Guide Dog Puppy Raisers – Therapy Dog Thursday

Do you have some spare time in your life and a puppy-sized hole in your heart? Do we have the solution for you!

At Guide Dogs Australia, an important part of their volunteer program is their Puppy Raisers. Being a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser almost sounds too good to be true. You are given a pup in training, help raise and shape them to reach their best potential, and return them ready to continue their journey towards changing someone’s life. How amazing is that?!

At around 8 weeks of age, a potential Guide Dog pup is placed in the home of a volunteer Puppy Raiser, where they will live for approximately 12 to 14 months.

During this time, the Puppy Raiser, with support and training from Guide Dogs, will help teach their pup important skills. These include having good manners on lead, understanding basic commands, having positive social interactions, getting out and about in different environments and so much more. They will learn to live in a loving and safe home environment, as well as attend regular training sessions in their local area.

This rewarding role allows Puppy Raisers to play a vital part in the growth and development of their puppy, giving them the best opportunity to become a confident, well-socialised and skilled Guide Dog.

Guide Dogs is with their volunteers every step of the way, offering ongoing support and guidance throughout the Puppy Raising experience. Puppy Raisers are also provided with many of their pup’s needs, including:

• Food and bowls
• Flea, worming and other preventative treatments
• Collars and leads
• Grooming equipment
• Veterinary costs through approved vets in their local area

Some of the requirements to become a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser include:

• Living within the area covered by your local Guide Dogs centre, so you can attend regular training
• Being home often enough that your pup is not left alone for more than 4 hours at a time
• Being able to walk and exercise your pup daily
• Having access to a car for transport to training sessions and vet appointments
• Providing a safe, secure home environment where your pup can sleep indoors

To find out more about the requirements, click here to see if you could be the perfect fit to become a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser!

After approximately 12 to 14 months, your pup will be ready to return to Guide Dogs for assessment and to continue their training.

Although saying goodbye to the beautiful pup you have loved and cared for over the past year can be incredibly hard, your dedication and hard work has helped a potential Guide Dog on their journey towards becoming a life-changing companion for someone with low vision or blindness.

And the best part? Once your pup has moved on to the next stage of their journey, you can apply to welcome another puppy into your home and do it all over again!