It’s hard to hold back from petting any cute pooch, but these working dogs have a job to do.

If you’re anything like the editors of Daily Paws, it’s just part of your DNA to want to greet every dog you meet on the street with a hearty “Who’s a good boy?!” and a pat on the head. But there are some hound/handler teams who work in tandem to perform certain tasks, many of which are crucial for the safety, independence, or mobility of the dog’s owner. Interacting with either the dog or the person can be an unwelcome distraction to their day-to-day life.

Here’s why you can’t pet service dogs—even if you have the best intentions—and why it’s so important to give them their space.

Why Can’t You Pet Service Dogs?

Service animals are different from other pets. They are specially trained to perform tasks for their handlers (someone who uses a service animal), and these hardworking pups should be on the “do not disturb” list at all times. Depending on the needs of their owners, service dogs—also known as assistance dogs—are trained to perform a number of special tasks to increase the mobility and independence of their human companion. Guide Dogs of America, a nonprofit that provides service dogs for the visually impaired, veterans with PTSD, and people who are on the autism spectrum, notes that some of those tasks may even be life saving for their owners. And interacting with a working animal distracts them from doing that very important job.

Service dogs are working animals—when you engage with them, you could be risking the health or well-being of their owner.

What Should You Do Around Service Dogs?

First, give them their space. It’s hard to withhold from petting or talking to a cute dog—we get it. But remember that these dogs have an important job to do, and try to contain your excitement so as not to detract from their role assisting their owner. While service dogs may be well-trained to tune out distractions, it can still make it hard for them to concentrate if you are trying to get their attention through noise, gestures, or by reaching out to touch them.

Service dogs are not considered pets. Just as you wouldn’t ask to ride in a wheelchair, you should not ask to pet the dog.

Second, be polite. As a dog lover, it’s understandable you’d want to ask questions about the service dog, how they’re used, and what their training regiment is like. A dog with the ability to look both ways before crossing the street or prevent a health emergency is The Most Awesome Thing in the World—we agree! But take a pause before you ask someone about their assistance animal. They may not want to talk with every person about their service dog’s special training, or why they have one at all.

How Can You Tell If a Dog is a Service Animal?

Not all service dogs are created equal, but they are all protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). There are different kinds of service dogs that are trained to assist their owner with different types of tasks. Some service dogs help their owners with mobility, others assist with hearing or vision, and some are trained to alert their owners of oncoming seizures or act as a mental health instrument for their handler. But it may not always be obvious that a dog is working to provide assistance for their owner.

Many service dogs are identifiable by a service dog vest or a type of harness, though that’s not always the case. The ADA does not require that service animals wear any special ID tag, vest, or specific harness that would identify them as such. Additionally, the handler of the service dog is not required to have any self-identifying documents that they carry to “prove” their dog is a service animal.

The ADA has very clear guidelines on what is considered a service dog, and says a service dog “must be trained to take a specific action when needed to assist the person with a disability.” This means that a service dog is not the same as an emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animal.

When Is It OK to Pet Service or Assistance Dogs?

There may be times when it’s appropriate to interact with a service dog, though there are a few guidelines to consider before heading in for a scratch.

Some service dogs in training, including “puppy raisers” who help teach assistance animals basic obedience skills and how to behave in public before the pup is placed with their recipient, might bring the dog out in public to help socialize them. Haylee Bergeland, CPDT-KA, RBT, Daily Paws pet health and behavior editor and the executive director of the Iowa Human-Animal Bond Society, says that in the case of service dog training or socialization, the owner will ask that you approach the dog, not the other way around.

“In some circumstances, a handler may request that you interact with a dog to assist in socialization,” Bergeland says, “but not always. Don’t assume it’s OK to approach, play with, or pet a dog even if you know they’re a service dog in training.”

Bergeland says to also steer clear of service dogs—especially ones in training—if you have your own pooch with you. “In terms of service dogs in training, there is nothing more distracting than other dogs,” she says. “Second would be people, and the third is environment.” So unless you are specifically asked to play, pet, or pay attention to a future assistance dog, steer clear.

Another, more critical time it’s appropriate to interact with a service dog is if you find one without their owner. If you discover an unattended service dog, take immediate action as their handler may be in danger. Some service dogs are specially trained to go find help on behalf of their handler, and may nudge you or bark to get your attention. If this happens, fast action on your part is needed ASAP. Guide Dogs of America says that in this case, you should follow the dog, who is trained to take help to their owner. Assess the situation, and call 9-1-1 if their handler needs medical attention.

