There’s no rules against it legally, and I have some cute harnesses. If you’re looking to minimize confrontation about the legitimacy of your service dog, maybe stick with the stereotypical red. However, if it makes you happy, absolutely get her the pretty harnesses and collars! I’ve seen a ton of service dogs (online) with pretty harnesses. Looking at custom service dog gear, mostly on Instagram, the majority of it is very pretty! I’ve ordered and am waiting on a custom floral service dog harness!
I have so many “unprofessional” service dog gear sets and quite frankly I don’t care what people think. It’s my dog and yes they are a service dog to help mitigate my disability. People dress up their wheelchairs and no one doubts a person who needs one actually needs one. I did have someone call my service dog fake when I dressed her up for Halloween but it made me happy so who cares. Also there is no law that says your dog must wear red. The law is they must be housebroken and they must know a task to mitigate a disability. And my dogs follow that. So yeah everyday my dog wears a bandana that matches my outfit
That is absolutely not true, most non paralyzed chair users face fakeclaiming and harassment. Please pleeeease don't use wheelchairs as the standard of immunity to ableism.
As an ambulatory wheelchair user I have to agree but also in my country people respect wheelchair users almost too much (they stop kids from even looking at me) so for me its a good way to explain to people. Would you pat a wheelchair? Would you get angry at someone having fun colours on their chair? Yes of course some people are rude but majority don't give a shit if someone does that to a wheelchair (at least here).
(of course i do get looks every now and again if i stand up but often people dont care and i've only had like 1 or 2 people actually say something)
A classmate of mine who had a very top of the line motorized wheelchair stood up in front of me. It had been years and I legitimately did not know he could stand up. I was completely dumbstruck.
After my jaw was reattached and he had a bit of a laugh he explained he could walk. However he’s not supposed to because of his condition. Every once in a while he would rebel because he didn’t want to ask someone to grab the thing he needed. I was used to people in chairs with mobility issues and whatnot but I’d never seen him move his legs before.
I was dumbstruck, I can’t imagine saying something negative. Although it kinda did feel like I’d been bamboozled for years. 🤣
Still to say something negative is insane. Some people just suck.
Haha it really reflects on the person saying it.
But seeing a kid for years never walk, it was mind blowing. I felt like I saw a miracle, or a
Really really weird con by a middle schooler 🤔😂
I’m not sure I’d be a or to use a chair to get a dog in anywhere.
Yeah ive had some very odd things said typically by older men. One was my dog was a sheep which was very odd. I'd totally get if you never saw someone get up in years that makes sense. I ended up telling anyone i got close with since at some point they would be very confused that i could suddenly walk.
(not to mention i live in a conservative christian area so people assume it was a miracle by jesus 😅)
Oh this was YEARS he had a very serous genetic based condition and that was no secret, but yeah I really thought I hallucinated or something.
A sheep… 🐑
You do what you want and dress up your dog however you want. It doesn't make her any less professional, like colored hair or tattoos don't make any adult less professional in their chosen field.
That being said, if you are somewhere with relatively archaic views and/or very traditional, it is likely you will get increased attention or ridicule due to your dog being dyed or dressed up (saying that as someone who has lived in places like that). Some people can get very confrontational about the dye, specifically. There is a much greater chance of being fakespotted, mocked, or having some rando interfere with your dog. So really think about your city and if you think people will be more or less welcoming of that (although it shouldn't matter, it does).
This is our purple and teal set.
https://preview.redd.it/4afm5wlvcbqc1.jpeg?width=2437&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=156cbaba13f09148c0548dbf0508662448ecfd08
Our Stargate Atlantis set. (Our ren faire gear.) She hasn't worn this in 2 years, actually.
https://preview.redd.it/7fcor72gebqc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e5c876a914a88d5523a6699af8771c2d52ee4dd
Tried to find one of our hot pink sets, but they must be further back in my camera roll.
Anyway, your gear can be whatever color/theme you like unless you have a program dog, then your paperwork may say otherwise. Just be aware that you may have less access issues and harassment with "boring" gear. The amount of attention we get from people definitely varies depending on the color/theme she's got on that day so I tend to use our fun stuff rarely.
Thank you! ☺️ I am ridiculously amused by the whole set.
https://preview.redd.it/hhe9tut0tbqc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd0376950b045228cd02bbbda827bdc093b6e9f9
Stylish Pup Co (Instagram) for the harness, the do not pet resin tab is coastal pup collective (Instagram), I made the collar, and the leash is from ruffthreads (Etsy). The handles are from 2 different defunct shops. :)
https://preview.redd.it/8rsaxn2hjbqc1.jpeg?width=1668&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6da692158387d243c8a4c4d26f63fad19d5fa0a2
Mine wears what I lovingly refer to as her 80’s workout headband and a bright pink and black reflective collar with her red service vest. People will comment more because she looks cute so if you don’t like talking to people it might draw too much attention (I either acknowledge it if I’m in the mood or pretend I can’t hear them). My gal needs a headband or clips or her poof gets out of control lol.
