Open air. About five steps into the exit to the street. In panic, turned around found him in panic looking for me.
Am about to drop 0.5 Clonazepam.
Five years ago on a bus. Two years ago on a subway. Bus, door closed, 10 step down sidewalk until driver called me. Subway, slam turnaround arm back in as door was closing, thank God.
It is illegal to have an unleashed dog in any public place in NYC, other than an authorized dog run. Obeying the law would have prevented each and every one of these incidents. Perhaps you should consider it.
Man, that’s cold. Remind me not to let you pet him.
Also, your obnoxiousness put the first smile on my face since then.
If he’s a service dog I don’t want to pet him. I worked with protection trained dogs when I was a security guard and people wanting to pet my bitey dog got old quick.
I have to agree with Hello Again. A leash would go a long way towards helping you not leave your dog behind. It would also help all those other people who struggle for acceptance of their service dog in public places by showing that your service dog is not just another fake in a vest, but is actually with you for a purpose. Seems to me that a dog you can forget and leave behind isn’t all that indispensable and could maybe be left at home or tied up outside like anybody else’s dog.
What’s the Clonazepam got to do with it? I take it for anxiety and I’m pretty sure that reducing the amount I take would make me so anxious that I’d have trouble remembering my name, let alone my dog’s. Gee, I have a dog?
I raised a puppy who became a Service Dog. She was never off-leash unless in a training session. “Not now, she’s working” was the standard response to “may I pet your dog”. I have seen service dogs heeling unleashed through pedestrian traffic, but the sight always makes me cringe. I liken a leash to the reins on a horse. Sure, you can manage without them but when there’s a blowup, the safety of you and your animal depend on them.
Yeah, I’m a leashaholiccc.
I agree with Hello Again. Leash your dog. A service animal is just too valuable to be neglected. And I don’t mean valuable monetarily. He’s valuable for his loyalty to you and the things he is trained to do to make your life easier. And yes, spacing out that you have your dog with you is neglect. A leash is a tangible reminder not to leave him behind.
Leo, we aren’t being cold, here. I’m glad you are anxious about it, but a real ServiceDog is leashed everywhere I’ve seen, unless inside and permission to unleash given. Given what I’ve read on other threads about Dopers and their dogs, the cold part is that we are likely more concerned about your dog than you- you have the clonazepam, after all. HE just had a view of being abandoned.
My state has all kinds of dogs with vests. We got our spoo to be a Therapy Dog, but JM&J I’m not putting a vest on him until he’s trained. He is never off leash in public. Part of that is the sour taste in my mouth about all the “Emotional Support” animals and the like, with tags from Amazon for $7.99. I had a patient bring an unleashed chihuahua into the exam room, and it bit me. Arggh. Keep your dog on a leash, please.
Since the dog is not the one who keeps wandering off, perhaps he should be holding Leo’s leash.
All these posts, and not one about the inappropriatenerss of leaving a dog at a FLEA market?
Would you want regular run of the mill fleas?
Quality over quantity.
I guess the real question is: Why wouldn’t you leash your dog in the public, service or otherwise?
This.
So what service is it that your dog provides anyway Leo Bloom?
Most people I know with service dogs use removing the harness, vest and leash at home-- or some other place, like a friend’s home-- is the dog’s signal that he is “off duty.” I am allowed to pet my friends’ service dogs, including the Seeing-Eye dog, when they are off-leash & harness.
Are Service Dogs off duty in a subway or on a bus?
I would think that the more crowded a place is the more I’d want a leash on my dog. Not that I wouldn’t trust my mutt, but you can never tell what people around the ‘cute service dog’ will do.
People are ignorant. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen people creep up to a working service dog acting like the dog is some type of newborn baby who loves baby talk and random hand movements towards the face.
Use a leash to protect the mutt from dumb people.
Excellent.
The thought should strike fear in the heart of any critter with hair.
Sean Connery is reading that aloud in my head.
Yep. Blurring the lines between on duty and off duty is confusing to the dog. At the very least the animal needs to know when it’s okay for him to relieve himself. Or, more properly, when it’s NOT okay.
Word. One time, back in 1991, kaylasmom and I were sitting in a restaurant having dinner; her guide dog was laying under the table. Some asshole decided to make friends with the dog, so he took a bone from his BBQ beef ribs off his plate and tossed it onto the floor in front of her.
To this day, I still get angry just remembering that incident.
ETA: No, service dogs are not off duty when they’re riding in public transportation.
Well, as it happens my dear, I am Sean Connery.