Paws and reflect: Defining an assistance dog task

Definitions of assistance dogs rest on the performance of tasks that mitigate a human’s disabilities. However, the specific elements that constitute assistance dog tasks – those that effectively and consistently mitigate disabilities – remain undefined. As the assistance dog concept expands into new domains, the lack of a clear definition for an assistance dog task poses significant challenges for multispecies stakeholders. Based on the author’s professional experience educating and assessing assistance dog teams, as well as exchanges from a workshop with assistance dog professionals and individuals living with qualified assistance dogs, this article proposes nine criteria to address the question: what needs to be established to define an assistance dog task that considers the well-being, welfare, and working success of dog and human? The aim is for this definition to act as i) a guideline to further refine the assistance dog concept, ii) a resource for assistance dog professionals and their clients when developing a novel task, and iii) a framework for stakeholders to assess an individual’s need for an assistance dog task. In so doing, it situates assistance dog tasks as interdependent, caring acts on behalf of both dog and human that have been designed with the interests, well-being, and welfare of both at the forefront. Ultimately, this paper was written with an intention to support meaningful change within the assistance dog sector that can benefit assistance dogs, humans, the public, and further stakeholders.