training

make your dog an assistance dog (PSD)

We train dogs as companions for people with mental disabilities who experience relief through their dog. These dogs work in the attachment and relationship system and for this reason they must be protected and spared from separation from its humans as well as from negative experiences and trauma in order to maintain their function for its humans and to be able to fulfill their tasks.

Basic Details

Method

Our method

Requirements

Basic assumptions assistance dog (PSD) training

The concept of PSDeurope assumes that it is not possible to train an assistance dog (PSD) like a normal service dog, independent of the dog owner.

What is behind this assumption?

A person with mental disabilities is incomparable to others. There are almost never two or more people with the same disability. An accompanying assistance dog (PSD) must therefore be trained to the individuality of the person assigned.

The assistance dog (PSD) dog forms with his human a well-rehearsed human/animal partner team that only works together and is not based on pressure or pure training, but on the bond and relationship of both.

These sensitive human-animal teams need particularly good cooperation, being able to “read” each other in order to be able to react to the smallest stimuli.

General standards for dog ownership cannot and will not work in the mental-psychiatric spectrum of illness.

Our training concept for assistance dogs (PSD) takes special account of the individual bond and relationship between a person and the individually suitable dog. The joint and coordinated training of humans and animals is the key! A well and reliably trained assistance dog (PSD) that performs specific tasks for its human is the result!

Dr. Beate Pottmann-Knapp

Head of Psychotherapy

method

Trained psychotherapists with experience in animal-assisted work train people
Dog trainers with a lot of experience in training therapy and assistance dogs monitor the training requirements for the dog, taking animal welfare requirements into account
Both the psychotherapist and the dog trainer accompany the human/dog team together until the goals are achieved.
Psychotherapist and animal trainer jointly certify the human/animal partner team.

Methods:

We work according to the blended learning principle, tailored to the group of people in our clients.

Our teaching is varied, interactive, dynamic and flexible according to the symptoms of the impairment.

In times of Corona and the associated challenges, internet technology takes over the part of being physically present wherever possible.

We have also created a state-of-the-art e-learning platform to approach the topic of PSD training in a general and comprehensive manner.

The creation of step-by-step videos, participation in coaching sessions and, where necessary and mandatory, live testing complement and complete the training concept.

PSDeurope – Requirements of the Assistance Dog (PSD) Certification

Psychotherapeutic therapy session

PSDeurope will only allow people to PSD training with their dog if the person demonstrably needs the dog to cope with everyday life.

E-learning platform from PSDeurope

PSDeurope will only carry out a certification if the dog owner has successfully completed a specific e-learning course (16th chapter, 90 work areas).

Prerequisite individual task list

PSDeurope will only certify a human/dog partner team if clear, meaningful individual tasks of the dog can be defined for its human

Prerequisite basic skills of the dog

The basic educational skills of a dog (basic skills) are specified, trained and tested as part of the training. These basic skills are the basic requirement for the PSD certification (e.g. “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “come”, and the like)

Special abilities of the dog

PSDeurope expects the trained PSD human/animal teams to move well and safely in different environments and situations (e.g. “travelling”). Appropriate skills are trained and tested.

Testing of skills and knowledge of humans + dogs

The certification of a PSDeurope human/animal partner team will only take place if it is made clear that the defined minimum requirements in the theoretical and practical area have really been learned, are mastered and can be repeated.

time expenditure

In addition to the content-related prerequisites and skills mentioned, a framework schedule for training and theoretical studies must also be set and taken into account as part of the training. The minimum effort expected by PSDeurope is 150 hours over a period of at least 6 months, which you must plan for the training of your dog.