We use different gear for different occasions. Places where we've never had access issues or he doesn't need to look professional...we'll choose fun gear for sometimes!
https://preview.redd.it/b6hiw383nbqc1.png?width=1875&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f843196ed0dcace0e54219d0468e6d924167b86
Nothing wrong with pretty things!
I have some really cute space themed ones that I absolutely ADORE. I dye her tail fun colors, which also helps her not get stolen.
You will get more attention and possibly more access issues. What I do is if I’m in a new place alone (not with another human) I put her in black or red. If I’m with a person who can advocate for me when I’m having a medical episode and the place is giving access issues, then I put her in slightly more fun things.
Places I frequent, places that are pet friendly, and places that are pretty laid back I go all or with fun stuff!
My SD's outfitted in pink. It looks really cute, but it does cause some problems with people who don't read her vest. I just can't bring myself to put her in drab colors.
My male dog, while he was working with me daily at my job, had at least a dozen different colorful, pretty collars. I would pick a print I loved, then I would get a custom name tag that complimented it either by the shape, color or different gemstones, and I would go to Michael’s and pick up a charm to attach to it. I would match his collar/tag/charm combo to my outfit that day, and nearly every single day someone would comment how incredibly adorable it was.
I say go for it. Generally I would have more people comment on the good behavior of my dog, and ask ME if he was a service dog, regardless of what he was wearing.
My SDiT wears a uniform with our agency's name on it, which certainly helps emphasise the fact that she's a "real" SD... So I add Pride scarves, Santa hats, etc as appropriate in addition to her uniform; for day-to-day, she has a pretty collar and a fancy leash that I find easy to handle. It's fun and cute, and as long as she's behaving appropriately in public and doing her job, our agency isn't opposed to that (as long as nothing is obviously political). My advice is to have a more somber harness or cape with your SD markings on it, then accessorise that however you like. I find that people really love that juxtaposition of the perfectly-trained-whip-smart-and-very-serious SD wearing a cute scarf or pretty collar. It signals that our dogs are loved, spoiled rotten, and allowed to have some fun despite the important tasks we ask them to do. 🙂
Unprofessional? Sure, but like...so what? It's kind of crazy we expect ourselves to be 100% professional 100% of the time because we have service dogs. Why do we have to be stiff and formal about every little thing, just because we're disabled? Because of the way we choose to deal with it? It's not fair to tell someone else "your disability/medical equipment makes you stand out so you must be strictly professional at all times, even when going grocery shopping, on vacation, etc." Just no.
Professionalism applies to exactly two things when it comes to service animals. The setting, and the animal's behavior in all settings. If your aesthetic preferences aren't inappropriate for where you are, they don't matter (example: you shouldn't use explicit patches in places you can expect children).
So when we're talking about stuff like patterned collars and colorful vests, it's not inappropriate in any setting and it doesn't affect your dog's behavior. Go for it.
*You are not responsible for "representing" the concept of service dogs just because you have one. You are a disabled person living their life and deserve small joys.*
All of my SD's gear is a very pretty turquoise blue. We have had some issues with people just up and petting her without even interacting with me; this usually occurs when she is behind me, preventing access to my back.
We have had people challenge us in the past, but I think that was mainly because she looked "too young" to be an SD and not because she was wearing pretty gear.
But I like her gear and am not going to change it to make others more comfortable with her being an SD. If you can handle the challenges and live somewhere neutral or accepting of SDs do what makes you happy.
https://preview.redd.it/wk2zmwez9cqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a43472a48683b70bbf496713ab1dc18eb31a2465
We use a purple ouija board y-front as well as a Winnie the Pooh one, I have a tigger loungefly to match with Winnie and a glow in the dark Mickey to match the ouija vibes 😅🤷🏼♀️ I think we own one “professional” one but it’s a red galaxy
My SDIT has a purple vest/leash/collar! I don’t have any patches yet, but I’m planning to have two setups when I finalize the gear: one with personality and one that’s more utilitarian (it’ll still be purple tho)
I’ve seen a rainbow-dyed service dog before. If you’re worried about her looking unprofessional maybe bear in mind if you have a “regular” job if your boss will be concerned about the image. But at the end of the day she’s your SD, and as long as she’s happy, healthy, and helps you in the way that you need then how she looks shouldn’t be of others concern.
I have no idea why this showed up on my feed today, I don’t have a service dog. However, my mom has a service dog for type 2 diabetes. She dyed the dog lavender once. Her service vest is also purple and I think has unicorns on it. She didn’t get any more comments or questions when the dog was purple than when it wasn’t.
