License and the Mark

The Roch Dog Residence Standard is published as an open reference. Anyone may read it, copy it, adopt it, design and operate a property to it, reference it, and teach it, free of charge, anywhere in the world. We encourage its widest possible use. The one condition is attribution: cite it as the Roch Dog Residence Standard (RDRS-01), and do not alter the text and republish it as the standard. Roch remains the author and steward of the canonical text.

Certification is the independent check that a property truly meets the standard, and only Roch can grant it. It is live. If you want your property certified, get in touch and one of our licensed certification officers will assess it against the standard. Only a property that Roch, or an assessor Roch has licensed, has assessed and certified may call itself Roch Dog Residence Certified or display the mark. Certification can never be self-declared.

Open to all. You may state that a property is built to, designed to, or aligned with the Roch Dog Residence Standard. This describes an intention to meet the standard, requires no permission, and is encouraged.

Roch only. You may describe a property as certified, or use the certification mark, only after Roch, or an assessor Roch has licensed, has assessed and certified your property. Certification can never be self-declared, and a lapsed or withdrawn certification ends the right to both the claim and the mark.

"Roch Dog Residence Certified" is the Roch certification mark, and the right to use it is reserved to properties Roch has assessed and certified. Using the word "certified" in connection with this standard, or displaying the mark, without a current Roch certification is a misrepresentation and an infringement of our rights, and is not permitted. We actively protect the mark and the license behind it, and we will enforce our rights wherever we detect misuse.

We keep a record of every property Roch has certified, so any claim is easy to check. If you believe a property is claiming Roch Dog Residence certification it has not earned, write to us and we will confirm or deny it.