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Volunteer

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"Helping People, One Dog at a time."

Volunteer With Community Therapy Dogs Society

 

Our therapy dogs play a vital role in providing comfort, companionship, and emotional support to seniors, adults, and children in the communities we serve.  

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Thank you for your interest in Volunteering with 

Community Therapy Dogs Society

 

Are You Ready To Be a Therapy Dog Team?
To become a therapy dog team, you and your dog must pass an assessment. The goal of the assessment is to obtain information on whether your dog will be suited to and comfortable working as a therapy dog. It will be noted whether your dog exhibits good overall manners, is housetrained and whether your dog can remain calm, and respond effectively to handler instructions in a distracting environment.
 

What To Expect in a CTDS Assessment
Interactions with Strangers and Appearance Assessment
Your dog needs to be under control at all times. You and your dog are a team, and the assessor will check whether your dog is generally responsive and attentive to you and that you have a good understanding of your dog’s body language. The assessor will also check that your dog is interested in people and interacting with strangers without becoming concerned or overly excited.
 

Your dog should enjoy being patted, stroked, and cuddled by strangers. They should be comfortable with wheelchairs, walkers, canes and groups of people and noise.
 

Your dog will be the only dog in the room. Although your dog will always be on leash when working as a therapy dog, you will be encouraged to unleash your dog so he/she can become more familiar with the new environment.
The assessor will be observing general behavior, the overall physical condition and cleanliness of your dog, the relationship between you and your dog, and how willing your dog is to approach and interact with strangers (the assessor).
You will be asked questions on how your dog behaves in selective situations - other dogs, children, elderly, etc. before starting the more formal assessment process.
 

Obedience and Behavior Assessment
The more formal part of the assessment will require you to show how you and your dog work together by having your dog demonstrate basic obedience tasks, as requested by the assessor.
 

Obedience
• Sit, Stay, Down, Leave It (stationary behaviors).
• Distance Stays, Recalls.
 

Behavior

  1. Do all paws remain on the floor when your dog greets someone?

  2. Does your dog walk on a loose leash and not pull or strain?

  3. Will your dog stay in a Sit or Down?

  4. Will your dog stay in Sit or Down position with you walking away?

  5. One or more treats will be dropped on the floor. Will your dog, on command, leave it?

  6. Will your dog respond immediately when called?

  7. Does your dog enjoy being patted, stroked, and cuddled by new people?

  8. How does your dog respond to sudden movements or noises?

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Steps to Becoming a CTDS Volunteer

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1. Submit an Application

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2. Prepare for your Dog Assessment

  • After a review of your application, you will be contacted to schedule an assessment for you and your dog.

  • The evaluation details are listed on this page to help you and your dog prepare for the assessment.   

  

3. Schedule a Vet Medical Exam​

  • Prior to being admitted into CTDS programs you need to have a veterinarian carry out a medical examination of your dog.

  • Chestermere Vet Clinic and Heartland Vet Clinic provide free medicals to dogs looking to join CTDS.

  • Your dog cannot enter any CTDS programs until we receive confirmation, from the vet, that your dog has been checked and is in good health.

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4. Provide a Vulnerable Sector Police Check

  • You will be asked to provide CTDS with a current Vulnerable Sector Police Check prior to joining.   

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