Puppy Raising Main Objectives

Raising a guide dog puppy is different from just having another pet in your home. How you care for them, feed them, play with them, and interact with them all serves the purpose to prepare them to become someone’s eyes and independence. While they still get to have fun and enjoy their time with you, keep in mind how your puppy is raised will affect their future training and partner.

1. Socialization: We ask that you socialize your puppy outside the home at least five times a week in a variety of places. Our dogs need to be comfortable in varying environments and this has to start at a very young age.
2. Good house manners: Guide dogs are expected to have excellent house manners. Again, a solid foundation and successful introduction to correct behaviors is necessary for them to succeed.
3. Relieving Routine: Guide dogs are expected to have a reliable relieving routine free of accidents. During our time with the puppy you will teach them to relieve on cue and build a routine with duration between relieving opportunities.
4. Ensuring Success: This one is the hardest job of them all. Some dogs are not suited to be a guide dog despite our best efforts. In order to ensure the safety of our clients and the well-being of each dog it’s up to us to decide if a dog should begin formal training as a guide dog for the blind. It’s up to the puppy raiser to inform their advisor of any and all behavior, temperamental, and medical concerns. Sometimes, there are other career paths the dog you raised can take on instead of being a guide dog-even if that means they’re a loving pet in your home we consider it a success because we made the right choice by changing their career path into one best suited for them.

We want you to be successful in your puppy raising endeavor. We want to give you the best tools possible to take on this challenge and help you develop the right mindset for puppy raising.

Puppy raising requires the raiser to become alert to their surroundings and their dog’s reaction towards it. They must develop skills for reading dog body language, multitasking, and assessing the situation they are about to enter with a puppy. It’s a tough job sometimes and we want you to be confident and comfortable with taking your puppy in public and having them live in your home.