Volunteer with Us
"Helping people, one dog at a time"
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Community Therapy Dogs Society (CTDS).
Our volunteer therapy dog teams bring comfort, companionship, and emotional support to seniors, adults, children, students, patients, families, and community members across Calgary and surrounding areas.
Becoming a CTDS volunteer begins with an application and an assessment to help ensure you and your dog are well-suited, comfortable, and ready for therapy dog work.
Are You Ready to be a Therapy Dog Team?
To become a CTDS therapy dog team, you and your dog must successfully complete an assessment.
The assessment helps determine whether your dog is comfortable, calm, well-mannered, and responsive in settings where they may meet new people, encounter distractions, or experience different sounds, movements, and environments.
Assessors will also look at the relationship between you and your dog, including your dog’s responsiveness to you and your understanding of your dog’s body language.
NOTE: Our dog assessments are made possible by dedicated volunteer assessors who generously give their time. To help reduce missed appointments and make the best use of volunteer resources, CTDS charges a $25 non-refundable assessment fee at the time of booking.
What to Expect During the Assessment
Comfort with People
Your dog should enjoy meeting new people and be comfortable being patted, stroked, and gently handled by strangers. Assessors will observe whether your dog approaches and interacts with people in a calm, friendly, and appropriate way.
Calm in New Settings
Your dog should remain under control and be able to stay calm around common distractions such as noise, movement, groups of people, wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.
Handler & Dog Teamwork
You and your dog are assessed as a team. Assessors will observe how well your dog responds to your direction, how attentive they are to you, and how you support your dog in a new environment.
Assessment Skills
Basic Obedience
Your dog may be asked to demonstrate:
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Sit
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Stay
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Down
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Leave it
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Recall
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Loose leash walking
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Distance stay
Behaviour and Temperament
Assessors may observe:
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Whether your dog keeps all paws on the floor when greeting someone
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Whether your dog walks calmly without pulling or straining
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Whether your dog can remain in a sit or down position
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Whether your dog responds when called
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How your dog reacts to sudden movements or noises
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Whether your dog is comfortable with gentle touch and attention from new people
Steps to Becoming a CTDS Volunteer
1. Submit an Appliction
Complete the volunteer application form and indicate the CTDS Program areas you are interested in supporting.
4. Provide a Vulnerable Sector Police Check
Before joining CTDS, volunteers are required to provide a current Vulnerable Sector Police Check.
2. Prepare for Your Dog Assessment
After your application has been reviewed, CTDS will contact you to schedule an assessment for you and your dog.
5. Begin Volunteering
Once all requirements are complete, CTDS will work with you to help identify volunteer opportunities that are a good fit for you, your dog, and the needs of the community.
3. Schedule a Veterinary Exam
Before joining CTDS programs, your dog must complete a veterinary medical examination.
Chestermere Vet Clinic and Heartland Vet Clinic currently provide free medical exams for dogs preparing to join CTDS.
Your dog cannot participate in CTDS programs until CTDS receives confirmation from the veterinarian that your dog has been examined and is in good health.