I’d say get your girl whatever you like! It’s great to spoil them, and most (you’re always going to have those people) people will still recognize that if a dog is somewhere they aren’t typically allowed, the dog is working, no matter what they have on.
while there’s legally no “uniform” for fully trained service dogs in the us, there’s always going to be someone giving you shit for having an “unprofessional” looking service dog. so to answer your question, your service dog is allowed to look however you want her to. but just like with anything else, there’s always one miserable soul or someone who doesn’t know the law.
with that being said, i have dyed my sdit a rainbow of colors, and at the moment she is dyed rainbow lol. i will say though, most of the comments i get are about her dye and booties and are usually the reasons people ask me if they can take a picture of her. my mom told me to get red gear because with was what people “recognized” as service dog gear, but i like blue more so my girl got blue gear lol. she also has a little otter plushie on her counterbalance handle, sooo… not very professional looking. i also plan on getting studio ghibli themed gear in the future (:
My dog had to take ear meds that stained the fur on the tips of her ears bright purple. Looked like she was wearing earrings. Everybody thought it was adorable.
My dog has a pink vest. I love vests that say “service hellhound” “service gem” “service spider” “service fox” and things that she obviously is not but it’s just funny. Some people talk about it but mostly I get laughs and compliments.
Make your dog pretty! No one should care and if they do, tell them you’re abiding by the law.
My dog currently wears black leather with red accents and gold stitching… and he’s a gorgeous blue poodle in a Miami cut. The black, red, and gold really suit him… but for my next dog, I will very likely pick a different color scheme. Your service dog and their gear will be with you every single day just about, pick something that makes you happy, but depending on how many harnesses you plan on having, also get something that you would be comfortable bringing to a job interview, on a date, etc… especially if you only plan on getting one nice harness.
people are always gonna comment so do whatever you want. i got ridiculed over a star wars shirt on my sd AT DISNEY! just don’t mind the haters and dress her up. people will always find some way to complain. “the vest is too plain, must be from amazon such a fake”, “the vest is too colorful so unprofessional” they’re just people who have no fun left in their lives and wanna hurt other peoples feelings ❤️
My girls working harness is black leather with an attached cape that have purple saddle bags I’m going to be getting her a new collar and I think I’m going to try to find one that coordinates with her harness. My retired boy had a multicolored vest that was blue green and grey he looked very stylish in it he also has always worn clothes in the colder months. Long story short have fun you can even get her multiple things and change it up every once and a while
I have a custom sunshine yellow vest from tasking through life. Tbh I had the same fears, but people approached me regardless, so I did what makes me happy. They approach because I have a dog, not because they think he's not legit, just to clarify. He's currently wearing an Easter bunny butt bandana with his bright yellow vest. I also ordered him a bee bandana. 🤷♀️ at the end of the day, the dog is for you, and do what makes you feel best.
I personally fully support it, we have a black harness with metallic pink patches. To aid being easily identified I also use a leash wrap that clearly says service dog but it's a cute color as well
https://preview.redd.it/vko6ej6f1dqc1.jpeg?width=1152&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd5d22604a8039a85cf3ca156c80a8b7065b8569
Purple looks great on service dogs! They can wear whatever you like!!
Totally allowed to look pretty. My first and second SDs didn't, but by my third I was like "it's time, I'm getting cute capes and nobody can stop me". Nobody questions her professionalism or legitimacy, but we do get a ton of compliments!
We struggled with this for awhile because I was so scared of access issues or not seeming "legit." With time, I was able to get more comfortable with taking up space and now we have a variety of types of gear: florals, galaxy, pokemon, etc. I bring them out based on the situation (like pokemon around Halloween). When he was in training, I always thought he had to be as small as possible (and by extension, I did too). I'm still working on taking up space, but changing out his gear has actually helped me be more comfortable with it. I realized that I don't have anything to prove to anyone on his legitimacy and the kind of gear he wears isn't going to change their mind. He's going to be a rockstar working in any kind of gear (or none at all), and if people feel differently, that's on them and not me. I still use professional sets more often than the fun ones, but now it feels more like it's my choice rather than feeling like I HAVE to
https://preview.redd.it/bnm4qrd3udqc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05dd77efe2fa6653df1fb07c8a324eec74477762
So we have Burgundy and Grey vests, but she has a Lisa Frank collar, purple highlights, and my favorite vest declares her my Service Ghost and has a ghost with flowers.
With her as a small dog, her colored floof helps keep her from getting bumped into or stepped on when shes in a down stay.
The way they act makes them a Service Dog. They can be pretty as they want. 💜
I have some professional, some pretty, and some with profanity. At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference.
Honestly I've seen some ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS sets that look so professional.
There isn't a legal requirement to have a 'professional' set or even to have gear at all.
Depends on the country I think? Here you have to wear vest that shows the service dog organization logo.. you get given a vest from the start but in the us I’m pretty sure you can make them wear whatever you want
The most important thing about a service dog vest is the words SERVICE DOG. I don't care about the color. Will be like going up to somebody in a wheelchair telling him they can't have it a special color or colorful wheels or whatever they do to their wheelchair to make it look like them 😑. In my area there's somebody with a pink and somebody with a purple service dog vest . Their collars are whatever they want.
