Con Access Question

[dogstar]

Hi y'all!

Just found this community via surfing from anotehr blog, and went "Wow, I was looking for that!"

I've been invited to help put together a panel on Service Dog Etiquette for a local con. I've owner-trained two SDs, run a small SD training company, and have previously presented a number of service dog etiquette 101 panels for businesses and community groups, but I'm wondering about anything con-specific that I ought to address- I haven't been to many (any!) cons in the last few years, and I just want to make sure the panel is the best it can be.

Any thoughts?

Comments

[purpletigron]

I'm interested in knowing your ideas?

I feel it is appropriate to acknowledge the service dog themselves directly, as I would with any service employee.

[trixie]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "acknowledge the service dog themselves directly"?

It is the general rule that you shouldn't talk to, touch, or otherwise attempt to distract a service dog unless a handler specifically offers that opportunity. Service dogs will not have their feelings hurt if you ignore them, I swear.

[lightgetsin]

I feel it is appropriate to acknowledge the service dog themselves directly, as I would with any service employee.


Completely disagree -- that is counter to all the etiquette I have ever encountered from any service dog organization, and as a guide dog user, something I have sometimes found quite disruptive and unappreciated.

[purpletigron]

I am aware of this perspective, but I do not share it. I am talking about making eye-contact with the dog, not treating it as if it were a pet.

[lightgetsin]

Making eye contact is effectively as disruptive as cooing. There is no actual difference between distracting my dog by petting her without permission and distracting my dog by getting her attention and interest without permission.

[purpletigron]

No, I'm not talking about distracting the dog nor disrupting the work the dog is doing.

I can only make eye contact with the dog if he or she chooses to seek eye contact with me - in that case, I will acknowledge that with my eye contact.

[lightgetsin]

Yeah, no, the community politeness standard is still in play there -- service dogs are to be ignored entirely until it's okay to do otherwise. Dogs aren't looking because they're polite, they're looking because they cruise for their own distractions, and acknowledgement is basically encouragement. You don't see a lot of e.g. blind people calling strangers on that sort of thing because (a) I can't always tell except in my dog's behavior, and (b) it isn't worth the almost inevitable interrogation and "but I wasn't trying to be distracting, you're just mean," which almost always follows. But it's still not okay to pretty much every handler I know.

[trixie]

I'm not entirely sure where you're coming from here, but no one is saying you have to avert your eyes from the dog, but as lightgetsin said, acknowledgement is encouragement to distraction. Furthermore, they do not *need* your acknowledgement. They are not "service employees".

As a service dog user, I can tell you that having someone making eyes at my dog is annoying and inappropriate because the dog's job is to be 100% focused on me and to lay quietly and unobtrusively when not needed in public, and more importantly because I'd much prefer that people I am interacting with actually pay attention to me, not my dog.

And I assure you, when not in public, service dogs and guide dogs get PLENTY of attention and love.

[dogstar]

Yeah, no, not at all- and this is one of the things that we'll be addressing.

[james]

Caveat - I'm really tired so may not be totally coherent, here. ;-)

My first thought is - a lot of times con-goers (especially at fan only cons, not cons where actors are the main event), feel and act like they are a lot closer friends because of internet contact and shared interests than, say, business con goers. Which is perfectly fine, but it may be that total strangers will attempt to treat a service animal like a pet.

One thing I'm basing this on the way people, in prepping to go to cons, will ask their friends' list "who is going to want a hug when I see you for the first time ever?"

Fans have a (sometimes exaggerated) sense of intimacy, and if they don't know anything about SDs then they might not realise they can't just go up and snorlge someone's assistant like that. But I think the sense of intimacy can be a really good thing about cons, but con-goers need to be aware of it, going in. Like when people ask ahead of time about 'who wants a hug and who doesn't liked their personal space being invaded like that.'

The only other concerns I can think of aren't really con-specific, so you'd probably be covering them anyway.

[dogstar]

Thanks- this kind of issue is WHY this panel is getting held- last year had some issues with other attendees harassing SD users (mostly well meaning, but one crazy "omg you are so mean to make that dog work" encounter). But you put it in much more useful terms than I could have. :)

[jesse_the_k]

Thanks for doing this panel!

Most cons are residential -- in hotels or educational institutions with dorms. Outlining the basic needs a dog's owner would have for optimal working conditions -- relief stations near the hotel come to my mind -- would help your colleagues at the next con.

Some helpful jargon: at fan-run, volunteer cons, the people who attend are "members." The people who plan it, make policy, and write the publications are the "concomm." Some members of the concomm are "SMOFs," which stands for "secret master of fandom," (used ironically) and means "volunteer who enjoys planning and running cons (and talking about it)." If you're lucky, your audience will includes members who're wanting to educate themselves in general, concomm, and some SMOFs looking for specifics to improve cons.

Members might be versed in animal spirit guides and similar elements of fantasy and sf. This can reinforce the misperception that the dog is leading the way and making decisions.

Hope those fragments help!

[dogstar]

I probably should have clarified that this panel will be for attendees, not volunteers (we've got those people mostly really trained, to be honest) and while I fear it's going to run into the usual "people who need it think their manners are already perfect and won't attend", I'm hoping that we can make an impact on the community at large, and that people who are the "aww how cute I have to say hi to him cuz I love dogs!" folks can get educated.

(I have to admit, I'm also hoping to reach a local fan with a very poorly trained dog so that people can realize her whole "Don't mess with service dogs, they might bite" is NOT normal for SDs, it's because her dog should not be working in public.)

[selkiechick]

I'd love to hear how it goes. I am looking to create a short article for a local convention, to run on the webpage and newsletter about this topic.