Puppy Raising

Who Can Raise a Puppy?

Almost anyone who is committed to and capable of raising a healthy, confident puppy in a safe environment can be a raiser. No prior experience is necessary because Guiding Eyes provides raisers with classes, a manual, videos and expert guidance to help raisers help their puppies reach their full potential. Puppy raisers can be single or have families. All members of the household must be committed to raising a puppy. There is no requirement to have previously owned a dog. Any family pets must accept a puppy and be a good influence on the pup. Raisers typically pay for food (about $300 per year), flea and tick medication, and incidental expenses, such as leashes and toys. These expenses might be tax-deductible (consult with your tax adviser to determine if this applies to you). Guiding Eyes supplies collars, ID tags, and a crate. Local veterinarians donate medical care and vaccinations.

Raisers are expected to provide a supportive and safe environment for the puppies. Raisers of young puppies must be able to let the dog out every four hours. People who work and cannot make it home every four hours can raise older "home change" puppies. Puppies must be crate trained and kept in a crate (supplied by Guiding Eyes) when they cannot be supervised. When outside, pups must always be on leash and supervised. Raisers must provide daily exercise and socialization for the puppies, which typically requires three hours per day. Quarterly evaluations for all raisers are held near Raleigh.

Support for the Raiser

Guiding Eyes provides excellent support for its raisers.

• New prospective raisers receive pre-placement training to learn the techniques used by Guiding Eyes and to develop their dog handling skills.  During this time they also become aware of the level of commitment required for a successful and enjoyable puppy raising experience.
• Access to comprehensive training materials is provided through manuals, videos, and the Canine Development Center's website.  Raisers attend regular puppy classes led by experienced helpers in the Raleigh and Charlotte areas.
• Trained puppy sitters are available to take care of puppies when their raisers are out of town.
• At quarterly evaluations, raisers receive guidance and can learn about training and dog health topics.

Raising a Puppy

People interested in raising a puppy should submit a puppy raiser application. Eligible applicants are invited to attend puppy classes to learn about the program.  Pre-placement training begins and an in-home interview is conducted.  Once potential raisers have acquired the basic handling skills, they will puppy-sit for dogs in the program to get more hands-on experience.  All new potential raisers must attend at least one of the quarterly evaluations prior to receiving a puppy. Quarterly evaluations and puppy class attendance are mandatory for all raisers.  These events provide needed support and guidance for the raiser.

Guiding Eyes breeds Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers from lines that have exhibited the traits required to be a guide, such as excellent health and a confident, serene and friendly temperament. Raisers can express a preference for the breed of dog they raise. Puppies are tested when they are seven weeks old. Those that show promise as potential guide dogs are matched with waiting raisers.

When the puppies are seven to nine weeks old they come to live with their raisers. The raisers teach the puppies basic manners and provide socialization experience. At the beginning this includes housebreaking, crate training and teaching the puppies to pay attention on command.

Later the training includes attending socialization and basic obedience classes, walking in a controlled manner and behaving civilly around people.

As the puppies mature and exhibit increasing confidence, the raisers expose them to new experiences and environments, always working to make the experiences positive to build the dogs' confidence. Raisers also provide healthy doses of play and exercise.

Quarterly, a Puppy Evaluator from Guiding Eyes travels to North Carolina. She evaluates the puppies' behavior in different situations. This helps Guiding Eyes evaluate its breeding lines, identify issues that raisers should address and determine when puppies are mature enough for formal training.

Letting Go

When the dogs have matured, usually between the ages of 13 and 20 months, Guiding Eyes transports them to Yorktown Heights, New York for an In-For-Training Test. This test evaluates the aspects of temperament essential to good guide dogs, such as confidence. Dogs that pass the test and that are in good health are trained for a minimum of five months by Guiding Eyes training staff. This training teaches the dogs the skills they need to be guides.

People often ask if it is hard to let go. After watching and guiding a puppy as it grows from a cute seven-week-old to a confident and mature companion, it is a time of strong, mixed emotions.  The sorrow of missing the dog is tempered by pride in how you have helped it realize its potential and understanding  the mobility and companionship it will provide if it succeeds as a guide dog.

Dogs that successfully complete the training are carefully matched with a blind person. The person and dog train together for three weeks to develop the teamwork required for them to navigate the world together. Raisers are invited to a graduation ceremony at the end of class and have the opportunity to meet their puppy's new partner and to celebrate in the accomplishment of having helped make this possible. For many raisers, this completes the circle that started when they first met the small bundle of joy that eventually grew into someone's Guiding Eyes.

For a variety of reasons, not every dog succeeds as a guide. For dogs that do not become guides, if their raisers can provide a good home the raisers can adopt the dogs as pets.  Some dogs may pursue careers as police, detection, or therapy dogs.

How to Proceed

If you are interested in raising a guide dog puppy or assisting raisers and you live in North Carolina or southern Virginia, please contact us or submit a puppy raiser application.   If you live elsewhere, please check the directory of regional puppy raising programs or contact the Guiding Eyes Canine Development Center at (845) 878-3330 or http://volunteer.guidingeyes.org.