Check out Leerburg's dog vests...there are a bunch of different things you can have printed on them. Very professional looking.

OPKs and OPDs...the constant bane

leih

 Quote: anne jones

... I will say that training right outside of your appartment buliding (although easy access for you) is an invitation to 'neighbors' to come say hello to your dog.

As much of a dog person as I am, I have to agree that this might be called kind of an "attractive nuisance," I believe the term is (like an unfenced swimming pool). And your dog is very attractive!

Right there in front of the building seems kind of like "Here we are to visit and be neighborly."

I use a vest sometimes with other people's dogs. It says "DO NOT TOUCH. TRAINING." Simple, to-the-point. But I also choose the training spots pretty carefully, depending on whether I want big distractions and interactions (usually not).

 Quote: Dennis Jones

the training vest works, I would also recommend finding another place to train

 Quote: jamie craig

I was considering buying/making a non specific bright colored vest saying "working/in training, please don't pet" in hopes that maybe it'll fend off some stupid parents. My dog is not going to be a working dog and I have no intentions of bringing him places he's not supposed to be to pass him off as a service dog or any of that stuff (insert rant about that here) but is this still unethical? Do you even think it would work?

For the second part of your question, it probably won't work. I have found that having a vest or guide dog harness actually causes the opposite reaction inmany people. Some parents can occasionally be heard to tell their kids, don't bother that dog, it's a working dog. But most tell the kids to pet the dog, knowing that service and guide dogs won't bite. I have found that there is more respect given to GSDs than most other breeds commmonly used in guide and service work. And on top of the kids, you wind up contending with more adults behaving like idiots. Not only do you get fly-by petters, and teens and adult (mostly men) walking up behind you and tweaking the dog's tail. You get people barking at your dog. You get people calling the dog or holding out food. But you also get the self imposed service police. Those are people that will try to tell if you are blind, thinking only guide dogs are allowed in public. They will suddenly sweep their hand in front of your face, or other such nonsense.

And you will be treated like your are deaf, incompetant, or retarded; simply because you will be percieved as a disabled person. Don't you know; all the disabled are deaf or incompetent. Or so a large part of the public, including many police; are convinced of. So be prepared to be humiliated and/or pitied.

As for wearing such a vest, if you don't go into places pets aren't allowed; it isn't illegal. But if the intension is to make people leave your dog alone because they would mistake it for a service dog; then yes it is unethical. There has been a great deal of trouble created for the disabled in recent years due to fakers. Though you wouldn't be going into non-pet places, you would still be camoflaging your dog as a service dog. If your dog didn't behave in the manner of a service dog; it could lead to more people turning against service dogs. The ADA laws were changed this year to eliminate all service animals but dogs because there were so many abusing the system. And the tasks required went from one that directly mitigated your disability, to three. If someones only disability is blindness, what other tasks would qualify other than guiding and picking up dropped items. And most programs actually actively discourage the dogs from retrieving. And the HSUS and PETA are actively campaigning to end the use of guide dogs and service dogs, starting with guide dogs; because it is cruel to treat dogs like slaves. Anything that can be pointed to in the way of bahavior, is added to their arsonal.

But what you might do, is get permission to take your pet (without any vest or special gear) into places normally not allowed to pets. Private businesses that don't handle food can allow anyone they want to bring in their pet, as long as the pet doesn't provide a danger to others. Malls will often let someone train their dog inside, especially if being trained for something competitive, or if you are a member in a dog club. But you should contact them in advance and ask politely. Don't come to the door with the dog and ask on the spot.

(I am a guide dog and service dog trainer.)

