You see the seriously adorable dogs with the brightly colored vests walking with their owner and you just want to go up and hug ‘em. You don’t because they’re working.
But, do your kids know how to behave when they see a service dog?
Much of the time, service dogs offer emotional support to those suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or other anxiety conditions.
Others help people with medical problems such as diabetes, a seizure disorder or another “invisible” disability, so it’s important to train your kids to admire, but stay away from working service dogs.
In general, your kids should be trained not to run up to animals, but to ask an adult to get permission to approach them.
You can’t know the burdens people carry and for many, just going out in public can be a serious challenge.
If you don’t train your children, they might cause a crisis and end up being traumatized, too. Be prepared.
Claudia
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