Attention all potential puppy raisers!

Aside from being an expert with cuddles, well-deserved treats and squeaky toys, do you think you have what it takes to be a puppy raiser?

Guide Dogs SA/NT is looking for happy homes and dog-loving people to raise its next round of puppies, arriving in February, as they begin their journeys to becoming life-changing Guide Dogs, Assistance Dogs or Facility Dogs.

Puppy raisers integrate a puppy into their daily routine and introduce them to a range of new experiences and environments as they prepare for their important career. The aim is to nurture each puppy to become well-socialised, confident and focused before they embark on their formal training program.

Puppies begin training from 8-10 weeks of age and remain in training until they are about 12-15 months old.

Puppy raisers are supported by a Puppy Raiser Adviser and they will need to attend sessions at the Guide Dogs SA/NT office in Adelaide, as well as sessions in the community.

Guide Dogs SA/NT Chief Executive Aaron Chia said as demand for Guide and Assistance Dogs continued to grow, more puppy raisers were needed to give young pups a great start on their journey.

“Our services are constantly expanding and more people and organisations are reaching out for our support,” Mr Chia said. “That means the more puppies we can raise to be great Guide Dogs, Facility Dogs or Assistance Dogs, the more we’re helping people living with low vision, blindness or other specialised needs.

“You can also take your puppy-in-training almost anywhere, as they need to get used to being in public. That could mean to work, on the bus or to a shopping centre. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love a Guide Dog puppy in training?”

There are several pre-requisites for puppy raisers, including being aged over 18, having a driver’s license, having the strength to handle a dog that will grow to weigh in excess of 30kg, being able to socialise the puppy in public environments, attending local training sessions, and ensuring puppies are not left alone for more than four hours.

Homes also need to fit certain criteria, including having a secure yard with adequate fencing, you must ensure the puppy can sleep inside, and live within approximately one hour of Adelaide or around Victor Harbor. To find out more about becoming a puppy raiser, click here.

The public can register their interest here.

As the new puppies are yet to arrive, we do not have any vision of them. However, you can meet some adorable stand-ins in the footage supplied here. While these puppies aren’t the ones coming to South Australia and the Northern Territory, they represent their little colleagues in training.