Volunteering With a Canine

To sign up for divine canines training, your dog must have a Canine Good Citizen certificate. This certificate ensures that dogs entering therapy training have a solid obedience education and are able, for example, to sit, stay and accept a friendly stranger. There are more than ten CGC evlauators listed in Austin. Our divine canines trainers are on this list and offer CGC preparation classes through the Canine Center for Training and Behavior.

• CGC Requirements
• CGC Evaluators
• CGC Preparation Classes

Training to become a divine canines volunteer introduces concepts particular to what you’ll encounter in populations with unpredictable behavior, including those with mental illness, physical disabilities and other developmental disabilities. Dogs are exposed to various types of medical equipment and patients during their training. Handlers are also coached in how to protect their dogs and maintain control during the sometimes intense, but always rewarding, visits.

Therapy dog training with divine canines is offered several times per year. Dogs must be CGC certified and pass an evaluation by our trainer prior to enrolling in a class. A $250 donation is required to participate in the divine canines training process. All donations are tax deductible.

divine canines suggests that volunteers with dogs make at least two visits (1-1.5 hours each) per month. This ensures that our volunteers and their dogs maintain the high level of skills they achieved in training.

If you would like more information about divine canines submit the form below. Sign up for our quarterly newsletter and keep up-to-date with what we are accomplishing.