Dog Scouts of America welcomes good canine citizens and their people to socialize and learn valuable skills. Learn how to get started and find a troop in your area.

You loved your Scout days and now your kids aren’t interested. Or, maybe your kid happens to have four paws and no scout training. Well, that’s all about to change. The non-profit organization Dog Scouts of America welcomes good canine citizens and their people to Dog Scouts. Find a troop to join in your area, start a local chapter or even head off to Dog Scout Camp.

Imagine it – your dog becoming a certified Dog Scout, participating in your community, and earning up to over 70 merit badges to wear on his adorable little cape. You and your dog work together to pass skills tests so he can to earn badges for backpacking, water sports, tracking, weight pull, search and rescue, sledding, even painting by paw. It’s every pup’s dream. That’s because Dog Scouts of America focuses on what’s important, “educating people about responsible dog ownership, the important role of the human/canine bond and to challenge people and dogs to learn how to better serve each other.” With programs geared for adults and kids with dogs, Dog Scouts teaches them to leave their paw prints on Community Service, Therapy Work or Fund-raising efforts or work together to Clean-up America.

No wonder pup people all across the country want in on the fun. Good thing, Dog Scouts offers a “worldwide certification program” with the use of video equipment to wannabe scouts who don’t have a troop in their area or can’t make it to camp. To find out more, stop by the official Dog Scouts site at the links below. We know you’ll love it as much as we did, Dog Scout’s Honor.

The Scoop:

Learn more about Dog Scouts and take a look at the Dog Scout badges your dog could earn
www.dogscouts.org
www.dogscouts.org/badges

Search for a Dog Scouts Troop in your area
www.dogscouts.org/find-a-troop

…or learn how to start your own Dog Scouts Troop.
www.dogscouts.org/start-a-troop

Thank you to your Dog Scouts of America for the photo.

Originally published August 2010; reviewed and updated September 2017.