Are Service Dogs Sad?

“Why is she sad/not happy?” is something I hear often from the public while I’m out with Bugatti. When they coo to Bugatti, and she ignores them, they assume something must be wrong with her. She must be unhappy.

But here’s the thing – she’s actually quite content doing her job, which mainly consists of ignoring the public in order to better help me. All the public sees is her “serious, professional” side. They don’t see her bounding around at home like the silly puppy she is enjoying her toys and playtime.

Let’s look at it this way: when you go to work (typically at an office), you don’t show up in your pajamas and play videos games or have a dance party. No – you wear your working attire, put on your “business face,” and do your work. Just because there is a happy hour or other fun activity going on down the street from you doesn’t mean that you can just leave your work (and you wouldn’t want to, if you loved what you do for a living!). You’re there to do job.

Its the same for service animals! As soon as Bugatti is “off-the-clock,” she is a very energetic, very expressionate pup. She loves to work, but Bugatti needs to be serious about her job to perform it effectively (saving lives and mitigating disabilities is serious stuff!).