Dogs with jobs, like people, require a strong core of foundation skills and opportunity to practice in order to be functional in their job. If the intention is to incorporate a dog into service, working for you in a variety of public settings, taking the dog in public is fundamental to service dog training. Maintaining reliablility of their skills out in the world requires continued practice.
In this video, Service Dog Team in Training Dory and her human partner Julie, venture out to a large, indoor mall. While for some the mall is a fun outing, for others it can be an overwhelming and negative experience. A dog who can help redirect anxiety, help a shy person engage in pleasant social conversations and break down barriers as well as prevent panic attacks and turn such an outing into a positive experience deserves a lot of respect.
Enjoy this outing and consider how your own dog would fare in similar circumstances.