About DBTB e.V. — Information for International Partners
This page summarises DBTB e.V. in English for international colleagues, umbrella organisations and reviewers. Our full website is in German, as our members and the public we serve are based in Germany.
Organisational profile
- Full name: Deutscher Berufsverband für Therapie- und Behindertenbegleithunde e. V. (German Professional Association for Therapy and Assistance Dogs)
- Founded: 26 February 2000 in Germany
- Legal status: Registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) pursuing exclusively and directly charitable purposes under German law (§ 2 of our statutes), registration VR 60242, Amtsgericht Stendal
- Registered address: Am Bahnhof 6, 59514 Welver-Borgeln, Germany
- Quality management: ISO 9001 certified
- Scale: 300+ certified human-animal teams active nationwide; training delivered at 6 locations in 4 German federal states (North Rhine-Westphalia, Saxony-Anhalt, Hesse, Lower Saxony)
- Governance: 5-member executive board, meeting monthly, supported by a 7-member advisory board (Beirat) drawn from medicine, nursing, education, psychiatry and law
- Contact: info@dbtb.info · Contact form (German site)
Our history
What began in the 1990s as an initiative of committed professionals — prompted by early contact with the American Delta Society (now Pet Partners) — became a registered association on 26 February 2000, founded to establish nationally consistent training and examination standards for therapy dog teams and assistance dog partnerships across Germany, moving the field away from scattered volunteer efforts towards a professionally organised body.
Over more than 25 years, DBTB e.V. has grown into a nationwide network of 300+ active teams, certified to an ISO 9001 quality framework, with training delivered at 6 locations in 4 German federal states. Our standing in the field is also politically anchored: DBTB e.V. took part in an expert hearing convened by the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Bundesministerium für Arbeit und Soziales, BMAS) that helped shape the national Assistance Dog Ordinance (Assistenzhundeverordnung, AHundV), which came into force on 1 March 2023.
A fuller, illustrated timeline (in German) is available on our history & mission page.
What DBTB e.V. does
Since 2000, DBTB e.V. has trained and certified human-animal teams in two distinct, legally separate areas, both delivered under the same ISO 9001 quality system. A third pathway, added in 2003, trains experienced teams to become instructors and examiners themselves.
Therapy dog teams (Animal-Assisted Services)
Human-animal teams supporting a professional (e.g. in education, healthcare or social work) in schools, care homes, therapeutic practices, psychiatric settings and palliative care. Training comprises approximately 180 teaching hours over 10 weekends.
Human-Assistance-Dog Partnerships (M-A-G)
Individually trained assistance dogs supporting one specific person with a disability in daily life, raised with their future family from puppyhood. Certified under Germany's national Assistance Dog Ordinance (Assistenzhundeverordnung, AHundV, in force since 1 March 2023), which requires at least 60 hours of joint human-dog training.
Instructor training (since 2003)
Experienced, certified teams can train to become licensed instructors and examiners.
Terminology: DBTB e.V. has adopted the updated Animal-Assisted Services (AAS) terminology jointly issued by IAHAIO and Animal-Assisted Intervention International (AAII) in November 2024. On our (German-language) therapy dogs page, our programmes are mapped to the three AAS categories: AATx (Animal-Assisted Treatment, delivered by licensed health/social-care professionals with defined treatment goals), AAE (Animal-Assisted Education, delivered by qualified education professionals), and AASP (Animal-Assisted Support Programmes, without formal outcome measurement but to the same training and welfare standard).
Mission and values
Under § 2 of our statutes, DBTB e.V. pursues exclusively and directly charitable purposes. In practice, this means we work towards:
- Qualified training of therapy dog teams and human-assistance-dog partnerships (M-A-G)
- Public acceptance of therapy and assistance dogs
- Certification of instructors and examiners, licensed under § 11 of the German Animal Welfare Act (Tierschutzgesetz, TierSchG)
- Networking and continuing education for active teams nationwide
- Advocacy for health-insurance reimbursement of therapy and assistance dog services
- Formal recognition of "therapy and assistance dog instructor" as a professional qualification in Germany
- Scientific exchange on animal-assisted interventions, including alignment with IAHAIO/AAS standards
Professional rigour
Only evidence-based, transparent methods are used in our curricula — exclusively positive-reinforcement training, with no punishment or intimidation.
