ESTCA Certified
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The standard

How certification works.

Certification under ESTCA is built around five areas of behavioural assessment. The trainer decides the number of sessions, their order, and the exercises used — what matters is that every area is assessed to the standard. At least one video clip is required; its length and scope are a matter of professional judgement. Evidence is reviewed under quality assurance before certification is confirmed.

  1. Areas 1–4: Core behavioural assessment

    Foundation Behaviour & Temperament, Settled Behaviour in Confined Space, Environmental Resilience, and Equipment Tolerance & Handler Interaction. Each area is assessed with pass or fail outcomes and dates recorded by the accredited provider.

  2. Area 5: Integrated Travel Readiness

    A holistic assessment based on the trainer's professional judgement. It may take the form of a discrete travel-simulation session, cumulative observation across normal sessions, or a combination. At least one video clip is submitted alongside the scorecard for quality-assurance review. Once approved and the certification fee is settled, a certification number is issued.

  3. Registry & pass

    Certification data is aligned with the public registry at estca.eu. Owners are invited to claim a digital pass with a QR code resolving to the registry entry.

Full normative requirements appear in the standard on estca.eu. Read the FAQ for common practical questions.