Acknowledgements:
Andy Krzus, Obedience Unleashed Dog Training
Nancy Letkeman, Ronan Isle Consulting
Kristina Ponce, Ministry of Justice
Josh Huska, Ministry of Justice
Karen Johnson, Justice Institute of British Columbia
The purpose of this assessment is to ensure that the guide dog or service dog demonstrates appropriate public behaviour, proper disposition, and is unobtrusive in public places. The assessment consists of 40 exercises and is modeled after the Assistance Dogs International Public Access Test and the Security Dog Validation Standards from the Justice Institute of British Columbia.
This assessment examines the temperament and disposition of the dog in a general public setting, such as a shopping mall. The dog’s behaviour will be assessed to determine if his or her disposition is calm, stable and reliable in situations commonly encountered by dog/handler teams. The assessment will also ensure that the handler has control over the dog at all times, that the dog is safe to be in public, and that the dog is able to demonstrate the high standard of training expected of guide and service dogs.
The validator will explain the assessment thoroughly to the handler before the testing begins. Once the assessment begins, the validator will follow the dog/handler team in a discreet manner, unless required to interact with the dog/handler team for an assessed task. The assessment will be performed on-leash, with the occasional tight leash being acceptable. A dog is not ready for the assessment if the dog displays behaviour that requires major restraint or a continuously tight leash to perform the tasks (unless required due to mobility issues).
- The dog’s nerves are steady;
- The dog’s temperament and disposition are sound;
- The dog is well-mannered in public, in the presence of crowds, other dogs and traffic; and
- The dog is attentive to the handler and responds to commands without showing stress or avoidance.
The dog/handler team must pass all of the tasks below in order to pass the assessment. The results of the assessment will then be forwarded to the Security Programs Division for final review.
Task List:
- Obedience inside vehicle before unloading
- Obedience outside the vehicle after unloading
- Heel position when approaching the building or through parking lot
- Calmness around traffic
- Obedient stop before entering doorway
- Obedience before entering doorway
- Obedience going through doorway
- Obedience after entering doorway
- Heeling inside building
- No soliciting public attention
- Adjusting to speed changes
- Adjusting to changes in direction
- Obedience through narrow/ tight areas
- Obedience through crowds
- Six-foot recall on-leash: Command
- Six-foot recall on-leash: Control
- Six-foot recall on-leash: Distance
- Six-foot recall on-leash: Direction
- Sit command
- Sit command next to plate of food
- Sit command while shopping cart passes
- Sit command while being petted by stranger
- Down command
- Down command with food dropped on floor
- Down command while child approaches
- Noise distraction (drop object on floor behind dog)
- Behaviour in restaurant
- Ignoring food in restaurant
- Off-leash exercise
- Human aggression test
- Obedience before exiting doorway
- Obedience going through doorway during exit of building
- Obedience after exiting the building
- Calm around traffic after exiting building
- Obedient stop after exiting building
- Dog aggression test
- Public transit test
- Obedient load into vehicle
- Evident team relationship & knowledge of access rights
- Care and well-being of dog