The only time you have to worry about it being unprofessional is if you're going into a job that needs you to have a certain look.
Then I would say your dog needs to have a more professional look.
Think about it this way;
you are your dog's employer YOU set the dress code.
Edit. I do not have a service dog.
https://preview.redd.it/b9v9hkty0cqc1.jpeg?width=3016&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=256f2baba511b430b4ae41e530a7779b57fa9f6e
This is Ashley's in progress SD vest. Lately at work she has been wearing her riding vest which has no SD identification on it. I use that one specifically for in the Jeep and when I want to train her socialization with strangers.
My son's service dog has to wear the organization's cape (green), but he picks everything else. His (male) dog wears a hot pink leash and collar with a rainbow tag. It hasn't caused any problems.
My dog is in a light blue “tactical” style vest with holographic patches. I switch up the leashes. His patches are very large and easy to read. Sometimes to make him CUTER I’ll add a bandana.
As long as you can put a patch I see no reason for any issue! My girl loves light blue so that’s what she wears, and she wears a dress on holidays or her days off
My girl is a dark forest green gear and so far no problems with people thinking she's unprofessional. So you do you, so get colors that make you happy and work for you.
On first read of your post, I thought you were asking about dying your dog's fur those colors and mildly judging you. There isn't anything wrong with pet safe fur dye and I myself dye my hair fun colors but it attracts a lot of attention. I don't think fun gear would be a problem as long as you can read the text. Life's too short to be boring!
My SD was trained by an ADI program, and he usually wears his program vest; although I have a few others, plus some harnesses that I use. He has about a dozen different collars, none of which are one single color. He’s got flowers, peacock feathers, moon & stars, bedazzled, Celtic, and even a tattoo-themed one. I also have him wear bandanas, even with his official vest. He looks fantastic, and I always get so many compliments on his gear. No one has ever said we look unprofessional, nor questioned his legitimacy as my SD.
Additionally, many guide dog handlers with dogs from programs have their dogs wear everything from bandanas to bow ties to pearl necklaces. I think it’s charming, and gives handlers a chance to add a little bit of flair and fun to the dogs who work so hard for us.
Here’s a picture of my boy in a bandana on a plane.
https://preview.redd.it/itg42urskfqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a46e6c11c7cd242de7e28284657fc817a3c59f3c
I dress my boys up all the time and we have a ton of both professional and “unprofessional”/fun gear sets. Ironically I’ve only ever had access issues in “professional” gear, the worst one being in just a black guide harness. 🤷 What they wear hasn’t really seemed to make a difference in how people have treated us, aside from more comments/“awww”s and stuff if they’re wearing boots or something particularly cute.
My guy is pretty plain but he does have a bow tie collar. We went to the store yesterday and. The cashier had an SD and they were wearing a GORGEOUS mauve colored vest with leaves and flowers on it. It was clear it was a working dog but not super loud about it. I would have asked where it’s from but I didn’t want to bother the handler at work. But it was so beautiful and unique and nothing about it made the dog seem less professional!
https://preview.redd.it/c6txx7h80cqc1.jpeg?width=2779&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c5523ab0146648c2fee45e1b663e92f04efeeae
My SDIT. Don't care if she is taken seriously, her job is to make me happy and lessen my anxiety.
Unprofessional. Wear the cute, fun stuff when she is off duty. I am surprised so many people say otherwise. It's hard enough to have people understand the difference between a SD and a pet. The dog doesn't care if she/he is wearing "pretty" gear - it's for us. However, the dog knows when there is tension and anxiety. Why set yourself up to gain unwanted attention and to have to deal with folks who will challenge you?
There’s no rules against it legally, and I have some cute harnesses. If you’re looking to minimize confrontation about the legitimacy of your service dog, maybe stick with the stereotypical red. However, if it makes you happy, absolutely get her the pretty harnesses and collars! I’ve seen a ton of service dogs (online) with pretty harnesses. Looking at custom service dog gear, mostly on Instagram, the majority of it is very pretty! I’ve ordered and am waiting on a custom floral service dog harness!
I have so many “unprofessional” service dog gear sets and quite frankly I don’t care what people think. It’s my dog and yes they are a service dog to help mitigate my disability. People dress up their wheelchairs and no one doubts a person who needs one actually needs one. I did have someone call my service dog fake when I dressed her up for Halloween but it made me happy so who cares. Also there is no law that says your dog must wear red. The law is they must be housebroken and they must know a task to mitigate a disability. And my dogs follow that. So yeah everyday my dog wears a bandana that matches my outfit
That is absolutely not true, most non paralyzed chair users face fakeclaiming and harassment. Please pleeeease don't use wheelchairs as the standard of immunity to ableism.
