Service Dog Public-Access Self-Test
Before you take a service-dog-in-training into a busy store, it helps to check whether the two of you are really ready. This checklist is modeled on the voluntary public-access test the assistance-dog community uses — calm entry, settling under a table, ignoring food and other dogs, and your own handling. It’s a private readiness check, not a certificate: no test is required or recognized under the ADA.
Print-ready reference · bilingual EN/ES · vet-sourced — not a scanned template.
Got the free sheet? The full version → Service Dog Public-Access Workbook $14.98 What's inside
- A staged checklist: before you go in, entering and moving through, settled in place, and handler readiness
- The behaviors that actually matter for calm public work
- A plain note that this is a self-assessment, NOT an official ID or certification
- A reminder that a shaky item is a training plan, not a failure
- Both US Letter and A4
How to use it
- Print it and take it to a quiet, low-stakes location first.
- Check an item only when your dog does it calmly and reliably, not just once.
- Any unchecked item becomes your next training focus — keep working it under threshold.
- Re-run it as you progress toward busier places.
Sources
Vet-sourced: the facts on this sheet come from these sources. It is educational, not veterinary advice.
- Psychiatric Service Dog Partners, the voluntary Public Access Test (psychdogpartners.org)
- U.S. Department of Justice, ADA service animal rules: no test, certificate or registration is required
The test is voluntary and not federally required. Educational reference, not legal advice.
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- Is passing this a legal requirement?
- No. The public-access test is voluntary and not federally required, and no agency issues or recognizes one. This is a private readiness check to help you decide whether your dog is ready — nothing more.
- Does this certify my service dog?
- No. It’s a self-assessment, not a certification, ID, or registration — none of which exist or are required under the ADA. What makes a dog a service dog is task training, not any document.
- My dog fails some items — now what?
- That’s useful information, not a failure. Treat each unchecked item as your next training goal, keep sessions short and under threshold, and re-test when it’s solid. A dog that isn’t ready just needs more calm practice.
Free educational printable. Not veterinary advice, and not a substitute for your vet's official records or an emergency call. Full disclaimer → · Leer en español →