Are PPDs allowed in restaurants, grocery stores, etc?

[Emoore]

I was just wondering about this, because if not it certainly limits their usefulness.

[MaggieRoseLee]

My understanding it's only service type dogs that are legally allowed in stores and restaurants, public buildings.

[Chris Wild]

No. PPDs are not treated like service dogs. They get no more access rights than the regular family pet.

[JKlatsky]

Originally Posted by Chris Wild

No. PPDs are not treated like service dogs. They get no more access rights than the regular family pet.

The very few people I know who use them do not use them in public like you would with a service dog. Thinking on people I know of with PPDs there use is often more specialized.

For example. A jeweler who owns his own store or often travels with valuables might have a PPD in his place of business in addition to being armed. The dog can be sent to buy time to call for help and access his weapon. This is more like a true PPD.

The other common PPD usage I have seen is not so much in terms of a body guard but as an additional layer of home defense. Often for the woman in the family. The dog serves as a guard in the home, and is also given some basic defensive training (bark at approaching people, etc) for evening walks etc.

[Chris Wild]

^^ Yes, most PPDs I know of fit in those 2 categories as well. The store owner type situation, and the leave it at home to protect the wife/kids type situation. Not a take it everywhere with you type situation.

[Emoore]

Well, so much for my plan to call Rocky my PPD and take him everywhere with me.

Originally Posted by JKlatsky

For example. A jeweler who owns his own store or often travels with valuables might have a PPD in his place of business in addition to being armed. The dog can be sent to buy time to call for help and access his weapon. This is more like a true PPD.

The other common PPD usage I have seen is not so much in terms of a body guard but as an additional layer of home defense. Often for the woman in the family. The dog serves as a guard in the home, and is also given some basic defensive training (bark at approaching people, etc) for evening walks etc.

Wow. To me, that doesn't sound like enough value-add over a well-trained and well-socialized pet to justify the multiple tens of thousands I see being charged for PPD's. But that's just me.

[JKlatsky]

Originally Posted by Emoore

Wow. To me, that doesn't sound like enough value-add over a well-trained and well-socialized pet to justify the multiple tens of thousands I see being charged for PPD's. But that's just me.

I don't disagree. To my mind, if you really feel like you need to go out and buy a PPD then you probably also need to be armed. There was some information on Leerburg about how a PPD is merely another layer in security. In the US, if you are taking your security seriously enough to be spending the money on a quality PPD, then you should also be armed. Your house should already have other more conventional means of security as well.

A good dog will not stop someone who has planned and is determined to hurt you, so the dog should not be the only thing that you rely on. It will deter crimes of opportunity. But any intimidating looking dog will do that. That's why I think you will see that most people who come on this forum asking about PPDs are generally steered away from them. The average person has this idea that a PPD is some kind of superhero Rin-tin-tin and that's simply not the case.

And as an aside, the average citizen is not the Police. If you have a PPD, you better be darn sure you have a good reason if the dog bites someone. There's a lot of liability involved in owning a PPD. I would think that calling your dog a PPD would open you up to some possible trouble for bringing a "dangerous dog" into a public situation.

[KZoppa]

We had a friend back home who my husband worked with. He helped us figure out what triggered Riley to retain what we were trying to teach him. He has a PPD. From what he told us. in order to be able to take his dog ANYWHERE with him or his wife, they each had to apply for a federal permit that would allow them to "escort" the dog wherever, whenever. They run you through all kinds of judgement tests, personality profile, all kinds of crap. Its almost like gaining access to top secret areas. And its pricey too. His permit alone was roughly $40,000 if i remember right. Try looking into that. But the dog also has to have all the training IN WRITING. Copies have to be carried of vet records, a copy of the permit to take the dog everywhere, copies of training certs have to be carried. Leon (our friend) actually suggested getting a harness that says "Personal protection dog" or a harness that you can attach a a little pouch to carry all that in. The dog has to be temperment tested. They have to be great with kids and everyone, including other animals too. If they so much as snap at another animal during the test, its automatic dis qual and you cant retest. one shot thats all you get. That was the requirements 6 years ago. Dont know what they are now or if you can still get the permit but i'm pretty sure you could.

[Emoore]

Originally Posted by JKlatsky

I would think that calling your dog a PPD would open you up to some possible trouble for bringing a "dangerous dog" into a public situation.

Yeah, I wouldn't actually do that. It was a joke. I'm always trying to scheme ways to take him everywhere with me. My job is to protect my dog, not the other way around.