Puppy Raiser
Guide Dogs
We’re looking for more volunteers to help raise guide dog puppies during their important first year.
What is a Puppy Raiser? As a Puppy Raiser, you'll provide a 6-8 week-old puppy with the vital foundation for its future role as a guide dog. You'll be looking after a puppy for 12-16 months and will guide him or her through training, socialisation, the introduction of new environments and experiences while providing a loving home. There might be the odd chewed slipper along the way, but nothing beats the rewarding feeling of loving and raising a puppy who will go on to make an enormous difference to someone living with sight loss.
Animal Care
Talking To Others, Organising & Planning, Outdoor Work, Listening
You'll ideally have A loving home with enough time to invest in raising a puppy and attending to their needs (e.g. toilet training). If you work from home or have hobbies, you'll need to be available to give the puppy regular attention alongside these. Someone at home who is physically able to handle large breed dogs (around 25-40kg). Access to a car, so that you can get your puppy used to travelling. The agreement of your landlord to have a dog in the property if you rent your home. A safe secure area outside for your puppy to go to the toilet. Puppies can happily live with other dogs or children. To determine whether you can provide a suitable environment for a puppy in the company of other dogs or children, we will conduct a home visit as part of the application process. Children under the age of 18 are not allowed to walk the puppy but we encourage the whole family to be involved in some of the puppy’s development.
What you'll get The satisfaction of knowing you're supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently, and well. The rewarding feeling of watching a mischievous puppy learn new training techniques to help them develop into a guide dog. The opportunity to participate in our bespoke world-class training programme – this can help you train your own dogs or advance a future career in dog handling. The opportunity to have a loveable, canine companion, proven to reduce feelings of stress and improve fitness – you’ll be out walking rain or shine! The chance to be part of the inspirational Guide Dogs community, meeting like-minded people and interacting with a community of puppy raisers in your area. A dedicated volunteer manager and fellow peers who will help support you throughout your role.
This role is for approximately 1 year catering to the development of the puppy before official training starts from one of our Guide Dogs sites. You will have support from another volunteer should you need respite or scheduled holiday or emergency cover.
TN4 0PR
This role is primarily home based as the puppy will reside with your in your home. We are looking for puppy raisers in various areas of Kent such as: Bexhill, Hastings, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Battle, Winchelsea, Rye, and Lamberhurst down.
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