Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides

Every day, Dog Guides transform lives by providing unparalleled independence and companionship to their handlers.

With one in four people living with a disability, the need for Dog Guides has never been greater. Our vision is to graduate 250 Dog Guide teams annually, yet space and resource limitations hinder this mission. With your support, we can overcome these challenges and provide every person with a disability the independence they deserve. Whether it’s picking up dropped items from the floor or alerting to a dangerous blood sugar low in public, Dog Guides provide their handlers with confidence to go about their day independently.

Join the Difference Campaign and make a meaningful contribution. Together, we can build a facility that supports more teams and transforms more lives.

Donate now on our website and make a lasting difference- www.dogguides.com.

Photo description: Close-up of a Service Dog Guide picking up keys off a floor for her handler- a young man sitting in a wheelchair.

- Erica & Witley

Erica and her Canine Vision Dog Guide, Witley, have been together for eight years, overcoming countless obstacles together. Erica describes Witley as her everyday superhero, keeping her safe and aware of her surroundings.

Last year, Erica temporarily moved to Toronto with her son. “Witley guided me through whatever challenges that arose during the day,” says Erica. Just in the last year, she has helped me navigate Toronto on trains, buses, and the subway. She finds elevators and stairs and is always there for me.."

With Witley by her side, Erica can live independently and confidently navigate public spaces, even hustle and bustle of a big city like Toronto. For Erica, Witley has allowed her to travel on her own and not rely on anyone but her Dog Guide.

With Witley by her side, Erica can live independently and confidently navigate public spaces, even hustle and bustle of a big city like Toronto. For Erica, Witley has allowed her to travel on her own and not rely on anyone.

You can help empower others like Erica to confidently navigate their worlds by donating to The Difference campaign. Visit our www.dogguides.com to learn how you can make The Difference.

LFCDG’s new school will be designed to support clients, staff, and Dog Guides at every step of the training process. A very important, and adorable step along the way is puppy training!

Our future Dog Guides will have all the resources they need to take their first steps towards being matched with a client thanks to our new puppy training room, made possible by our National sponsor Pet Valu They have donated $500,000 towards this new space!

The new puppy training room will offer daily classes developing the fitness, manners, and resiliency of our future Dog Guides.

We want to ensure our future Dog Guides will begin their journey in the best space possible, and a space where puppy staff and fosters will be well-supported! These puppies will go on to make all The Difference to their future handlers. Help us make The Difference by donating to the campaign at www.dogguides.com

Photo: Future Dog Guide puppies sitting with a red construction hat in front of moving boxes

Join our Monthly Giving Program and Transform Lives Every Month!

Cathy Law, a dedicated Dog Guides Guardian, shares, " I choose to give monthly to the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides to pay it forward allowing LFCDG to continue to train service or guide dogs for people living with a disability. A person living with a disability benefits from the help they receive from a trained dog making it easier for them to live independently."

Discover how you can make a life-changing impact: dogguides.com/donate/become-a-dog-guides-guardian/

Photo: Cathy takes a selfie with her daughter's Hearing Dog Guide Echo.

Our July newsletter is here and filled with upcoming events and updates on what’s been happening in the LFCDG community. To read the newsletter and subscribe to future issues, please visit https://www.dogguides.com/media-room/lfcdg-newsletters/

From June 9- 11th, three of our instructors had the chance to travel to Belgium to attend a workshop hosted by ADI - Assistance Dogs International. It was a great opportunity to learn new theories, techniques and gain practical training experience. LFCDG is proud to be an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International and is grateful for all the learning opportunities that they provide.

Photos:
1. Selfie of instructors Nicky, Mavis and Sarah at the conference.
2. Photo of nametags for the conference.
3. Poster showing the flags of all the countries participating.
4.Instructors at Osmose, a service dog training school in Belgium.

We are excited to share that the Autism Assistance program will be opening its waitlist on July 15th at 9 am (EST) until July 29th at 9am (EST). Families interested in receiving an Autism Assistance Dog Guide, either a Labrador Retriever or Golden Retriever, will be able to submit an Expression of Interest.

