Practical Assessment

Approach your dog training instructor about assessment if they are a qualified PDA assessor. Ensure that your instructor believes that you are ready to undertake assessment.

If your instructor is not a PDA assessor, ask if your instructor knows of a local assessor or check the Assessors Directory . Make contact with this assessor to discuss an assessment for you and your dog.

Long Distance Assessment

In some cases, distance or circumstance makes contact with an assessor difficult or impossible. Although live assessments are preferable, it is possible to have your assessment undertaken by video submission. Not all assessors may wish to undertake distance assessment.  Each Assessor in the Assessors Directory has indicated their willingness (or not) to undertake distance assessments. Please submit the long distance assessment form for approval before you approach an assessor.

How You & Your Dog Are Assessed

At the conclusion of each exercise the assessor will mark you and your dog’s performance with one of the following:

·       Achieved – you and your dog were successful

·       Almost there – there was a minor error that disallowed successful completion of the exercise

·       Not yet able – there was more than one major error that disallowed successful completion of the exercise.

All exercises must be marked as Achieved in order to gain qualification.

On receiving one failure to pass an exercise, the candidate will be asked if they wish to continue. It is incumbent upon the assessor to continue to assess the candidate. However, should the candidate fail three exercises within the one level, the assessment will be terminated.

Right of Appeal

If you feel that your efforts have been inappropriately assessed, you must first speak with your assessor. Your assessor should be able to justify how your assessment results have been determined within the rules of the assessment.

If you are dissatisfied with the results, please complete the Right of Appeals form that can be accessed at the Candidate Knowledge Center. You are also required to notify your PDA Assessor of the lodgement of this appeal. The PPG may contact you for further information. They will also contact your assessor and ask for information about the assessment. The decision of the Appeals Committee will be final.

Repeating Assessments

If you are unsuccessful in an assessment, you must wait a minimum of 30 days before undertaking your assessment again. This will give you time to practice those things that you did not achieve. You will need to re-register to re-take the assessment but you do not have to sit again for the guardian’s quiz.

If you find that you have repeated an assessment twice without achieving success, you should ask your PDA instructor for revision of the exercises in the level you want to achieve. Your PDA instructor will let you know when you are ready to undertake the level again.

Maintaining Level Achieved

To make sure your titled dog remains a true Pet Dog Ambassador, your dog must be re-tested every two years in order to maintain his title. This must be at the highest level he has so far achieved. If your dog is not re-tested then his qualification will expire.  In particular, if you wish to undertake the next training level and your current qualification is not up to date, you will be required to repeat the lower level before undertaking the higher.  For example, if your dog has attained Level 2 and three years have gone by without you sitting for Level 3, it would be necessary for you and your dog to undertake Level 2 again prior to sitting for Level 3. Your dog’s certificate will be dated and you will receive an email from the PDA Administrator to remind you of your need to update your dog’s status should you so choose.

On Successful Completion of Each Level

When candidates are successful at each level, the assessor notifies the PDA Administrator who enters the candidates’ scores into the database. If you have been successful, your qualification certificate will be emailed to you and your medallion will be posted or given to you in recognition of your achievement.