Don’t scam the service dog system just because you love being with your pet

As Lon Hodge was leaving the Veteran’s Administration, a Chihuahua wearing a service dog vest attacked his service dog, Gander. Fortunately, Hodge pulled the small dog off his large labradoodle before any damage was done.

“The veteran who owned the dog proudly admitted he purchased a vest and laminated credentials online for his Chihuahua,” Hodge said. “By looking at the dog’s behavior, it was clear he wasn’t a true service dog.”

Spotting the real deal from a fake isn’t that hard. Yet many are still fooled, including me. At a conference I attended on pet care, an adorable West Highland Terrier wearing a vest was sitting quietly next to me on his owner’s lap until a few people tried to pet him. That’s when he snapped. Fortunately, everyone pulled their fingers back in time.

Most people know that they’re not supposed to distract a working dog. However, true working dogs aren’t aggressive even when people approach them out of turn. “Whenever I go to a restaurant, Gander lies on the floor under the table,” Hodge said. “Most people don’t know he’s there. Gander’s not my pet. He’s my service dog.”

Hodge suffers from PTSD, a disability with no visible scars. Gander keeps him calm and is always by his side, which is another way to tell a real service dog from a fake. “The dog needs to be by your side at all times,” Hodge explained.

Brianne Corbett, vice president of client services and dog operations atFreedom Service Dogs of America, said service dogs help people “live their lives more independently.”

“The handler and service dog are in tune with each other,” she said. “And while most of us have a special bond with our pets, service dogs are more than pets.”

Gander was rescued from an animal shelter, which is where Freedom Service Dogs of America get all of their service dogs. Their trainers look for dogs with good temperaments that are over 50 pounds and are between one and two years old. On top of not being aggressive, the dogs have to be strong to help people in wheelchairs and big so they can flip on light switches and open doors.