Guide Dog & Service Dog Certification Testing
Dogs trained by their handlers and dogs from schools that are not accredited by the Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) are required to pass a public safety assessment administered by the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) before they can receive certification. These teams are required to be reassessed every two years in order to ensure that public safety standards are being maintained.
The guide and service dog assessment administered by the JIBC assesses whether a dog demonstrates the high standard of training required of guide and service dogs . It also evaluates if:
- The handler has control over the dog
- The dog is safe to be in public
- The dog is calm, stable and reliable in situations commonly encountered by dog and handler teams.
Assessments are performed while the dog is on-leash. An occasional tight leash is acceptable. However, a dog is not ready for an assessment if it displays behaviour requiring major restraint or a continuously tight leash to perform a task (unless the tight leash is required for mobility limitations). Only regular collars are acceptable. Correction collars such as pinch collars will not be accepted.
The assessor will follow the team but will communicate only when required as a part of an assessed task. The team must pass all 40 tasks in the Assessment to be certified.
Preparing
To prepare for the assessment, please review the B.C. Guide Dog and Service Dog Assessment (PDF).
Applying
See Dog & Handler Certification for information on applying.
Locations
Tests are currently available in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Cariboo and the Interior.
The tests are conducted by assessors selected by the JIBC. The JIBC is working to add assessors to more locations around the province. Information about new locations will be added to this website as it is available.
Cost
Certification is free of charge. Should a JIBC assessment be necessary, the cost is $200.