Please take the time to review the updated Discovery Package document before you submit an Expression of Interest - available on our website: https://www.dogguides.com/programs/autism-assistance/

Currently, we have 25 spaces available on our waitlist. If we receive more expressions of interest than available spots on the waitlist, we will randomly select a limited number and process those expressions of interest only. Those who are not selected will need to wait for the next time the waitlist reopens to reapply. If you’re unable to complete the Expression of Interest online, please contact our client services team at [email protected]

In addition, the waitlist for the Diabetes Alert Dog Guide program will be closing on July 15th at 9am (EST).

Photo- A boy standing beside his Autism Assistance Dog Guide on a beach

We are excited to share EVEN MORE career opportunities available at the Lions Foundation Of Canada Dog Guides! Join our amazing organization that empowers Canadians with disabilities by providing them with a Dog Guide at no cost.

📌 🌟 National Event Coordinator: As the National Event Coordinator, you will play a pivotal role in organizing and coordinating the National Pet Valu Walk for Dog Guides across Canada.

📌 🌟 Event Coordinator: As the Event Coordinator, you will oversee a diverse event and activation portfolio including managing signature events, LFCDG led Pet Valu Walk event locations (Toronto and Oakville), supporting third-party event requests, oversee LFCDG’s gift shop, and coordinating involvement from staff, volunteers, and foster families

📌Client Services Representative: The Client Services Representative is responsible for working with clients 1:1 as they navigate the client journey in a way that will optimize their chances of being successful.

📌 Campaign Officer: We have launched our largest ever capital campaign of $50 Million to build a new, purpose-built facility that will be the largest of its kind in Canada with an emphasis on accessibility and excellence. The Campaign Officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individuals and foundations, and managing the national campaign with Lions clubs.

📌 Campaign Major Gifts Officer: The Campaign Major Gifts Officer is responsible for identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding individuals and foundations, and managing the national campaign with Lions clubs. The Campaign Major Gifts Officer will play a key role in the achievement of the goals for the capital campaign, working closely with campaign volunteers and donors to ensure the success of this transformational fundraising initiative.

For more information or to apply, please visit https://www.dogguides.com/about-us/careers/

Splash into Summer with Sparky’s Dog Days!

Exciting news! We’re teaming up with Oakville Fire and Panago Pizza to bring you Sparky’s Dog Days of Summer. Every Wednesday, enjoy delicious treats at splash pad locations, with all proceeds benefiting LFCDG.

Let’s make this summer the best one yet!

July 10: Valleyridge Park
July 17: OTCC Park
July 24: Sixteen Hollow
July 31: Neyagawa
August 7: Forster Park
August 14: Fowley Park
August 21: Valleybrook Park

⏰ Time: 6:00 - 8:00 PM

💌 Want to volunteer? Contact us at [email protected] or apply online at https://www.dogguides.com/sparkys-days-of-summer-volunteer-application/

Photo: Close up of a future Dog Guide puppy with a blue wave background and an orange "citrus" pool floaty.

Kathy walks with confidence with her Canine Vision Dog Guide Oakley by her side. They have been together for almost eight years, and Kathy can’t imagine life without him.

“Oakley is my guide even when I walk with a sighted individual. He can follow a person leading us to a table in a restaurant, a seat in a theatre or along a hallway to a waiting room. If we are separated from our friends, he can guide me back to them.”

“I trust Oakley even if he doesn’t follow my directions. One time we were crossing in front of a car waiting at a stop sign, but Oakley stopped and refused to move. Suddenly, a car sped around the stopped vehicle. Oakley saved us from being injured.” As long as Oakley is by Kathy’s side, she knows she safe.

Oakley has allowed Kathy to have independence. You can empower others like Kathy to remain independent by donating to The Difference campaign. Visit www.dogguides.com to learn more and donate.

Photo description: Kathy walking with Oakley, a yellow lab retriever outside in a park.

On this Pet Remembrance Day, we honor the pets who have left paw prints on our hearts. Jeanette’s story is a testament to the healing power dogs can have. After losing her Labrador, Mindy, Jeanette thought she could never love another dog. However, an encounter with LFCDG foster parents and their adorable puppies changed everything. Their stories of community and purpose inspired Jeanette. She realized she could love and let go, knowing these puppies would make a difference in someone's life.

