About GAV
GAV is an international organization that develops programs for training, assessment and long-term support of human–dog teams.
About
Who we are
GAV is an international school that trains service dogs and teaches people to work with them as a team: from the initial assessment of the owner and dog to certification and ongoing support throughout the team's working life.
Training takes place in different formats: the dog may train at the school's training center, or the program may involve the owner actively, in which case part of the sessions is done by the future handler under a trainer's supervision. A separate block covers special tasks related to a person's specific functional limitations, and preparation for work in public settings.
A team's readiness is confirmed through a structured behavioral assessment under a protocol applied equally to all of the school's teams. After the program ends, work with the team continues: the school carries out scheduled reassessment, additional training where needed, and maintains an internal register of certified teams.
Why GAV was created
Below are the problems in service dog training that lead to organizations like GAV appearing at all. Facts about GAV itself are in the "History" section below.
No clear international procedures
In assistance dog training there is no single generally accepted protocol that is mandatory for all organizations.
Service dogs confused with emotional support animals
Owners, specialists and organizations often confuse a trained service dog with an emotional support animal.
No transparent record of training
Without a documented protocol it is hard to confirm that a dog has actually completed training and assessment.
Difficulty verifying documents
Organizations, airlines and specialists often have no way to officially confirm that a team's certificate is genuine.
Need for long-term support
A team needs support, reassessment and help when tasks change throughout the dog's working life.
Need for uniform internal standards
Without recorded standards and areas of responsibility, decisions within an organization become inconsistent.
What the school does
Six stages make up the school's work with every team.
Team assessment
Initial assessment of the owner, the dog and how well the program fits the tasks.
Individual plan
Building a program that takes the person's functional limitations into account.
Dog training
Basic control, special tasks and work in public settings.
Handler training
Teaching the owner to handle the dog safely and independently.
Final assessment
Checking behavior, special tasks and how the team works together.
Follow-up support
Reassessment, additional training and support after certification.
How the organization is structured
Depending on the program, GAV coordinates training, assessment, documentation and the involvement of partner specialists. More on how this work is organized on the page Team.
Our approach
The principles the school follows with every team.
Individual program
Format, tasks and pace are chosen for the specific family and dog, not from a template.
Professional assessment
Decisions rest on a structured protocol, not on one specialist's impression.
Documented process
Every training stage and every decision is recorded and can be reviewed later.
Safety
The program does not allow situations that are dangerous for the owner, the dog or others.
Dog welfare
The dog's condition is assessed on a par with task performance, not as a secondary factor.
Confidentiality
The owner's personal and medical data is handled separately with restricted access.
Responsibility after certification
Work with the school does not end on the day the certificate is issued — support and reassessment are provided.
Refusal, suspension or revocation of a certificate
If the terms of the program or welfare standards are not met, the school may refuse admission, suspend or revoke a certificate.
International professional practices
Organizational details
Confirmed information about the organization, coordination and partner training centers.
GAV International Service Dog Training LLC
Jurisdiction of registration: Wyoming, United States
Operational coordination: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Partner training centers: Cyprus, Belgrade (Serbia)
Public communication languages: English and Spanish
Official email: [email protected]
GAV International Service Dog Training LLC is registered in the State of Wyoming, USA. Operations are coordinated from Buenos Aires, Argentina. The international, remote and in-person format of work depends on the specific program.
GAV International Service Dog Training LLC develops and coordinates programs for training and assessing teams with service dogs. More on the functional structure of the team on the page Team.
For certain in-person formats GAV works with partner training centers in Cyprus and in Belgrade, Serbia. More on the page Centers and sites.
The full management structure and areas of responsibility are on the page Governance.