The proper way to greet a working Service Dog in public is exactly the same way in which you would greet a person's wheelchair .

In other words, don't. If you simply ignore the dog, you are doing the right thing. Treat the Service Dog's partner the same way in which you would treat any other person.

Calling to, fussing over, patting, and otherwise distracting a Service Dog could put the dog's human partner in danger. When the dog is working, the dog's job is to focus on their partner. The dog is there to assist the person, and to make sure that the person is not harmed. Yes, these dogs are trained to ignore distractions, but why make their job more difficult?

Be aware that even though you might be curious about the role the dog plays in that person's life, that the person likely does not have a lot of time to stop and answer questions.

Be aware that asking a person about their disability may be considered rude and intrusive. Most people are not comfortable discussing their medical histories with strangers.

Be aware that many disabilities are not visible, and even if the person looks "OK" to you, if they have a Service Dog, they must be disabled.

Please explain to your children that when Service Dogs are working, it’s just like when the child is in school and working on a project. During these times, the child does not want to be poked at, called to, teased, etc. Children should treat Service Dogs with the same way that they would like to be treated.

If you are scared of dogs, please understand that Service Dogs have been extensively trained and socialized. These dogs are very safe to be around, otherwise they would not be allowed to work in public. However, if you are scared of the dog, it is perfectly acceptable to politely tell the dog's partner that you are scared of dogs and then you and the team can work to avoid each other. Remember that being scared of dogs is not a reason to deny a disabled person the right to be in public.

If you are allergic to dogs, please be aware that Service Dogs have been well groomed and are very clean. In fact, the average pet dog owner will likely carry more dander and allergens on them than a well groomed Service Dog. However, if you have bad allergies, please politely inform the team that you are allergic and then you and the team can both make an effort to avoid each other. Remember that disabled people accompanied by Service Dogs have the same right to be in public that you do.

If you witness someone attempting to deny access to a public place to a person partnered with a Service Dog, it is sometimes helpful to politely ask "is there a problem here?" and to mention that Service Dogs should be allowed in public places. It may also be helpful to let the person being discriminated against know that you are willing to act as a witness on his or her behalf, should they need you to do so.