1. General provisions
1.1. These Regulations govern the voluntary certification of practising dog trainers who have not studied at the ‘National School of Service Dog Training’ (hereinafter NSHSS), for entry to the official NSHSS Instructor Register. Candidates voluntarily express their intention to undergo the NSHSS qualification assessment (theoretical and practical examinations) to obtain official confirmation of their professional skills and entry to the public Register. Entry gives the instructor access to their individual profile, status, client reviews and other system functions. By providing personal and other required information, the candidate consents to its processing and public display to the extent necessary for the Register system to function. The candidate submits a video recording of exercises for their chosen category in accordance with the specifications in the PDF files linked in Section 4 of these Regulations. If the commission approves the submission, the candidate is admitted to the theoretical examination. A decision on entry to the Register may be made on the basis of both stages.
1.2. These Regulations constitute a public proposal (offer). By submitting an application, a candidate confirms their agreement to all the terms.
1.3. Entry to the Register confirms that the candidate has passed the certification examination and attained the relevant professional level. It does not confer ‘NSHSS Graduate’ status or the right to use the NSHSS brand for commercial or advertising purposes without separate written permission. Accurate, strictly factual references to having passed the examination and been entered in the NSHSS Register are permitted, provided they do not misrepresent the certification or claim any representative or employment relationship with NSHSS.
2. Instructor categories
2.1. The National School of Service Dog Training (NSHSS) maintains a single Instructor Register in which specialists are listed with one or more qualification categories. A category confirms the instructor's training level and the dog training programmes they have mastered.
• Category 3 confirms competencies in obedience, Basic Obedience, the General Training Course (OKD), working as a simulated opponent (VPR), and assisting in protection and guard dog training disciplines (sport protection and ZKS).
• Category 2 confirms mastery of obedience programmes, the General Training Course (OKD), Protection and Guard Training (ZKS), and the ability to work as a simulated opponent (VPR).
• Category 1 confirms mastery of the following disciplines: General Training Course (OKD), Protection and Guard Training (ZKS), tracking service (RS), Ring escort service (SS), property guarding (SOOB), guarding and detection (OS), training guide dogs for blind people, and dog-assisted therapy. It also authorises the instructor to mentor and train other instructors.
2.2. A category records the instructor's verified level of competence. An instructor holding Category 3, for example, may have knowledge and skills corresponding to higher categories without having obtained formal confirmation of them.
2.3. Each instructor receives a personal number and a public Register profile showing their assigned category, the date of their most recent qualification confirmation and their current status.
3. Application requirements
3.1. Participation is open to dog trainers who meet the following requirements:
• aged 18 or over;
• at least 2 years of practical work with dogs in the chosen discipline;
• confirmed agreement with the NSHSS Code of Ethics and Instructor Working Standards;
• familiarity and agreement with the terms of these Regulations.
3.2. Applying and participating in the procedure are free. After an unsuccessful result, a repeat application may be considered no earlier than 3 (three) calendar months after the date of refusal, or after completing NSHSS dog trainer courses and passing the examination as a student.
4. Application stages
4.1. The application process consists of two stages:
Stage 1: Video demonstration of skills
• The candidate downloads the PDF file listing the requirements for the chosen category:
Category 1 | Category 2 | Category 3
• Records a video demonstrating all tasks in accordance with the instructions.
• Sends the video to support@dogschool.od.ua with the subject: ‘Certification — Category X — Surname First Name’.
Stage 2: Assessment and feedback
• The NSHSS commission assesses the work within 7 working days.
• If approved, the candidate is invited to the final examination (online or in person).
• If the standard is unsatisfactory, the candidate receives feedback identifying mistakes and suggesting a full course of study at NSHSS.
5. Final examination
5.1. The examination consists of three components:
• a theory test (at least 80 % correct answers);
• an oral interview;
• a demonstration of practical skills (online or at an NSHSS facility).
5.2. The NSHSS examination commission decides on entry to the Register by a majority vote.
6. Entry to the Register
6.1. After passing the examination, the candidate is entered in the Register and assigned an individual registration number.
6.2. The profile shows the category, verification date and status (valid / revoked).
7. Obligations and oversight
7.1. An instructor entered in the Register undertakes to:
• comply with NSHSS standards when working with animals and clients;
• refrain from using the NSHSS brand or calling themselves a graduate without completing the course and/or having officially declared cooperation with the school;
• confirm their status annually through a short assessment (online test).
7.2. NSHSS reserves the right to revoke status and remove an instructor from the Register unilaterally on the following grounds:
• cruel or rough treatment of dogs;
• breaches of safety procedures during sessions;
• use of training methods contrary to generally accepted international standards of professional work with dogs, where such actions may cause physical or psychological harm to the animal;
• client complaints supported by facts.
7.3. If an instructor is removed from the Register, their personal profile remains, marked ‘revoked’. All previously published reviews relating to their work also remain available to view. NSHSS reserves the right to retain this information to prevent a misleading account of the instructor's reputation and to ensure that their qualification status is transparent to clients and the professional community.
8. Final provisions
8.1. These Regulations take effect on the date of publication. All amendments take effect when the revised version is published on the NSHSS website.
8.2. All decisions on entry to and removal from the Register, and any other related actions, are made solely at the discretion of the NSHSS administration and may not be challenged by third parties.