I'm very puzzled on how they are trained. Does the person stop taking all their anti seizure drugs so they will have seizures more often? And when they are having a seizure, there isn't any way they can coach the dog on what they want them to do, so I'm confused about that. So does someone else have to follow around the dog and the owner at all times to help the dog learn how to respond? And if they are trained with a trainer, then when they go to the actual new epileptic owner, won't the training have to start again from scratch because the new owner has completely different trigger smells than the epileptic trainer? Seems like this process would take a dozen years to accomplish and then the dog is too old to be of use.

I was coming out of an elevator with my service dog this afternoon. Super tiny fluffy fluffy golden. Like, the spitting image of the most harmless looking dog out there. As the doors opened and we moved forward to exit a woman trying to board sees us and begins SCREAMING. My dog doesn’t break a heel but does break focus and stare- literally does nothing else. The screaming woman throws herself against a wall and I just try my best to exit the elevator, but as I begin to leave, she takes off her shoes and throws them at my dog. My dog doesn’t flinch (somehow) and the shoe missed her anyway, I say “she’s harmless” as it was the only words I could somehow bring myself to say as I’m just shocked at this whole thing and we just walk off.

I’ve never had someone react this way before. Should I have done something more? Am I at fault here? I’m just not sure what I could have done differently? Should I have reported it to the building I was in? I’ve encountered people afraid of dogs before but never so afraid to take off their shoes and throw it at my dog.

Hello all! I am an autistic guy who really struggles with all sorts of things, mainly being audio and light sensory issues, and anxiety. I have been doing research that suggest that I could get a service dog for these issues, but there is so much out there and it is really overwhelming! I would like some help breaking down what it could help me with, how I can go about getting one, what changes I might have to do with a service animal, or anything else that I would need to know about one. Thanks for your help!

I'm curious.

Hello, I am seeking any recommendations for where to find trained service dogs for (non-military) PTSD. Thank you so much in advance

I have had my dog since 2018 and he has always been indoors. I am moving to a home with a fenced backyard that I believe he will love but I want to ensure that he is comfortable and I want any tips! I’m about to have a toddler and newborn so getting him outside will be great for both of us.

Hi, friends! I am planning to finally get pet insurance for my SD and my pet cat, but I am overwhelmed with all the different options! Different insurance companies, deductibles, reimbursement levels, maximum coverage, etc. I honestly should have done this years ago (thank God I haven’t needed it yet), and I know I need to get this in order, especially as they’re aging. My SD is a healthy, 5 year old pure bred yellow lab, 80 pounds. My cat is a beautiful 9 year old (overweight) domestic medium hair, so far healthy. I would appreciate any feedback on the insurance companies you use or advice on choosing a plan. Thanks!!

So apparently some people have lied and are claiming my SD is approaching, barking at, and jumping on customers and management is choosing to believe the lies over the literal camera footage. And because of that now they’re telling me I’m not allowed to bring a bed or mat for her to lie on anymore so now she’ll have to lie directly on the floor for all of my 8-9 hour shifts. Wtf??? Does anyone have any advice or has anyone ever been in a similar situation at all? It makes so little sense I don’t even know how to begin to address it.

ETA: just to answer some of the comments quickly because I’ve lost a lot of spoons today and got about as high as I possibly could once I got home lol

• the email came directly from HR, when I asked my direct supervisor if he knew anything about the alleged complaints or had a problem with the bed, he said no (but honestly he has a history of lying directly to my face so who knows)
• she is within my sight at all times, I take her to the bathroom with me 100% of the time. there have only maybe been 2 times that she wasn’t in my sight literally due to safety concerns but for at least one of them I just put her in my car while I handled things and also she’s focused enough on me that if I go through a door without her she will just stare at the door until I come back. one of our doors is a half door (just to get behind the counter) so sometimes I will be on the other side of a door while still in the same room and I’m completely able to see her so I can see that she’s behaving
• I work at a medical dispensary so they are required by law to have nearly every inch recorded by cameras and are also prohibited from erasing or altering any footage for at least 45 days. she’s well behaved every single day all the time so there’s approximately checks paystubs 130+ hours of footage for them to choose from at random
• the only things I can think of are that she has barked a handful of times (been coming to work with me since October and it’s a pet friendly retail store!!!) but each time was prompted by a stimulus and each time she stopped as soon as I gave the command, like she never even got up from her bed. there have also been a few times AFTER i have clocked out/ended my shift/gone on break that I have let her WITH PERMISSION FROM THE CUSTOMER greet and play with them and/or their dogs (usually after we’ve finished like an 8 hour shift where she’d been well behaved the entire time)
• she has a singular toy that is NOT messy (one of those that’s made out of an old fire hose, doesn’t shed or smell) that a coworker got her for Christmas.