 Quote: joy van veen

I have found that having a vest or guide dog harness actually causes the opposite reaction inmany people. Some parents can occasionally be heard to tell their kids, don't bother that dog, it's a working dog. But most tell the kids to pet the dog, knowing that service and guide dogs won't bite. .... But you also get the self imposed service police. Those are people that will try to tell if you are blind, thinking only guide dogs are allowed in public. They will suddenly sweep their hand in front of your face, or other such nonsense. ... And you will be treated like your are deaf, incompetant, or retarded; simply because you will be percieved as a disabled person. Don't you know; all the disabled are deaf or incompetent. Or so a large part of the public, including many police; are convinced of. So be prepared to be humiliated and/or pitied. .... As for wearing such a vest, if you don't go into places pets aren't allowed; it isn't illegal. But if the intension is to make people leave your dog alone because they would mistake it for a service dog; then yes it is unethical. There has been a great deal of trouble created for the disabled in recent years due to fakers. Though you wouldn't be going into non-pet places, you would still be camoflaging your dog as a service dog.

OK, let's back way up here.

QUOTE: I was considering buying/making a non specific bright colored vest saying "working/in training, please don't pet" in hopes that maybe it'll fend off some stupid parents. My dog is not going to be a working dog and I have no intentions of bringing him places he's not supposed to be to pass him off as a service dog or any of that stuff .... END QUOTE

In other words, no Guide Dog vest, no Service Dog vest, and no "camouflaging your dog as a service dog."

I'm sorry that people who need and use Guide Dogs and Service Dogs face the idiocy described above, but the O.P. had no intent to "camouflage his dog as a service dog."

It's easy and inexpensive to have whatever words one wants stitched on the vest(s). For example: "TRAINING. PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH." This isn't "camouflaging your dog as a service dog."

ETA: I am virtually certain that nobody on the thread had any intention to advise that the O.P "camouflage his dog as a service dog." I sure didn't. And he was clear that he didn't either.

Just to clarify.

I must have misunderstood, Connie. I thought the idea was that people seeing the vest would think he was a service dog and leave him alone. I did get that the OP wasn't going to "claim" he was an SD or use the vest to enter public places where pets are usually excluded. In fact, I think it was that very assertion that made me think the idea was to make the dog look like a service dog.

I think I'm missing something......why are the parents stupid and the kids bratty? Because they don't have dog knowledge?

I don't like posts like this and I'm not directing this at anyone in particular especially Jaime since we both live in MA which means we rule

But as a dog owner my responsibility is to my dog so if I continually find myself in situations I am unsure of for him or myself thinking about what I am doing to contribute to it would be more productive than being frustrated about things I can't control.

Change the training venue to an area with less distractions and build up to the point your confident Ryuk can handle the commotion at the complex. And when you do not want people to touch or pet your dog; turn your back on them and walk away. Its easy, ethical and speaks volumes.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Kristel Smart

... I've even overheard the children in my building educating new children on how to approach a dog, what Murphy likes, etc. It's pretty cool.

VERY cool!

Not in this country (the Dominicam Republic) Last month we gave 3 demonstrations with our dogs . We being three belgian trainers who moved to this country. Each demonstration began with a general safety breefing about how to interact with dogs. This did´t help a bit. every don´t was done and every do was ignored

Depends on the region

Joy Van Veen:
I'm unsure if what I'm doing is that, which I why I was asking. My intentions were to put a vest that says "in training, please do not pet" on him (originally I considered a bandana...but unless I strangle him with it it won't stay on). My hope is that perhaps the parents will take that as a sign that maybe you shouldn't send your kids over to pet my dog. Yes, I'm hoping people will use the same basic idea of "see a dog with a vest, don't pet it" which I always associated with "oh, that dog is doing busy, I won't ask to pet it" but my dog is not going to be physically labeled a service dog, he is not going anywhere a dog is not supposed to go (and if he does, it's with full asked permission...he's allowed at the assisted living place down the street to visit the seniors for example), if asked I will not claim he's a service dog but rather explain the training situation. I'm not even hoping it will ward of people from petting him in the long run, but rather it will provide a bit of a buffer that will give me time to see the person coming and potentially ward off the ones who don't care enough to ask (maybe they'll just pass him by for the next vest-less dog).

