i agree. people shouldnt leave their dogs in their cars, especially when its hot out. and i can understand why people wouldn't want to leave their animal unattended. Someone can just come steal them! I know we would like to believe the world is a happy place, but its really not. There really are people out there like that. And especially for little guys like our yorkies.

Sorry for posting again, but I also wanted to share some information that was part of my research in finding out that I actually NEEDED a service dog and could benefit from one. This might benefit someone out there on YT. YES a small dog CAN be a service dog. They are not ALL big dogs, seeing eye dogs, etc. as some people may think.

What tasks do psychiatric service dogs perform?
Psychiatric Service Dogs are like any other service animal. They are individually trained in obedience, performing tasks, and working in distracting public environments to mitigate their partner's psychiatric disability. Their function is not to provide emotional support, but to perform tasks which enable their partner to function in ordinary ways the non-disabled take for granted.

Find a person or place... Example: A person becomes separated from his family in a crowd. As the crowd closes in around him, he experiences a panic attack and difficulty breathing. He cannot call out to his family. He gives his dog a signal to locate his family who will help him, or to locate an exit where he can escape the crowd and get fresh air.
I am currently in the process of training her to find my fiance if we are seperated. I currently can't go anywhere without him or another person, for fear of having an attack and being alone, but hopefully in the near future, I will feel safe going with just myself and Dolce and know that she can take care of me.

Signal for certain sounds... Example: A person heavily sedated, in a flashback, or in a psychotic episode fails to respond to a smoke alarm. His dog is trained to persistently and very firmly signal him until he responds.
I take medications that cause me to be heavily sedated at times. When I take my anxiety meds I am usually useless since I don't take them on a regular basis, only when I have an episode. I can't get up and do anything for hours and probably would not hear a smoke alarm, an intruder, or sense anything is wrong.

Bring medication in an emergency... Example: A person with an anxiety disability experiences severe gastric distress when overstressed. The resulting nausea causes him to become disoriented and dizzy. He falls to the ground and cannot rise. His dog is trained to retrieve his anti-nausea medication and bring it to him.
I stated before, that Dolce is trained to get my medication from my purse, when she knows I am having an attack. Sometimes she will even sense it coming on before it actually does and will bring me my meds. The first time she did that it stumped me. I thought she forgot how to do the task correctly and then an episode hit. I was so surprised and SO glad that I have her.

In addition to tasks, psychiatric service dogs can be trained to perform emotionally comforting behaviors, such as licking or snuggling with their disabled handler on command.
Dolce would lick me to death ever since I first got her. At first I thought it was cute. Then I realized how calm I was while she was doing it. Now this is part of our "episode ritual".

Some feelings of isolation or of being unloved can be relieved by unconditional positive interaction with another living being. While these bonus behaviors are not true tasks, in the sense that they alone would justify the animal as a service dog, they can be very beneficial to the handler in times of stress. Handlers also report that the tactile stimulation of petting their dog or being nuzzled can help them to reorient during a dissociative episode or panic attack.
There are many psychological benefits to being partnered with a service dog separate from the tasks they perform. A dog depending on them for care can force a person to get up out of bed to take the dog out to walk and to give the dog food and water. The simple act of getting up and moving around, especially getting fresh air, can help relieve some of the symptoms of depression. The routine of caring for the dog can help the person get on a routine for feeding and caring for themselves at the same time, i.e. when the dog eats, the person also eats a meal.

I am fully aware of what a "service" animal is. I have a son that is special needs and my dog, cj is a service dog/therapy dog for him. However, there is a DISTINCT difference between the two. There is also a difference between and ESA (an Emotional Support Animal) and a PSD (Psychiatrica Service Dog) since youre all for quoting the ADA. I wasnt implying anything about you. I dont know you. I just wanted to know what were the three tasks a yorkie can do to qualify as a service dog just out of mere curiousity.


Just like the YT'ers on this forum is passionate about their babies and byb breeders, I am passionate about children and adults with special needs and I would hate for anyone to get the ideal from your situation that they can find a loophole just for the sole benefit of taking their furbaby anyway they feel they should go. It's an insult to my son and other people who require these dogs. She didnt mention anything about having any kind of disability in order for her dog to accompany her into Blockbuster.

BTW, your dog sounds like an ESA/Therapy dog, not a service dog. Since we're quoting things now, here we go:


"I can't go out alone because of social phobia; my dog makes me feel safe enough to go out to the grocery store and other places I need to go." This describes an emotional support animal, not a psychiatric service animal.

How can you tell the difference between emotional support and psychiatric tasks? Take emotion out of the equation by asking yourself what a robot might do to help you overcome a barrier to performing major life activities. Next ask yourself if a dog might be able to do the same thing. Then ask if a dog could be trained to do that thing.

