Puppy Program Curriculum Student Intern

At Canine Companions, we’re dedicated to making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. As an intern you’ll support an organization that helps provide independence to individuals, while also giving a dog a meaningful job.

An internship with Canine Companions offers a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with a national nonprofit while making a meaningful impact. Interns develop valuable professional skills, collaborate with dedicated staff and volunteers, and contribute directly to our mission of enhancing independence for people with disabilities through expertly trained service dogs. Interns leave with practical experience, a stronger network - and the fulfillment of knowing their work truly makes a difference.

Employee Testimonial  
“Getting to work closely with the dogs who will be changing someone else’s life is beyond rewarding and knowing I play a part in our mission to help make that happen is an indescribable feeling of happiness.” 
— Supervisor Canine Wellness 

About the Internship

The Puppy Program Curriculum Development Intern will assist in designing educational and training materials for our puppy raising program, including prison-based programs. This role is perfect for individuals passionate about dog training, education, program development, or animal welfare. The intern will be responsible for creating structured timelines, developing homework assignments linked to training videos, designing assessments to gauge comprehension and progress, and building adaptable curriculum materials for various training environments, including partnerships with correctional facilities.

Key Responsibilities 

Curriculum Design: Develop a comprehensive timeline for puppy raisers, including key checkpoints to measure training progress. Create structured modules for each stage of puppy development (basic obedience, socialization, advanced training, etc.).

Homework & Training Integration: Develop homework assignments and study materials tied to training videos and educational content. Ensure assignments reinforce key learning objectives and concepts.

Assessment Creation: Design quizzes and exams to evaluate puppy raisers’ comprehension at each program milestone. Create performance-based assessments to determine readiness to advance to the next training phase.

Prison Program Support: Create a starter curriculum specifically for prison-based puppy raising programs, including timelines, expectations, and training standards. Draft recruitment and onboarding materials for new puppy raisers participating through prison programs. Assist in adapting existing training materials for incarcerated individuals with varying educational backgrounds.

Collaboration & Feedback: Work closely with training staff to align curriculum goals with overall organizational objectives. Revise materials based on feedback from trainers, prison liaisons, and current puppy raisers.

Qualifications  

• Interest in dog training, education, animal behavior, or curriculum development.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Excellent written communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to create user-friendly educational materials.
• Comfortable with basic instructional design principles.
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) or video-based instruction is a plus. 

What You Will Gain

• Hands-on experience designing curriculum and assessments for a real-world program.
• Working with multiple puppy program managers to receive feedback and direction on curriculum.
• Insight into training program management and animal welfare operations.
• Opportunity to contribute meaningfully to both community-based and prison-based rehabilitation programs.
• Mentorship from experienced puppy program coordinators and trainers.
• Please note that this internship is unpaid.

Inclusion and Diversity Commitment 

We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of an internship. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to innovation and excellence. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply to our positions.  

The internship is unpaid. The Intern will not be entitled to compensation or any benefits, including health insurance, workers’ compensation, or other employment benefits, except as required by law. The Intern will receive academic credit for the internship, subject to the approval of the Intern’s academic institution. The Intern is responsible for ensuring that they meet the requirements for earning academic credit and for arranging such credit with their school.

Accommodation Request 

If you need accommodations during the interview process, please let us know. We are committed to ensuring all applicants have equal access to the opportunity to succeed.