If you are not used to relationships with persons who face significant life challenges and also may have a service dog, here are some tips of etiquette:
Assistance:
- Offer assistance if you feel like it, but WAIT until your offer is accepted BEFORE you help.
- Listen carefully to any instructions the person gives you and follow through
Giving Directions to Person in a Wheelchair:
- Consider distance and weather conditions
- Consider physical obstacles such as curbs, stairs and steep hills
Giving Directions to Person with Vision Impairment:
- Be specific – “go two yards and turn right” or “left one hundred feet, stop at curb.”
Give Grace in Time:
- Let the person set the pace for walking and talking
- Let the person set the pace to get things done or said.
Event Planning:
- Consider disability needs ahead of time – do you need extra chairs, where.
- If there will be barriers let the person with a disability know and discuss with them ideas to solve it
Dog working place etiquette:
- No messing on floor, if a mistake occurs owner must clean it up
- Dogs should not disrupt business or distract clients
- Dogs confined to work area of employee
- No excessive barking