like if you had any bad intentions, you could literally walk 3 inches behind them menacingly, and their only option would be to keep walking hoping you don't do anything, and if you want to end their day in a bad way, or maybe even their life, you could simply stick a stick between their legs and they'd never be able to get up. or just kick their heel while they pick it up to take that next step.  so yeah technically they don't need a handler but they are also a stumble away from dying when its -20 degrees in february and they are outside
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