Become an Australian Companion Dog Skills Evaluator
Australian Companion Dog Skills (ACDS) relies on approved evaluators to deliver assessments with consistency, professionalism, and integrity.
Evaluators play a critical role in upholding a structured, national standard for companion dog behaviour across all ACDS certification levels.
Eligibility Requirements
Applications to become an ACDS Evaluator are open to dog professionals who meet the minimum experience and standards requirements.
To be considered, applicants must:
Have a minimum of two (2) years of professional dog training experience
Be actively working within the dog training or behaviour field
Demonstrate a working understanding of canine behaviour and learning principles
Be capable of conducting assessments professionally, consistently, and impartially
Meeting the eligibility requirements does not guarantee approval.
Training Philosophy and Methods
Australian Companion Dog Skills is a structured assessment framework, not a training program.
While ACDS does not prescribe how dogs must be trained, all evaluators must agree to assess dogs in a manner consistent with the framework’s welfare and safety standards.
Evaluator agreement requirements
All approved evaluators must agree to:
Use non-aversive, non-punitive handling and assessment methods
Not use or promote aversive tools or techniques, including but not limited to:
shock or electronic collars
prong or pinch collars
choke chains
Conduct all assessments in a manner that prioritises:
animal welfare
emotional regulation
safety of dogs, handlers, and the public
Agreement to these standards is required for both initial approval and ongoing registration.
Assessment Integrity and Independence
Australian Companion Dog Skills maintains a clear separation between training and assessment.
Participation in training does not guarantee certification
Dogs may be assessed regardless of where or how they were trained
Certification is awarded solely on observed assessment performance
Evaluators must apply published assessment criteria consistently and without bias.
Structured Assessment Framework
ACDS operates as a progressive, criteria-based assessment framework with defined level requirements.
Puppy Companion Skills (Level 1) is optional and age-limited.
This level must be conducted within a group class led by an approved ACDS evaluator and is not a prerequisite for higher levels.Companion Dog Skills (Level 2) is the mandatory foundation level of the framework.
Dogs must successfully complete Level 2 before progressing further.Urban Companion Skills (Level 3) may only be undertaken following successful completion of Level 2.
Advanced Companion Skills (Level 4) may only be undertaken following successful completion of Level 3.
This structure ensures consistency, safety, and meaningful progression across environments.
Evaluator Responsibilities
Approved ACDS Evaluators are authorised to:
Conduct official ACDS assessments
Award certification when assessment criteria are met
Uphold all ACDS standards, progression rules, and assessment requirements
Certification decisions must be based solely on assessment performance.
Evaluator Knowledge Verification
To ensure consistency and fairness across all assessments, applicants who are approved in principle are required to complete an ACDS Evaluator Knowledge Verification prior to final approval.
This verification confirms understanding of:
ACDS framework structure and level progression
Mandatory assessment gates
Puppy Companion Skills group requirements
Assessment independence and integrity
Non-aversive assessment standards
Verification details:
Online, open-book format
Multiple-choice and scenario-based questions
Pass/fail assessment
Retakes permitted if required
Successful completion is required before evaluator status is activated.
Annual Registration
Evaluator approval is subject to annual registration.
Annual evaluator registration fee:
$75 AUD
This fee supports:
administration of the framework
maintenance of assessment standards and documentation
evaluator oversight and consistency