Chair aims to increase the success rate of assistance dogs
(17-10-2022) Barely forty percent of assistance dogs in training "graduate," resulting in long waiting lists. A collaboration, in the form of a chair, between Professor Bart Broeckx and the non-profit organization Purpose Dogs should solve this problem.
"I have a dog myself, but he really wouldn't be suitable as an assistance dog. Not because he has physical problems, but because he is far too enthusiastic (laughs)."
Professor Bart Broeckx studies why assistance dogs often fail before they can even perform their tasks. "A dog has to be completely fine before it can become an assistance dog. Imagine for a moment: a dog with hip problems that has to help a blind person cross the street. That's not possible," Professor Broeckx said.