Volunteer

Fosters are vital to our Assistance Dog program and our mission. These volunteers house, train and nurture our service dogs in training from 5-9 months of age to up to two years. Their mission is to love, care and socialize their service dog in training along with providing training at home, during outings and in group training classes. They work closely with the assistance dogs training team to learn cues, manners, appropriate behavior and how the dogs will help in the future either by being placed with an individual with a disability or in a school program. The complete care of the dog is the responsibility of the foster family including grooming, feeding, exercise, safety, health and socialization. The payback is wonderful knowing that you made a difference in the life of someone living with a disability to become more independent. Fosters attend New Handler classes, observe a training class, observe an outing and have a home evaluation/visit before receiving a dog. Once they receive their service dog in training, they attend weekly one hour group training classes with an assistance dogs trainer and their dog in training. The lessons are designed to help the dog build upon their foundation behaviors with the help of the reinforcement and training at home with the foster family. A foster is never alone in this learning process as the assistance dogs canine services team provides a constant link, help, and answers throughout the training process. All expenses are covered by assistance dogs, but fosters are welcome to provide approved treats and toys for the dog to enjoy. Dedication, consistency, communication, responsibility, enthusiasm, and love are all required for this important role.

Assistance Dogs are not just born they are raised, and the Puppy Raiser Volunteer plays an important role in our training beginning with our puppies at 10 weeks old. This role requires a lot of time and extra effort since puppies are puppies with a variety of needs and energy to learn and explore. These volunteers provide a safe home for the puppy for 10 weeks. New handler training classes, class observation, puppy orientation classes and a home evaluation/visit is required for this position. This time period is about helping the puppy to develop good habits through engaged supervision while laying the foundation for communication with the puppy through consistent training. Puppy Raisers also attend weekly classes and outings with their assistance dogs puppy. Progress reports, communication with the training staff, working with your assistance dogs mentor and transporting the puppy to outings and vet appointments is a requirement of this P.U.P. Puppy Raisers can choose to stay on as their puppy’s foster to finish their Service Dog training.

Sitters help assistance dogs and the fosters when they need to go out of town for vacation, family visits or in an emergency situation. Sitters are contacted by the assistance dogs volunteer coordinator when a dog needs a babysitter. The dog lives with the sitter and the length of time typically ranges from a weekend up to 2 weeks. The foster will update the sitter on the dog’s information, behaviors and provide the sitter with food, a crate, toys, and treats for the dogs stay. The sitter’s role is to keep the dog safe, happy and well behaved during the time the dog is living with the sitter. The sitter does not need to attend training classes but do need to reinforce the cues and rules that were taught in the New Handler training classes that are required for all sitters while sitting. The sitter provides information on the stay and the dog’s behavior when the foster returns. The sitter is not permitted to walk the dog or take the dog out in public or to parks. Sitters are also required to complete a home visit with an assistance dogs staff member.