A month later, Jeanette welcomed Lukey, a yellow lab/retriever cross, into her home. He filled her life with joy and purpose, different from Mindy but equally cherished. With the support of fellow fosters, Jeanette found a new family.

Jeanette shares, "There are so many positives to fostering—having a puppy to fill your days and nights with love and joy. Watching both Lukey and Pascal embark on their training and careers has been a gift and a blessing. There is nothing like the love of a dog and with fostering, that love just grows and grows!"

We are grateful that Jeanette found the strength in her heart to become a foster for us. Future Dog Guides first start their journeys with dedicated foster families, who prepare them for their careers as working Dog Guides. These foster puppies are later recalled back to the facility to start their formal training in one of our seven programs. Thank you so much to Jeanette and all our dedicated fosters who do so much for us.

Photos:
1. Jeanette with Mindy as a puppy, a black lab puppy.
2. Jeanette and Lukey, a yellow lab retriever (graduated from Autism Assistance).
3. Lukey as a puppy, wearing his future Dog Guides jacket sitting in a shopping cart.
4. Close up of Barley, a black lab retriever (now career changed, adopted by Jeanette)
5. Jeanette with Pascall, a black lab retriever wearing his future Dog Guides jacket (now training in Canine Vision).

“We are bursting at the seams and the opportunity to build the facility from the ground up is going to transform the way that we do our business,” - CEO Bev Crandell.

A new training facility for LFCDG is going to make all The Difference to our clients, instructors, staff and our dogs. LFCDG’s new school will ensure we will all have the space we need to be at our best. We are not only getting more space, but we are making sure everything is accessible. Our clients deserve only the best, which is why we have gone the extra mile to ensure our new facility achieves the Rick Hansen Gold Certification for accessibility, a distinction shared by only 38 buildings in Ontario.

The building will include an expanded vet clinic, a puppy training room, program specific classrooms, and an underground “streetscape. We have already raised $40 Million towards our goal but we need your help to raise the final $10 million. Visit www.dogguides.com to learn more and donate.

Photo: collage of different renderings for the new building.

Calling all dog lovers in Breslau (Guelph), ON! Our training facility needs your help! We're seeking passionate volunteers to work directly with our amazing Dog Guides starting mid-July.

🕒 Flexible shifts: 9am-3pm, Mon-Sun. Must commit to 1 shift/week

📋 Requirements: 18+, Criminal Record Check

📧 Contact Evelyn Marshall at [email protected] to join our team!

Make a pawsitive impact by supporting our Dog Guides in training. Whether it's walking, grooming, or providing enrichment, your dedication will make tails wag.

Photo description: A volunteer in a kennel with a Dog Guide in training.

July is Disability Pride Month! We're celebrating our incredible graduates and their amazing Dog Guides who have shown remarkable strength and perseverance.

📸 Post a picture of a milestone or achievement with your Dog Guide.

📝 Share a message of encouragement or a personal story.

👉 Use and tag us to spread the pride.

Photo: A man rolling down the sidewalk in a wheelchair with his Service Dog Guide

Happy Canada Day! Approximately 1,000 Canadians are currently benefiting from a life-changing Dog Guide from Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides. We have Dog Guide teams all throughout Canada, coast to coast. Today we celebrate our beautiful country, all our Dog Guide teams and everyone who has contributed to our mission and vision. A big thank you to all our donors, volunteers and fosters who support LFCDG!

Help us create more impactful Dog Guide teams by supporting The Difference Campaign - our biggest campaign in LFCDG history! We have the goal of raising $50 million for a new training facility in Oakville. The new building will be a place for clients across the country to learn and train with their new Dog Guides. The Difference campaign is truly a national effort! Visit our website to learn more and to donate - www.dogguides.com

Photo: Map of Canada with photos of clients all across the country. Caption "Happy Canada Day" in a maple leaf.

On this , we invite you to share the difference LFCDG has made in your life. If you're a volunteer, Dog Guide recipient, donor, service club or staff, we want to hear the impact the organization has had on you.

Share your story and join us in celebrating The Difference Campaign as we strive to make an impact on the lives of many more in the near future! Comment below, tag us in your posts and stories, and use and .

