Service dogs in public

Recently I observed an adult dog, in a service dog vest, exiting a plane with his adult male handler. Sadly, the moment the dog's paws hit the tile floor in the airport, he became completely unglued - struggling to keep his footing. He took a step and one of his legs would go out from under him. He would correct and it would happen again, trying desperately to keep up with his person. The handler ignored his struggles, walking fast, the leash short.

I stress the importance of great handling skills in public to my service dog families. Why? Because a dog who is distracted, anxious or improperly trained cannot effectively do his job. The video that follows illustrates appropriate handling skills by 13-year-old Olivia. She worked her year-old Diabetic Alert Dog, Gracie, deftly through and around people. For more than two hours, Gracie was focused, tail wagging - a perfect canine partner.

Bravo to Olivia and all the other great kids I work with. They demonstrate time after time that young people are often the best dog handlers.