[waster]

I have had quite different experience. I have traveled a fair amount with my son and his medium-sized, and thus atypical-looking service dog. TSA has never given us any kind of special treatment, except once late at night in Denver when an agent allowed us to go through the pre-check lane and thus not wait in a long line. Even then, we still had to go through all the same procedures as the full lane: Shoes off, gear out and screened as usual, service dog gear off, me carry or walk with service dog through screener, swab my hands, and only with all-clear, be allowed to recollect gear.