Guiding Eyes for the Blind is dedicated to enriching the lives of blind and visually impaired men and women by providing them with the freedom to travel safely, thereby assuring greater independence, dignity and new horizons of opportunity.

Description:
If you love to work with dogs and want to make a difference in someone's life, this program is for you! A Puppy Raiser provides the foundation from which one-half of a successful guide dog team is made. A Puppy Raiser welcomes an eight week old puppy into his/her home for approximately one year, providing the puppy with the love, affection, socialization and the basic obedience it will need to succeed in guide dog school. No prior experience is required, however the puppy raiser must be able to provide a loving, safe and healthy home environment for the puppy. Guiding Eyes assumes responsibility for the required medical care of the puppy including check-ups and vaccinations. A crate is provided along with a "Welcome Home" Puppy Kit which contains some of the basic items needed to raise the puppy. The Puppy Raiser is responsible for providing the food and basic supplies, the cost of which is tax-deductible.

There is no minimum age requirement to raise a puppy provided young people have the support of their family and appropriate adult supervision. Puppy Raisers are responsible for teaching basic obedience and house manners, plus taking the puppy on age appropriate socialization experiences. Puppy Raisers receive support and guidance from volunteer staff members. Pre-Puppy Placement Classes are provided to the Puppy Raiser prior to acquiring a puppy. When the puppy is placed in the home, an experienced Team Member provides assistance by reviewing the Puppy Placement material and answering any questions. Additionally, follow-up training sessions can be scheduled as needed. Mandatory puppy classes are held once or twice monthly to help the puppy in the socialization process.

History:
Guiding Eyes has been breeding their own dogs since the mid-1960s, to ensure a reliable resource of quality dogs to train as guide dogs. The Puppy Raising Program , in existence almost as long as Guiding Eyes itself, is one of the most well-developed programs of its kind.

Contact person: Sue Reznak, Project Manager, (email)

Address:

Huguenot Midlothian, VA 23113 (See a map)

Web Site: http://volunteer.guidingeyes.org