lot of information about their program and it sounds very cool. Not sure if every SD program is like that one but this is the way they operate. They have their own breeding program, their own "raising family," and then of course trainers. Usually the dog is ready to go from 2 to 2.5 years old.

I should add...yeah its not right if your dog won't be a service dog and you slap on that vest. Knowing the law and abusing it isn't right.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

Socialization is very important for the SD Candidate. During the candidate stage, the trainer is just forming a foundation with the pup/young dog and evaluating if the candidate is even suitable to be put into training.



> I've seen a few people putting harnesses on their dogs with "Service Dog In Training".


Once the dog reaches this stage (Service Dog In Training, SDIT) the trainer should be working on focus on the handler and not seeking attention from the public. This is the time when the dog is being trained to work through distractions.

Stages ...
1) Service Dog Candidate
2) Service Dog In Training
3) Service Dog


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

I know puppies from some service dog schools do have vests they wear too, and sometimes they do use the term "service dog in training" for those although technically they would be a "candidate".

It's also possible some people may be confusing "service dog" and "therapy dog" terms and they actually are socializing the dog to be a future therapy dog, they just got the terms wrong.


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## Liesje (Mar 4, 2007)

I'm not talking about a SD or SDIT but a dog that is not an SDIT being identified as such. I know legally it doesn't really matter, right? Because an SDIT is really no different than a companion dog, only an SD has more access rights? I have no problem with the SDIT vest/patch for a dog that really is training to be an SD, I'm just wondering why someone would use that one for a dog that is *not* an SDIT.


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## Courtney (Feb 12, 2010)

Lies, that's how I took your post...dogs in no way shape or form in training or an actual service dog. More a internet purchase of a vest slapped on the dog.


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Liesje said:


> I'm not talking about a SD or SDIT but a dog that is not an SDIT being identified as such.


Are you totally sure they are not training to be service dogs?
Could they be confusing service dog and therapy dog, or be training for a different type of "service"?



Liesje said:


> I know legally it doesn't really matter, right? Because an SDIT is really no different than a companion dog, only an SD has more access rights? I have no problem with the SDIT vest/patch for a dog that really is training to be an SD, I'm just wondering why someone would use that one for a dog that is *not* an SDIT.


It depends on the area. Service dogs in training are not covered under the ADA, but some states do include them in the state laws. So in some states, either a handler with a disability or a trainer/individual training the dog for someone else DOES have access rights with a service dog in training. 
So it is possible that people may be using these vests/patches in order to gain access to places where pets are not allowed by passing their pet dog off as a SDIT, if the state includes SDIT in the law. In some states only "certified" trainers or those with a service dog school have access rights with SDIT but in other states that is not specified.

However if the person is only taking the dog into public places that pet dogs are allowed, they are probably not breaking any laws unless the state has a specific law for passing a pet off as a service dog in training on the street. Obviously it's still wrong if the dog is not truly a SDIT.
I am not sure why they would put these patches on a dog if they're not training it for a service dog and not trying to sneak them into places pets aren't allowed. If they just don't want people to pet the dog, they could use DO NOT PET patches (or one of those "dog in training" or "needs space" vests) without using the word service dog, and if they want people to pet the dog there are better options than a SDIT patch which would have the opposite effect.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

I've seen both, and IMHO it's fairly easy to spot the ones that are abusing the system. Irritating and DH always immediately steers me far away so my mouth doesn't get us into trouble.


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## RocketDog (Sep 25, 2011)

Also, many stores won't allow dogs and I think that many people just want to take Precious to the mall. 

I say this while admitting I take my dog everywhere he's allowed; but that's the point-- I take him where he's allowed.


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