Puppy Raiser

Puppy Raiser

Posted for Guide Dogs for the Blind

Posted by Community Action Northants

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A future guide dog needs you! We need new volunteer Puppy Raisers to help us bring up the next generation of guide dogs.  We’re looking for people who want to make a difference, who have enough space to raise a puppy as well as the time to care for them.

Our puppy raisers play a vital role in the early development and education of our dogs, providing a loving home as they grow towards the next stage of their training.  Puppy raisers are responsible for looking after a puppy in their own home for 12-16 months. This involves teaching them basic commands, familiarising them with different environments, and attending monthly puppy classes. They then head off to a training centre to begin their specialised training.

Puppy raising can be challenging at times, you’re responsible for a young pup in your own home – there might be some chewed slippers and long nights along the way, and you may need to adapt your routine. But knowing that you’ve played a key role in creating a life changing guide dog partnership is hugely rewarding and many of our volunteers go on to look after several puppies as they love it so much.

You’ll also receive support every step of the way from a dedicated Puppy Development Advisor, online learning tools, and regular puppy classes with other volunteer puppy raisers in your local area. There is a big community of volunteer puppy raisers who are happy to share advice and top tips with you on your journey.  Becoming a puppy raiser will require you to adapt your routine and home life.

Here are some key considerations:

Home alone - in the early days, you won’t be able to leave your puppy for more than 30 minutes. This will slowly build up to 4 hours over time.

Toilet training - in the beginning, you’ll need to take your puppy outside every 15-20 minutes to encourage them to go to the toilet outside.

Feeding - your puppy will be on 4 meals a day (fed every 4 hours) and will be on this amount of food until they are 14 weeks old. From 6 months old, this will drop to two meals a day.

It’s a hugely important role – a vital link in the chain of dog socialisation and training, providing the puppy with the essential foundation for its future as a life-changing guide dog. The first year of any puppy’s life is critical for its physical, behavioural and emotional development.

So, if you love dogs, have the time, space and care to give to one of our pups, and are able to help with their basic training, then we would love to hear from you.

We look forward to welcoming you as a volunteer with us soon!

What skills do I need?

Ideally you will:   

• Have time to invest in raising a puppy.     
• Be physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25-40kg).     
• Have your own car or access to a car.   
• Have your own home or written permission to have a dog in the home.     
• Have access to a secure area where the puppy could go to the toilet during the day.   
• Be able to access online content and training materials (you will need your own email address).