Raising an Assistance Dog Puppy

by Laurie Leach

Christine Lynch, a first-time puppy raiser, became interested in raising an assistance dog puppy when she worked in an office with another puppy raiser. “I have a niece who may have MS,” Christine said. “I thought it would be cool if I could raise a dog to help someone like her.” Christine’s charge Gemi is a typical loose-skinned, bright-eyed, floppy-eared pup. It takes imagination to see that this Lab/Golden Retriever cross may one day turn light switches on and off, pull a jacket from the dryer, bark on command to get help, or perform dozens of other commands to assist a person with a disability. But that definitely is what Christine imagines for her puppy.

Assistance dogs perform a stunning array of services. One might first think of dogs who guide blind people, but they are not the only assistance dogs. There are dogs who help physically disabled people by pulling wheelchairs, retrieving dropped objects, and opening refrigerators. Some dogs let hearing-impaired people know that a baby is crying, someone is at the door, or the phone is ringing. Social dogs serve as a child’s best friend and part-time helper. Facility dogs work in special education classrooms and hospitals. The journey from tiny puppy to highly trained assistance dog requires the love and expertise of dozens of people, no one of them more important than the puppy raiser. Puppy raisers are like foster parents who open their homes and hearts to pups from the time they are 8 weeks old until they are returned to the organization at 16 to 18 months for advanced training.

People are drawn to puppy raising for a multitude of reasons. When faced with a life-threatening illness, psychotherapist Barbara Brannon wanted to do things she had never done before; raising an assistance pup was one of those things. Now her pup joins her when she conducts therapy sessions at a juvenile detention facility.

Cyndy Thomas said, “I wanted to fill the empty nest when our only child left for college.” Fourteen year old Casey Monaghan saw what an assistance dog could do when his sister received a skilled companion dog. Universally, puppy raisers want to make a personal contribution to improving someone’s life.

Puppy raisers often balance the responsibility for a young animal along with a full-time job. Connie Van Schaick, currently raising her ninth puppy, got started when she found out from a coworker that she could bring the pup to work at Agilent Technologies. “Raising assistance dogs is part of the [corporate] culture,” she said. “I keep the pup tethered to my desk when I am working and I take her to meetings.” Cathy Tsao, who works for an educational organization, wrote, “My workplace accepts Chie and has also welcomed my new pup Lark III with open arms. Everyone is getting ready for Chie’s turn-in in a week and a half. They are having a farewell potluck for her the day before turn-in.”

Puppy raising comes with lots of responsibilities. Puppy raisers, of course, provide love, comfort, exercise, and security, but when dealing with a future star, that is just the start. Puppy raisers teach their canine charges to have perfect house manners. No time on the sofa for these pups. They also train them to respond to an array of advanced commands like lying under a table or waiting at a doorway before walking through. Raisers also get their pups extensive world experience, so that busy streets, crowds, and stores are simply routine.

Puppy raisers generally attend regular training classes in which they learn correct methods for teaching their pups and share common experiences with other puppy raisers. “I didn’t know anything about raising an assistance dog,” Christine said. “I was afraid I was going to ruin her. Going to class is my favorite part because I’ve learned that even experienced puppy raisers run into occasional challenges.” There is joy when welcoming a new puppy member of the family, but soon all the challenges of caring for a canine infant begin: midnight potty outings, teaching no gnawing on hands, crate training, and teaching not to chase the kitty, and more. Soon enough the pup is a member of the family who knows the routines and is learning a long list of commands. “I love seeing Kelsa’s skills as a future assistance dog develop,” Casey said.

There is one unadvertised twist which Cathy captures well. “Being a puppy raiser is addicting.” The journey from tiny puppy to graduation as a highly trained assistance dog requires the love and expertise of dozens of people, no one of them more important than the puppy raiser.

Emily Williams, currently raising her twelfth puppy, said, “Each new pup is all promise and hope. Each one has the potential to be a miracle for someone.” New puppy raisers, in short, should be prepared to get hooked.

The puppies’ return to their home organization is usually a time of deep sadness and high excitement. Puppy raisers experience the mixed emotions of parents sending children off to college, sad to see them leave, yet excited about their future, hoping they have given them the right stuff to graduate.

To alleviate the sadness, many puppy raisers get another pup right away. “Part of the reason I got Lark was to help me with the transition of saying good-bye to Chie,” Cathy said. Barbara, who was merely hoping to stay healthy enough to raise one dog, also started with her second before the first one was turned in. We couldn’t bear the thought of a dog-empty house.” But whatever, puppy raisers do, it is never easy. “Our hearts break,” Barbara said. “But once you go to graduation and see the dogs bring joy to someone’s life, you know it’s okay to have a broken heart for a while.”