Surviving A Shooting In Public WIth A Service Dog – What I Learned

I used to say that with all my years as a service dog trainer and user I have had EVERY experience you could have with a service dog. Turns out I was wrong. On Cinco De Mayo in 2023 I was in a shooting at a street festival I went to in St. Louis. If it was not for a word from God that there was going to be a shooting and I needed to leave or the puppies and I would be trampled, we would have been right where the shooting started. We still ended up running for our lives and experiencing trauma but thankfully we were not physically injured. I learned so much that day and it’s time to share my tips for surviving an emergency with your service dog candidate intact. When training a service dog, it’s crucial to think about every possible situation they might face. While it’s not something we ever want to imagine, preparing a service dog for chaotic events like a shooting can help ensure that they remain calm and can continue to support their handler in times of crisis. Whether your service dog candidate will be working in high-stress environments, or you’re simply training them to remain steady during everyday disturbances, it’s important to think about key elements they might encounter.

Here’s a guide to how you can carefully and thoughtfully introduce your service dog candidate to some of the elements they could face in a shooting or similarly intense scenario.

1. Loud Noises Like Gunfire

Imagine the sheer noise of a sudden gunshot, fireworks, or a car backfiring. For dogs, who have much more sensitive hearing than we do, these sounds can be overwhelming. If your dog isn’t used to these types of sounds, they could panic or become too anxious to perform their duties.

What You Can Do: Start small. Play recorded sounds of gunfire or loud bangs at a low volume, and reward your dog for remaining calm. Gradually increase the volume as your dog becomes more comfortable. The goal is to help your dog associate these noises with something positive, so when they hear it in real life, they don’t react with fear.

2. People Running in Different Directions

In chaotic situations like a shooting, people often scatter and run in different directions. For many dogs, this kind of unpredictable movement can trigger anxiety, confusion, or an urge to chase.

What You Can Do: Start by exposing your dog to environments where people are running around, like a park, playground, or even an organized event like an Easter egg hunt. Begin by training in a quieter area, then gradually introduce more chaotic environments. Make sure to reward your dog for staying calm and focused on you, even when there’s a lot of movement around them.

3. Shouting and Panic

When people are panicked, they shout and raise their voices, which can be overwhelming for a dog. Your service dog candidate needs to be able to filter out those distractions and stay focused on their handler.

What You Can Do: Try role-playing exercises where people around the dog speak loudly or act upset. Teach your dog commands like “focus” or “stay” to keep them grounded during these moments. Again, positive reinforcement is key here. The goal is to help your dog understand that even if there’s shouting, their job is to remain steady and focused on their tasks.

4. Sudden Movements or Environmental Changes

In an emergency situation, things can change in an instant—furniture might get knocked over, objects could be thrown, or people might dive for cover. This could startle an unprepared dog and make them freeze or flee.

What You Can Do: Slowly introduce your dog to environments where objects move unpredictably, such as chairs falling or someone knocking over items. You want your dog to get used to sudden changes and not overreact to them. Always reward your dog when they stay calm, reinforcing that they can trust you to handle the situation.

5. Presence of Law Enforcement or Medical Personnel

In the aftermath of a shooting, emergency responders such as police, EMTs, or firefighters will likely arrive. Service dogs must be comfortable around uniformed personnel, flashing lights, and emergency vehicles, and not be distracted by them.

What You Can Do: Bring your dog to safe, controlled interactions with uniformed personnel in your community. For example, some law enforcement agencies or fire departments may allow you to schedule a visit. Familiarize your dog with the sights and sounds of emergency vehicles. Let them experience the flashing lights and sirens, so it becomes part of their known environment rather than something frightening.

6. Being Touched or Restrained

In a chaotic moment, someone might try to grab or restrain your dog to keep them safe or move them out of harm’s way. A well-trained service dog should remain calm even when handled unexpectedly.

What You Can Do: Work on teaching your dog to remain calm when touched by others. Practice this by having friends or trainers gently restrain or move your dog during training sessions, rewarding them for staying composed. This helps the dog learn that being touched or held doesn’t mean they’re in danger.

7. Teaching Self-Calming Behaviors

The ultimate goal is to help your service dog candidate learn how to remain calm and focused on their job, no matter what’s happening around them. This can be done by reinforcing self-calming behaviors like sitting or staying, even in the midst of chaos.

What You Can Do: Start with basic commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “focus,” then gradually increase the difficulty by adding distractions, noise, and movement. Reinforce these behaviors with treats, praise, or play, and make sure your dog understands that staying calm is always rewarded.

Keep it Safe and Controlled

It’s crucial to remember that training a dog to handle these kinds of situations should always be done in a safe, controlled environment. The goal is not to overwhelm your dog, but to help them slowly build confidence in handling these types of stressors. Never expose your dog to real danger, and always work at their pace to avoid creating unnecessary fear or anxiety.

Wrapping Up

Preparing a service dog to handle unexpected and high-stress situations like a shooting scenario takes time, patience, and care. The key is gradual exposure, paired with positive reinforcement, to help your dog feel confident and calm no matter what’s happening around them. Whether it’s loud noises, people running in all directions, or the presence of emergency responders, careful training will give your dog the tools they need to remain focused and effective, even in the most unpredictable circumstances.

By thinking ahead and preparing your service dog for the unexpected, you’re not just training them—you’re ensuring they’re ready to support their handler in any situation life throws their way.

If you want to know how I KNEW that there was going to be a shooting there without any indications that violence would erupt, you can watch for our upcoming video on the experience and then learning how to hear from God yourself by taking John Paul Jacksons course called The Art of Hearing God.