K9 Musings

Every so often when I’m out and about training my dogs I hear comments.

“I want to get a vest for my dog so I can take it into stores, too”

“I’m going to get one of those K9 dogs and it can go everywhere” (psst – K9 and dog = the same thing)

“It must be so cool taking your dog everywhere”

And more.

So a couple things. Since that is not at all how it works.

First of all, as search dogs, my dogs sometimes get extra access privileges to certain “no dogs allowed” areas. But it’s not a right. It’s where I’ve asked for and been granted permission to take my dogs places for training or education purposes. For instance, hotels, public buildings, several airlines will often allow search and rescue dogs access for training and education purposes. Because the more exposure and training our dogs have, the better they will be able to work when needed.  And those access privileges sure help with training and exposure.

But those are all privileges, not public access rights that service dogs have. While my dogs may perform a public service with their work, they don’t help mitigate a disability that I have – which is what a service dog does – and therefore are not granted access rights under the ADA.

Second, I really want to ask people “do you know how much extra work it is to take a dog to all those places?”

I mean, I certainly don’t have a complete picture of what it’s like to have a dog with you pretty much everywhere. But I do have a partial picture of it. And, while you’re getting used to it, it’s kind of like taking an extra two year old with you everywhere. You have to think of keeping your dog comfortable. You need to make sure they have food and water. To find/give them a chance to receive themselves. To clean up after them. To change your plans up if your dog is uncomfortable. To answer lots of questions from a curious public. To have people come up and try to pet (and end up distracting) your dog without asking – or better yet those people who come and try to show you how to “train” your dog (had someone try to grab the leash out of my hands) once. You’re always thinking dog first, me second. It can kinda put a crimp in your personal plans.

And there’s that time when your dogs wakes you up at 2 am at a hotel. And you have to get up and dressed and go through a lobby full of people to take your dog out to potty in a strange location. So. Much. Fun….

Yes, it’s kinda cool at times. But it’s not nearly as glamorous as many people seem to think. There is an amazing amount of work and commitment that is going on behind the scenes each time you see a working dog in public.

I loved everything about raising Kolt. The cute blank slate puppy with wide eyes and a sponge for a brain. The chance to put good training foundations on from the beginning. The opportunity to mold and shape him. He was my first puppy and I wouldn’t trade any of that (or him!!) for the world. And there absolutely will be more puppies in my future.

But when I think towards my next dog, I kinda lean towards a rescue pup/teenager.

Why?

Because I see potential in those crazy ones. I see dogs with misguided drive and the need to work. I wonder to myself “what would be possible if they were in the right hands?”.

The crazy ones. The ones who drive pet owners nuts. The ones who get into trouble. The ones who are misunderstood.

Most of the population wants a dog who hangs out quietly on the couch for 23.5 hrs a day and then turns on to play a rousing game of frisbee and go for a short walk around the neighborhood.

Me? Well, I also want a dog who can hang out quietly sometimes. But that’s a learned skill. I want a dog who needs to do something. A dog who wants a problem to solve. One who isn’t content just being but rather needs to be *doing*. The kind that, if they’re expected to just be, quickly turn into the crazy ones.

Because those dogs who are currently “bad dogs” in the wrong situation can be oh so good in the right hands.