Sometimes folks want emotional support so they look for a list of service dog tasks to try to justify their ESA as a PSD. This is the backwards way to select tasks and usually results in tasks which will not hold up in court. The courts have told us that tasks must: 1) be trained and not a natural behavior of the dog, 2) must mitigate the person's disability, 3) must be needed by that specific handler. Some examples that don't hold water:

medication reminders for someone who could just as easily check a clock or set a watch alarm
carrying medication for a person who could carry their own medication in a purse or pocket
retrieving a newspaper for someone who doesn't subscribe to a newspaper
public access for a handler whose dog's only task is to wake them, when the person doesn't fall asleep in public (which a person with narcolepsy might actually need help in managing, but most folks would not)
a dog who provides encouragement or affection so a person can take a test or visit a store
an attack dog to protect a victim of assault (see also IAADP's article on PTSD)
Please note that a dog which becomes upset when the handler is upset is not "alerting" to the handler's upset. He is responding to it and doing so in an emotionally unstable way. A psychiatric service dog should be extremely stable and not be drawn into their handler's emotional state, but rather remain calm, thinking, and working in spite of their handler's upset. Vomiting, trying to drag the handler away, and acting up are all indications of emotional distress in the dog. A therapist who joins the disabled person in "freaking out" is not professional, and neither is a service dog who does so. A person in emotional distress needs a solid rock to think clearly for them and guide and help them, be that a therapist or doctor, or service dog. They do not need someone "freaking out" or overly empathizing with them. Remember that the number one reason dogs bite is out of fear not aggression. A dog put into a situation that it is emotionally unable to handle is at risk of biting, something which can result in the dog being declared vicious and put down.

One more.....


*The way we look at it is what the regulation says is that a service animal is an animal that's trained to provide services for a person. So something that is just a pet is not, and we try to be broad, because there could be a whole range of services that an animal can be trained to provide, but it has to be trained to do it and it has to be doing services. Because there has been a great deal of misunderstanding and we are told by a number of guide dog users around the country of abuses that are occurring and a backlash that's happening to people with service animals because of it. When we do the regulations that I'm talking about in the fall, we're going to ask questions about this issue and be specific about this. Should emotional support animals be covered by the ADA? Should they be required to be in restaurants? Should they be required to be in public transportation? In our view, they're not covered now unless they are providing a service to the person.**

Once again, I am not implying anything about you. I know depending on the state, ESD are allowed the same access as a service dog or a PSD, which it sounds like in your state.

That is SO true. Our is like a Ghosttown. Between Netflix; On Demand; and who knows what all - I would say they need EVERY customer they can get.

Blockbuster has the nerve to have an app on my phone where I can rent movies. The cost is $4.99 and you only get to watch the movie ONCE. How about an Epic FAIL?

Dolcesmama, as the OP I did not think you were trying to find a loophole. You stated that you had a disability in your post. I thought the information was very interesting,for the reason that you stated in your post. That others may have a need.
I am glad that you found a way to go out in public and enjoy life.

I have bipolar/BPD...I guess Zoey should accompany me too....Whatever...

Not trying to poke fun but this reall happened thought it would lighten mood here..
BF said I was becoming a 'crazy dog lady' when I was pregnant & on here a lot with being on rest...I looking into getting psychiatric dog applications...just sayin' crazy+dog lady=Elvis being a psychiatric assistance dog....Scoobers can sense when Elvie is about to have seizure...he's Elvis' assistance dog. Anyways it didn't pan out for me....

:thumbup::thumbup:

This made my day actually :rolleyes::rolleyes:

And to think I was the only crazy dog lady.

On that note. Trying to advoid any problems. There are alot of stores that dont allow dogs, and yet I drive down three miles to the same store, different location and they're fine with him.
Prime example, my husband works ay Best Buy and I bring Gizmo in all the time and they all love him. The general manager literally kidnapps Giz and walks him around and I've even helped with puppy training and trying out new food for his pup.

Now, when we go to the old Best Buy that my husband us to work for in Flint, I'm not allowed to go past the yellow shirt security dude.

It's all based on the general manager. When my family had our business we welcomed dogs as long as they behaved, and it was never a problem. If a customer came to me with a complaint, which is only once, I bascially told them that in this economy if I need to let a customer bring in their dog to get their service then I didn't have a problem.

Thank you

Boy, if my son could type...

Dont worry about it there are people on here who will justify doing whatever no matter how wrong it is so they can take their dog with them in places where they arent allowed

If someone said they were interested in doing that,I must of missed it.

Yeah this is blowing way out of proportion...

The post went from being upset with Blockbuster due to the manager's lack of social and management skills to debating whether or not emotional needs for a dog is ethical in regards to bringing a dog into a store with them.

I love bringing my dog in stores with me, but if I'm asked to get out, I get out. I don't boycott the store necessarily,but Gizmo is ususally with me when I go somewhere so I won't be returning anytime soon. Woop-de-frickin-do.

I don't think anyone on this thread is finding a "loophole" with regards to service dogs. Do I think there are people out there that do take advantage of it? Absolutely! But sadly we do live in a world of liars and a-holes that have a tendency to ruin it for everyone else. Once again, woop-de-frickin-do.

The joy of posting on a public thread is there are many times you don't agree with what someone said. But, whatever that's the joy of an opinion. But geez talk about straying away from the original topic and blowing something way out of proportion.