1
Interest Form
Submit an interest form to determine your eligibility.
Vet2Vet
Canine Fellowship
Continue your mission beyond the military—train service dogs, serve fellow Veterans, and make an impact that lasts.
A New Mission.
Same Desire to Serve.
Vet2Vet Canine Fellowship was created to give Veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and transitioning service members an opportunity to continue serving beyond their military careers.
Designed for those who still feel called to serve a purpose bigger than themselves, the program provides hands–on experience developing future service dogs while making a direct and lasting impact in the life of a fellow Veteran.
Is This Program Right for You?
In-Home Fostering (Required)
- Full-time care of a service dog in training between the age of 8 weeks to 8 months old in your own home for the length of the fellowship (approximately 6 months).
Classes, Training Sessions, & Outings
- Regular weekly sessions with the CFS training team to build the puppy’s obedience and socialization.
- Beyond fostering, fellows may also be introduced to other stages of the training pipeline, depending on program needs such as
- Facility Support: hands-on help with service dogs in training at the Wilmington facility.
- Advanced Training Support: Assisting with training exercises alongside CFS trainers.
- Public Access Practice: Supporting service dogs in training for real-world public access evaluations.
Who Is This For?
The Vet2Vet Canine Fellowship is open to Veterans, active-duty service members 180 days or less from EAS, Reserve, and National Guard.
Dog training experience is NOT required—just reliability and a willingness to commit.
FAQs
Is this a paid position? No — Vet2Vet is a volunteer fellowship built around a meaningful, structured way to serve and build community.
Will I take a puppy home? Yes — fostering a puppy training to become a service dog in your home for approximately six months is a core, required responsibility of being a fellow, alongside scheduled classes, trainings, and outings with CFS.
Do I keep the dog after the program? No. The dog you foster remains under CFS’s supervision and ownership throughout and after the fellowship with the goal of partnering them with a Veteran client with service-connected disabilities.
Do I need experience? No. CFS provides training and guidance throughout the entirety of the fellowship.
Do I need to be diagnosed with a service-connected disability to be accepted? No. While many studies have shown the impact that working with dogs can have on service members diagnosed with PTSD, traumatic brain injury, MST, or other mental and physical challenges, we believe this program allows us to share those benefits with Veterans throughout the community, despite their level of injury or trauma.
How to Get Started
We’ve designed a step-by-step process to ensure our program is the right fit.
2
Follow Up
If we believe our program may be a good fit for you, our staff will follow up with next steps and may request additional information.
3
Decision & Onboarding
Our team will make a selection of 3-4 fellows and begin the volunteer onboarding process.
4
Launch
In January 2027, our first Vet2Vet cohort will begin the 6-month fellowship.
Need Support or Have a
Question?
We’re here to help. Questions will typically be answered by the following business day.
