I think one of my clients is falsely using a service dog harness?

It sounds like the other dog owners you come into contact with are a tad nosey/gossipy. I am a puppy raiser for the service dog organization, Canine Companions for Independence. http://www.cci.org By law, business can only ask two questions: "Is the dog a service animal required because of a disability?" and "What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?" Most medical alert dogs (seizure, diabetes, etc) are not trained the same as service dogs. Which means the dog may not have as extensive training/socialization as a service dog. I appreciate the fact that you are aware of the service dog fraud epidemic that is going on in this country. But, there is no governing body over service dogs and the general public shouldn't try to police the situation as it could just escalate the matter and make it worse.

I would suggest asking the two questions I listed above and pay close attention to their answers. A service dog handler is not required by law to reveal their disability but sometimes when answering the first question that information is volunteered. So, that may tell you that the dog is a medical alert dog and therefore may not be the same type of working dog as you are used to seeing. Based on how your client answers the second question it maybe revealed that the dog was in fact professionally trained. If so, you may ask if XYZ organization offers refresher training classes for the dog. Self trained service dogs are covered under ADA law but usually have less socialization then a service dog that is professional trained. If your client asks why you are asking these questions just let s/he know that other dog owners were asking because of some of the behaviors "fluffy" is exhibiting. Reassure your owner that you were only inquiring so that you can let them know that "Fluffy" is starting to exhibit some negative behaviors and it could possibly become a safety issue or hinder their public access in the future.

If you do not feel better about the situation once you have this discussion I would let the owner know that until "fluffy" has a refresher course in training (either professionally or private/personal) you will not be able to continue provide dog walking services as you have safety and liability concerns.

Hope this helps! Beth

While I agree w/Beth's answer, there's another way you could address this.

If you want to continue providing dog walking services for this dog, It seems unnecessary for it to wear the service dog clothing while you are walking it. So, you could simply share that people have inquired while you're walking their dog and in order to give the dog the best possible walk that you can, you would prefer to remove the service dog clothing before you walk and replace it at home after the walk. Meaning you do not need to ask those sensitive questions if you want to keep the business. You're not accommodating the dog like a business might by allowing a service dog to enter. You're providing a service you're paid for. If you offend the owner or they just don't want to discuss it with you, they can simply opt to replace your services.

I'd also caution the approach used. I care for other people's emotional therapy dogs and a service dog (who has undergone many levels of training&testing, and works at hospitals, clinics schools, etc. to help children& adults cope with grief and a wide variety of situations and circumstances including those with behavioral disorders, during which time he's likely handled too roughly for a small dog and other such scenarios without any reaction...but when he's with me he's a barker when we walk, spreads his scent by kicking dirt after peeing outside often, and he doesn't love every dog that exists)

Hmm. This is a touchy subject. As someone involved with service dogs for most of my life, it sounds to me like the dog is a "fake." However, that's not for me to determine.

A fully-trained service dog should be well-behaved and unobtrusive (exceptions to the unobtrusive part can be made for a hearing dog alerting its handler). The behavior you are describing is not befitting an SD.

I'm a non-confrontational person, so I wouldn't argue with the owner's right to use a service dog harness, but for your walks I would definitely use something else -- just a leash and collar, or what have you.

I'm surprised that he wears his "working" harness when he is out on off-duty walks with you. Traditionally, unless a service dog is actively working, they don't wear the vest.

Unfortunately, there is no way to know if he is a legitimate service dog or not. I would like to point out that there is a difference between a service dog and a therapy dog, as one type is trained to perform specific tasks FOR their disabled handler, and the other type is simply there to soothe PTSD, anxiety, etc. It is actually illegal for businesses to even ask a handler if their dog is legit, so I strongly discourage your pursuing your suspicions.

In your situation, I recommend only walking the dog in his collar, and not putting on the uniform unless he is actively working.

It really is not anyone's business what he is trained for. He may be an emotional support animal or any other type of service animal. These dogs may be trained by the owner based on the owner's needs, not the public's perception. Additionally, a service animal is not to be petted by strangers, so the vest IS necessary when with a sitter, so as not to confuse the animal. When he is off-leash at a dogpark, he can be a dog and sniff around but he still is not a 'pet' and has thise boundaries that others need to be made aware of. As for what people think... well, some people need to get a hobby.