'Is that a service dog?' Etiquette for seeing and meeting a service dog

At some point, almost everyone comes in contact with a service dog.  However, unlike the more commonly seen equipment used by disabled persons like wheelchairs, walkers, white canes, etc; most people do not know how to react to a service dog with tact and understanding.  Whether you are an average citizen, business owner or employee who comes in contact with the public, the following guidelines will help you better navigate the growing population of service dogs and their handlers.
First, it’s important to know exactly what is considered a service animal.  The U.S. Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities Act definition of a service dog is: Service animals are animals that are individually trained to perform tasks for people with disabilities such as guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling wheelchairs, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or performing other special tasks. Service animals are working animals, not pets. For the purposes of this article, we will focus on dogs as service animals.

Notice that that definition expands the recognized abilities of a service dog beyond the well known “seeing eye dog” for visually impaired handlers to include hearing assistance, mobility and stability control, seizure alert and response as other duties.
Also, there are no breed specific requirements for a dog to be a service animal.  There are registered service dogs that are as small as a Maltese and as publicly unusual as a pit bull.  Federal law protects service dogs from the stigma of breed specifications.  If an unlikely breed of dog is being used as a service dog, do not be skeptical or wary – they are just as trained and valuable as the Labrador retriever, German Shepherd or Golden Retriever you expect to see utilized.

1. Talk to the person, not the dog! Just as you wouldn’t speak to a wheelchair, don’t talk to the dog.  It can be distracting to the dog to have someone speak in the high pitched baby voice many people use, and making kissy noises can further distract the dog.  Also, speaking to the handler as you’d talk to anyone else is respectful of the handler.  Do not give the dog commands or ask it to do something – the dog is trained to focus only on the handler and either won’t listen to you or you’ll be taking the focus off of the task the dog is performing.  Complimenting the person on the dog is fine and often brings a smile to the handler’s face, but again, speak to the person not the dog. 
2. Don’t ask “what does he do?” Think of it this way, would you ask a person in a wheelchair, “Why don’t your legs work?” No, because that would be insensitive.  Asking what a service dog does is asking what the handler’s disability is.  Service dogs usually wear vests that indicate what their function is.  Take note of that function before asking.  Remember, not every service dog is a seeing eye dog, so statements like, “You don’t LOOK blind!” can make a handler very uncomfortable.  If you are curious about the dog, respect that the handler may be busy and may not be able to answer even tactful questions.  Also understand that in some areas, a simple trip to the grocery store will have dozens of people trying to ask about the dog.  Many handlers carry cards with information about service dogs and the laws surrounding them.  If you’d like to know more, ask for a card or where to find more information. 
3. (For Business Owners and Employees) KNOW your rights and the rights of the service animal team! According to the Department of Justice, Americans with Disabilities act, businesses must allow service dogs into any areas that serve the public.  This includes stores, restaurants, movie theaters, zoos, etc.  A business owner can ask if the animal is a service animal and what tasks it performs, but may NOT ask about the person’s disability or ask to see any form of ID for the handler or the dog.  A person with a disability cannot be asked to remove his service animal from the premises unless: (1) the animal is out of control and the animal's owner does not take effective action to control it (for example, a dog that barks repeatedly during a movie) or (2) the animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. Keep in mind that some dogs, such as seizure alert dogs may bark to alert their handler to an impending medical situation.  So a bark in the course of the dog’s work is not necessarily reason to ask the team to leave. 
4. Do not touch the dog unless permission is given. This is especially important for parents to teach their children.  Most parents teach their children to ask permission before approaching or petting any dog.  However, children learn to expect the answer to be yes.  This may not be the case with a working service dog.  ALWAYS wait for permission before petting a service dog (or any dog, really) and if permission is denied, understand that it is because the dog is working and cannot be interrupted.  Also, if one service dog handler allows you to pet his or her dog, do not assume the next one you encounter will, or even that that one will again.  It can all depend on the circumstances. 

In conclusion, it’s always safest to put yourself in the handler’s shoes.  Would you want to be constantly bombarded with questions about a visible or hidden disability? Probably not.  Service dogs provide a level of independence to their handlers that brings about great joy and feelings of usefulness that otherwise would be lacking.  Respect that and you just might make a disabled person’s day!