One Welfare
The dog's wellbeing is treated as equal in importance to the benefit for the person. We reject dogs bred with extreme, health-compromising traits, actively monitor and respect stress signals, and limit each deployment unit to a maximum of 30–45 minutes.
Reliability
Certified teams are dependable partners for institutions and clients, backed by annual quality assurance and transparent, documented standards.
Community
We foster professional exchange and mutual support through regional groups, working circles and regular continuing-education events, coordinated by a board that meets monthly.
Training and certification system
Every human-animal team progresses through the same six-stage examination pathway, regardless of programme:
Team Suitability Test
Assesses whether the human-dog team is suited to therapy or assistance work.
Companion & Traffic Dog Test
Basic obedience in everyday life and traffic.
Basic Examination
First practice-oriented exam with direct client contact.
Practical Skills Examination
Simulation of real deployment situations in the chosen field.
Written Skills Examination
Theory: ethics, law, zoonoses, animal welfare.
Annual Quality Assurance
Recertification to confirm the team remains fit for deployment.
All examinations are conducted by independent, DBTB-licensed judges — never by self-assessment. Full details of every stage — including content, prerequisites and fees — are published on our (German-language) examination system page.
How we safeguard the animals involved
- One Welfare principle: the dog's wellbeing is treated as equal in standing to the benefit for the person being supported, not subordinate to it.
- Session limits: each deployment unit is capped at a maximum of 30–45 minutes to prevent overexertion.
- Active stress monitoring: handlers and instructors are trained to observe canine stress signals throughout every session and to end or adapt an activity when they occur.
- Positive-reinforcement only: training is based exclusively on scientifically grounded, positive-reinforcement learning methods (in the tradition of Karen Pryor), avoiding aversive techniques, punishment or intimidation.
- No extreme breeding traits: DBTB e.V. does not prescribe a specific breed and explicitly rejects the use of dogs bred with extreme, welfare-compromising traits ("Qualzucht"); suitability is assessed on individual temperament, health and fit with the handler.
- Licensed instructors and examiners: all DBTB e.V. instructors are certified under § 11 of the German Animal Welfare Act (Tierschutzgesetz, TierSchG), and simultaneously serve as licensed examiners — so training oversight and independent examination sit with the same legally accountable person.
- Mandatory annual recertification: every certified team, regardless of programme, must pass an external Quality Assurance (QS) recertification each year to confirm continued fitness for deployment; certification is never a permanent, unverified status.
- Insurance: the M-A-G (assistance dog) pathway requires a minimum liability insurance sum of €1 million, as mandated by German law.
Alignment with IAHAIO
DBTB e.V.'s founding in 2000 was itself informed by early contact with the American Delta Society (now Pet Partners), one of IAHAIO's founding member organisations — our commitment to internationally recognised standards for animal-assisted work predates our own association. We support IAHAIO's mission to ensure that human-animal interactions are understood, respected and take place in ways that benefit the wellbeing of both people and animals, and we have adopted the definitions and terminology set out in the IAHAIO/AAII White Paper update (November 2024) across all of our training programmes, as described above.
Governance
DBTB e.V. is led by a 5-member elected executive board, which meets monthly, and is supported by a 7-member advisory board (Beirat) representing medicine, nursing, education, psychiatry and law. Board and advisory board members are listed with their roles on our (German-language) board & team page. Our statutes (Satzung), examination regulations and other governance documents are publicly available on our downloads page.
For questions from IAHAIO, international associations, umbrella organisations or researchers, please contact us at info@dbtb.info. We are happy to provide further documentation on request.
