prEN 17984-4
(Main)Assistance dogs - Part 4: Pre-training, training and tasks
Assistance dogs - Part 4: Pre-training, training and tasks
This document defines standards for the training of assistance dogs. Assistance dogs may be
trained by structured programmes/schools, owner-trained under supervision or ownertrainers.
Specifically, this document deals with the following topics:
- Preparation of assistance dogs
- Socialization and puppy raising of assistance dogs
- Training of assistance dogs
- Guide Dogs
- Hearing Dogs
- Mobility Assistance Dogs
- PTSD Assistance Dogs
- Medical Alert Response Assistance Dogs
- Autism and Developmental Disorder Assistance Dogs
- Dual Purpose Assistance Dogs
Assistenzhunde - Teil 4: Grundausbildung, Ausbildung und Aufgaben
Chiens d’assistance - Partie 4 : Prééducation, éducation et tâches
Le présent document définit des règles relatives à l’éducation des chiens d’assistance. Les chiens d’assistance peuvent être éduqués par des écoles/programmes structurés, par leur propriétaire sous supervision ou par les propriétaires qui éduquent eux-mêmes leurs chiens.
Le présent document traite de manière spécifique les sujets suivants :
- la préparation des chiens d’assistance ;
- la socialisation et le développement des chiots destinés à devenir des chiens d’assistance ;
- l’éducation des chiens d’assistance ;
- les chiens guides ;
- les chiens écouteurs ;
- les chiens d’assistance pour personnes à mobilité réduite ;
- les chiens d’assistance pour SSPT ;
- les chiens d’alerte/de réponse médicales ;
- les chiens d’assistance pour autisme et troubles du développement ;
- les chiens d’assistance à double spécialité.
Psi pomočniki - 4. del: Usposabljanje in ocenjevanje
General Information
Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-april-2024
Psi pomočniki - 4. del: Usposabljanje in ocenjevanje
Assistance Dogs — Part 4: Training and Assessment
Assistenzhunde - Ausbildung und Beurteilung
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: prEN 17984-4
ICS:
11.180.99 Drugi standardi v zvezi s Other standards related to
pripomočki za invalide aids for disabled and
handicapped people
65.020.30 Živinoreja Animal husbandry and
breeding
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
DRAFT
EUROPEAN STANDARD
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
April 2024
ICS 11.180.99; 65.020.30
English Version
Assistance Dogs - Part 4: Training and Assessment
Assistenzhunde - Ausbildung und Beurteilung
This draft European Standard is submitted to CEN members for enquiry. It has been drawn up by the Technical Committee
CEN/TC 452.
If this draft becomes a European Standard, CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations
which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
This draft European Standard was established by CEN in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway,
Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and
United Kingdom.
Recipients of this draft are invited to submit, with their comments, notification of any relevant patent rights of which they are
aware and to provide supporting documentation.
Warning : This document is not a European Standard. It is distributed for review and comments. It is subject to change without
notice and shall not be referred to as a European Standard.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2024 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. prEN 17984-4:2024 E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
Introduction . 4
1 Scope . 5
2 Normative references . 5
3 Terms and definitions . 5
4 Preparation of assistance dogs . 5
5 Socialization and Puppy Raising . 6
6 Training . 7
7 Guide Dogs . 9
8 Hearing Dogs . 10
9 Mobility Assistance Dogs . 10
10 PTSD Assistance Dogs . 11
11 Medical Alert Response Assistance Dogs . 12
12 Autism and Developmental Disorder Assistance Dogs . 13
13 Dual Purpose Assistance Dogs . 15
European foreword
This document (prEN 17984-4:2024) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 452
“Assistance Dogs”, the secretariat of which is held by UNI.
This document is currently submitted to the CEN Enquiry.
This document is part of a series of European Standards under the general title Assistance Dogs, which
will comprise the following parts:
— Part 1: Vocabulary
— Part 2: Lifetime welfare
— Part 3: Competencies for assistance dogs’ professionals
— Part 4: Pre-training, Training and Tasks
— Part 5: Client Services
— Part 6: Accessibility and Universal Access
— Part 7: Conformity assessment
Introduction
Training assistance dogs is a specialist skill requiring a clear understanding of positive reinforcement
training methods and a focus on supporting the dog to achieve the requisite skills to support a person
with a disability or condition.
High standards of animal welfare are critical to ensure each dog is able to thrive and support the client
effectively. The training standards outlined are the minimum required to ensure positive outcomes in
terms of training assistance dogs.
In this document:
— “shall” indicates a requirement;
— “should” indicates a recommendation;
— “may” indicates a permission;
— “can” indicates a possibility or a capability.
1 Scope
This document defines standards for the training of assistance dogs. Assistance dogs may be trained by
structured programmes/schools, owner-trained under supervision or owner-trainers.
Specifically, this document deals with the following topics:
— preparation of assistance dogs;
— socialization and puppy raising of assistance dogs;
— training of assistance dogs;
— guide dogs;
— hearing dogs;
— mobility assistance dogs;
— PTSD assistance dogs;
— medical alert response assistance dogs;
— autism and developmental disorder assistance dogs;
— dual purpose assistance dogs.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
prEN 17984-1:2024, Assistance Dogs - Part 1: Vocabulary
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in prEN 17984-1:2024 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp/
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
4 Preparation of assistance dogs
Prior to any task-related training, all assistance dogs shall:
— be physically sound and without pain;
— be a minimum age of 12 months and/or at such a level of maturity to facilitate commencement of
specific assistance dog training.
