WHO WE ARE
Audeamus Service Dogs was founded in 2016 by Retired Corporal Christopher Lohnes, a veteran of 35 years with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), including 23 years in the RCMP Police Dog Service program.
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Corporal Lohnes played a pivotal role in establishing the AUDEAMUS Service Dog program, drawing on his extensive experience as a Master Dog Trainer certified by the Canine Law Enforcement Accreditation Registry. From 2015 to 2019, he was stationed at the RCMP Service Dog Training Centre in Alberta, contributing to the development of its breeding program, and later served as a facilitator in the Police Driving Unit before retiring in 2022.
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Lohnes have been involved with varying service dog programs in Canada and internationally (Hero’s Companion Ukraine at (www.heroscompanions.org) and has drawn on his wealth of experience and knowledge to offer the AUDEAMUS Service Dogs program.
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Lohnes is the proud recipient of Her Majesty the Queen’s decoration of the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation in 2019 and has also been awarded the Queen Elizabeth Diamond and Platinum medals as well as the King Charles medal.
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Audeamus Service Dog is led by its Chair- Retired Brigadier General Peter Holt a distinguished Canadian military leader with a career spanning over three decades in the Canadian Armed Forces. Throughout his service, Brigadier General Holt held numerous command and staff positions, demonstrating exceptional leadership, strategic acumen, and dedication to the welfare of military personnel.
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Brigadier General Holt has established a strong Board of Directors comprising members from the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), and leading researchers. By fostering ongoing partnerships with key experts in the field, as well as organizations within the CAF and support services for its members, he ensures that Audeamus Service Dogs remains at the forefront of innovation and continues to lead by example in providing exceptional support.
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Brigadier General Holt’s extensive experience includes operational deployments, training command, and involvement in defence policy development. Known for his commitment to supporting veterans and active service members, Brigadier General Holt has been an advocate for comprehensive care programs, including mental health support and community reintegration initiatives.
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Since retiring from active duty, Brigadier General Holt has continued to contribute to the veteran community through advisory roles, public speaking, and involvement with organizations dedicated to enhancing the lives of veterans and their families. His leadership and expertise remain invaluable assets in advancing veteran support services across Canada
WHAT WE DO
Evidence based program delivery
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The Audeamus Service Dogs program and training standards are grounded in evidence-based methods;
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We partner with Canadian university researchers to continually evaluate and advance the Audeamus Service Dogs program;
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We adhere to adult education learning taxonomy methods in our program delivery.
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Our participants have access to an on-line classroom, containing over 100+ step-by-step lesson plans, 50+ demonstration videos and power points.
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Workbooks
AUDEAMUS Service Dogs utilizes workbooks as part of the connection base approach. Handlers interact with their cohort and peers, facilitated by a trainer. It is used in unison with online classroom- where ideas concepts and approaches are fostered through assignments, interactions and check for understanding through questions asked by the group. We know that to develop long term memories writing and reviewing material is key.
Journaling
AUDEAMUS Service Dogs utilizes “hard” and electronic copies of a journal developed to assist memory and planning as part of the connection base approach. Handlers interact with their cohort and peers, facilitated by a trainer by way of the journal to help recall goals, objectives, tasks, habit checking they are striving to reach. It is used in unison with online classrooms and workbooks - where ideas, concepts and approaches are fostered through assignments, interactions and check for understanding through questions asked by the group.
Curriculum based training program
Teaching & Learning Philosophy
The Audeamus Service Dogs training program is delivered in a mixed in-person and distance education curriculum format. The curriculum is based on a client-centered, experiential approach to teaching and learning. Each program learning module incorporates multi-modal teaching methods that attend to participants’ and their Service Dogs’ varying learning needs. The Audeamus Service Dogs program is an empowerment-based approach, supporting learners to be self-directed and to integrate their learning within all aspects of their daily living.
Trauma Informed
The Audeamus Service Dogs curriculum acknowledges the widespread impact and signs and symptoms of trauma in the lives of its program participants. Audeamus Service Dogs integrates knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices and actively seeks to resist re-traumatization.
Holistic
Audeamus Service Dogs approaches its curriculum and program delivery in a holistic manner to ensure all areas of participants’ recovery are addressed – physical, mental, social and spiritual. read more
No Cost
Audeamus Service Dogs and training are provided free of charge by Audeamus. Participants are set up in safe and comfortable accommodations and provided with prepared meals while training. Participants can meet up to several times in-person in a year-long certification process as an Audeamus Service Dogs team.
Ongoing Support
Once certified, an Audeamus Service Dogs team continues to receive support from Audeamus, including liability insurance. Re-certification is mandatory every 3 years, as is annual feedback from the participant’s prescribing mental health professional about the suitability of continuation with the Audeamus Service Dog. Audeamus believes in training the dog and the person as a team and delivering on-going peer support for as long as the client requires an Audeamus Service Dog.
Community Involvement
This program is offered at Drumheller Institution with federally sentenced participants, and a modified version at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre.
References:
1. Chalmers, D., Dell, C., Dixon, J., Rath, G. (2023). “PAWSitive Support: A Canine Assisted Learning Program to Support Prisoners in Healing from Substance Use”. R. Ciernick. Responding to the Oppression of Addiction, 4th Edition. Canadian Scholars.
Therapy Dogs and Recovery from Addiction
Colleen Anne Dell
TEDx University of Saskatchewan
International Involvement
Audeamus Service Dogs has a partnership with Germany’s Armed Forces, assisting with the development of a Service Dog program for veterans.
Registered Charity
Audeamus Service Dogs provides certified, specially trained service dogs and on going support to people suffering from mental or physical disabilities to relieve conditions associated with disability with a view to improving their independence as well as their physical and emotional well-being. Disabilities served include, but are not limited to, brain injured veterans, first responders and war correspondents.
AUDEAMUS, Latin for "MAY WE DARE", is a registered charity operating throughout Canada [Reg#: 762071298RR0001].
It is 100% volunteer and veteran-run and directed. We have minimal expenses, which ensures that donations made toward Audeamus Service Dogs go directly to supporting our veterans, first responders, and war correspondents.
Members of the Audeamus Service Dog team are proud recipients of the Minister of Veteran Affairs Commendation, Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee and Saskatchewan Platinum Jubilee Medals.
The Queen Elizabeth II Diamond and Saskatchewan Platinum Jubilee Medals were a tangible way for Canada to honour Her Majesty for her service to this country. At the same time, this commemorative medal served to honour significant contributions and achievements by Canadians to Canada, Saskatchewan, or to a particular region or community.
Her Majesty the Queen's decoration of Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation is awarded to individuals who have performed commendable service to the Veteran community and individuals who represent commendable role models for their fellow Veterans.