She’s literally almost 7 and has been with me and training and then working since she was 4 months old. She is a seasoned, experienced, well-behaved dog I truly can’t explain it. Most customers make jokes about how good our products must be because “even the dog looks stoned”.

Here is the wording from the email: “[We] have received great deal of feedback from [customers] and [coworkers] that your service dog is approaching, barking, and even jumping up on some people. This does not adhere to the standards of ensuring your service dog is under your control. Additionally, the accommodation for the service animal is for you as our [employee], we are under no obligation to accommodation the needs of the animal. As such we are requesting that the dog bed you are using for your animal be immediately removed from the premises as well as any dog toys you have in the workplace.”

Further: they didn’t pay for the bed or anything and I bring it home on my days off to wash it.

Hi everyone,

I have a 2yo male registered SD, my one roommate has a 10mo female puppy that's not trained. He never really asked anybody if he could have here, he just kinda just brought her here. My dog doesn't listen when she's around, I have to yell at him and I don't like yelling because I feel like I'm breaking our bond.

Id like to see this female dog go, is there any rules or laws that forbid this or that can back/help me.

I think about this every now and then, usually when I'm dealing with a business that just casually disregards the public access rights that handlers and their service dogs are supposed to have, and thought this would be a good place to have a conversation about it.

Do any organizations like this already exist? I'm imagining a program that offers free educational materials and demonstrations to businesses(both on what they're allowed to do and when they're allowed to turn away problem animals) while also performing "secret shopper" interactions that evaluate how well businesses are currently following public access laws to "grade" the establishments and address problem situations in an effort to help future handlers avoid similarly unpleasant scenarios. I'm particularly interested in ones based in the US but also curious about international groups. I feel like it would be a meaningful effort to get involved in to help advocate for myself and others but I'm not really sure where to start.

Hi! I want to add a positive perspective for anyone that’s considering getting a service dog. In the last year of being a service dog owner: we haven’t had any issues with public access or people. No one yelling/being openly rude. We’ve never been refused entry (we have had a few restaurant hosts check with a manager but I get it, they’re just also trying not to get fired). I’ve never had any issues with other f@ke service dogs attacking us. If I do see another dog in a store, we just go to that aisle later.

Yes, occasionally someone asks to pet the dog but I say “no thank you, she’s working”. We’ve had great success with a patch on each side of her vest that has a bright yellow background and a hand with a red line going across it. That has been so helpful because even little kids know it means no petting. We keep the vest simple - each side says service dog and has the no petting image patch. I wonder if the simplicity of her vest patches help?

We live in a major metropolitan area in the US and found a trainer we liked that had great references and had lots of experience with training service dogs. She helped us choose a breed (a poodle mix, I know everyone has strong feelings about it but it’s what works best for us and that’s all that matters) and even found a breeder. We got the puppy at 9 weeks and began working with the trainer on basic obedience at 12 weeks. We met with the trainer every other week at our house or in public for PA training. We had private biweekly lessons for about 6 months and now attend group lessons with her other SD clients. The trainer was about $4500 and she even works with a local bank so we were able to finance it! Financing it was a god send. The other option she had was paying half up front and the other half at the end of training.

We’re only a year into this so we are not old pros at this. I’m not trying to pretend like we’ve seen it all. I just want to ease anyone’s anxiety if they are worried that all these terrible things will happen regularly.

I think there’s a lot of clickbait videos out there that make it seem more commonplace to have negative interactions than you’ll likely experience. Know the law, prepare to your 2 sentence answer in case you’re questioned and get on out there.

Yes, your dog has had a LOT of training. But it’s still a dog, not a robot. Give yourself and your pup some grace. This is a learning experience for everyone.

Also yea, it’s awkward AF when you’re in public and having a miscommunication with your dog and people are watching. But I’m awkward AF without a dog so it’s a given.

Not a professional, still new to the SD world but loving it! Life is so much better with a SD.

Long story short for context: I’m 29f and I have Crohn’s disease that has had me bed bound and in and out of the hospital for the last 2.5 years. That’s in remission, but I’m sicker than ever and no one can figure out why. We’re going to Mayo Clinic next week, we’re wondering endometriosis. While we’re there, he’s going through a board and train program.

