Puppy Raisers © Courtesy of America’s VetDogs
At this very moment, solutions and tools exist to solve one of the world’s most urgent public health crises—a crisis so enormous that it affects 1.1 billion people worldwide. Moreover, 90 percent of these cases are entirely preventable or treatable. Millions of lives could be transformed instantly, profoundly, and inexpensively. We’re talking about vision loss.
For those who graduate from programs created by America’s VetDogs and the Guide Dog Foundation, sister national nonprofits that provide services free of charge, these dogs play a pivotal role in empowering the individuals they serve to Live Without Boundaries. Guide dogs help people who are blind or have low vision navigate the world with confidence. For veterans, service members, and first responders dealing with the physical and emotional scars of their service, service dogs provide not only practical assistance but also support their mental health, helping them overcome the challenges they face every day.
Future assistance dogs cannot be raised in kennels; they need socialization and exposure to the world they will be navigating when paired with their future handler. While no prior dog training experience is required, puppy raisers take on the essential role of introducing these puppies to the world and laying the foundation for their specialized training.
America’s VetDogs and the Guide Dog Foundation are seeking more volunteer puppy raisers to help nurture their fantastic dogs for the first 14 to 16 months of their lives. These puppies are typically placed with volunteer puppy raisers when they are about eight weeks old, and the journey that follows is nothing short of extraordinary. Full-time and part-time puppy-raising opportunities are available for those eager to volunteer.
The initial stages of raising a future guide or service dog involve socialization and basic obedience training. Puppy raisers expose young dogs to various environments, from busy city streets to quiet parks. They teach them fundamental commands, such as sit, stay, and come. But it’s not just about obedience; it’s about ensuring these dogs are comfortable and composed in various situations, ready to face the world that awaits them and their future handler.
Some future service dogs will be raised in correctional institutions from Maine to Florida, and they will be home to America’s VetDogs Prison Puppy Program. In this special program, incarcerated individuals, with support from expert advisors, help raise and train puppies who will one day work as service dogs. Each weekend, puppies in the program go home with a volunteer puppy raiser who teaches house manners, socializes them to car rides and traffic noise, visits stores and restaurants, and hangs out with kids and families so that they will be confident wherever their future partner will go.
After 14 to 16 months with their puppy raisers, the dogs are called back to the America’s VetDogs and Guide Dog Foundation national training center in Smithtown, New York, to begin their formal training. At this point, they are assigned to expertly trained program staff and begin a three- to four-month training process that is focused on maximizing the use of positive training methods to enhance their learning and understanding.
A hallmark of America’s VetDogs is the meticulous matching process, which ensures that each program participant is matched with the dog that best suits that person’s mobility, personality, lifestyle, and physical and emotional needs.
Once the matching process is complete, additional training helps to customize and sharpen the dog’s skills even further for their future handler. When the dogs are between 18 months and two years old, they meet their human for two weeks of training together on Long Island. Puppy raisers are invited to attend Celebration Saturday, a special “graduation” ceremony that is also streamed live on Facebook. And that’s when the next phase of the journey begins! These incredible dogs become the bridge to a world of enhanced independence, joy, and hope for those they serve and their family and friends.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer puppy raiser, learning about applying for an assistance dog, or to make a donation, visit VetDogs.org/GH or GuideDog.org/GH
Get your free copy of Global Heroes, jam-packed with positive news, straight in your inbox.
The service dog programs of America’s VetDogs were created to provide enhanced mobility and renewed independence to veterans, active-duty service members, and first responders with disabilities, allowing them to once again live with pride and self-reliance.