Be a Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser!

Guide Dogs is one of the UK’s leading sight loss charities whose work helps change the lives of thousands of people each year. Now they are asking for your help with a bark out for puppy raisers

Rewarding, fulfilling, a sense of worth and pride are just some of the emotions puppy raisers experience and if the adorable pictures on the cover and here aren’t enough to inspire you to help, then read on…  

There are more than 1,000 visually impaired people currently waiting for assistance dogs according to charity Guide Dogs who have launched an appeal for volunteer puppy raisers.  

Puppy raisers can literally help change someone’s life. Introduce a 6-8 week old pup into your home and you’re preparing him or her for their future ‘career’ as a guide dog. They’ll become part of your family for 12-16 months while you train and socialise them, introducing them to new experiences and environments. There will be ups and downs and chewed slippers and perhaps a few ‘wee-related accidents’ along the way but you’ll have the knowledge of knowing you’re improving the life of someone with sight loss.  

Bex & Jolly

Local puppy raiser Bex Hellings, pictured, tells her story inspired by her nan who had gone blind and decided to do it in her memory. “Being a puppy raiser is so many things, it’s a year of hard work, it’s emotional, it’s a test of patience, it’s a lot of fun, a lot of walking and most importantly it’s helping to train your puppy so that they can be accepted into formal Guide Dog training. 

“It’s like being handed a baby that soon grows into a mischievous toddler and then into a teenager before your eyes! It’s quite a journey to go on, you make a lovely bond with your puppy and show them the world and help them grow up resilient and eager to learn. 

“You meet a great bunch of people and have a support network around you all the time. There are puppy classes to attend and group trips on buses, trains and the airport to name just a few places. 

“I became a puppy raiser because I’ve always loved animals but didn’t go down the route of working with them when I left college so I was finally at a point in my family life where I had time to dedicate to a puppy. My youngest daughter was going to nursery three full days a week and my other two daughters were at school all day.  

“Jolly’s future owner will also be getting the most loving, sweet dog and I couldn’t be prouder than to have been a part of that.”

“My nan had gone blind in her last five years of life and puppy raising was something I had decided a long time ago that I wanted to do in her memory. It just had to be the right time for me and my family.” 

Along came Jolly! Bex continues: “My puppy is called Jolly and she’s in the final stages of her training in London. In the next couple of months she will be matched with her new owner. The person this journey I’ve been on was all for them. For Jolly to change their life for the better, to give them independence and confidence to go out into the world with a pair of eyes seeing for them. Jolly’s future owner will also be getting the most loving, sweet dog and I couldn’t be prouder than to have been a part of that. 

“Saying goodbye to Jolly was really tough but she came back to stay with us over Christmas and I will see her again at her training centre before she moves on to the most important stage of her life – being a guide dog.   

“The sadness I’ve felt has been overridden by pride and a feeling of accomplishment. Being a puppy raiser is an amazing thing to do… and when you say goodbye you can also have another puppy waiting in the wings to start all over again!” 

Getting Started

Puppy Development Supervisor Sophie Boorman says: “Looking after one of our pups is a big commitment and takes lots of kindness and patience, but we provide all the support and training you need. We want all our puppy raisers to feel well equipped and supported throughout.  

“Our puppy raisers are a vital part of a guide dog’s life journey, learning so many of their early life skills and gaining experiences and socialisation in a safe way with these volunteers. It’s incredibly rewarding to see a puppy gain new skills and confidence.  

“We encourage anyone who is interested in becoming a puppy raiser to reach out or to check our website for roles available in their area. We also have plenty of other ways to help out for people who may be interested in a different type of volunteer role!”  

Guide Dogs ask that you have a loving home and time to invest in their development and daily needs, for example toilet training. You should have access to a car so pup can get used to travelling and be able to handle large breed dogs, 25-40kg. Puppies can live happily with other dogs and children.  

And if proof were needed as to how life changing a guide dog can be with your help as a puppy raiser, blind and visually impaired owners talk of the “sky being the limit”, saying “he’s simply given me my life back! I’ve regained so much of the confidence I lost”.