Service dog at work: What not to do when you see one

Jessy Brunet never knows what reaction she's going to get when she steps in to a store with her service dog.

Naiobe, her 10-month-old PTSD service dog, goes with her everywhere, whether it's for an appointment, to eat at a restaurant or shop at a mall.

While most stores allow service dogs, the response can be a little unpredictable.

"I've had situations where managers will follow me around the store," Brunet said.

Naiobe steps in when Brunet is anxious or when she sees something that would trigger a reaction in her owner. She's finishing her training and wears a vest.

Sometimes, when store employees see Naiobe, they think she's a pet.

"One store actually in the mall here instead of asking me if she's a service dog went straight to security and reported a pet dog in their store," Brunet said.

Brunet says mall security welcomes Naiobe, but some store employees and shoppers need a bit more education about service dogs.

She says most people want to say hello to Naiobe. But when the vest is on, it's all work. The more attention Naiobe gets, the harder it is for her to help Brunet.

Brunet says she's had as many as five people stop her in one store.

Personal questions

And sometimes, there are many questions. 

"People really press the matter. They want to know what the dog is for. Again, it's just genuine interest, but it causes a lot of personal issues for people that don't want to discuss their medical information," Brunet said.

Brunet says those questions and confrontations can trigger a reaction in some people with post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Brunet hopes that as people get used to service dogs, the animals won't attract so much attention when they're working.