Temperament & handling application assessment

Welcome to Pawsitive Squad CIC.

We are delighted you're considering to join our assistance dog program. We know it can feel scary applying to join and seeing the word 'assessment' but don't worry, this is a friendly and informal meet up assessment. We are a friendly and approachable bunch!

To be eligible to join, you need to:

- Own a dog over 12 weeks old who is vaccinated, flea and wormed and NOT raw fed who is expected to weight between 5kg and 40kg when fully grown. .  

- Be D(d)eaf, neurodivergent or disabled (or the parent/carer of a disabled person within your household) aged 0 to 60 years old who will benefit from increased safety, independence or emotional regulation)  from the dog being trained to perform a minimum of 3 assistive tasks outside the home - for ideas of helpful tasks for your individual needs please click here: How might an assistance dog help you

Is your dog ready?

       If you meet the above eligibility, your dog needs to be trained to the below standard already to be eligible to join us. Don't worry if they're not, you'll just need to work on this yourself or with a general positive pet dog trainer. 

To be ready to apply your dog needs to be reliably toilet trained and: 

ü  Under control on lead - some pulling is ok if the handler can correct this using positive handling and equipment only and if pulling is not excessive or constant? 

 üFriendly with dogs (excitable but distractable by the handler and slightly unsure/hesitant is fine - barking or growling, baring teeth are not)?

ü  Friendly or disinterested in people and able to keep all paws on the floor when walking past people?

ü  Doesn't pick non-food items off the floor or sides (e.g stones, rubbish etc - the only acceptable exception is chewing sticks when off lead/on long line)

ü  Generally, vocally quiet (e.g. don't or rarely bark or whine)?

X DOES NOT highly anxious, aggressive and doesn't bark, lunge or growl at dogs or people?