I'm certainly not questioning his need for a Service Dog. Not at all, and as we ALL know, many disabilities are invisible. The problem for other people with Service Dogs, even those from programs is that the next time a team comes into somewhere an SD team has acted inappropriately they're automatically tarred with the same brush. I don't feel that's cool, or good or right. Everyone should be treated on their own merits, but it doesn't happen like that.
So, just because he's famous, he gets to feed his dog from the table and have his dog do whatever, wherever? I don't think that's acceptable or cool. I'm not saying he's a faker at all, but I AM saying he's an extremely poor steward for his SD. The plane thing, whatever. It's up to the airline and the airline employees on that flight.
The eating from the table thing is a huge no no though. THAT is what reflects poorly on SD owner/handlers in the public eye. And THAT is why other SD owners, even those with dogs from a legitimate program, react so poorly to people doing things like that with their dog.
There is no standard (unless you count the PAT, but that's not required for a team) and unless we want there to BE a standard then we need to hold ourselves above the average pet owner, and what they allow their dogs to get away with in public. Which includes eating off of tables and air scenting things.
So, just because he's famous, he gets to feed his dog from the table and have his dog do whatever, wherever? I don't think that's acceptable or cool. I'm not saying he's a faker at all, but I AM saying he's an extremely poor steward for his SD. The plane thing, whatever. It's up to the airline and the airline employees on that flight.
The eating from the table thing is a huge no no though. THAT is what reflects poorly on SD owner/handlers in the public eye. And THAT is why other SD owners, even those with dogs from a legitimate program, react so poorly to people doing things like that with their dog.
There is no standard (unless you count the PAT, but that's not required for a team) and unless we want there to BE a standard then we need to hold ourselves above the average pet owner, and what they allow their dogs to get away with in public. Which includes eating off of tables and air scenting things.