Rules to Remember When Interacting With a Service Dog:

1. DO: Give the dog space.
2. DO: Keep your composure. Don’t be loud and jump around.
3. DO: Ignore the dog, even if he tries to sniff you. Remember, service dogs have a job to do!
4. DO: Take immediate action if you find an unattended service dog. Their handler may be in danger and many assistance animals are specially trained to go find help.

Proper interaction with a working service dog starts with giving the specially trained pups the space they deserve. These special pups help keep their humans safe, and we owe it to both members of their team—person and pup alike—to give them our respect since they have such important jobs to do.

It might be a meow, a trill, or a yowl that enters your dreams as kitty tries to get your attention to tell you something important.

Our feline friends try to be mysterious, but they know exactly how to get attention. The question is, do we know what they want? A cat meowing at night is eager to awaken you for something specific, so we’ll break down the kitty communication code.

Why Do Cats Meow at Night?

Cats have specific body language, and if you watch (and listen!) closely, you’ll learn a lot about their moods, emotions, and desires.

For example, spraying or marking is often a tip-off that your cat feels stressed or threatened, especially by other cats or a change in their environment. A tail wrap around your leg means kitty is affectionate and trusting (various tail wags tell you a lot!) Even when they just follow you around, they’re shouting out about something, such as they don’t feel well—or think what you’re doing is entertaining. Cats, after all.

So why is your cat meowing at night? Leslie Sinn, DVM, DACVB, CPDT-KA, is a specialist in animal behavior, owner of Behavior Solutions, and a member of the Daily Paws Advisory Board. She says, quite simply, they need you.

“Cats meow for a variety of reasons but they’re basically seeking attention, food, or play from their owners,” she tells Daily Paws. “They also do it if they’re distressed, confused, or otherwise worried.”

Think of how some people talk nervously when they’re upset about something. Kitties can do this too, and they really hope you catch on. Common feline stressors include relocation, illness, and behavioral changes as they age. “If this is new behavior for your cat, especially an older cat, please take your kitty to your veterinarian to rule out any underlying medical issues, especially painful conditions, thyroid disease and, in older cats, cognitive decline,” Sinn says.

Expanding your family with a kitten, dog, or baby might also confound your cat, making them more prone to meowing at night and even emitting yowls and other different cat noises as they try to figure out what’s going on.

Sinn says there’s also the possibility that if your cat hasn’t been spayed or neutered, they will call or yowl while seeking a mate and/or warn competitors away. If you suspect this is the case, arrange for a vet consultation to discuss next steps.

How to Stop a Cat From Meowing All Night

It’s important to determine the specific cause as to why your cat is crying at night. However, there’s a fine line between adjusting the behavior with positive reinforcement … and making it worse.

“For example, if the reason is attention seeking, then responding to the cat’s meows will only make it more likely that the cat will disturb you at night,” Sinn says. It’s not that cats are manipulative, but they do respond to our training cues. Reinforce that you’ll leave your warm, cozy bed whenever they call and, well, that’s why they think they’re our benevolent overlords.

So perk up your cat antenna the next time your cat won’t stop meowing at night and tune in to their signals:

• Does kitty run to the food or treat cabinet as soon as they see you? “Use a timed feeder for a midnight snack if the cat is disturbing you because it wants food,” Sinn says. “Or provide a food puzzle that will last through the night.”
• When you switch on the light, do they get the zoomies or flip-flop about? It’s playtime! “Arrange for a 15-minute play session an hour or so before bedtime,” Sinn says. Some ideas might be to run a feather up and down their cat tree, throw a wadded ball of paper across the floor, or use an interactive toy for fun bonding.
• If your fuzzball simply blinks at you or seeks immediate lap space, they might be bored and want company. “Give your cat attention when it’s quiet during the day, and reward quiet behavior,” Sinn says. “And make sure their environment is appropriately enriched.” This might include better exercise options and stimulating games.

Sinn adds that as a general rule, a second pet is never recommended to help solve the issue of your cat meowing at night. “However, if it’s a young, active cat and the owner just can’t meet their exercise and interaction needs, a compatible playmate may be an option.”

What Does It Mean When My Cat Meows In Their Sleep?

You’ve probably stumbled upon this cuteness many times: precious kitties meowing during their cat naps, like this. Sinn says there’s probably no reason for concern.

“I personally haven’t seen this with my own cats,” Sinn says. “But I would assume it’s simply that they’re dreaming and vocalizing as we all sometimes do!”

If all this cat chatter has piqued your curiosity about how to crack the marvelous riddles kitties present, Sinn recommends taking a feline behavior class through Ohio State University and reading the book, Decoding Your Cat.