New service dog trainee at the City of Waterloo

Oakley, a National Service Dog trainee, in a photo from the City of Waterloo.

The City of Waterloo is welcoming its newest trainee – and she has a tail!

Oakley is working to becoming a service dog, but to get there, she needs to learn the basics.

That’s where Colleen comes in.

Colleen, or “Cook” as she’s known, is a volunteer puppy raiser who works as a Forestry Supervisor in the Community Services Department. Oakley will be tagging along with Colleen while she completes her day-to-day tasks, while also learning valuable skills she’ll need as a potential service dog.

“Socialization is a very important part of a service dog’s training and the more exposure a puppy has, the easier they are to be matched with a client and be a successful service dog,” Rochelle Barber, the director of operations for National Service Dogs, said in a media release.

Oakley, a black lab, is already making friends.

“She has become such a valued member of our team, brightening the day of everyone she meets. Her colleagues have given her the nickname of ‘Oak Leaf’, fitting since we work in forestry,” Colleen said in the release.

Oakley isn’t the first service dog to be trained at the City of Waterloo. Echo joined Recreation Services in 2021, before being added to the National Service Dog’s breeding program and fathering four litters. The NSD said Echo has since retired and lives with his puppy raiser.

The National Service Dog program is currently looking for 15 to 20 volunteers willing to train a puppy or adult dog at their home this March.