My question is—does anybody have a caregiver that provides most of the work caregiving for the SD as well? My wife has to take him outside for walks and do the feeding sometimes based on how I’m feeling. A walk for me is a long ways away considering my stairs at home are already cardio for me with how weak I am. But I’m thinking—we could train the dog to attend to me despite whose feeding him and walking him and training him, right?

Sorry if that’s stupid, I just wanna make sure we’re approaching it as best as possible with the circumstances.

Idk if it matters, but he will be helping with my medical PTSD and social anxiety by coming to most doc appts with me (my spouse too usually as i get too dizzy to drive) And when he’s not working he’ll be a “normal” dog. Our goal is to have a work vest that signals its work time.

Hi everyone!

After a lot of research, talking to my care team, and the Service K9 organization where I live, I’ve decided that getting an Autism Assistance dog to help me in my daily life is something I want to, and am capable of going forward with.

I don’t really know what this post is about other than to confirm it somewhere that I’m making the decision. I’m nervous, and excited, and prepared for a lot of work. I’m nervous about the training part, and I’m nervous about needing to be more assertive. I still have a lot of trouble surrounding what other people think of me, and I am going to have to do some work around caring less what other people think about my dog, and grounding myself in the reasons I do have and need it, and why it is improving my life.

How were all of your guys’ first experiences with the decision and starting of the journey?

Thanks so much!

Hi all!

I'm an avid backpacker and hiker with a service dog. I have another pet dog, so on all of our outdoor adventures for the past few years, we stick to pet-friendly National Forests and BLM land. My dogs are incredibly competent hikers, scramblers, river-crossers, backpackers, etc. We have traversed quite literally 1200+ trail miles together and I've rappelled them off cliffs, we've navigated through moose, mountain lion, and bear encounters, and we've climbed multiple 14,000 foot peaks together. We are safe backcountry users- I'm certified in Wilderness First Aid and have taken a canine first aid class too.

But I was invited on a trip to a few National Parks this summer and am curious about the situation with my service dog. She is primarily for psych tasks (that I would use in the backcountry as much as in my everyday life). I am physically able bodied and would want to do challenging trails in all the parks I visit, but I'm curious about how to approach these conversations with rangers. I've been involved in backcountry management myself, and do not want to make these folks' jobs harder.

Has anyone had the conversation with rangers about bringing their service dog on trails that likely rarely see any sort of dog traffic? Have you encountered any resistance?

Also, etiquette in the parks: How do you hike with your service dogs in non-pet friendly spots? On a 15 mile hike, I can't imagine keeping my dog in a heel the entire time. That seems unbelievably unfair, especially since she can perform her tasks just as reliably while on a loose leash a bit in front of or behind me. That being said, I'd of course heel her past other hikers or rangers we encounter, and the new lightweight Ruffwear SD vest we got is a perfect way to label her.

Would love to hear your experiences!

I feel so guilty for my service dog - how do I prevent strangers from mistreating or harming him? How do I stick up for myself and my dog without making a scene and keeping the both of us safe?

The story - my dog and I recently moved to a different city, but surprisingly, people have been incredibly mean. Today we were refused entry into multiple restaurants, saying they had to “obey the law.” I politely told them that refusing us entry was the opposite of the law and went through some legal talk but didn’t want to start a whole fight so I just smiled icily and left. What was I supposed to do, call 311 that instant? We have never experienced this before moving here. Problem is I’m not sure whether I want to report immigrant POC business owners who may not know better ( I am POC myself). They don’t speak English so very difficult to communicate about this. After walking a long time we managed to find a place that would allow us to eat.

Here’s where it gets worse. We were on public transportation and to my concern a baseball game had just let out and people flooded the train. My dog was between my legs under the seat but we can’t avoid a little bit of foot poking out unfortunately. The two men in front of me clearly knew he was there but made no effort to avoid stepping on him. Honestly they had enough space to not do this. After the first time watching them squash the sides of his feet, I was literally huddling over my dog trying to protect him and his feet but there was little I could do in the position we were in. It happened two more times. Worse still the men were making underhanded passive aggressive comments to each other about my dog which I could barely make out. Every service dog is valid - although his behavior speaks for itself, my dog also happens to be a Lab wearing a labeled harness. He was in a perfect settle in between my legs as I was getting increasingly desperate trying to put my hands over his feet to protect him. The people sitting next to me were also worried for us. I was also getting more and more anxious and trying not to cry bc I of course also had guilt that he was taking up the little space that he was. At the next stop I rushed off the train to protect him and had a little invisible mental breakdown while 3 other strangers on the platform smiled and snapped pics of us. That happens to us all day but it was really the cherry on top.

