Salty Sarge and her Service Dog

01/27/2026

Popcorn on the floor = temptation for most dogs.
For service dogs, it’s a test of training.

Public access work means ignoring food, crowds, strollers, smells, and the chaos that comes with real life—including a kid accidentally dumping an entire snack at your feet.

This level of focus isn’t natural. It’s trained, reinforced, and maintained so that the handler stays safe and independent, and the dog can do their job without risk.

Service dogs aren’t pets in public… they’re pros at work.

👉 If you’ve ever wondered how they do it, it’s endless reps + trust + teamwork.

Driving Foreward Courageous Companions Edmonton Oilers

01/25/2026

01/22/2026

Not all heroes wear capes… some curl up under airplane seats and keep their handler regulated at 30,000 feet. ✈️

Willow is a travel pro — calm, focused, and unbothered by chaos.
Service dogs don’t just make life possible… they make life bigger.

Best co-pilot in the sky. 🐾💛

Driving Foreward Courageous Companions WestJet

01/21/2026

🐾 Sponsor a Service Dog — Change a Life 🐾
Courageous Companions proudly provides fully trained service dogs at no cost to injured Canadian Veterans and First Responders. 💙
We rely entirely on the generosity of individuals, businesses, and service organizations to make this life-changing work possible.
🦮 What your donation supports:
• 12–24 months of full-time, specialized training
• A minimum cost of $20,000 per service dog, depending on the complexity of the handler’s needs
• Ongoing support for each service dog team
As a 100% volunteer-driven organization, we ensure your support goes where it matters most—90% of all funding directly supports placing service dogs with injured Veterans and First Responders.
Together, we can help rebuild lives, restore independence, and honour those who have sacrificed so much for all of us. 🇨🇦
✨ Thank you for choosing to support the work we do at Courageous Companions.
👉 To donate:https://www.paypal.com/donate/?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=CFRBVYQ99YXNL&fbclid=IwY2xjawPaQjVleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE2ODFzZlc4a1VXUVY3ZVVyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHncbAJEMjJmawsvCdrukB8E63Q47A-rypsnVR1Uqgi7rdSOMHQVlWdW5LJm8_aem_KT9a3Fsl4MwEasthd4E8cw&ssrt=1728520441998

01/13/2026

Willow got to be part of the fist bump line this weekend to pump up the local hockey team!
It was loud, busy, and full of excitement — the kind of environment most people never get to see service dogs in.

For anyone curious, this is a great example of how task-trained service dogs work in public. Even when I release her to say hi, she doesn’t go into chaos mode or pull her attention away. She checks in, waits for direction, and keeps her eyes on me even with people and distractions flying around.

Service dogs are medical equipment with fur — they help people access the world when symptoms would otherwise shut things down. And part of that is being able to take part in “normal life” again — sports, crowds, community, all of it.

Proud of this girl and grateful for environments that welcome handlers and their dogs. ❤️🐾
Courageous Companions Driving Foreward

01/11/2026

FIRST RESPONDERS: Don’t buy without this.

✅ Free AFRA membership

✅ Gala ticket discount for you

✅ Events/training all year

🆓 GET MEMBERSHIP:

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01/11/2026

Goldeneyes are away this week, so we scouted new teammates.
Turns out chickadees have elite chirping skills and zero fear of forechecking. 🐦🏒😂


Driving Foreward PWHL Vancouver

01/10/2026

01/09/2026

Today’s forecast: Minus Stupid °C
Today’s mood: Willow sprinting through snow with reckless optimism 🌨️💛

Winter can be a grind — cold, dark, and looong!
But sometimes resilience looks like noticing what’s still good…
the sunshine, the fresh air, and the dog who thinks snowbanks are playgrounds.

A small reminder to keep moving, keep laughing, and keep looking for the good — even when the air hurts your face. 😂

01/02/2026

Join AFRA TodayThe work you do leaves an impact and you don't have to carry it alone.The Alberta First Responders Association (AFRA) is a community of first responders who understand that taking care of your mental health isn't a sign of weakness, it's part of staying strong in a job that asks a lot...