Dog Community

Service Dog Puppy Raisers

Posted : 7/16/2006 6:12:21 PM

Anyone on here that raises puppies to be service dogs or guide dogs?
I thought it would be neat to see if anyone else does this, or knows someone that does. I'm currently raising a Black Lab puppy to be a service dog, with the Canine Companions for Indpendence organization. She's now 7 months old, and doing really good. If anyone wants to know more about that, I'd be glad to write some more [

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spiritdogs

Posted : 7/16/2006 7:57:27 PM

I have clients who are puppy raisers, and a former chairperson of the board of my day job does it. It's very admirable, but I don't think I'm strong enough to keep a dog for a year and then say goodbye. So, I stick to making people happy with my therapy dogs :-)

) It's a great thing you're doing!

Justine Freeman

Posted : 7/16/2006 9:12:40 PM

We are teaching Marley to assist my husband who is quadriplegic. So, we get to keep him! I wish we could take that public access test so that he could be official. He's getting really good...he even picks stuff up for my husband. I am teaching him to retrieve the phone on command...we are also going to teach him to open doors in the house! He's so cute...he'll pick up my husband's keys if he drops them, and he'll get the remote too!

You have a big heart to give the dog up!

Katie M.

Posted : 7/16/2006 9:25:27 PM

My mother and I work as training/behavior consultants for the Collie program at Southeastern Guide Dogs. (We started their Collie program in 1989, with the first Collie to graduate from there being my personal dog that I donated when he was 18 mos old). I've done some evals on pups, but don't have the time or work environment that would allow me to bring a pup to work (sterile environment).

angelamarie

Posted : 7/16/2006 9:53:06 PM

I volunteer for an organization that raises great danes to be balance/mobility dogs for people with mobility problems (MS, Parkinson's, Stroke). All of the dogs are raised on the farm, none are sent out to homes.

Xeph

Posted : 7/16/2006 10:03:56 PM

I want to raise a leader or service puppy sometime, but I'm too afraid that I'd end up with something other than a GSD, lol

Stephanie Book

Posted : 7/16/2006 10:31:14 PM

Well, Mirelle is my first puppy that I am raising, so I don't really know if I can give her up or not! So we'll see [

] lol I love her too much already[8|] I guess I can hope that she doesn't make the advanced training and keep her instead......JK[8D] I am so bad [

] That's so cool that Marley is training to be a service dog! He's so adorable and I'm glad you'll get to keep him [

] I really should get pictures on here, I want to, but haven't figured that out yet. Also, good for everyone else that works with guide/service dogs too [

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ewin0210

Posted : 7/17/2006 7:54:48 AM

A friend of mines parents raise guiding eye dogs. They've raised 8 so far and 7 have passed the next level and were put into service!

And a member of my obedience club actually does this really neat program. They get a service dog on the weekends and bring it places like restaurants, church, grocery stores, etc.... During the week she is trained by someone in prison. I think its a great way to not get too attached. And the dog gets scheduled/guaranteed training while in prison(its not like they can make other plans)...

Here she is at our clubs picnic on saturday. She was so calm for a 1 year old!

Elizabeth

Posted : 7/17/2006 9:12:15 AM

Raising a guide dog puppy has been a dream of mine since as long as I can remember!! Now that I've moved into my new house I've been thinking about putting in an application and seeing how that goes. I have wondered though how hard it is to give up the dog after spending so much time with it for a year.