About us
Our Mission
Wellness Wags Assistance Dogs is a Nova Scotia–based nonprofit organization supporting individuals and communities through the life-changing partnership of professionally trained service dogs. We are one of only two organizations in Canada serving Nova Scotia, and the only one based in Nova Scotia, providing fully trained Autism Service Dogs to local applicants. Our programs fill a critical service gap, ensuring that Nova Scotians have access to highly trained assistance dogs that enhance safety, independence, well-being, and inclusion for people with disabilities and vulnerable populations.
Our mission is dedicated to fostering independence, cultivating confidence, and enhancing overall well-being through the transformative companionship and essential assistance of highly trained service dogs. We enable individuals to regain autonomy, strengthen their sense of purpose, reintegrate themselves into society, and elevate their quality of life. We achieve this by providing comprehensive client education and prioritizing fear-free, positive reinforcement training methods, ensuring a relationship that benefits both ends of the leash.
We carefully plan breeding and whelping to give each puppy the best start, focusing on health, temperament, and early socialization for future job success. Early socialization is critical for rearing confident puppies, so from birth, they experience gentle handling and positive exposure to everyday real-world sights, sounds, and experiences to prepare them adequately for their future roles. We proudly operate with a diverse volunteer base who are passionate about raising and supporting our future assistance dogs. Puppy raisers play a vital role for each puppy between 8 weeks old for approximately 18 months, providing basic obedience, loving homes and real-world exposure to prepare the puppy for its future. The skill level and training of the puppies advances throughout puppyhood, until the dogs are ready to being formal training around 18 months with dogs typically graduating around 18–24 months of age, fully ready to transform lives.
Every dog that graduates from our program has been raised using positive reinforcement and fear-free training methods, with extensive socialization and exposure to a wide variety of real-world settings, ensuring they are fully prepared for their important roles. Graduates also complete a series of comprehensive veterinary procedures to ensure they are healthy, sound and cleared for service work, meeting all veterinary requirements for service dogs set out by the province of Nova Scotia. This includes orthopedic X-rays of the hips and elbows, spay or neuter surgery, a cardiac evaluation, and a thorough “head-to-toe” veterinary wellness exam confirming each dog is up to date on vaccinations and parasite prevention. Dogs who are found unsuitable for graduation due to medical or behavioural reasons are adopted into carefully selected
pet homes, where they live out their lives as cherished and deeply loved companions.
Committed to the highest standards, our aspiration is to become an accredited member of Assistance Dogs International, further solidifying our commitment to excellence and ethical practices. This goal is ambitious and can only be reached through the accomplishment of milestones, including placing and maintaining numerous successful teams and accumulating years of operation. We will always be dedicated to working towards this goal with pride.
Our Training Philosophy
At Wellness Wags Assistance Dogs, we believe that the foundation of successful service dog training is built on a positive, trust-based relationship between the dog and their handler. Our approach is rooted in positive reinforcement (R+), fostering a working bond that is both rewarding and respectful. Rather than relying on getting compliance from our dogs with threats and corrections, instead, we prioritize the well-being and enjoyment of the partnership for both the dogs and their handlers, ensuring that the relationship is built on mutual trust, respect, and a genuine connection.
We are committed to advancing the service dog industry by setting a higher standard for training—one that prioritizes the well-being of both the dogs and their handlers. We are passionate about furthering the use of positive reinforcement (R+) techniques and believe that embracing these modern approaches is essential for the growth and success of both service dogs and their teams.
While many large, well-established organizations in the service dog industry are slowly navigating the shift toward more modern approaches, Wellness Wags, as a newly established organization, takes pride in our advanced position on ethical training practices, pushing the needle forward.
Service dogs are far more than mobility aids; they are sentient beings with their own personalities, preferences, and needs. Our dogs should not only be capable of performing their tasks, but they should also find joy in the work they do. After all, they live with us, not as pets, but as partners in an important mission.
We take the time to listen to our dogs, paying close attention to their responses and body language. Their enjoyment and comfort are central to our training process. We firmly believe that when dogs are allowed to show us what they enjoy and excel at, they thrive in their roles and form strong, fulfilling partnerships with their handlers.
At Wellness Wags, we are committed to ensuring that our dogs are happy in their work and that their well-being is always our priority. A dog that enjoys their role and feels confident in their bond with their handler is a dog that will succeed in their mission—helping others live more independent, fulfilled lives.
We’re excited to share Working Wellness, a short film created by student volunteer Haley Christenson that offers a behind-the-scenes look at Wellness Wags and the work we do raising future assistance dogs in Nova Scotia! This video highlights the heart of our organization; our puppies in training, the volunteers who raise and support them, and the everyday moments that help shape future service dogs. Everything we do is made possible by a dedicated community of people who care deeply about making a difference. A huge thank you to Haley for capturing our work so thoughtfully and sharing the story of Wellness Wags with such care and creativity. 💛
Meet Our team
Sydney Bolak
Executive Director & Service Dog Instructor
river Gall
Program Coordinator
Leanna Bortoluzzi
Chair – Board of Directors
Heidi Tapp
Vice Chair – Board of Directors
Victor norton
Treasurer – Board of Directors
Sydney Bolak brings over 15 years of experience and leadership to her role as Founder and Executive Director of Wellness Wags Assistance Dogs. She began her career as a volunteer puppy raiser, supporting Autism Dog Services while completing her B.Sc. in Animal Science, and went on to complete a 3-year apprenticeship at LFC Dog Guides, becoming a certified service dog instructor (CPDT-KA). She has contributed to major program development and instruction, including the Service Dog and Canine Studies diploma program at Medicine Hat College, and has provided consulting support to organizations such as the Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia and several Canadian service dog programs in areas including training, curriculum development, and program restructuring.
Her broader leadership includes volunteer and advisory roles with organizations such as the IAABC Foundation, Assistance Dogs International, and the CNIB Vision Mates Program. She is also committed to advocacy and education around accessibility, service dog standards, and inclusive practices across public and private sectors.
Sydney has trained and placed more than 100 service dog teams. Her training philosophy is rooted in evidence-based, reward-focused methods that prioritize welfare, clarity, and strong handler–dog partnerships. She remains dedicated to expanding free access to highly trained assistance dogs across Nova Scotia through Wellness Wags.
River brings a background in animal care, veterinary experience, and environmental science, with previous experience as a veterinary assistant, dog walker, and conservation lab technician working with endangered butterfly species.
River holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph and a Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS), combining scientific training with his passion for animals. River brings a lived perspective to accessibility and inclusion, supporting work that strengthens equitable access to assistance animals and community-based supports.
River joined Wellness Wags in 2024 as Program Coordinator, where he supports the coordination of assistance dog programs from early puppy raising through training progression. His work includes volunteer puppy raiser coordination, program logistics, and operational systems that help ensure each dog receives consistent, structured support throughout their development. River also contributes to communications, social-media, and website management, helping share the impact of assistance dogs and the people they support across Nova Scotia. Since joining the organization, he has contributed to its continued growth and development.