Our Criteria.

Are you assessment ready? Please review our training and equipment criteria below to ensure that both you and your dog are prepared.

For an application to be accepted we require that three main areas of interest are adhered to:

The handler has a legitimate medical diagnosis from a certified health care professional.

The dog is trained to a high standard suitable for public access and is able to assist handler with a minimum of 3 tasks (see Dog Checklist below).

The dog is physically healthy, able to cope in public and handled using ethical methods only (see below for acceptable handling and equipment).

DOCUMENT CHECKLIST.

The following four documents are required as part of your application.

Documents must be in digital format and uploaded as part of the application.

Letter from your GP or healthcare provider stating proof of your condition
Veterinary health check letter. Download here
Evidence of Vaccinations and flea/worming treatment
Up to date insurance policy documents

DOG CHECKLIST.

Can You Answer Yes to All of The Below?

My dog IS between 18 months old and 5 years old? *** (See below for more details on age)

My dog IS fit and healthy?
My dog IS performing tasks easily without coercion?
My dog IS non-reactive to other dogs and humans?
My dog CAN perform 3 tasks (minimum) in public without showing excessive signs of fear or stress.

Examples of tasks are but not limited to:
- Deep Pressure Therapy
- Guiding
- Blocking/Creating space
- Finding Exits
- Alerting a handler to a seizure/medical episode before it occurs
- Picking up dropped items
- specific items such as phones or medication bags
- Locating a person in an emergency medical situation
- Pressing an alert button in an emergency

My dog CAN politely greet other dogs and humans only when instructed to do so?
My dog ONLY toilets in appropriate places or when instructed to do so?
My dog CAN be taken from me if deemed necessary?
My dog CAN be left alone for short periods in the car or at home?
My dog CAN walk on a loose lead and be aware of its surroundings in public places?
My dog CAN return to me when called off lead from any situation?

DOG AGE POLICY

At this time we are able to accept applications for dogs of the following ages:

Dogs who are being assessed for the first time:

18 months - 5 years

Experienced dogs who have a history of working as an assistance dog:

5 years + ***

*** For Dogs over the age of 5 years we will require evidence of your dog's history as your assistance dog. Dogs must have at least two years of experience for us to review your application.

All applications for dogs over the age of 5 years will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

Dog Age Policy Press Release

EQUIPMENT RULES.

Equipment rules must be adhered to during the assessment & for the entirety of your partnership qualified under the ADAA

The following is acceptable:

Food, praise, touch and toys can all be rewards for completion of a requested behaviour.
Equipment
- Body harness
- Flat collar
- Flat lead or guide harness

The following is not acceptable:

The need/or the use of any physical restraint to force compliance.
The use of positively punishing or physically restraining training equipment such as (but not restricted to):
- Nose Harnesses
- Choke collars
- Non-pull harnesses where the design is to tighten under or across the dog’s fore legs or pull the dog off balance
- Electric shock collars
- Prong collars
- Spray collars
- Head collars
- Flexi lead or slip lead
- Check collars or martingale collars

Think you're ready?

Visit our Apply Here page to go through your final checklist

Apply here