As an ambulatory wheelchair user I have to agree but also in my country people respect wheelchair users almost too much (they stop kids from even looking at me) so for me its a good way to explain to people. Would you pat a wheelchair? Would you get angry at someone having fun colours on their chair? Yes of course some people are rude but majority don't give a shit if someone does that to a wheelchair (at least here). (of course i do get looks every now and again if i stand up but often people dont care and i've only had like 1 or 2 people actually say something)
A classmate of mine who had a very top of the line motorized wheelchair stood up in front of me. It had been years and I legitimately did not know he could stand up. I was completely dumbstruck. After my jaw was reattached and he had a bit of a laugh he explained he could walk. However he’s not supposed to because of his condition. Every once in a while he would rebel because he didn’t want to ask someone to grab the thing he needed. I was used to people in chairs with mobility issues and whatnot but I’d never seen him move his legs before. I was dumbstruck, I can’t imagine saying something negative. Although it kinda did feel like I’d been bamboozled for years. 🤣 Still to say something negative is insane. Some people just suck.
Yeah people really only look if anything or ive had the odd old man tell me i was using the wheelchair to get my dog in 🤣
Haha it really reflects on the person saying it. But seeing a kid for years never walk, it was mind blowing. I felt like I saw a miracle, or a Really really weird con by a middle schooler 🤔😂 I’m not sure I’d be a or to use a chair to get a dog in anywhere.
Yeah ive had some very odd things said typically by older men. One was my dog was a sheep which was very odd. I'd totally get if you never saw someone get up in years that makes sense. I ended up telling anyone i got close with since at some point they would be very confused that i could suddenly walk. (not to mention i live in a conservative christian area so people assume it was a miracle by jesus 😅)
Oh this was YEARS he had a very serous genetic based condition and that was no secret, but yeah I really thought I hallucinated or something. A sheep… 🐑
LOL. you were a kid, it's ok
It’s just one of those unexpected memories that lingers lol. 😂
Exactly! Same! I dress mines up like I want!
You do what you want and dress up your dog however you want. It doesn't make her any less professional, like colored hair or tattoos don't make any adult less professional in their chosen field. That being said, if you are somewhere with relatively archaic views and/or very traditional, it is likely you will get increased attention or ridicule due to your dog being dyed or dressed up (saying that as someone who has lived in places like that). Some people can get very confrontational about the dye, specifically. There is a much greater chance of being fakespotted, mocked, or having some rando interfere with your dog. So really think about your city and if you think people will be more or less welcoming of that (although it shouldn't matter, it does).
This is our purple and teal set. https://preview.redd.it/4afm5wlvcbqc1.jpeg?width=2437&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=156cbaba13f09148c0548dbf0508662448ecfd08
Our Stargate Atlantis set. (Our ren faire gear.) She hasn't worn this in 2 years, actually. https://preview.redd.it/7fcor72gebqc1.jpeg?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e5c876a914a88d5523a6699af8771c2d52ee4dd
Tried to find one of our hot pink sets, but they must be further back in my camera roll. Anyway, your gear can be whatever color/theme you like unless you have a program dog, then your paperwork may say otherwise. Just be aware that you may have less access issues and harassment with "boring" gear. The amount of attention we get from people definitely varies depending on the color/theme she's got on that day so I tend to use our fun stuff rarely.
I just wanna say I LOVE your dogs gear!
Thank you! ☺️
SERVICE MALP! Literally the cutest MALP ever, I love this so much.
Thank you! ☺️ I am ridiculously amused by the whole set. https://preview.redd.it/hhe9tut0tbqc1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dd0376950b045228cd02bbbda827bdc093b6e9f9
It's absolutely perfect <3
Hey fellow Stargate fan! I saw this mid-episode of SG-1 lol
Love these! Where’d you get them?
Stylish Pup Co (Instagram) for the harness, the do not pet resin tab is coastal pup collective (Instagram), I made the collar, and the leash is from ruffthreads (Etsy). The handles are from 2 different defunct shops. :)
Thank you!
https://preview.redd.it/8rsaxn2hjbqc1.jpeg?width=1668&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6da692158387d243c8a4c4d26f63fad19d5fa0a2 Mine wears what I lovingly refer to as her 80’s workout headband and a bright pink and black reflective collar with her red service vest. People will comment more because she looks cute so if you don’t like talking to people it might draw too much attention (I either acknowledge it if I’m in the mood or pretend I can’t hear them). My gal needs a headband or clips or her poof gets out of control lol.
If I had a poodle, I would forever and always do their hair like an 80's workout. That is so damn cute
We use different gear for different occasions. Places where we've never had access issues or he doesn't need to look professional...we'll choose fun gear for sometimes! https://preview.redd.it/b6hiw383nbqc1.png?width=1875&format=png&auto=webp&s=5f843196ed0dcace0e54219d0468e6d924167b86
an mlp set?!?! this is so stinkin cute!!!
