Minimum Standards for Service Dogs in Public
1. Public Appropriateness
- Dog is clean, well-groomed and does not have an offensive odor.
- Dog does not urinate or defecate in inappropriate locations.
2. Behavior
- Dog does not solicit attention, visit or annoy any member of the general public.
- Dog does not disrupt the normal course of business.
- Dog does not vocalize unnecessarily, i.e. barking, growling or whining.
- Dog shows no aggression towards people or other animals.
- Dog does not solicit or steal food or other items from the general public.
3. Training
- Dog is specifically trained to perform 3 or more tasks to mitigate aspects of the client’s disability.
- Dog works calmly and quietly on harness, leash or other tether.
- Dog is able to perform its tasks in public.
- Dog must be able to lie quietly beside the handler without blocking aisles, doorways, etc.
- Dog is trained to urinate and defecate on command.
- Dog stays within 24″ of its handler at all times unless the nature of a trained task requires it to be working at a greater distance.