Access Credit Union - Our Director of Greeting

Meet Bill!
Bill is a true Canadian D.O.G., through and through. In fact, he was born on Canada Day.

Bill loves being a D.O.G. because he is always meeting new people and exploring Manitoba communities. Here are a few fun facts about Bill: 


He thinks he is a lap dog. If you sit on the ground beside him, he will try to sit in your lap.
He loves learning new tricks.
He has relatives in the Beethoven movies.

Meet Nickel!

Nickel is our newest recruit and our D.O.G. in training! Nickel is the son of Bill, our current D.O.G. and will get the best training from his Dad!

Nickel is a playful and confident puppy. Here are some fun facts about Nickel:

He is full of energy, loves to play, but also loves to snuggle.
His favourite toy is a tug toy.
He is one of five puppies from Bill’s litter.

Tons of good-boy pets, afternoon naps, and a personal groomer? Hey, being a D.O.G. is pretty great. Not to mention all of the adoring fans.

Bill starts the day with breakfast at home, a quick grooming session, and a run around the yard. Then he gets ready to head out for the day – don’t forget the snacks!

Bill goes on about five visits a week and is only out for two to four hours a day, so he has lots of time to be a regular dog at home. You may find Bill at a branch, community event, or out doing random acts of kindness.

At Access Credit Union, our D.O.G. (Director of Greetings) acts as an ambassador that represents the Credit Union, visiting our branches Monday to Friday and community events throughout the year.

Bill joined Access CU on July 1, 2022, when Sunova CU merged with Access CU.

And we are excited to announce that our newest D.O.G. Nickel will be joining the team on July 1, 2023.

Bill was born on July 1, 2018.

Nickel was born on April 26, 2023.

It will be about one year before Nickel is ready for his D.O.G. duties. For the first little while he will just get to be a puppy, start some training, and get used to his new life. There will be plenty of positive and fun training and lots of socializing during this time. Although, you may get to see the puppy make a brief surprise appearance at some of our branches in the coming months.

No, Bill is in great health and loves to go to work. As long as Bill remains happy and physically comfortable, he will continually visit branches and attend events for years to come.

Not yet, it will take approximately one year for Nick to engage as a full-time D.O.G.

Nickel will start with foundation training to learn basic manners and skills. As he gets older, a variety of positive activities will be introduced, and we will be able to see what he likes to do the most!

Laurie Keith, our D.O.G. Ambassador, is a certified dog trainer and will take the primary lead on training Nickel.

Bill and Nickel live with our D.O.G. Ambassador Laurie Keith and her husband Pierre.

Yes, Bill is Nickel’s father.

Yes. As Nickel is one of Bill’s puppies, and since coins are smaller than bills, it just fits! (Bill had the final vote on the name!)

With our growing branch network, our D.O.G.s are visiting branches every weekday and do their best to visit each branch at least twice per year. When your local branch is expecting a visit from the D.O.G., they will display a poster in the branch ahead of the visit.

If you are interested in having our D.O.G. attend your event, please contact your local branch. The branch will then complete our D.O.G. request form and submit it for consideration. Please allow 2-3 weeks’ notice to ensure ample time to prepare.

Note: Bill is not able to attend all the events he is invited to and some restrictions may apply.