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SiriusSummer220 karma

Sometimes it's just easier to tell people that you're married. My fiance started telling people I was his wife before we even got engaged, and I'll call him my husband.

Why? Not because it's a cutesy thing, but because there are people who don't consider boyfriend/girlfriend or an engaged level of relationship to be serious and will try to flirt, grope, or get you to break up.

If you tell them you're married, however, that sets up an invisible line few are willing to cross. The few who DO try to cross that line, however, usually get told off by their friends or even strangers if they continue to harass you.

Overall, it's just easier, more peace of mind, and less of a headache when you can just tell people, "yeah, I'm hitched" instead of having them buzz around you like a fly while you try to enjoy time out with friends.

Edit- I accidentally a grammar.

SiriusSummer8 karma

Psychiatric Service Dogs can be trained to perform tasks for people with psychiatric illnesses. They ARE NOT therapy dogs.

A service dog to help with panic attacks and severe anxiety can be trained to:

  • provide balance support when the person gets light-headed from an episode
  • alert before an episode
  • distract to prevent/reduce an episode
  • ground during an episode
  • lead the person out of/away from a stressful situation
  • seek help
  • fetch meds

A therapy dog is a well-behaved pet that is taken in to provide comfort to other people, such as at schools and nursing homes. It IS NOT a service dog and will not get access to public places.

An emotional support animal is a pet that provides comfort to its owner by its presence. No training. It is not allowed public access, though, if the handler is disabled, they MUST be permitted in some housing and on transportation (airlines, buses, etc.).

SiriusSummer5 karma

As it states, if it's just there for comfort via is presence, it's an emotional support animal and has no right to be in a restaurant (though has to be permitted in housing and on public transportation).

If it's actually trained to perform tasks to mitigate the psychiatric disability, it's a service dog and has to be permitted unless it's being disruptive.

SiriusSummer3 karma

Please don't discount anxiety and panic attacks. They can be serious enough to disrupt lives, which is why they can be considered a disability. A proper service dog will be trained to prevent and mitigate them via grounding techniques, provide balance support if the handler gets dizzy, fetch help, get the person to a less stressful location, and so on. A service dog for anxiety is not just there for petting.

If a dog isn't task-trained and is just there for petting and comfort, but the handler has a disability, then it is an emotional support dog and doesn't share the same right-of-access as a service dog in public places (except for airlines and buses). Ultimately, it's a pet with special access for housing and travel.

Therapy dogs are well-trained pets brought in to comfort other people at schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. They get no access rights, but must ask permission.

SiriusSummer3 karma

I stopped giving mine treats because instead of going, she'd just squat and pretend, then expect the treat. She'd be more focused on getting the treat than in going, which, of course, made her forget she had to go. (Smells in the yard will also distract her mid-potty and she'll forget to finish.)

After being outside with her about 10 minutes waiting for her to go and her just pretending and trying to get a treat, I'd give up and take her in (planning to take her our again within 30 minutes). Then she'd come in, realize she had to still go, and go on the floor.

That was as a puppy. She's learned to hold it like a champ when inside since then, but she's still super-easily distracted when she goes out to potty. I have to correct her off smells she fixates on to keep her focused on going, or pull up on the leash to keep her head up when she finally does go or else she'll start walking mid-poop or pee.

When working, though, she's focused on her job. She's our little idiot-savant.