Photo description: animated image of a phoneThe Difference Campaign logo on the screen with likes and hearts surrounding.

We are pleased to announce the arrival of 17 new LFCDG puppies. Welcome to the Dog Guide world little ones!

H Litter: Quinta and Ollie – 6 puppies on April 23, 2024
I Litter: Neesha and Ernest – 5 puppies on May 7, 2024
J Litter: Blaire and Kody – 6 puppies on May 9, 2024

These little puppies will soon be looking for foster homes, would you be interested in helping us raise them? For the first year of their lives, you can take them into your home, care for them, socialize them, and teach them good manners. You will be preparing them for their careers as Dog Guides.

If you are interested, and live no more than 75 minutes away from our Oakville or Guelph facilities, please apply online at https://www.dogguides.com/how-to-help/foster-puppy-program/

The difference that Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides make is truly profound. Mobility and independence, comfort and compassion, safety and security, opportunity and development—these are the outcomes we strive for. We need your help to build a new, state-of-the-art training school that will enable us to serve more Canadians living with disabilities.

The new training facility will cater to the needs of our clients and incorporate leading-edge design to ensure full accessibility and go above and beyond AODA Compliance. The building has already achieved Rick Hansen Gold Certification for accessibility, a distinction shared by only 38 buildings in Ontario.

Once construction is complete, the school will feature 35 accessible and comfortable guest rooms, designated classrooms, training spaces for each program, and an underground 'streetscape.' Our new building will enable us to continue making life-changing Dog Guide team matches and provide ample space for our staff, dogs, and clients to do so.

The plans are in place; all we need now is your help. Help us make the difference today! Donate today- https://www.dogguides.com/the-difference-campaign/



Photo description: a rendering of the new building. A far away side view of the main entrance.

Don't miss out! The waitlist for our life-changing Diabetes Alert Program is now open. Our extraordinary Diabetes Alert Dog Guides are trained to support those with Type 1 diabetes with hypoglycemic episodes through their remarkable scent detection skills.

Curious about how they can help you? Explore the Discovery Package on our website and submit an “expression of interest” today.- https://www.dogguides.com/programs/diabetic-alert/

Photo description: An instructor training with a Diabetes Alert Dog Guide using a "scent wheel."

This Public Service Day, we celebrate the pawsitive impact of Facility Support Dogs! Whether at police stations, child advocacy centers or in court, these trained dogs provide on-scene support, helping those who need it the most. Their dedication and love make our communities stronger.

Don't forget: The waitlist for our Facility Support program is now open. Professional agencies interested in applying are encouraged to read the Discovery Package on our website. Learn more about their amazing work and how your organization can apply at https://www.dogguides.com/programs/facility-support/

Photo description: Facility Support Dog Kino beside two police officers

We would like to recognize the Hodgson Family Foundation, Merck Animal Health Canada and IA Financial Group for their contributions to Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.

Thank you for all your support and making endless pawsibilities happen! Your contributions will help us continue to match Canadians with disabilities with life-changing Dog Guides.

Come join us on Sunday, June 23rd for an exciting Ride for Dog Guides event! The day kicks off at our Dog Guides training facility in Oakville, with registration beginning at 8:45 am and the ride starting at 10:00 am. We will be riding to our Puppy Nursery in Breslau, enjoying a 3.5-hour scenic route through the countryside with coffee, pastries, and an opportunity to meet our adorable foster puppies! There will be poker run stops along the way, with prizes for the best and worst hands. The ride will end at our Puppy Nursery in Breslau, where you can meet future Dog Guides and those currently in training.

This event is ideal for motorcyclists and Dog Guide supporters. After the ride, there will be a BBQ, live music, raffle, and a Dog Guide demo, showcasing how your donations benefit the Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides.

Reserve your spot for Sunday! Register by end of day for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card. Visit www.dogguides.com/ride.to to register.

Photo description: "Join us on Sunday, June 23, 2024." Photo of riders getting ready for the event.

Want to make a difference for the future of LFCDG?

We have the ambitious goal of raising $50 million for a new state-of-the-art building, but we need your help. The current school has reached maximum capacity for both dogs and people. In addition to the shortage of space, it is not fully accessible and is outdated.