I don’t know what to do. Do I just never return to this neighborhood again? I almost wanted to start arguments today but I am always hyper conscious of representing the service dog community in a positive light. Honestly I feel a little nauseated to think about going out again when my dog works so hard for me and I feel like I can’t protect us. I feel so incredibly guilty about what happened to him today. What is the right way to approach my accessibility problems?

Any information where to find a Psychiatric Service Dog or a website that hones down providers that offer training for pups for PSD.

This is a question that hasn’t been answered since the (Canadian) Alberta service dog act doesn’t give a list of psychiatric disorders besides PTSD.

So I am wondering if there are any approved/certified teams in Alberta that have service dogs mainly trained for anxiety?

Hi :) I’m in the process of saving up for and doing necessary research for a psychiatric alert (BFRB) dog. I’m looking at Corgis because the size makes them better for travel than, say, a Labrador or German, and I’ve heard they can respond well to SD training. My therapist has already said she would provide a letter for me if/when I get one. I wanted to ask if anyone in the sub has a corgi SD and what the experience has been like ? Stubborn at all ? What made you choose a corgi ? Would you choose a different breed if given the chance ? I’m planning on owner-training to cut costs, which I think should go okay since the task I need is a simple one (interrupt BFRB behavior) & I have years experience working in the Veterinary industry, I would love input from owner-trainers specifically if there’s any !! Thanks in advance <33

Found this video on YouTube of Walmart workers denying access to a woman with a service dog even though she has a fainting disorder and the dog was actively tasking what would should someone do in this situation I posted the link to the video in the comments

Im looking to get my first job soon to help my parents pay for a SD for myself, and I was wondering, after i get my SD, are they required to accommodate me with him at work? Or if i wanted to get a job after already having a SD, can they deny me employment because i would want one to accommodate me? I know it would be extremely difficult to work long term without one; and the only reason i would get a job in the first place without already having a SD is because i would know how long i would need to work there to meet my financial goal, so if they wouldn’t accommodate me then i can just quit. But what about when im an adult and i actually NEED to get a job to make a living? Or if i would just want one for the extra cash? I already know the ADA considers SDs a reasonable accommodation, but are they actually REQUIRED to accommodate me with mine?(Im in florida btw since i know it may very my state)

I have a mobility service dog. He is an amazing boy and really excels at his job. Whenever we are in public together he is always on his best behavior: heeling, focused on me, quick to respond when I give him a command or he sees an opportunity to task. I truly could not ask for a better service dog. Yet despite his excellent behavior, I still overhear nasty comments:

“That’s not a real service dog.”

“Service dog my ass.”

“It’s like a fucking zoo in here.”

And of course, grown adults barking and howling at us.

I don’t know what to do. I feel like his behavior by itself proves his legitimacy, but he’s also a breed from the Fab 4 and always wears a very professional black leather mobility harness. I know that being a SD handler, or just being disabled in general unfortunately, requires you to have a thick skin. And for the most part I try to ignore the rude things people say. But some days they really get to me and make me want to never leave my house again.

Can any other handlers here relate? Have you found any positive affirmations to tell yourself that help you cope better? Feel free to share the rude things people have said to you before. If nothing else maybe it will help me and others feel less alone.

I have had my emotional support dog, with documentation from my psychiatrist, for the last two years. I have been lucky to have both university residences and my current apartment be very accommodating and easily approve my documentation.

I will be graduating so I am moving apartments, and the new apartment uses PetScreening which I have never used. I have seen so many posts where people have said that they went back and forth with PetScreening and had a lot of difficulty getting their esa approved.

I submitted my information and it is under review. I am really nervous that this is going to be a long and difficult process. I'm wondering if anyone who has used this service would know whether my documentation will be enough?

​

I can't post a picture of my documentation so I'll try my best to explain

"letterhead at the top for my provider's practice

Date

To Whom It May Concern,

[My name] is my patient, and has been under my care since [ date ]. I am very familiar with their history and with the functional limitations imposed by her disability. [My name’s] condition meets the definition of disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Due to mental illness, [My name] has certain limitations regarding coping with anxiety and stress. In order to help alleviate these difficulties, and to enhance her ability to live independently and to fully use and enjoy the dwelling unit you own and/or administer, I am recommending an emotional support animal that will assist [My name] in coping with her disability.