Dogs cannot be put in a position where they are taking responsibility for undertaking any tasks under
the age of 12 months. Training dogs to undertake specific tasks is also not acceptable. Puppy play
that supports the shaping of the dogs behaviour (e.g. pulling a tugging toy) that can eventually form
a more formal part of the dogs training (i.e. learning to pull items) when the dog is appropriately
mature, is acceptable.
— be of a suitable appearance, appropriate to the expected working environment, so that the client does
not receive adverse or frequent negative comments from the public and, shall not show any
exaggerations and/or extreme phenotypical conformation.
— have a coat compatible with the client’s home environment and the client’s ability to maintain
effectively.
— have gone through a behavioural and temperament analysis based on accurate records.
Recommended time for behavioural and temperament testing is at 2 months and 12 months.
NOTE National laws, e.g. relating to 'high risk breeds', etc, can exist and apply to dogs.
5 Socialization and Puppy Raising
Assistance dogs shall go through a systematic and fully documented socialization process that provides
appropriate exposure to a variety of situations. At a minimum, records shall show that the dog has gone
through processes and training leading it to be:
— not overly sensitive and able to behave appropriately, (in line with requirements) during grooming,
health investigations, tactile interaction, and other sensory input;
— accustomed to being calm and working consistently around traffic;
— calm and able to work consistently around common modes of transport and trained to support travel
with common modes of personal/domestic/public transport likely to be used by the handler. (For
example, car, bus, train or tram travel).
NOTE 1 Where handlers require use of transport modes which are not common to most assistance dogs or
handlers, this can be discussed in the assessment process or as and when the requirement is brought to the
attention of the trainer. (e.g. ferry, air, cable car or cruise travel).
— comfortable around humans in all their diversity;
— able to work consistently and appropriately around intimidating people, people who distract dogs
and people with a variety of behaviours and appearances.
EXAMPLE 1 Someone fixated on the dog, walking into the dog or deliberately
disturbing the dog.
NOTE 2 However, there are limits to what a dog can reasonably be expected to tolerate without reaction if
a person deliberately provokes the dog.
— socialized and habituated to unusual stimuli and able to regain composure within a reasonable
period of time and then continue working immediately when subjected to loud and/or uncommon
noises, unusual smells, visual stimuli and different textures.
EXAMPLE 2 Loud noises can be thunder, motorbikes etc.
A ‘reasonable period’ can be regarded as 1-2 min, after which assistance dogs should be able to regain
composure and continue working.
NOTE 3 Hearing dogs are expected to have an adapted reaction to different noises which shows their
understanding of the environment they are working in.
— able to exhibit established and required social behaviours;
— able to work around people who have a range of motor skills;
— able to initiate self-directed activities for play time;
— able to behave appropriately around dogs and other animals;
— able to cope with spending time alone if necessary, without compromising welfare.
An appropriate time for a dog to be able to cope with being alone without compromising welfare will
differ depending on age and temperament, but as a guide, this should be no more than 4 h, although
it will take time and training to get a dog to the point where it can spend considerable time alone.
— able to be calm and work consistently when dealing with common household distractions;
— able to be calm and work consistently when dealing with common neighbourhood and public
distractions.
6 Training
During the training process, written and/or filmed records shall be kept to determine that the dog is
suitable to work as an assistance dog. These records shall cover, but not be limited to, the following:
— physical, mental, temperamental, and behavioural characteristics relevant to the expected tasks and
the identified matching applicant and an assessment of emotional state and stress levels;
— all health-related information, including weight, vaccinations, and parasite control;
— aptitude (natural ability) for the specific assistive tasks;
— level of sustainable socially acceptable behaviour in work and in social contexts;
— historic events that may impact on the dog’s suitability to be an assistance dog or meet a specific
client’s needs;
Assistance dogs shall be trained until dog training records, including progress reports, show consistent:
— general working skills that are reliable and repeatable;
— emotional stability and social behaviour;
— ability to appear comfortable undertaking required tasks.
During training, individual dog training records that include progress reports shall be kept.
The required number of disability-related tasks to be undertaken by an assistance dog is identified in the
specific requirements for each type of assistance dog. Where a type of assistance dog is not specifically
mentioned in the requirements, the minimum number of tasks shall be 3.
Assistance dogs shall not be trained to undertake aggressive protection, self-defence/security or
guarding roles as part of their duties.
Assistance dogs shall be trained using humane, pain-free equipment and positive re-enforcement
methods that provide for the physical and emotional wellbeing, welfare and safety of the dog. Trainers
should always use pain-free equipment and be fully in compliance with any specified animal welfare laws.
Assistance dogs shall respond appropriately to vocal/acoustic, and/or physical, and/or environmental
cues relative to their training in all public and home environments.
EXAMPLE 1 Verbal, vocal, whistle, wheel
...
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