Sheila Buckley (and those who said similar):
This has gotten to the point where it's an issue everywhere I take him (with the obvious exception of a private yard, which I simply do not have, and do not have access too...all of my friends are in apartments, my family is hours away). I don't dislike people petting my dog, it's the children who essentially attack him at their parents command. The parents interpret any action I take to prevent the inital jump onto my my dog or the telling off of them or their spawn as abuse towards their children and any noise my dog makes as aggression (I'd yelp too if some brat hit my back legs with a broom handle walking by the campsites in our local part...in fact I did, I didn't see the brat come up from behind either and he got my ankles too) If people ask I have no problems putting training on hold and letting them pet him or throw a frisbee. I'm not arguing a "I hate people interrupting my training" or even that I'm annoyed that the college boys across the complex bark at him (which was an easy fix, we learned to ignore them, excellent training senario lol). I'm trying to find a solution to the INSANE little monsters and their clueless and extremely stupid parents.

I'm also actually 100% confident with Ryuk as far as children. I've made sure he is. He got great child exposure. Even in his first home he was with a small child who unknowingly taught him tolerance but never did anything intentionally cruel to him. He has never shown aggression to a child, he usually actually likes them. He's calm around them, tail will wag, ears will go up if, doesn't jump or get into that excited puppy bounce, moves very slowly and carefully, knows to "wait" until they are clear of a toy before picking it up (even then, only with permission). He'll even do his stupid tricks I taught him out of bordom during bad weather. I don't even have a problem with children who ask to play or pet him. I've let one of our neighbor children, a dog smart one, "help" us play frisbee, my normally torpedo force frisbee dog gentle caught and returned each frisbee to the boy's feet, dropped it, then on command backed up and sat so the boy could pick it up and throw it again. He also has perfect recall away from children regardless of what they're calling or holding.

The problem? My parent's dog is even more kid proof with lots of experience and they got cited. My parent's dog passed the AKC canine good citizen test, she is routinely brought in to an assisted living where she even stands politely for dementia patients who can be a little rough (supervised of course). Has gone to the elementary school across the street for demonstrations, etc. If there was ever a dog you'd trust around kids, even lots of them, this is the one. This dog did NOTHING to the child who charged her and slipped and fell feet from her, she didn't even move until released from the stay and when she did it was no where near the kid, yet now she's got a "bite record" and if anything happens like this again we've been informed she'll need to be put down (I'm not convinced they'd have the funds to fight in court for her). I don't wan this happening with Ryuk....

eek, sorry that go so long O_O

Just do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvfFnRpTuj4

 Quote: jamie craig

Joy Van Veen:
I'm unsure if what I'm doing is that, which I why I was asking. My intentions were to put a vest that says "in training, please do not pet" on him (originally I considered a bandana...but unless I strangle him with it it won't stay on). My hope is that perhaps the parents will take that as a sign that maybe you shouldn't send your kids over to pet my dog.

Unfortunately it will probably wind up being more of a magnet than a deterent. Those who have found putting vests or gear on their dog to be a petting deterent, usually have dogs of breeds that the public percieves as police or guard dogs.

 Quote: jamie craig

but my dog is not going to be physically labeled a service dog, he is not going anywhere a dog is not supposed to go (and if he does, it's with full asked permission...he's allowed at the assisted living place down the street to visit the seniors for example), if asked I will not claim he's a service dog but rather explain the training situation.

That is commendable. So many people today seem to have no care but their own desires. I'm glad you are not out to take unfair advantage.

 Quote: jamie craig

I'm not even hoping it will ward of people from petting him in the long run, but rather it will provide a bit of a buffer that will give me time to see the person coming and potentially ward off the ones who don't care enough to ask (maybe they'll just pass him by for the next vest-less dog).

Good luck! But unless people are considerably more responsible and knowledgable where you live than most of the USA, I still think it will backfire.

 Quote: jamie craig

I'm trying to find a solution to the INSANE little monsters and their clueless and extremely stupid parents.

My only suggestion is to search hard for training places where that will be less of a problem. The suggestion that was made to walk away is also a good one, and can work despite where you are training.