I (35M) host Christmas for my family. We host a large christmas eve party every year. I host because I’ve got a good house for it, and i’m pretty central to the extended family. Last year, my cousin had a service dog in training that she brought to christmas eve. I was told this dog was maybe a year old. I don’t have much experience with them and have never owned any. It pissed inside my house and other smaller annoyances occurred (one involving my kid). I did hear some complaints from another family member too.
A few weeks ago, I asked around to see if my cousin was coming, because I was going to nip this in the bud this year and ban it. I was told by family members that she wasn’t coming, so I thought there was nothing to have to deal with. I got notice on Sunday she in fact, would be in attendance. So I called her yesterday to tell her she could come and that her dog is not invited.
This has caused drama, i’ve been told that her parents (my aunt and uncle) and her siblings are threatening to not come. Its been a nightmare. I’ve offered to let the dog stay outside, but it can’t come inside, but thats an unreasonable ask i’m being told. AITA here?
Edit: found out more information. It is a diabetic service dog. She’s training it herself, got it as a puppy. I’m not gonna comment on its legitimacy. I see this family member once a year. I just know what my experience with the dog is.
INFO: What service is the dog trained to provide to your cousin? What happened with your kid?
Service animals are impeccably trained. They aren’t going to pee all over the place. How can they be trained to watch for seizures if they can’t figure out where to urinate?
Idk about last year bc it’s weird – for the reasons I said. But if it’s a legit service animal than YTA, bc it won’t have behavioral problems
Based on the info in your other comment (that it is a diabetic alert dog), YTA.
She probably shouldn’t have brought it when it was still in training and not yet toilet trained, but if it is (presumably) now fully trained and is a *properly trained* service dog, it will not destroy the house nor will it pee in the house again.
If it’s still peeing in the house, it is not a suitable service dog and she should look to retire it to become a regular pet and seek professional advice with properly training a service dog if she still requires one.
we really need you to answer the question:
Is it a task trained service dog or an ESA, because everything depends on the answer.
A year later, a fully trained service dog won’t cause the same issues. And you would be the A.
But is she’s calling an ESA a service dog and it is still poorly trained like last year, then she’s the A.
Tell us more, OP.
EDIT OH HELL NO, A DIABETIC ALERT DOG. HARD YTA
Jfc, OP you don’t have a leg to stand on, as your cousin also may not, if the diabeedus takes their foot.
According to a comment, it’s a diabetic alert dog
Ok case closed major asshole.
What I’m confused about is that it was in training last year. People who have service dogs don’t get them until they’re trained. They aren’t the ones training them. Why was their cousin training their own service dog and why would it still be having puppy problems a year later?
There are elements of this story missing.
EDIT: Ok people. We get it. You know people who train their own service dogs. Good god. 😂
Many people also get a puppy with a suitable temperament and train the dog themselves as the can’t afford to get a dog already trained.
People can train their own service dogs. Getting one already fully trained can be extremely expensive.
This is incorrect if you are in the USA. Program dogs are incredibly expensive. The vast majority of service dogs are owner trained.
Europe is different, as only dogs trained through ADI accredited programs are legally considered service dogs. But even then, many handles train the dog themselves while going through an ADI program.
In the US you are allowed to train your own service dog (which is usually done to offset costs). The ADA doesn’t require a service dog be professionally trained or certified.
Service dogs are not entitled to enter private homes, only public spaces. The dog was poorly behaved and poorly controlled at the last attempt in OP’s home – and the handler did not appropriately manage the dog’s needs. I don’t blame OP for not trusting that the dog would be any better trained or handled a year later. It can take anywhere from 2-5 years to fully train a service dog, depending on tasks – I have a friend who is a trainer of service dogs. And trainers don’t do more than basic obedience in the first year of the dog’s life. The fact that this service dog was not house trained at 1 year old is a problem with poor handling. NTA
Former Service Dog trainer here. That wasn’t service animal training. At 1 year old no service dog in training is going to have an issue with kids, or piss in a house. THAT is not a service dog.
They just bought a vest and call it a service dog.
all these people going YTA are wild and obviously have little idea about how diabetic can control BS and how service dogs are supposed to behave. Typical redditors.