PUBLIC ACCESS TEST
In my own personal opinion, anyone who insists on taking their dog with them everywhere they go, should be required to pass this exam, for the safety of your dog as well as the safety of others. A well trained service dog, is a sight to behold. We all wish for our own dogs to be so well mannered in public. Taking this test will not automatically make your dog a service animal, but it will give you a well mannered dog in public, and that is worth a great deal
PURPOSE: The purpose of the NSAR Public Access Test is to ensure that dogs and other animals used as service animals are stable, well behaved and unobstrusive to the public, that you have control over the dog and that, as a team, you do not pose a public hazard. (Any assistance dog or other animal that displays aggressive behavior-growling, biting, raising hackles, showing teeth, ect, or exhibits otherwise unmanageable behavior does not qualify as a service dog.)
The test is as follows:
The following commands and controls are for "ON-Leash) dogs only:
COMMANDS: Commands may be given to the dog verbally, via hand signals, or a combination of both.
CONTROLLED UNLOAD OUT OF A VEHICLE: The dog must wait until released before coming out the vehicle. Once outside, it must wait quietly unless otherwise instructed by the handler. The dog may not run around, be off lead, or ignore commands. Essentially, the dog should be unobtrusive and unloaded in the safest manner possible.
APPROACHING A BUILDING: After unloading, the dog should stay in a relative heel position and not forge ahead or lag behind. The dog should not display fear of cars or traffic noises and must display a relaxed attitude. When you stop for any reason, the dog should also stop.
CONTROLLED ENTRY THROUGH A DOORWAY: Upon entering a building, the dog should not wander off or seek attention from the public. The dog should wait quietly until you are fully inside, and then should calmly walk beside you. The dog must not pull or strain against the lead or try to push its way past the handler but should wait patiently while the entry is completed.
HEELING THROUGH A BUILDING: Once inside a building, you and your dog should be able to walk through the area in a controlled manner. The dog should always be within touching distance where applicable or no greater than a foot away from you. The dog should seek no public attention or strain against the lead. The dog should readily adjust to speed changes, turn corners promptly, and travel through a crowded area without interacting with the public. In tight quarters, such as store aisles, the dog must be able to get out of the way of obstacles and not destroy merchandise by knocking it over or playing with it.
SIX FOOT RECALL ON LEAD: You should be able to sit your dog, leave it, travel six feet then turn and call the dog to you. The dog should respond promptly and not stop to solicit attention from the public or ignore the command. The dog should come close enough to you to be readily touched. The recall should be smooth and deliberate without your dog trudging to you or taking any detours along the way.
SITS ON COMMAND: Your dog must respond promptly each time you give it a sit command, with no more than two commands.
DOWNS ON COMMAND: After your dog follows the down command, food should be dropped on the floor. Your dog should not break the drown to go for the food or sniff at the food. You many give verbal or physical corrections to maintain the down, but without any extraordinary gestures. The second down will be executes, and than an adult and a child should approach your dog. The dog should maintain the down and not solicit attention.
NOISE DISTRACTION: Your dog may acknowledge nearby noises, but it may not in any way show aggression or fear. A normal startle reaction is fine (the dog may jump and or turn), but the dog should quickly recover and continue along on a heel.
RESTAURANT: While seated at a dining table, your dog should go under the table or if size prevents that, stay close by the handler. If the dog is a very small breed and is placed on the seat beside you, it must lie down and stay there. The dog must sit or lie down and may move a bit for comfort during the meal, but should not be up and down a lot or need a lot of correction or reminding. And do not feed your dog from the table, your not at home.
OFF LEAD: While your dog is on the leash, drop the leash while moving so it is apparent to the dog. You should be able to maintain control of the dog and get the leash back into its proper position. Main concern is that the dog be aware that the leash has been dropped and that the person is able to maintain control of the dog.
More information can be found at the following links.
International Ass. of Dog Partners
National Service Animal Registry
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