Post # 1
Member
25 posts
Newbee
My Fiance got an e-mail from his aunt asking for the phone numbers of the church and reception location for our wedding. She wants to call ahead about bringing the future leader dog she’s training. She then told us that the puppy was used to being around people and should be fine at both places. Finally, she asked if we had any concerns about the specific places, as in concerns about where the dog can be in them and how the dog will be comfortable at them NOT concerns about her actually bringing the dog. She never even asked us if it was ok for her to bring the dog in the first place. We don’t want her to bring the dog and my Fiance is going to talk to her about it but we’re both a little nervous and don’t want her to be upset.
My head is spinning about the whole situation. Am I crazy? I understand that future leader dogs need to be trained, but do they really need to be trained at OUR WEDDING?? Are we being insensitive? It’s not like she needs the dog for herself and we’re saying not to bring it.
Post # 3
Member
1426 posts
Bumble bee
That’s ridiculous. There are plenty of places she can train the dog in public that aren’t someone’s wedding. I see leader-dogs-in-training at the mall all the time. She could find an outdoor concert series if she wants to practice taking the dog around loud music. There is no reason why she needs to train the dog at the wedding. I would call her up and tell her that you don’t really think it’s appropriate, plus you want her to be able to be care free and enjoy the wedding without having to worry about the dog. Plus, since he is still training, he could act up (I mean, isn’t that the point of the training in the first place) and you don’t want her to have to try to deal with him in the middle of the ceremony.
Edit to say: I only say that she shouldn’t bring him because she herself does not need him. It would be totally different if this were a service dog that she had because of a disability or something.
Post # 4
Member
14181 posts
Honey Beekeeper
Well, I think it’s perfectly reasonable that she bring the dog. It’s not really her PET persay, she’s training a leader dog. For blind people, right?!?! And leader dogs go EVERYWHERE their owner goes. Restaurants, stores, I mean, EVERYWHERE. That’s sort of the point of training one, right? If she took the responsibility to train this dog, which comes with the caveit that it goes everywhere she goes. I can understand you thinking it’s bizzare she bring the dog, but I’m sure she thinks it’s strange NOT to bring the dog.
Leader dogs are incredibly well behaved. He’ll sit next to her the whole time and be quiet.
Post # 5
Member
7081 posts
Busy Beekeeper
We had dogs at our wedding. Lots of dogs, but we told friends that they could bring them. If it had been any other circumstances (We were at a 100+ acre forest site), I think I might have had a problem with it.
Maybe I would have been amenable to it if she had approached you guys about it before the venues. Fiance should definitely talk to her about it in a non-confrontational way!
Post # 6
Member
7768 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
I think it will be ok. But, I understand how you feel. I was at a wedding outdoors in MT where there were about 30 dogs, but people were also camping. I have seen it done, that’s all I wanted to say.
Post # 7
Member
671 posts
Busy bee
Wow – what an unusual situation! If she does bring this dog, she should be totally responsible for the additional security deposits, which I’m sure you & your Fiance will incur. And she should be responsible for any damages that may be caused by the dog. This kind of goes without saying but I think you should cover all of this with her in advance.
Post # 8
Member
2467 posts
Buzzing bee
i agree with ejs– i know someone who trains leader dogs, and i think it is in their contracts that they have to bring the dog everywhere they go. the dogs are so incredibly well behaved, it’s a really different situation than someone just wanting to bring their pet. if the aunt hasn’t had the dog for very long, i could see it being a bit risky, but in general you probably won’t even notice
Post # 9
Member
2286 posts
Buzzing bee
I think it’s perfectly acceptable. This dog is being trained and socialized and consequently can’t just be left at home. Please understand, this dog is NOT a pet. Perhaps it would make you feel better if you had more education on the topic. I suggest doing a bit of research on these types of dogs, talk to the aunt about what can be expected and know that this dog is not going to go crazy and ruin your wedding. Remember, this is NOT a “normal” dog. This is a bit of a hot button topic for me because Fiance has a service dog, she does go everywhere with us, and we are occasionally harrassed by people who don’t want a dog around. These are the same people who have no idea what she does for him.
ETA: I just wanted to throw in there that we are VERY grateful to the people who trained his dog. It takes a special kind of person to do it, and again, I encourage you to educate yourself about this process.
Post # 10
Member
396 posts
Helper bee
I don’t really know about this. I voted No Way! But I guess it is true that if you were inviting someone who had the need for the leader dog; they would bring it regardless. However; since the dog isn’t actually for her and it’s basically a “learning” experience it seems a little odd. I don’t know about trainers contracts and if they have to bring them everywhere or not. I guess it just depends. It just seems odd that she wouldn’t even talk to you about it first and ask if it would be okay. Seems like she should have at least asked not just assumed and called on her own.
Post # 11
Member
372 posts
Helper bee
I would personally be ok with it, except for the fact that our dogs will be there. Our dogs are not really all that good with other dogs they don’t know, and I don’t set my dogs up for failure!
I am a huge dog person, though. I can understand people feeling differently.
Post # 12
Member
946 posts
Busy bee
Legally, if this is a training dog, you must allow her to bring it. Trainers and dogs-in-training have the same rights as lead dogs and their disabled owners.
Post # 13
Member
546 posts
Busy bee
Before I opened the post, I assumed you meant someone’s actual regular pet. But if she is training a service dog I really do think it’s fine. Especially if she is being proactive about calling ahead to your venues. It’s important that those dogs experience all types of social situations.
If one of your guests had a disability and needed to bring their leader dog you wouldn’t tell them they couldn’t bring them, would you? We will have several blind guests at our wedding and while I don’t think any of them actually have leader dogs, I would have no problem with them at the wedding if they were in training or already established. They do not behave like regular dogs.
Post # 14
Member
831 posts
Busy bee
I think she could practice elsewhere if you’re not comfortable with the idea. It is your wedding after all!
Post # 15
Member
8027 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
It would have been nice of her to talk to you about it first- but you really should try to be understanding in this situation i think.
Post # 16
Member
406 posts
Helper bee
No- I don’t care how “good” the dog is… even if it is a future service dog- it is not appropriate for a large variety of reasons. If there are children there, they will want to pet it- then stick their hands in their mouths eating their cake. And if she sets up a no petting policy, that will become distracting. The wedding will become all about the dog. JMO.