Standards Development

Scope

The document defines the standards for training assistance dogs. Assistance dogs may be trained by structured programs/schools, owner-trained under supervision or owner-trainers.

Specifically, this document deals with the following topics:

- Preparation of assistance dogs

- Socialization and puppy raising of assistance dogs

- Training of assistance dogs

- Guide Dogs

- Hearing Dogs

- Mobility Assistance Dogs

- PTSD Assistance Dogs

- Medical Alert Assistance Dogs

- Autism and Developmental Assistance Dogs

- Dual Purpose Assistance Dogs

Purpose

This PWI forms part of a series of European Standards for Assistance Dogs. At the 10th meeting of CEN/TC WG4 is was agreed by members that the document relating to Pre-training, training and tasks should be progressed from a PWI to a New Work Item as part of moving the whole project forward and provide synchronicity with other documents in the series.

The overall objective of the series is to create standards for Assistance Dogs recognized and accepted by a wide range of stakeholders such as the general public, public authorities, travel and transport industries and health insurance industries. The main purpose of the standards related to the pre-training, training and tasks of assistance dogs is to ensure dogs are trained to appropriate standards in the specialist skills required in ways that that meet their welfare and wellbeing needs, enabling them to thrive whilst ensuring the safety of their handlers and the wider public.