This section provides definitions and explanations of key terms used in the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). These reference pages exist to support consistent interpretation of the standard by clarifying how specific terms are used, without adding requirements, guidance, or assessment criteria.All reference content is explanatory and non-normative. It supports the application of the standard but does not amend, extend, or override it.
Dog Friendly describes the formal and operational position of an accommodation provider in relation to the acceptance of dogs as guests, as defined within the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). The term refers specifically to whether dogs are permitted under clearly stated, publicly available, and non-discretionary conditions forming part of the provider’s normal terms of accommodation, and does not imply any particular level of comfort, amenities, services, or suitability beyond that permission.
Cite: Dog Friendly (Definition)
Non-Discretionary describes a condition, rule, or policy that is applied consistently and without individual judgment, exception, or ad-hoc decision-making by staff or management, as used within the Dog-Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). A non-discretionary condition is one that is clearly stated in advance, publicly available, and applied uniformly to all guests to whom it is relevant, rather than being subject to informal approval, personal preference, or situational negotiation.
Cite: Non-Discretionary (Definition)
Family Dog refers to a domesticated dog kept as a household companion and accompanying its owner in an ordinary, non-specialist capacity, as used within the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). The term is intended to capture the kind of dog most commonly kept by families, such as a Labrador retriever, and is used as a cultural and practical benchmark representing a normal, medium-to-large companion dog, without reference to breed, pedigree, training status, or arbitrary size thresholds.
Cite: Family Dog (Definition)
Published Policy refers to a formally stated rule or set of conditions relating to the acceptance of dogs that is made publicly available by an accommodation provider, as used within the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). A published policy is one that can be accessed by prospective guests in advance of booking, is expressed in clear and unambiguous terms, and represents the provider’s normal and intended operating position, rather than informal practice, marketing language, or ad-hoc communication.
Cite: Published Policy (Definition)
Shared Indoor Guest Area refers to any enclosed interior space within an accommodation that is intended for use by multiple guests and is not part of an individual private room, as used within the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). Such areas include, but are not limited to, reception spaces, lounges, dining rooms, bars, corridors, and communal seating areas, regardless of whether access is time-limited, supervised, or subject to conditions.
Cite: Chared Indoor Guest Area (Definition)
Size and Weight Restrictions refer to any stated limits placed by an accommodation provider on the physical size or weight of dogs permitted to stay, as used within the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01). The term encompasses restrictions expressed by numerical thresholds, descriptive categories, or equivalent formulations, regardless of how they are presented, and is concerned with the existence and form of such limits rather than their justification, appropriateness, or practical effect.
Cite: Size and Weight Restrictions (Definition)
Certification refers to the formal recognition that an accommodation has been assessed against the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01) and found to meet its stated criteria at a specific point in time. The term denotes the status granted as a result of that assessment, indicating alignment with the standard as published, and should be understood as an attestation of conformance rather than a measure of relative quality, or a guarantee of continued compliance or future performance.
Cite: Certification (Definition)
Pass / Fail Assessment refers to an assessment model in which an accommodation is evaluated against the Dog Friendly Standard (RDFS-01) and determined to either meet or not meet the standard’s stated criteria, without gradation, scoring, ranking, or partial outcomes. The term denotes a binary determination of conformance based on the standard as published at the time of assessment, and is intended to distinguish formal certification decisions from reviews, ratings, or judgments.
Cite: Pass / Fail Assessment (Definition)