Should you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

[signature]

Name of Professional

Practice address, phone number, and fax number"

Hi I am flying for the first time with my new psychiatric service dog. I have sometimes debilitating anxiety and panic attacks and she’s a little dream in helping me not spiral and keeping me grounded. However she’s never been in an airport and I worry that the acoustics may throw her (they certainly bother me). Airports make me highly anxious and I want to wear her in a sling (she’s small) so that she can provide deep pressure therapy if needed as I navigate through. I don’t know what to expect at all flying and I’m worried I may be made to have her walk rather than be carried? Can anyone please calm my nerves. Thank you so much. TLDR: can I carry my service dog in airport and can you explain check in

I am from the tristate area, but visiting New York for the fist time in 10+ years. My SD has traveled a lot, so she'll poop whereever I tell her, but like everyone here, I try to make sure it is in a socially acceptable area. I am staying near grand central terminal, but in walking a 2-3 block radius, I haven't found any grass/gravel patches. All the trees have metal grates over their base, not mulch or grass.

Is it socially acceptable for my SD to go to the bathroom over these grates? Is there a hidden trick to finding plant/gravel/grass patches in this area?

To start, about 4 years ago my doctors and I came to the agreement that a service dog would greatly improve my ability to not only tackle my day to day life but help in my ability to be an independent person as well.

For two years my partner and I looked for options available and places willing to help with my specific disorders and the more general ones.(And had been actually denied for the help I need at one point.) Now we were not able to gather a lot of money towards purchasing a proper Service Dog, we had enough to get the things we needed but not for a trained animal. So we started looking into options that didn't require large travel plans or could help with financial stress.

About a year and a half ago now, I fell victim to one of the side effects of my disorder and some how managed to convince my partner to get a dog and owner train them as much as possible. In theory this was possible, but I am also physically disabled in a way that limits my stamina and ability to do some care. About 3 months after getting my dog, we got her into basic day training with some private classes to help us learn how to work with her and train her on our own some too. This worked out for a bit.

About six months ago, my vet changed due to their location changed and new vets being added since they had been doing well. Unfortunately this turned out badly for my girl. They did not allow her to stay with us and took her into a back room. As first time dog owners ourselves, we didn't know that was not a good thing but we quickly learned when she came back terrified of new people (something she had never been terrified of before) and had been told she tried to nip at the vet and assistants and would need to be muzzled anytime she came in now.

We have since changed vets and have been working on her people skills but it's been slow.

We also decided to do a much better more in depth training to help supplement what we have and help with the fact that we need to redo the training we have already have done. Of course this means more money so until then I have been trying to find good resources to help her with mental stimulation and training tips for some one who cannot do a lot physically.

I was hoping to reach out and see if anyone else had tips, help or videos to help me in my endeavor to keep her moving forward towards the hope of being an SD in the end. Sorry if I kind of rambled a bit.

During our public access airline test the captain told participants that the middle seat is the best for service dogs. The captain said in the aisle a dog could be injured (that’s a given). The captain said that the window seat has less room because that’s where the plane curves. Anyhow I had a quick flight without my pup on Alaskan Airlines. There was a box sitting in the middle seat. I don’t think my dog would find that comfortable. What’s your experience? I have a 60lb yellow lab.

Here’s important context: I am visually impaired in one eye, which affects my depth perception, peripheral vision, and gives me a disorienting astigmatism. It’s not severe, I’m not blind completely, but it’s not correctable, and does affect my day to day.

I never knew I service dog could be used for something like this before until I went on a cruise and met a lady who had a similar visual impairment. Obviously I’m aware some people tend to lie on cruises to bring aboard their dogs so I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

Non related to my visual impairment, but I also have ADHD and tend to get overwhelmingly overstimulated. I know this isn’t exactly a thing worthy of getting a whole service dog for, but I was hoping one could help with grounding me in public spaces “discreetly” (nothing discreet about having a dog around you everywhere you go. But I just meant DPT in a public space would make me unbelievably anxious)

Anyways, I just want to know if this is a route I should go down or if there are better resources out there for me (and please please please direct me to where those are).

I wouldn’t say I’m a dog person, but I am no monster and would treat them extremely well. I understand not only is a service dog a form of medical or psychiatric equipment but also a living thing with feelings and emotions.

