Standards Development

Scope

This European standard specifies the competencies required of assistance dogs’ professionals. The purpose of this standard is to improve and assure the quality of professionals working in a role within an assistance dog organisation. Each speciality of assistance dog requires a specific set of role competencies and there are some common core competencies.

Core competencies:

• Breeding

• Puppy Raising

• Dog Care

• Assessors

• Orientation and Mobility

• Trainers

• Instructors

Specific competencies:

• Guide Dogs

• Hearing Dogs

• Medical Alert Dogs

• Mobility Assistance Dogs

• Autism and Development Disorder Dogs

• Team Training Instructors

It is accepted that assistance dog organisations vary greatly in structure and not every organisation will have all the roles identified. Where one person performs more than one role, it is expected that they will have the competencies of all the roles they perform eg a Dog Trainer may also have the competencies of a Dog Care Specialist. And there will be some organisations where some of these roles are not required, eg those with no breeding programme will not require the associated role competencies. 

Purpose

At present there are no defined competencies, at a European level, for professionals working in assistance dog organisations. This creates a high risk of assistance dog users being partnered with poorly and insufficiently trained dogs. It presents further risk to the welfare and wellbeing of assistance dog users and dogs if staff are not competent to perform their role according to safe and recognised standards. 

This European standard will reduce this risk by encouraging organisations to provide training, or select appropriately trained professionals, to work within their organisation. This recognised standard will allow assistance dog users greater choice when selecting an assistance dog provider and offers a level of quality of the service they can expect.