@Kenzie Carlson put together a super helpful video showing the difference between a basic service dog vest and a few different service dog custom made capes. She walks through the different wording and patches you can add, along with some tips and tricks she’s picked up along the way! One big recommendation from Kenzie: make sure your cape has pockets — they come in handy! To clarify: in this video, the cape is shown attached to a counterbalance mobility support harness, but capes and custom made service vests can also be ordered for non-mobility purposes. If you’re looking for a custom-made vest or cape, Etsy is one of the best places to find options. A huge thank you to @Kenzie Carlson for creating this video and to @Stepho Wilson for editing it — you are the best! 🐾🙌

Thank you @Amanda Taulborg for inviting me out to group class to work with Joy yesterday! I appreciate everyone for their kind words, encouragement, and overall just being so welcoming! Joy is such a special girl, and I look forward to working with her more 🩷 Hope to see you all next week!

🎉 Everyone, please welcome our newest addition, Sandy the Goldendoodle! 🐾 She’s a little champion rock star and jumping into her very first Spot lesson! Learning SPOT is going to help her in so many ways — it builds balance, boosts confidence, gets her comfortable with new surfaces, teaches her a front-feet target, and helps her develop rear-end awareness. These foundations are not just fun, they’re hugely beneficial for her future as a service dog! Spot training carries over into a variety of advanced tasks and behaviors she’ll be learning down the road!

Over in Cool Dog Skool @Anissa Stark and @Danielle Lavine were discussing Target not being dog friendly and Ranger not wearing a vest. I know legally they can go in non dog friendly places, even without vests. My hair dresser said by her FL license requirements dogs are not allowed in the salon period. We were just discussing and I don’t plan to take Saffy so I didn’t push, but that seems illegal based on ADA. So this all has me wondering if there are places that a SD could be legally denied access? I have heard some national parks do not allow dogs for wild life reasons. Can a private establishment (like a hair or nail salon or independent restaurant ) deny access? How do you learn about these possibilities before hand?

One of our wonderful handlers over in Cool Dog School recently had a rough experience out in public. Her dog, Harley, was calm and working beautifully when another service dog in training almost attacked her. The young woman handling that service dog in training was grilling her beforehand — questioning whether Harley was a “fake” service dog. In reality, it was her own dog that caused the issue. Sadly, this is not uncommon. Some handlers come in with a chip on their shoulder, ready to argue before knowing the facts. But these moments are important teaching opportunities for us as a community. 💡 What To Do If This Happens To You - Stay calm. Once you get heated, it’s no longer about education — it’s ego vs. ego, and nobody wins. - Grab your phone or ask a friend/family member to record. If you can safely record, do it. Video protects you and your dog, and often makes people check themselves quickly. - Focus on your dog. Their safety and calmness always come first. Don’t let poor handling from others pull you off track. - Educate, don’t argue. If you choose to engage, a calm explanation will always go further than snapping back. 🛡️ Protecting Your Dog in the Moment - Use your body as a barrier. Step between your dog and the oncoming dog if possible. - Find a physical shield. Position yourself behind a bench, car, wall, or shopping cart to block access. - Exit quickly. If things escalate, calmly and confidently move your dog out of the area. - Carry deterrents if needed. Some handlers bring an umbrella, or just a loud “NO” to interrupt an oncoming dog — use what you feel safe and comfortable with. 🌟 Our Community Standard In ASA Service Dogs, this is a judgment-free zone. We don’t waste energy tearing others down. Instead, we focus on: - Building the best relationship possible with our own dogs. - Supporting one another with encouragement, not criticism. - Creating a safer, more informed community where both dogs and humans can grow.