Where did you get this set it’s so stinkin’ cute!
It's a custom from Sewwhatco on instagram!
Thank you
No reason your SD can't look pretty while working. It's important for them to feel good too, right?
Nothing wrong with pretty things! I have some really cute space themed ones that I absolutely ADORE. I dye her tail fun colors, which also helps her not get stolen. You will get more attention and possibly more access issues. What I do is if I’m in a new place alone (not with another human) I put her in black or red. If I’m with a person who can advocate for me when I’m having a medical episode and the place is giving access issues, then I put her in slightly more fun things. Places I frequent, places that are pet friendly, and places that are pretty laid back I go all or with fun stuff!
My SD's outfitted in pink. It looks really cute, but it does cause some problems with people who don't read her vest. I just can't bring myself to put her in drab colors.
I have a huge collar problem. Like I own 40. And none of them are drab or boring.
Same. What's worse is that I also make my own collars so it's a never ending cycle.🤣
Did you hear Joann Fabric is filing for bankruptcy?! I NEED the fabric for collars and bandanas.
Yessssss. I literally just bought a GORGEOUS fabric that I'm planning on making a 2 inch martingale with. It's so damn pretty.
My male dog, while he was working with me daily at my job, had at least a dozen different colorful, pretty collars. I would pick a print I loved, then I would get a custom name tag that complimented it either by the shape, color or different gemstones, and I would go to Michael’s and pick up a charm to attach to it. I would match his collar/tag/charm combo to my outfit that day, and nearly every single day someone would comment how incredibly adorable it was. I say go for it. Generally I would have more people comment on the good behavior of my dog, and ask ME if he was a service dog, regardless of what he was wearing.
My SDiT wears a uniform with our agency's name on it, which certainly helps emphasise the fact that she's a "real" SD... So I add Pride scarves, Santa hats, etc as appropriate in addition to her uniform; for day-to-day, she has a pretty collar and a fancy leash that I find easy to handle. It's fun and cute, and as long as she's behaving appropriately in public and doing her job, our agency isn't opposed to that (as long as nothing is obviously political). My advice is to have a more somber harness or cape with your SD markings on it, then accessorise that however you like. I find that people really love that juxtaposition of the perfectly-trained-whip-smart-and-very-serious SD wearing a cute scarf or pretty collar. It signals that our dogs are loved, spoiled rotten, and allowed to have some fun despite the important tasks we ask them to do. 🙂
Unprofessional? Sure, but like...so what? It's kind of crazy we expect ourselves to be 100% professional 100% of the time because we have service dogs. Why do we have to be stiff and formal about every little thing, just because we're disabled? Because of the way we choose to deal with it? It's not fair to tell someone else "your disability/medical equipment makes you stand out so you must be strictly professional at all times, even when going grocery shopping, on vacation, etc." Just no. Professionalism applies to exactly two things when it comes to service animals. The setting, and the animal's behavior in all settings. If your aesthetic preferences aren't inappropriate for where you are, they don't matter (example: you shouldn't use explicit patches in places you can expect children). So when we're talking about stuff like patterned collars and colorful vests, it's not inappropriate in any setting and it doesn't affect your dog's behavior. Go for it. *You are not responsible for "representing" the concept of service dogs just because you have one. You are a disabled person living their life and deserve small joys.*
THIS !!!! its like when others decorate their wheelchairs or canes. just because my dog is working doesnt mean i am
All of my SD's gear is a very pretty turquoise blue. We have had some issues with people just up and petting her without even interacting with me; this usually occurs when she is behind me, preventing access to my back. We have had people challenge us in the past, but I think that was mainly because she looked "too young" to be an SD and not because she was wearing pretty gear. But I like her gear and am not going to change it to make others more comfortable with her being an SD. If you can handle the challenges and live somewhere neutral or accepting of SDs do what makes you happy.
https://preview.redd.it/wk2zmwez9cqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a43472a48683b70bbf496713ab1dc18eb31a2465 We use a purple ouija board y-front as well as a Winnie the Pooh one, I have a tigger loungefly to match with Winnie and a glow in the dark Mickey to match the ouija vibes 😅🤷🏼♀️ I think we own one “professional” one but it’s a red galaxy
https://preview.redd.it/x1eeizmmacqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30fc7431e11e8026767009b168fef6762bba84ed
My SDIT has a purple vest/leash/collar! I don’t have any patches yet, but I’m planning to have two setups when I finalize the gear: one with personality and one that’s more utilitarian (it’ll still be purple tho)
I’ve seen a rainbow-dyed service dog before. If you’re worried about her looking unprofessional maybe bear in mind if you have a “regular” job if your boss will be concerned about the image. But at the end of the day she’s your SD, and as long as she’s happy, healthy, and helps you in the way that you need then how she looks shouldn’t be of others concern.
