# Should I Train My Dog To Be A Seizure Dog So I Can Bring Her On The Bus? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 27, 2007, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613 "2007-06-27T05:36:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/21 "2007-06-27T17:51:31Z")
[QUOTE=Agonist] And I hereby confirm that I will NOT simply buy a cape and attempt to pass her off as a real service dog. Thank you all for your opinions. [/QUOTE] Very good! FWIW, if she is a high energy dog like you describe, she might really enjoy the training. Then you’ll be getting a doggie that can help you out if need be, and she’ll be having a good time. In my experience, dogs enjoy hard work a lot more than people do. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/22 "2007-06-27T17:56:12Z")
[QUOTE=Agonist] I don’t see a need for a highly-trained dog like \*\*Hawksgirl \*\*is training. (By the way, what a bizarre set of criteria! Do you seriously train your dogs not to want to play? I couldn’t support that.) [/QUOTE] No, they don’t want to play _with other dogs_ or when its inappropriate, which is any time we aren’t at home or I am not initiating playtime. When they always want to play with other dogs, any time they see another dog they get distracted to where they aren’t doing what they’re supposed to. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/23 "2007-06-27T17:59:04Z")
I think you need to ask your dog. After all, _she’s_ the one who has to work while you just get to sit there. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/24 "2007-06-27T18:00:23Z")
Correct me if I’m wrong, someone…but I don’t think they’ll take your existing pet and turn it into a service dog anyway. Aren’t they usually trained from a young age? The dog needs to bond with you, but a previously bonded dog? Do they even do that? ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/25 "2007-06-27T18:16:07Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] Correct me if I’m wrong, someone…but I don’t think they’ll take your existing pet and turn it into a service dog anyway. Aren’t they usually trained from a young age? The dog needs to bond with you, but a previously bonded dog? Do they even do that? [/QUOTE] Some places do. Generally not for things like seeing-eye or hearing dogs, but for something like this I bet you could find someone who does it. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/26 "2007-06-27T18:32:35Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] Correct me if I’m wrong, someone…but I don’t think they’ll take your existing pet and turn it into a service dog anyway. Aren’t they usually trained from a young age? The dog needs to bond with you, but a previously bonded dog? Do they even do that? [/QUOTE] Sure. My trainer does it. Not for Guide Dogs - they require very specialized training from a very young age. I think hearing dogs are the same. But there are dogs for all sorts of other purposes that qualify as service dogs. Personally, I think the trend towards “non-necessary” service dogs is a little disturbing - anti-anxiety dogs? Too much “abuse the system to get your pet into a restaurant” not enough “pet gives real benefit to someone struggling with a disability.” But the laws aren’t set up for ME to be the person making that determination - and they don’t really seem to be set up for anyone to make the determination. I suspect it will come that such dogs will require special licensing and certificationin order to qualify - at the very least, they should not be pooping in restaurants and we should be as assured as we can ever be with a dog that they won’t bite. ---
**Author:** ![Sofaspud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Sofaspud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofaspud)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/27 "2007-06-27T19:45:05Z")
[QUOTE=NajaNivea] [This is illegal, and no, legit service dogs do not have any kind of collective identification, nor are they required to carry any.](http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm) Bolding mine. [/quote] Wonder-fucking-ful. This is news to me, and apparently the manager of the restaurant is either telling people what we want to hear (ie, “Yes, we’ll check”), or he got bad advice. Every legit service dog I’ve encountered carries ID showing it is such. The lady I know who trains the guide dogs told me hers carry ID; I suppose it was poor reasoning for me to assume that was, y’know, an actual requirement. It fucking well should be. Who the hell do I have to write letters to to make that happen, dammit? I mean, geez, that’s bullshit. If you want to be able to claim special priviledges (for example, bringing snookums into the restaurant), then you should be required to present proof of some sort that you’re not just a lying shitbag. Now I’m even MORE pissed. Arrgh! > [@](#): > > The restaurant owner is, in fact, able to exclude a service animal that is “posing a direct threat to the health or safety of others”. I don’t know about you, but dogshit in a restaurant seems like a health threat to me. [Cite](http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/animal.htm) : Well, that’s something, at least. I’ll print that out and take it to him next time I go there. ---
**Author:** ![NajaNivea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/22d042/32.png) [@NajaNivea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NajaNivea)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2007, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613/28 "2007-06-27T20:12:48Z")
[QUOTE=Sofaspud] Well, that’s something, at least. I’ll print that out and take it to him next time I go there. [/QUOTE] Furthermore, he should have sent her a bill for cleaning the carpet and such. > [@](#): > > However, a public accommodation may charge its customers with disabilities if a service animal causes damage so long as it is the regular practice of the entity to charge non-disabled customers for the same types of damages. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/should-i-train-my-dog-to-be-a-seizure-dog-so-i-can-bring-her-on-the-bus/409613.md?page=1)