4 August 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind are currently recruiting for Puppy Raising Volunteers in the Munster area.
File photo of Roy Keane and a Puppy in training Picture: Gerard McCarthy
What is a Puppy Raiser?
Puppy Raisers foster one of our puppies from age 8 weeks until approximately 12-14 months. At eight weeks old our puppies begin their journey to becoming a Guide Dog for a person who is vision impaired or an Assistance Dog for a family of a child with autism. This journey starts in the homes of our Puppy Raising Volunteers. The puppy will live with your family in your home. Under the direction of our Puppy Raising Supervisors, puppies learn basic rules and obedience. At approximately 14 months they move into our Training Centre with our highly skilled trainers and the hard work towards graduating as a Guide or Assistance Dog begins.
This is a great opportunity to make a real difference to someone’s life and to learn new dog training skills.
Criteria to become a Puppy Raiser
No more than two other dogs in the home. They must be sociable, well behaved and neutered/spayed
The puppy must not be left alone for prolonged periods of time (max 4 hours but this is age dependent)
You must have access to a secured outdoor area
Children in the home must be over five years of age
You must be 18 years or older, but the whole family can get involved
Must have internet access and be able to use Zoom platform
To apply or to find out more please visit www.guidedogs.ie or email Erin at erin@guidedogs.ie
