On one hand, I know from experience that people will make comments about my service dog, and try to let them go by. On the other, especially at museums and such, I have a mental tally of what is said just by habit. Interestingly, I pretty much tune things out, but family and friends not used to going out with a service dog comment on the comments people make.
When I had my teeth cleaned, a person asked if Keeper ever gets "loved on" or "time to be a dog," and that's not the first such questions I've got. She has a job, and she's very serious when she's working, but she's still a dog. She gets down time, toys, I have bruises from when we wrestle too hard, and she has the Setters (though the Setters don't always play on Keeper's schedule, that's also good so she keeps up her social skills.)
At a rough count, at the Nelson-Atkins there were two dozen comments on Keeper's looks, seven on her breed, one on if she was an art aficionado, and one volunteer double-checking that she was a service dog. (She was wearing a K9 Kool Coat and a PawPower Harness without markings.)
At the WW1 Museum as I was checking out a scooter, the volunteer asked what I was going to do with my service dog. I don't know if they thought I'd be checking her in like a coat, or leaving her in the car (too damn hot for that!), but I told them she still has many other jobs to do than keeping me on my feet, and that she'd be going with me.
When I had my teeth cleaned, a person asked if Keeper ever gets "loved on" or "time to be a dog," and that's not the first such questions I've got. She has a job, and she's very serious when she's working, but she's still a dog. She gets down time, toys, I have bruises from when we wrestle too hard, and she has the Setters (though the Setters don't always play on Keeper's schedule, that's also good so she keeps up her social skills.)
At a rough count, at the Nelson-Atkins there were two dozen comments on Keeper's looks, seven on her breed, one on if she was an art aficionado, and one volunteer double-checking that she was a service dog. (She was wearing a K9 Kool Coat and a PawPower Harness without markings.)
At the WW1 Museum as I was checking out a scooter, the volunteer asked what I was going to do with my service dog. I don't know if they thought I'd be checking her in like a coat, or leaving her in the car (too damn hot for that!), but I told them she still has many other jobs to do than keeping me on my feet, and that she'd be going with me.
I honestly lost count of the "pretty dog" comments after nine or ten, there were 4 people playing "guess the breed" who guessed Bernese Mt Dog correctly, one man who asked where her "alcohol flask" was (thinking she was a Saint Bernard), and a man who guessed she was a Great Dane.... (No. Not even close in coat, shape, or size, really. Keeper's ~26 inches at the shoulder. Dane bitches should be at least 28 inches at the shoulder.) A couple more who asked "Saint Bernard and....?" And there were 5 parents who did tell their kids not to pet the dog, she's working. Always nice when I overhear that!
Hit the gift shop just before we left. I bought a pinwheel, and the lady at checkout told me about her Bouvier des Flanders therapy dog. Which is much better than the dead dog stories, or the "my dog could totally be a service dog!" stories (with glaring holes, like "hates kids" or "nervous in crowds.") Actually kinda nice to hear that her dog really loves going to make new friends at the VA.
And so many, many comments at the library. From the new janitor who was afraid she'd bite (she was under my desk and never lifted her chin off the floor), to the people who are sure they got to pet her as part of the therapy dog program (and want to pet her again), to the steady stream of comments about her looks, or asking to pet her, it's all becoming kind of blurred together.
Two from the last several days stand out.
Kid, following their parents, stops to stare at Keeper. I get ready to fend the kid off. Kid looks at me, smiles, yells "CUTE!" and runs off to tell Mommy about the big pretty doggy in that super loud voice little kids use.
The other one's more a facepalm sort of moment.
Patron: Can I pet your dog?
Me: No, she's working.
P: How can a dog be working?
M: *sigh* *walks away to shelve more things*
Patron: Can I pet your dog?
Me: No, she's working.
P: How can a dog be working?
M: *sigh* *walks away to shelve more things*
Too hot to even try to explain. Also, Keeper would very much like me to turn the heat down on the whole world, and to stop dampening her ears, legs, and feet to help cool her off.
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