1. What personal condition do you have that makes Gatsby your necessary sidekick?

Riley: The conditions I have that led me to get a service dog are Bone Marrow Edema Syndrome, Spondyloarthritis and Fibromyalgia which cause severe joint, muscular, and bone pain and limit my ability to stand, walk, and do basically anything, even things as simple as coloring in a coloring book. I also have severe panic attacks that can strike at any time and many other debilitating mental illnesses that limit my ability to function normally in my day to day life and have gotten me hospitalized numerous times.

2. How many times, on average, will people distract Gatsby in public from doing his job?

Riley: I'd say I have at least three people pet, talk to, make kissy noises at, or otherwise distract Gatsby every time I go out. Not to mention the countless people that point, whisper, and stare as we walk by.

3. If someone is curious about you two as a duo, is there a particular way they can politely ask about it?

Riley: If someone is curious about us as a duo, they are more than welcome to talk to ME. I put "me" in all capital letters because people have the tendency to talk to Gatsby instead of me or talk to me through Gatsby which is kind of weird. However, there are some questions that should be avoided such as "what's wrong with you" because it can make the handler very uncomfortable and can be a very intrusive question about a very private matter.

Another question to generally avoid would be "can I pet your dog" because many people, like me, can be too scared to say no even though the service dog really, really should not be pet. The best thing you can do is just pretend like the dog isn't there and just keep in mind that we want to get in, buy our stuff and leave just like everybody else and don't want a 5-minute trip to turn into a 15-minute interview.

4. What is your number one pet peeve regarding service dogs/people's reactions to them in general?

Riley: My number one pet peeve would have to be people that dress their pet or emotional support animal up to look like a service dog so they can take them everywhere with them. Not only is this a huge slap in the face to people with disabilities that genuinely need their service dog to live a semi-normal life, but it is also illegal. It's also a pet peeve of mine because it puts real service dogs in danger if the pet were to start barking at the service dog and distract it or if the pet were to attack the service dog. It's sad and it's scary and it happens way too often and many times can lead to the service dog having to retire early because it can traumatize the dog to the point of not being able to work anymore.

5. How can someone spot a fake service dog?

Riley: Spotting fake service dogs can almost always be done by looking at the dog's behavior. Is the dog barking? Is the dog pulling on the leash? Is the dog highly distracted and paying to attention to its handler? If the answer is yes, then the dog could be a fake service dog. There are exceptions to this, however. For example, a dog may be trained to go find a person or lay by their handler and bark until help arrives if the handler were to lose consciousness, have a seizure, or fall and not be able to get up. It's also very important to note that you can NEVER determine the legitimacy of a service animal based on its breed, size, or what the handler looks like because not all disabilities are visible.

6. If you have a "worst case scenario" happen, how is Gatsby trained to react?

Riley: Given the nature of my disabilities, there aren't really any crazy or interesting "worst case scenarios" that Gatsby has to be prepared for. For the most part, he just helps me live my life with as little pain as possible. If I were to need help pushing myself up a wheelchair ramp, he can help by pulling me up. If I were to be pushing myself around for a long time and start to lose the ability to push myself due to pain, I can hold on to the pull strap on his vest and he can pull me. If I were to be walking around and suddenly lose the ability to walk due to pain, I would sit on the floor and Gatsby would begin doing deep pressure therapy (DPT) to help relieve some of the pain, slow my heart rate down, and keep me calm. Then when I'm ready to stand he would stand up and brace his body so I can use him to help myself up. If I were to begin getting anxious and be showing signs of it such as skin picking, scratching, and shaking my leg, Gatsby would alert me to it so I can address the problem and fix it. If I were to begin having a panic attack, Gatsby would help me get through it faster by performing deep pressure therapy and laying across my chest. If I was out with my mom but we weren't near each other and I began having severe anxiety or a disassociative episode, I can hold on to his pull strap or mobility handle and he can lead me to my mom so I can get help. These are just a few examples of how Gatsby helps me every day.

7. What advice do you have for someone thinking about getting a service dog for their own health conditions?

Riley: If someone were to look into getting a service dog my biggest piece of advice would be to do your homework and know the laws. There is so much out there to learn and so much misinformation surrounding service dogs. If someone were to look into getting a program dog (a dog that is trained by a service dog organization and given to you once they are fully grown and fully trained) I would say to learn everything you can about each program you look into and contact them with questions. If someone were to look into owner training a service dog, I would say be prepared for the hardest 2 years of your life. Owner training a service dog is extremely difficult and definitely not for everyone.

My final piece of advice to anyone looking to get a service dog would be to talk with your doctor. There is a difference between having a medical condition and having a disability. For some, anxiety can be a medical condition that negatively affects their lives, for others, it can be debilitating and severely limit the person's ability to live their life. Your doctor would know best if they thought you qualified for a service dog.

8. What is your least favorite thing that people have said or done to you and Gatsby out in public?

Riley: I have been lucky in that I haven't had anyone say or do anything absolutely terrible to me and Gatsby. However, it makes me extremely uncomfortable and nervous when people try to sneakily take pictures or videos of us or follow us around a store. It's just plain creepy.

9. If an old friend sees you, is it okay to approach you normally or is there something different they should do with Gatsby there?

Riley: If an old friend were to see me, it is 100% okay to approach me normally! The only thing I would ask is that they don't talk to or pet Gatsby unless I give them permission to.

10. Is it ever okay to pet / play with Gatsby? If so, when?

Riley: It is absolutely okay to play with Gatsby when he is off duty. You'll know he's off duty when his vest is off or if I let you know. Gatsby absolutely adores people and loves to be pet and played with and if you ever see us out and about and he's off duty, he would be thrilled if you came over and said hi and played with him.