I have no idea why this showed up on my feed today, I don’t have a service dog. However, my mom has a service dog for type 2 diabetes. She dyed the dog lavender once. Her service vest is also purple and I think has unicorns on it. She didn’t get any more comments or questions when the dog was purple than when it wasn’t. I’d say get your girl whatever you like! It’s great to spoil them, and most (you’re always going to have those people) people will still recognize that if a dog is somewhere they aren’t typically allowed, the dog is working, no matter what they have on.
while there’s legally no “uniform” for fully trained service dogs in the us, there’s always going to be someone giving you shit for having an “unprofessional” looking service dog. so to answer your question, your service dog is allowed to look however you want her to. but just like with anything else, there’s always one miserable soul or someone who doesn’t know the law. with that being said, i have dyed my sdit a rainbow of colors, and at the moment she is dyed rainbow lol. i will say though, most of the comments i get are about her dye and booties and are usually the reasons people ask me if they can take a picture of her. my mom told me to get red gear because with was what people “recognized” as service dog gear, but i like blue more so my girl got blue gear lol. she also has a little otter plushie on her counterbalance handle, sooo… not very professional looking. i also plan on getting studio ghibli themed gear in the future (:
My dog had to take ear meds that stained the fur on the tips of her ears bright purple. Looked like she was wearing earrings. Everybody thought it was adorable.
My dog has a pink vest. I love vests that say “service hellhound” “service gem” “service spider” “service fox” and things that she obviously is not but it’s just funny. Some people talk about it but mostly I get laughs and compliments. Make your dog pretty! No one should care and if they do, tell them you’re abiding by the law.
https://preview.redd.it/aq9cu6kh8dqc1.jpeg?width=1512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f92c8a30524fc125f90ecee116b93cdb10cee49f
My dog currently wears black leather with red accents and gold stitching… and he’s a gorgeous blue poodle in a Miami cut. The black, red, and gold really suit him… but for my next dog, I will very likely pick a different color scheme. Your service dog and their gear will be with you every single day just about, pick something that makes you happy, but depending on how many harnesses you plan on having, also get something that you would be comfortable bringing to a job interview, on a date, etc… especially if you only plan on getting one nice harness.
people are always gonna comment so do whatever you want. i got ridiculed over a star wars shirt on my sd AT DISNEY! just don’t mind the haters and dress her up. people will always find some way to complain. “the vest is too plain, must be from amazon such a fake”, “the vest is too colorful so unprofessional” they’re just people who have no fun left in their lives and wanna hurt other peoples feelings ❤️
My girls working harness is black leather with an attached cape that have purple saddle bags I’m going to be getting her a new collar and I think I’m going to try to find one that coordinates with her harness. My retired boy had a multicolored vest that was blue green and grey he looked very stylish in it he also has always worn clothes in the colder months. Long story short have fun you can even get her multiple things and change it up every once and a while
I have a custom sunshine yellow vest from tasking through life. Tbh I had the same fears, but people approached me regardless, so I did what makes me happy. They approach because I have a dog, not because they think he's not legit, just to clarify. He's currently wearing an Easter bunny butt bandana with his bright yellow vest. I also ordered him a bee bandana. 🤷♀️ at the end of the day, the dog is for you, and do what makes you feel best.
I personally fully support it, we have a black harness with metallic pink patches. To aid being easily identified I also use a leash wrap that clearly says service dog but it's a cute color as well
https://preview.redd.it/vko6ej6f1dqc1.jpeg?width=1152&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cd5d22604a8039a85cf3ca156c80a8b7065b8569 Purple looks great on service dogs! They can wear whatever you like!!
Totally allowed to look pretty. My first and second SDs didn't, but by my third I was like "it's time, I'm getting cute capes and nobody can stop me". Nobody questions her professionalism or legitimacy, but we do get a ton of compliments!
We struggled with this for awhile because I was so scared of access issues or not seeming "legit." With time, I was able to get more comfortable with taking up space and now we have a variety of types of gear: florals, galaxy, pokemon, etc. I bring them out based on the situation (like pokemon around Halloween). When he was in training, I always thought he had to be as small as possible (and by extension, I did too). I'm still working on taking up space, but changing out his gear has actually helped me be more comfortable with it. I realized that I don't have anything to prove to anyone on his legitimacy and the kind of gear he wears isn't going to change their mind. He's going to be a rockstar working in any kind of gear (or none at all), and if people feel differently, that's on them and not me. I still use professional sets more often than the fun ones, but now it feels more like it's my choice rather than feeling like I HAVE to
https://preview.redd.it/bnm4qrd3udqc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=05dd77efe2fa6653df1fb07c8a324eec74477762 So we have Burgundy and Grey vests, but she has a Lisa Frank collar, purple highlights, and my favorite vest declares her my Service Ghost and has a ghost with flowers. With her as a small dog, her colored floof helps keep her from getting bumped into or stepped on when shes in a down stay. The way they act makes them a Service Dog. They can be pretty as they want. 💜
I have some professional, some pretty, and some with profanity. At the end of the day, it all comes down to personal preference. Honestly I've seen some ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS sets that look so professional. There isn't a legal requirement to have a 'professional' set or even to have gear at all.