Are there any good breeds for visual impairment that aren’t guide dogs? What tasks could the dog do? Is it worth it? Please help lol

Anyone else been in my shoes with your SDiT getting uncomfortably close to your partner?

Here's my story in a nutshell(ish):

I have multiple invisible disabilities and a SDiT who began as a psychiatric and seizure alert + light mobility dog (balance, really) but is adding cardiac alert to the resumé.

I've noticed that she seems to have a crush on my fiancé, and it feels like it's becoming a bit of a problem. (It maybe she's grown accustomed to the three of us as a "pack".)

She knows she's supposed to be with me, and helping me, and she makes it clear, lol. She follows me around the house and settles by my side most of the time.

When I put her vest on she doesn't leave my side (even before we leave the house). But if my fiancé goes somewhere else in a store, she looks around for him and acts concerned. After a minute she's usually fine, and will be with me wherever I need to go without him (which is great), but I feel like she's more focused on him than she should be in public. Another example is if I'm at a store and he's at a distance but within sight, she'll stand with me, watching him, instead of paying attention to what I need from her. (On the other hand, if she is separated from me, she will insist on joining me, for instance at a doctor's office or at PT, so I do recognize that her loyalty IS to me in that way, which is good.)

At home is a little different... There are times when I'd like her attention for training, or she's missing cues for alerting because she's waiting for my fiancé to get out of the shower, or she's depressed because he went to the store without us, or they're playing or whatever. He's willing to do whatever he can to help us be successful, but he also can have a short memory, lol... I also have a very hard time speaking up about all this (though I have). I do feel selfish for saying "oh she's already with me at home 85% of the time, but during that 15% that she's not, I want to have her attention whenever I need it". I also don't want to keep her from him, whom she has a loving and fun relationship with.

More context:

• She's only a year old, she's been in (handler) training for about 9 months.
• I can't drive because I have seizures, and he was laid off in October, so we're all together practically 24/7.
• He's definitely more fun than me, he roughouses with her and I'm more fragile.
• Space in the house is extremely limited, we each have a disabled adult child at home so there are 4 adults in a small home with this big dog, full time... so being able to "separate ourselves" (she and I) isn't much of an option. (Though I do get creative to make it happen when possible.)

I'm already trying to work with distraction issues, and since she's loyal to me but distracted when he's gone in public (or around at home) could this be a distraction issue? Is she too accustomed to seeing my fiancé and I together and now we're a "pack"? Am I overreacting to a minor issue? Am I overthinking everything (again, as usual! LOL)?

I'd love to hear about your experiences. I'm learning as I go!!

Hello. I’ve been doing research over the past two months about the service dog world. Life, pros and cons, training intensity, laws, reactions, expectations, benefits, downsides, upsides, different routes to train, breeders, etc. My disabilities would “qualify me” for benefiting from owning an SD and I can just imagine the amount of help that specific tasks could provide for my chronic illness. I have a health care team that will be on board. I have set up an appointment to review my application with a well credited service dog group who provides a team that helps with everything. Assessing benefits, selecting a puppy, owner training sessions weekly, certificate testing, and group meetups. What should I know walking into this appointment? Given my disabilities at 24, I’ve been in and out of work and am currently unemployed (since January), but supported by my parents who are also on board for this. I’d love to be able to work again but it’s not seeming possible for at least a few months.. They asked about my employment on the application so I’m a little nervous. Anyways. Any advice is great, I’m a beginner!

I've been helping my friend train her service dog in training, her dog is 17 months old. She's scared of sudden loud sounds, we've tried playing with her around sounds, scatter feeding her and even tried rewarding her when she doesn't go into flight response. I'm worried she won't be suitable for the job because of that but I don't know how to tell my friend. She thought that if she got a golden retriever that she'd have the best chance at success so it's so hard to watch her possibly have to wash her dog. She can't get another prospect either and the dogs tasks have helped her with her disabilities tremendously but it's also not fair to keep the dog working if she gets scared by every sudden loud sound. Please someone tell me what I should do 😭🙏. Where we live sdits have PA rights and she's perfect, heels perfectly, focused, amazing leave it, alerts, tasks, the only thing that is a huge let down and set back is her fear of noises. The dog (lily) absolutely loves working. I have experience with training sds (I now have 2 retired and getting another prospect next year) and I haven't had this happen before. Has anyone had this with their dog and were you able to get through it? Or was/is it something that isn't possible and better off washing Lily?