Minimum Training Standards for Service and Assistance Dogs
While not required by law, having proof of completion of these or other similar Minimum Training Standards and a Public Access Test (explained below) for Service and Assistance Dogs in the form of a professional training certificate or video recording may be helpful if challenged on the validity of your Service or Assistance Dog.
Certain types of Service Dogs, such as Psychiatric Service Dogs, will also require a doctor’s prescription for airline travel and access to other public areas. Registration with the United States Service Dog Registry is for identification purposes only, similar to wearing a vest, and is not proof that a dog has been trained properly.
Training
Training may be completed by yourself, a friend, family member or professional trainer or training organization. It takes about six months to a year (120+ hours) to properly train a Service or Assistance Dog. A full-time professional trainer may be able to train a dog more quickly. Be prepared to spend at least 30 hours of training in a controlled public setting so that the dog will learn to behave obediently and unobtrusively in public. Please remember that you are 100% responsible at all times for the behavior and control of your Service or Assistance Dog, even during training.
Note that all states do not grant the privileges of the ADA to Service or Assistance Dogs who are in training. Owners who have Service or Assistance Animals in training may register with us, but are personally responsible for obeying all applicable laws.
Basic Obedience
Your dog must obey basic verbal and/or hand signal obedience commands such as Sit, Stay, Come, Down and Heel. When off leash, your dog must come when called.
Your Dog's Behavior
Your dog must also display good behavior and social skills including:
- No aggressive behavior toward people or other animals; no biting, no snapping, no growling, no mounting, no lunging and/or barking;
- No begging for food or petting from other people;
- No sniffing merchandise or people who pass by;
- No urinating or defecating in public unless given a command/signal to eliminate in an appropriate place.
Physical Tasks Related to a Disability
Many disabled people have pets. A Service or Assistance Dog is distinguished from a pet by the specific physical tasks they have been trained to complete. A Service or Asssitance Dog is individually trained to complete identifiable physical tasks that it's disabled owner has trouble completing for him or herself. In other words, simply having a disability is not enough to qualify a pet as a Service or Assistance Dog. While it is illegal for someone to ask about your disability, they may ask what physical tasks your dog has been trained to complete.
What does it mean to be individually trained?
Individual training is the process by which a dog is specifically taught a behavior or task through rewards, praise or corrections. Methods may include using treats, clicker training or praise. Natural dog behavior such as protectiveness, barking, licking or comforting an owner are not considered appropriate tasks under the ADA, even if those actions help the disabled owner.
What is a Physical Task?
A physical task is a chore or behavior that a Service or Assistance Animal performs, on command or cue, to help a disabled person with something that they can not easily do for themselves.
A physical task must also be quantifiable in some way, such as fetching a medicine bottle for someone who is having a seizure, opening doors or drawers for someone who has physical mobility issues or alerting on glucose levels for a diabetic. Examples of some things that would not be an appropriate physical task would be simply providing companionship, guarding, protecting or even tasks performed merely for convenience such as fetching the morning paper.
If you need more clarification, please seek a local Service Dog trainer for help.
Appearance
Your dog should appear clean and well groomed at all times. Some Service and Assistance Dog handlers feel that a vest or I.D. is very helpful, even though it is not required by law. It is extremely important to look professional at all times.
Your Behavior
Please remember to be confident, polite, courteous and respectful at all times, even if you encounter someone who is unfamiliar with the ADA. Be prepared to explain what tasks your dog is trained to complete to help manage your disability. You do not need to explain your disability. Keep in mind that the impression you leave with someone may be their only experience with a Service or Assistance Dog team.
Passing a Public Access Test
The best tool for evaluating a team's readiness to graduate or finish formal training is a Public Access Test like the one available at
ADI. It may be administered by a friend or family member, but again, keeping a video recording of your animal passing the test may prove valuable in the future.
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