Where Compassion Walks on Four Paws
CHAMP Assistance Dogs
CHAMP Assistance Dogs is a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing independence, improving quality of life, and promoting emotional well-being for individuals and communities in need. CHAMP transforms lives across the greater St. Louis region by raising, training, and placing highly skilled assistance dogs, and providing therapy dog visits for the community.
The Assistance Dog program starts with carefully selected puppies and guides their development through proven, positive-based training rooted in encouragement and compassion. From basic obedience to advanced skill-building, every dog is prepared for an important role. We thoughtfully pair each dog with a partner and stay committed to ongoing training and support to ensure lasting success.
CHAMP Assistance Dogs is proud to be one of only three organizations in Missouri accredited by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), the worldwide leader in assistance dog standards and training excellence. ADI accreditation represents the highest level of professionalism, ethics, and quality in the assistance dog industry. This distinction means CHAMP meets rigorous international standards for dog training, client support, animal welfare, and program operations.
Assistance Dogs
Our service dogs are partnered with individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities, helping them navigate daily life with greater independence and confidence. Beyond task-based support, they offer companionship, emotional stability, and a renewed sense of possibility.
Facility Dogs
Facility dogs are placed with professional caregivers in hospitals, schools, courthouses, and child advocacy centers, supporting therapeutic, educational, and emotional outcomes. One dog can impact hundreds of lives each year – comforting a child in crisis, encouraging a patient in recovery, or providing calm in high-stress environments.
Therapy Dogs
CHAMP’s Therapy Dog Program brings comfort and joy to people throughout the greater St. Louis region. Our therapy dogs are beloved family pets whose volunteer handlers take them on visits to hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and other community settings. Each dog and owner/handler successfully completes CHAMP’s rigorous evaluation and training program before joining the team.
Classes
CHAMP provides a proven pathway for handlers and their canine partners to become therapy dog teams through positive training, skill-building, and temperament assessment, preparing them for rewarding community service opportunities.
A program of guided instruction and hands-on practice prepares teams to provide comfort, connection, and encouragement in a variety of community settings.
Presentations
CHAMP educational presentations build understanding, inclusion, and awareness through engaging, dog-centered learning experiences for schools, organizations, businesses, and community groups. Through demonstrations and discussions, participants learn about assistance and therapy dogs, safe dog greetings, responsible dog interaction, and the skills and benefits of therapy dogs.
More Than Just Training
We are committed to building a more empathetic and inclusive world through:
Community Connections
Presentations on dog safety and responsible pet care.
Ability Awareness
Fostering understanding of the vital roles assistance animals play.
Lifelong Partnerships
We provide ongoing training and follow-up to ensure every match remains strong and effective.
Our Impact
Every dog changes a life. Every gift makes it possible.
Your support helps CHAMP raise, train, and place highly skilled assistance and therapy dogs— transforming lives across the St. Louis region.