Information
Task-Specific Training
Dogs are trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate the handler's disability, following the global excellence standards set by Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
By successfully completing the standard public access test, prescribed by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), your dog will be ready to go from being "in training" to being a full-service dog, with the right to public access.
Our legal advisors will help you define your specific rights.
Amount of Training
A service dog will be given in-person training consisting of a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) hours of training over a period of Six Months or more.
The Minimum Training Standards for Public Access are drawn from the Minimum Training Standards for Service Dogs first established in the mid 90’s by Assistance Dogs International (ADI). The 120 hours of schooling includes the time invested in homework training sessions between classes.
Training Expectations
1. Specialized Disability Assistance: Canines must undergo individual training to execute specific, recognizable actions upon command tailored to their partner's needs. This involves providing alerts for medical issues, respond and recover, auditory signals, or detecting allergens and environmental triggers through dedicated practice.
2. Exceptional Behavioral Standards: It is mandatory for every animal to develop advanced social skills and maintain professional decorum.
3. Zero Tolerance for Hostility: While working in external environments, animals must never exhibit aggression—including biting, growling, or lunging—at any humans or other creatures.
4. Professional Distance: Animals are prohibited from seeking out snacks or physical affection from strangers while they are actively performing their duties.
5. Personal Space Respect: Partners must ensure their dogs do not investigate store items, approach other people, or encroach upon the boundaries of different working animals.
6. Environmental Adaptation: Dogs are expected to remain composed when encountering unusual sights, noises, or smells across diverse communal locations.
7. Focus Amidst Distractions: When navigating settings outside their residence, animals must disregard any food items found on the ground or dropped nearby.
8. Controlled Public Presence: Working animals must maintain a calm demeanor on their leash, avoiding disruptive movements or loud barking in public spaces.
9. Managed Sanitation: Dogs are strictly forbidden from relieving themselves in public areas without receiving a specific cue to use a designated, appropriate location.
Handler Abilities
1. Consistent Practice: Handlers are responsible for regularly practicing all skills and tasks taught during training sessions to reinforce their dog’s learning.
2. Safely load and unload the dog from a vehicle.
3. Enter a public place without losing control of the dog.
4. Recover the leash if accidentally dropped.
5. Cope calmly with an access problem if an employee or customer questions the individual’s right to bring a dog into that establishment.
6. Safe Environments: Handlers must ensure that training and public outings occur in safe, appropriate environments that support the dog’s focus and comfort.
7. Legal & Public Etiquette: Handlers agree to follow all applicable laws and public access guidelines for service dogs, including maintaining appropriate behavior in public spaces.
8. Long-Term Commitment: Training continues for the life of the service dog. Handlers understand that service dog training is an ongoing process and commit to maintaining their dog’s skills after the formal training program is complete.