What should I know about assistance dogs?

What is an assistance dog?

There are over 6500 assistance dogs working across the UK.

Assistance dogs are trained to help improve independence and access for disabled people.

How are they trained?

This will depend on what the dog will be needed for. Dogs are trained in different ways. Here is a very brief outline of the six main registered assistance dog charities that make up Assistance Dogs UK (ADUK). These include:

Guide Dogs for the blind provide guide dogs for blind and partially sighted people to help gain greater freedom and independence.

Hearing Dogs train dog for deaf people. The dogs are trained to alert their owner to different sounds by touching them with their paws as well as indicating the source of the sound which requires their attention.  

Canine Partners train dogs to assist disabled people to enjoy a greater independence and quality of life. Each dog is specifically trained to meet the needs of the individual with whom they will be partnered, helping with everyday tasks.  

Dogs for the disabled provide assistance dogs for children and adults with physical impairments. They also provide assistance dogs and other services for children and families affected by autism.

Support Dogs focus on training assistance dogs for people with epilepsy, physical impairments and children with autism with everyday tasks and in medical emergencies.

Dog A.I.D assists disabled people to train their own dogs to assist them in anyway them need.

Assistance dogs are trained to carry out a wide range of tasks such as opening and closing doors, alerting to the sound of alarms, retrieving cash from a cash machine, picking up items, fetching help, alerting to seizures, helping to undress their partners and the list goes on. They can also help improve their partner's confidence, restore a level of independence and reduce anxiety.

What should businesses know about assistance dogs?

• Assistance Dog owners are covered by the Equality Act 2010 and it is against the law to discriminate against them.
• Assistance dogs are working dogs they are not pets, they have been specifically trained. This process can take up to 2 years and represents an investment of many thousands of pounds. For example, it costs £45000 to select train and support a hearing dog during its working life.
• They always wear jackets or harnesses when they are working so you should not pat them or distract them as this will interfere with the command they are following.
• Dogs trained by members of Assistance Dogs (UK) have formal identification and have been granted certification by the Chartered Institute for environmental health, on the basis that the dog's high standards of training, behaviour, health, and welfare are such that it should be permitted to accompany its client, owner or partner, at all times and in all places, within the United Kingdom. 
• AD UK provides detailed information on why it is reasonable, and safe, for a recognised assistance dog to be allowed access into public places including supermarkets, pubs and resturants. The information also details the quality control measure that are in place to continually assess standards. To read the information sheet follow this link. 
• If you have any international customers with assistnace dogs they should also meet the full criteria of international assistance dogs organisations such as Assistnace Dogs International, Assistance Dogs Europe and the International Guide Dog Federation. 
• Follow this link to a short campaigning video on Youtube by the Norwegian Association of the Blind

Businesses and services can help support assistance dogs by displaying a new sticker brought out by Assistance Dogs (UK). If you would like this new sticker, please contact AD (UK) c/o Hearing Dogs for deaf People, The grange, Wycombe road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, bucks, HP27 9NS.

To find out more click on this link to the AD UK website at http://www.assistancedogs.org.uk/