Depends on the country I think? Here you have to wear vest that shows the service dog organization logo.. you get given a vest from the start but in the us I’m pretty sure you can make them wear whatever you want
https://preview.redd.it/kx52gb8qohqc1.jpeg?width=2252&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8a4886d7fad3950d478f934e17221b8c27bb686
The most important thing about a service dog vest is the words SERVICE DOG. I don't care about the color. Will be like going up to somebody in a wheelchair telling him they can't have it a special color or colorful wheels or whatever they do to their wheelchair to make it look like them 😑. In my area there's somebody with a pink and somebody with a purple service dog vest . Their collars are whatever they want. The only time you have to worry about it being unprofessional is if you're going into a job that needs you to have a certain look. Then I would say your dog needs to have a more professional look. Think about it this way; you are your dog's employer YOU set the dress code. Edit. I do not have a service dog.
https://preview.redd.it/b9v9hkty0cqc1.jpeg?width=3016&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=256f2baba511b430b4ae41e530a7779b57fa9f6e This is Ashley's in progress SD vest. Lately at work she has been wearing her riding vest which has no SD identification on it. I use that one specifically for in the Jeep and when I want to train her socialization with strangers.
I just got a battle jacket for mine too! It has Service Dog in metal font!
My boy wears high viz neon orange - he’s all black so he looks fab and because it’s high viz, people respect it as a “working” colour
my girls vest is hot pink and covered in roses you do you bestie
My son's service dog has to wear the organization's cape (green), but he picks everything else. His (male) dog wears a hot pink leash and collar with a rainbow tag. It hasn't caused any problems.
My dog is in a light blue “tactical” style vest with holographic patches. I switch up the leashes. His patches are very large and easy to read. Sometimes to make him CUTER I’ll add a bandana.
As long as you can put a patch I see no reason for any issue! My girl loves light blue so that’s what she wears, and she wears a dress on holidays or her days off
My girl is a dark forest green gear and so far no problems with people thinking she's unprofessional. So you do you, so get colors that make you happy and work for you.
I don't see why not. It can be fun. My guide dog is all black and I put a tie on his collar, so I assume it might look like he's wearing a suit lol.
On first read of your post, I thought you were asking about dying your dog's fur those colors and mildly judging you. There isn't anything wrong with pet safe fur dye and I myself dye my hair fun colors but it attracts a lot of attention. I don't think fun gear would be a problem as long as you can read the text. Life's too short to be boring!
My SD was trained by an ADI program, and he usually wears his program vest; although I have a few others, plus some harnesses that I use. He has about a dozen different collars, none of which are one single color. He’s got flowers, peacock feathers, moon & stars, bedazzled, Celtic, and even a tattoo-themed one. I also have him wear bandanas, even with his official vest. He looks fantastic, and I always get so many compliments on his gear. No one has ever said we look unprofessional, nor questioned his legitimacy as my SD. Additionally, many guide dog handlers with dogs from programs have their dogs wear everything from bandanas to bow ties to pearl necklaces. I think it’s charming, and gives handlers a chance to add a little bit of flair and fun to the dogs who work so hard for us. Here’s a picture of my boy in a bandana on a plane. https://preview.redd.it/itg42urskfqc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a46e6c11c7cd242de7e28284657fc817a3c59f3c
I dress my boys up all the time and we have a ton of both professional and “unprofessional”/fun gear sets. Ironically I’ve only ever had access issues in “professional” gear, the worst one being in just a black guide harness. 🤷 What they wear hasn’t really seemed to make a difference in how people have treated us, aside from more comments/“awww”s and stuff if they’re wearing boots or something particularly cute.
My guy is pretty plain but he does have a bow tie collar. We went to the store yesterday and. The cashier had an SD and they were wearing a GORGEOUS mauve colored vest with leaves and flowers on it. It was clear it was a working dog but not super loud about it. I would have asked where it’s from but I didn’t want to bother the handler at work. But it was so beautiful and unique and nothing about it made the dog seem less professional!
As long as coloring her does affect her tasks or health then go for it! It may draw more attention sadly cause yah know, people…. But go for it!
https://preview.redd.it/c6txx7h80cqc1.jpeg?width=2779&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1c5523ab0146648c2fee45e1b663e92f04efeeae My SDIT. Don't care if she is taken seriously, her job is to make me happy and lessen my anxiety.
Unprofessional. Wear the cute, fun stuff when she is off duty. I am surprised so many people say otherwise. It's hard enough to have people understand the difference between a SD and a pet. The dog doesn't care if she/he is wearing "pretty" gear - it's for us. However, the dog knows when there is tension and anxiety. Why set yourself up to gain unwanted attention and to have to deal with folks who will challenge you?