Raise a guide dog puppy today

LOVE
LEARN
LEAD

Puppy Raiser Requirements 

·         Live along the East Coast

·         Primary raiser must be 18 years or older.

·         Must follow Freedom Guide Dogs guidelines for raising.

·         Ability to pick up/drop off puppy at Freedom Guide Dogs campus (as needed)

·         Financially able to provide food for pup and additional supplies that may be needed during the puppy’s stay with you. 

·         Raise puppy indoors never leave pup alone for hours on end.

·         Volunteer has time to train, socialize & expose puppy out in public as much as possible!

·         HAVE FUN!

We are immensely grateful for your interest in becoming a Freedom Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser. Our Puppy Raisers’ selflessness and dedication to our cause have made us stronger and enabled us to help countless individuals navigate their world with newfound confidence.

In the spirit of our puppy raising mission, “Love, learn, lead — the future of a guide dog puppy,” we invite you to participate in an incredibly rewarding venture that can transform lives in profound ways. Your generosity can unfold a new chapter in nurturing a puppy’s astonishing journey to becoming a Freedom Guide Dog.

Imagine opening your heart and home to a future guide dog puppy. This incredible journey starts with learning to housebreak a lovable puppy, teaching it basic obedience, and socializing it with the unique environments it will encounter in its future role. Even more so, you’ll have the chance to expose this young, eager learner to a myriad of experiences, environments, and diverse situations that enhance its growth into a future guide dog.

Unleash the Potential: Raise a Guide Dog Puppy

It’s extraordinary to reflect on the remarkable transformation these puppies undergo. With nurturing care, they develop from playful pups into responsible, trustworthy guide dogs that lead the blind with courage and precision. And you have the opportunity to play an instrumental role in this impressive metamorphosis!

Raising a puppy truly strikes at the heart of our mission, encompassing all facets of love, learning, and leadership. Volunteer puppy raisers are crucial contributors to the long-term success of our guide dogs – they foster the inherent potential of each puppy and cultivate them to ultimately enhance the independence and quality of life for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Transform Lives: The Impact of Guide Dogs

The effects of your kind-hearted dedication reverberate far beyond the puppies’ growth. You’re not just raising a puppy — you’re actually shaping a life savior, a beacon of hope, and a symbol of unlimited potential for individuals who have lost their sight. As you nurture this puppy, each small step it takes contributes to significant strides of independence in the life of someone blind.

Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc. has been instrumental in bridging the gap between the visually impaired and the rest of the world. Every puppy we train, every guide dog we place, represents a monumental victory for our cause. This victory, however, is never ours alone—it’s yours as well. With your help and your heart, we can broaden these victories, touching more lives, and creating more stories of compassion and triumph.

Take the Leap: Volunteer Opportunities Await

Now, more than ever, we are calling for your continued support. By pledging to raise a puppy for Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., you’re not just fostering life-changing companionship – you are making a lasting mark in the chapters of lives that could be blessed with the gift of guiding light.

Don’t worry if you’ve never done anything like this before! Our team will provide you with all the training and support you need to raise a guide dog puppy successfully. Even if you can’t raise a dog, don’t worry – there are numerous other ways you can contribute to our mission.

Thank you for your steady support, your generous heart, and your commitment to making our mission possible. The future of our guide dog puppies surely couldn’t be in better hands.

Objectives

What are the objectives of a Puppy Raiser?

As a volunteer Puppy Raiser, there are key components that you need to teach your puppy to ensure their future success as a guide dog.
We believe in positive reinforcement and setting our pups up for success! We want the Puppy Raising experience to be a positive one for both the puppy and raiser and we are here to guide you!

Teach Basic Obedience

All puppies should be taught basic obedience ensuring that they are growing into well-mannered obedient pups. Sit, Down, Stay, Come are a few of the basic skills you will teach your puppy along with proper leash skills! You can still raise a future guide dog puppy even if you have never owned a dog before, we will teach you and provide you with the proper skillset to set each puppy up for success. 

Socialize

Socialize, socialize, socialize! Socialization is extremely important and necessary for a guide dog to succeed. Our puppies need to be well-rounded, confident and comfortable in every situation they encounter. A well socialized puppy should be comfortable, relaxed and understand how to behave and what is expected of them in all environments. 

Housebreak/"Get Busy"

Housebreaking begins the day our volunteer raisers bring the puppy home. Creating a reliable and positive relieving routine is crucial and will be taught with an understanding of “Get Busy.” It is important that our pups understand they are to relieve themselves outdoors and when given permission to do so. This helps our graduates develop a dependable relationship with their dog and relieving. 

Expose

Exposure goes along with socialization. The more you socialize your puppy, the better exposed they become. It is important that Puppy Raiser’s are able to read their pups body language ensuring that they are comfortable and relaxed during their encounters. We want our puppies to thoroughly enjoy what they do and to want to work! Some puppies need reassurance, more time, and different approaches to situations that they find unsettling, and that’s ok! 

Our Breeds of Choice

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LABRADORS

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COLLIES

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LAB/COLLIE CROSS 'LOLLIES'

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BOUVIER DES FLANDRES