ECAD is proud to be a fully accredited, voting member of Assistance Dogs International.

The two-week course takes place several times per year at our facility in Dobbs Ferry, where up to six clients and their personal care attendants can stay in our fully accessible on-site residence. Lodging is provided at no extra cost; meals and transportation are the responsibility of the client.

ECAD clients are trained through lectures, dog handling drills and community field trips. The days are long and quite intense. Both the instructors and the dogs test clients daily. It is physically, mentally, and emotionally difficult and draining. They don’t call it “boot camp” for nothing!

To receive public access with their dogs, clients must pass a public access test created by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), a written final exam, and a solo skills test in a public setting. Once clients have successfully completed the course, they may come back for further training at any point in the dog’s life for no extra cost. They must also be re-certified by ECAD yearly for up to five years.