How It Works
An assessment is simple. The work behind it is not. Here is exactly what happens, from your first message to the report in your hand.
Step 1 — You tell us about the dog
Send us the basics: breed, age, sex, location, and what the dog is being assessed for. A family protection dog is assessed differently from a police patrol dog or a livestock guardian. The purpose determines which parts of the protocol apply.
We also ask what you already know: any health records, any previous assessments, any behaviour history you have been told about.
Step 2 — We confirm we can assess it
Not every dog can be assessed. Some are too young. Some are in locations we cannot reach. Some are presented with health or behaviour information we cannot verify.
If we can assess the dog, we send you a written confirmation with the scope of the assessment, the protocol version that will be used, the fee, and the expected timeline. Nothing proceeds until you agree in writing.
Step 3 — We agree the fee
The fee depends on the scope of assessment and the location. It is agreed before any work begins. We do not take commission from any seller. The fee is for the assessment itself, regardless of the result.
Step 4 — A named assessor travels to the dog
The dog is assessed where it is. We do not ask the seller to send the dog to us, because the dog behaves differently in a familiar place. Our veterinarian and our certified trainer travel to the dog, together, on the same day.
You are not required to be present. Many of our clients are not. The report is what you receive.
Step 5 — The full protocol is run
Health is examined first. Then temperament. Then capability, in the context of the dog's intended work. Every test is filmed. Every observation is written down on the day, not from memory afterwards.
The assessment typically takes a full day. Complex cases may take longer.
Step 6 — The report is written and signed
Within the agreed timeline, you receive a written report. It contains the full results, the filmed evidence, the names and credentials of the assessors, any limitations, and the signature of each named assessor. If the dog is certified, the certification number is recorded in the public registry.
Step 7 — You decide
The report tells you what the dog is. It does not tell you whether to buy it.
If the dog passes, you have evidence. If the dog fails, you have saved yourself the cost of finding out later. Either way, the decision is yours, made on documented fact rather than on a seller's description.
Step 8 — Optional: handover training
If you buy the dog, we can introduce you to a professional trainer for a 2–4 week handover programme.
The training is arranged directly between you and the trainer. You pay the trainer directly. We take no commission from it and have no financial interest in it.
We make the introduction by email, so both sides know who the other is. After that, the choice of trainer, the length of the programme, and the terms are yours.
A certified dog is only half the equation. A dog that is handled well is the whole of it.
What we do not do
- We do not sell dogs.
- We do not breed dogs.
- We do not train dogs for sale.
- We do not take commission from any seller, breeder, agent, or trainer.
- We do not issue a report without assessing the dog in person.
What it costs
Fees are quoted per assessment, based on scope and location. For a standard assessment within the Netherlands, fees typically start at (figure to be inserted). For assessments elsewhere in Europe or internationally, travel and logistics are quoted separately.
We accept no payment from the seller side. Ever.