When considering whether an assistance dog is right for you, one of the main considerations may be the process of obtaining one. In the UK, there is no single route to getting an assistance dog but there are some common ways they are trained.
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Pre-trained Assistance Dogs are usually trained by an assistance dog organisation and then placed with a disabled person fully-trained. This is what is thought of traditionally as the way to get an assistance dog. The process of getting a pre-trained assistance dog varies from organisation to organisation but generally involves a similar process;
Information Session, Application, Waitlist, Matching, Placement.
Pre-trained assistance dogs have high demand which means that waitlists are often closed for long periods of time, and the time from entering the waitlist to being placed with an assistance dog can also be long. Sometimes this is under 2 years, but it can be longer. Most assistance dog organisations place around 8-15 dogs per year, including successor dogs.
The cost of a pre-trained assistance dog can vary greatly. Some are free whilst others can cost £8000+, though nearly all organisations will require you to take on the cost of general upkeep of the dog once placed.
Pros
Cons
Owner-trained assistance dogs, commonly abbreviated to OTADs, are pet dogs trained by their owners to become assistance dogs. Owner trainers can have the help of an assistance dog organisation or trainer, or can be trained independently.
Owner training can be expensive and time-consuming as owners have to pay for general upkeep alongside extra assistance dog costs such as training and gear. There is also no guarantee that a dog will complete their training which can lead to owner trainers taking on 2 dogs when they otherwise wouldn’t. Owner training can be very rewarding though, as you get to see your dog develop as an assistance dog over the course of their training.
We recommend working with a trainer or an organisation where possible when owner training and training to at least the IAADP Minimum Standard for Public Access.
Pros
Cons
Animal Assisted Intervention can be a great way to benefit from an animals presence without having an assistance dog. Some places may over sessions with dogs or other animals. An example of AAI is Riding For The Disabled Association.
Pet dogs can also be an alternative. For families for autistic children aged 5-16, Dogs for Good run a family dog services which advises on getting a pet dog for autism. There is a similar service for both adults and children with physical disabilities. Other charities such as Guide Dogs and Canine Partners, place dogs with disabled adults and young people who are well trained but are not intended to be assistance dogs which may be useful. There are other non-assistance dog training services that assistance dog training providers provide which may also be useful, but sometimes having a normal pet dog can be beneficial regardless.
In the assistance dog sector there are a number of coalitions and accreditation bodies that are commonly spoken about. Here are the most common ones
Assistance dogs International
Assistance Dogs International or the ADI is one of the main accreditors of assistance dog organisations in the world. They assess charities to their standards and provide accreditation to those that do. Charities that are working to the standards are called candidates. ADI has regional groups for different areas of the world. The UK is covered by the regional group Assistance Dogs Europe or the ADEu. It is not a requirement for organisations to be ADI accredited in the UK.
International Guide Dog Federation
The International Guide Dog Federation or the IGDF are one of the main accreditors of guide dogs in the world. The IGDF only assess assistance dog organisation that provide guide dogs for blind and partially sighted people. They assess charities to their standards and provide accreditation to those that do. All IGDF organisations are eligible to become ADI members.It is not a requirement for organisations to be IGDF accredited in the UK.
Assistance Dogs UK
Assistance Dogs UK or ADUK is a voluntary coalition of IGDF/ADI Members and Candidates. Assistance Dogs UK operates separately from ADI and they are not the same organisation. It is not a requirement for assistance dogs to be trained by an ADUK organisation in the UK.
