Volunteering

Ways to Help >Volunteer

To learn more about volunteer opportunities, contact our Volunteer Coordinator Curtis Dickey at curtis@servicedogs.org or (512) 858-1495.
Foster Trainers Needed
What do Foster Trainers do?
Foster Trainers keep a Hearing or Service Dog in their home for 3 - 4 months. They socialize the dog to living in a home and to various public environments such as stores, restaurants, offices, sporting events, etc. This is a very important part of the Hearing or Service Dog's training because it teaches them to be comfortable and confident in all sorts of places. It also gives the dog experience in behaving properly in public.
How are Foster Trainers trained?
We have an eight hour orientation over two days. We also provide a Foster Training manual. This includes Training Reports that the Foster Trainer fills out about the dog's progress. We also have weekly group Foster Trainer sessions at the Training Center and later in public places such as Home Depot.
Do the dogs have any training when the Foster Trainer gets them?
Yes. The dogs will have 4-6 weeks of training at THSD's Training Center prior to going to a Foster Trainer.
How do I qualify to be a Foster Trainer?
You must be able to have the dog with you most of the day. If you work full time, you must be able to take the dog with you to work. People who make good Foster Trainers include:
  • Retired persons
  • Home schooled teens
  • People who work part time
  • People who work out of their home
  • People who are structured and well organized
    • To sign up for the next Foster Trainer Orientation, email Volunteer Coordinator Curtis Dickey at Curtis@servicedogs.org
    Other Ways To Help
    Help take care of dogs at the Training Center - walking, playing with, bathing, etc.
    Special events - join THSD staff and grads at special events all over Texas. Talk to the public, hand out THSD brochures, sell extra t-shirts, take donations.
    Handy in the yard? Help with landscaping - bring your trusty lawnmower or weedeater and rev her up!
    Ever wanna be Donald Trump? Create your own fundraisier for THSD. We've already had a canine massage class, a dog 'n disc competition and a basketball tournament. Big or small, it all helps!

    We LOVE & APPRECIATE our volunteers! And since we believe in positive reinforcement, we reward our volunteers with "Bonus Bones" redeemable for prizes at our annual Holiday Open House.
    To find out more about volunteering, contact Curtis@servicedogs.org