We aim to graduate 250 Dog Guide teams per year and due to the lack of space for dogs and staff, limited training spaces, and suitable client rooms, this cannot happen at the current school.

The demand for Dog Guides has increased. One in four people now has a disability, which makes the new building so important for continuing our mission. Join The Difference Campaign and donate today- https://www.dogguides.com/the-difference-campaign/



Photo description: Dog Guide sitting beside a red hard hat

Today is Autism Pride Day! Let's raise awareness and show support for those on the autism spectrum and all our Autism Assistance Dog Guide teams across the Canada. Thanks to Autism Assistance Dog Guides, children on the spectrum are able to stay calm, grounded, and regulate emotions better. They provide independence, confidence, and make impossible possible.

“My Autism Assistance Dog Guides have helped me get more of a normal life. I wouldn’t have been able to go to University – or probably even high school – without them,” says Stephen.

Autism Assistance Dog Guides Bingo and Doug have made all the difference in Stephen's life. Today, let’s raise money so others like Stephen can benefit from an Autism Assistance Dog Guide and achieve their goals. Please donate to The Difference campaign to continue changing lives. Learn about the campaign on our website- https://www.dogguides.com/the-difference-campaign/

Photo description: Stephen and his mom Laurie posing with Autism Assistance Dog Guide Doug and his previous Dog Guide Bingo.

Calling all riders! Join us for the Ride for Dog Guides on Sunday, June 23rd! Registration at 8:45 AM, ride begins at 10:00 AM. Only $35.00 for Riders and $25.00 for Passengers.

Experience a scenic countryside route starting from our training facility in Oakville and ending in Breslau. Enjoy poker run stops along the way with refreshments, snacks, and prizes!

End your ride with a BBQ, live music, raffle prizes, and a Dog Guide demonstration. And we can’t forget future Dog Guide puppies!

This will be your last chance to enjoy the Ride for Dog Guides in the summer. Next year we plan to move the Ride to the Fall.

Don’t miss out. Register by Thursday, June 20th for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card- www.dogguides.com/ride

Photo description: Caption: Join us on Sunday, June 23rd, 2024." Collage of past Ride for Dog Guides participants.

This Father’s Day, we’re celebrating all fathers including Gibbs, our affectionate and obedient lab who has sired three wonderful litters since January 2024! Gibbs is a proud dad to 19 adorable 'Gibblets'!

What makes Gibbs special? His calm demeanor and patience. He’s always ready to follow directions, making him naturally obedient and a joy to be around. Gibbs’ attachment to his people and eagerness to please are traits we hope his 'Gibblets' inherit.

Here's to Gibbs, a father helping us provide many future Dog Guides who will go on to make a significant difference in the world!

Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there, whether you have two legs or four!

Photo descriptions:
1. Caption- "Happy Father's Day." Gibbs with his son Hanson
2. Gibbs with puppies Hansen, Maude and Ranger

Did you know that by opening your home to a foster puppy, you could be providing the first step towards independence for someone with a disability? It's true!

Join our foster family program and provide the first home for a future Dog Guide. Foster families teach puppies basic obedience, house training and socialization in various environments. We cover the rest with puppy training support from our staff, vet care and our feeding partners, Pet Valu provide high-quality dog food!

Ready to change a life? Visit https://www.dogguides.com/how-to-help/foster-puppy-program/ to learn more about becoming a foster family today!

Photo description: Caption-"Raise a puppy. Change a life." Close up on a puppy wearing a green "future Dog Guide" jacket.

Starting on February 2nd at 9 am (EST), Lions Foundation of Canada Dog Guides will be reopening the waitlist for our Diabetes Alert program. If you are interested in applying, please visit our website and read the Discovery Package for this program- https://www.dogguides.com/programs/diabetic-alert/

Diabetes Alert Dog Guides are trained to assist Canadians (16 years or older) diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes by providing specific tasks and advanced scent work. These Dog Guides are trained to detect sudden drops in their handler’s blood sugar and alert them.

Please note that waitlists are currently closed for our other programs. We will, however, continue to accept re-applications from our successor clients who have previously had a Dog Guide from us.

Photo description: an instructor working with a Diabetes Alert Dog Guide outside on a bench.