DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have a disability that is not readily visible, and I have a service dog to help me navigate the world and go about my business. She is a small dog and suits my needs very well, but she's not one of the classic breeds that people associate with service dogs.
When I enter a space that is not pet-friendly, I am often questioned about my dog. Of course, I have no problem clarifying that she is a service animal, but I do not wish to engage beyond that. I am often asked multiple follow-up questions, leading to the invasive question of what my disability is, exactly. It's hard to explain, it's really no one's business, and I feel so flummoxed by the questioning that I often don't want to go out at all (which defeats the very purpose of my having a service dog).
I would welcome any ideas about polite but firm conversation-ending phrases that I could deploy in these situations so I can just go about my business like everyone else.
GENTLE READER: There are plenty of nosy people quizzing strangers about things that are none of their business. But Miss Manners suspects that in this case, they are wondering if you are passing off a pet as a service animal, as one reads that some are doing.
So she suggests answering the implied question, rather than the one that was asked. "She's a highly trained service dog," you could say good-naturedly, "and part of her training is that she won't discuss my medical condition with anyone but my doctor. I'm sure you understand."