Become a Puppy Raiser
A Puppy Raiser brings one of our service dog candidates into his or her home
when the pup is eight weeks of age, and cares for the dog until he reaches
the age of approximately eighteen months, at which time the dog returns to
us for advanced training. During the dog’s time with you, SDV pays
for veterinary care, equipment, training, and food. Puppy Raisers pay for
toys, treats, and any other miscellaneous expenses. Thus, the actual out
of pocket expense to the volunteer is minimal.
Puppy Raisers are responsible for:
- House training
- Socialization
- Teaching good manners
- Attending SDV training class once a week
- Acting as a SDV ambassador when out in the community with the dog
Puppy Raisers are encouraged to take their pups to work, and to take the pup out into public at every available opportunity. The critical period for socialization occurs when the pup is between three and twenty weeks of age. As author and noted dog trainer Pat Miller writes in her book The Power of Positive Dog Training, “After this window closes, anything not previously identified as “safe” by the dog will automatically fall into the “unsafe” category. Dogs must be socialized to the human world during this time, or they will forever be fearful of new people, sights, and sounds. The more positive exposures a dog has to a wide variety of experiences during this period, the more confident and well-adjusted she will be throughout her life, and the more easily she will accept new experiences, even without prior exposure.”
Puppy Raiser Application Process
The job of Puppy Raiser can be extremely fulfilling, but it is not the job for everyone. This significant responsibility will require lots of time, patience, and love from you. In order to best prepare you for what lies ahead, our application process consists of a few simple steps that will help both of us to get a better understanding as to whether this is a good fit.
To consider you for the position of Puppy Raiser, we request that you complete, in the order listed, the following steps:
- Complete and submit application
- Attend at least two SDV training sessions
- Home visit/interview by SDV staff
- Puppy sit an SDV dog in training for a total of at least five nights (may consist of separate stays; i.e., one two day, one three day)
Puppy Sitters
Occasionally, puppy raisers are unable to take their pups with them when traveling, so we engage the assistance of volunteer “puppy sitters.” A puppy sitter might watch a dog for two days, or two weeks. We also engage the help of puppy sitters when arranging “slumber parties” for our dogs in training. Sleepovers help the pups get accustomed to staying with another family, and become more adept at making the transition to living in a different environment.
If interested, please complete the Puppy Raiser application, and note on the application that you are interested in a Puppy Sitter position.
See: Puppy Raiser FAQ