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Training Standards

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[F.A.Q.]

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These standards are intended to be minimum standards for all Social and Facility Dog programs affiliated with ADI. All programs are encouraged to work at levels above these standards.

A social or facility dog is a dog who is permanently placed in a home or care giving facility to provide therapeutic benefits. A trained designator facilitator is required to oversee and supervise the activities and care of the dog.

The program must demonstrate the knowledge of the therapy program and the individual disability or the facility's capabilities of implementing the therapy program.

1. A minimum of 50 hours of training over three (3) months must take place under the supervision of the program's trainer. During that time, at least 24 hours of regularly scheduled training must be devoted to field trips and public exposure.

2. The dog must be able to perform basic obedience skills with voice commands and/or hand signals: sit, stay, come, down and heel. Dogs must demonstrate control on and off lead.

3. The dog must show social behavior skills of no aggression, no nuisance barking, no biting, no snapping/growling, no jumping on strangers, no begging and no sniffing of people. Dogs must be unobtrusive and have good household skills.

4. The social or facility dog may be trained for an individual or care facility. The care facility must provide at least one care provider during training.

5. The training time with the student and/or facilitator must be a minimum of 5 days, instruction will include obedience skills, proper behavior and implementation into the home or facility.

6. The training program must require the recipient to complete the follow-up progress reports as established by their program.

7. Social dog and Facility dog access is not recognized as canine assistance under the ADI guidelines. ID and equipment is not necessary, but may be issued at program's discretion if access laws are understood by the individual and/or facility.

8. The recipient must agree to abide by all user responsibilities.

9. Prior to completion of training, each dog will be spayed or neutered and will have passed a thorough medical evaluation to determine that the dog does not have any physical problems that would cause difficulty for a dog's working role.