So You Want To Be A Puppy-Raiser?

Many of ASDA’s dogs are raised from puppies (from approximately 8 weeks of age). For the first year of a puppy’s life, puppies are raised in the homes of volunteer families or individuals. Whether puppy-raisers are young families, couples with or without children or single individuals, they all share one trait in common: They are willing to devote the time, energy and love necessary to successfully socialize a puppy.

Volunteer ASDA puppy-raisers undertake the job of socialization and basic obedience training. The puppies attend obedience training classes with an ASDA trainer the first Saturday of the month from 9:00AM-noon.

Puppy-raisers must be able to commit to the monthly classes while the puppy is in the home. Social outings are also part of the Saturday meetings. We take the puppies to the local mall, movie theatre and/or restaurants and parks.

At 12-18 months of age, puppies return to ASDA custody for 6 months of specialized service dog training with ASDA staff. 

ARE YOU READY TO BECOME A PUPPY-RAISER?

Before you consider if puppy-raising is right for you, there are some important questions to consider. If you can answer “yes” then you will become a valued ASDA puppy-raiser!

Are you willing to make a 12-18 month commitment to the puppy?

Will you invest the time needed to successfully raise a puppy?

Are you patient and consistent with animals?

Will you be devoted to the project?

Are you home during the day? (the puppy cannot be crated more than 4 hours at a time)

If you aren’t home during the day, will you take the puppy to work, school etc.?

Are you willing to follow the instructions of ASDA trainers?

Are you committed to making the puppy a member of your family?

The Puppy Raising Commitment

ASDA trainers interview potential pupp-raisers in their homes. Potential raisers submit completed applications for approval and attend preliminary club meetings. In addition:

All members of the household must be committed to raising a puppy.

Raisers can be adults or youth, 11 years (with adult oversight) and older.

Raisers must provide a safe and secure living environment. Young puppies need to be supervised throughout the day. All puppies must be on leash when not in a secure area.

The relationship with other pets in the home must be compatible.

Puppies must live and sleep indoors.

Raisers must provide daily exercise and socialization for the puppies.

Raisers and puppies attend regularly scheduled ASDA meetings and outings.

Raisers are responsible for some expenses, including food and incidental expenses. These expenses are tax-deductible to Oregon residents.

Raisers use ASDA training and management techniques when working with the puppies.

Raisers must be a positive representative of Autism Service Dogs of America within their communities.

Raisers are required to release the puppy back to Autism Service Dogs of America at the organization’s request.

INFORMATION ABOUT ASDA PUPPIES

Breeds used as service dogs: Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Labrador/Golden Retriever crossbreeds, Golden Retriever/Labrador/Golden Retriever/German Shepherd crossbreeds. 

ASDA puppies are considered part of the family. They sleep indoors and accompany their raisers to activities and outings.

Raisers receive the pups when they are approximately 4 months old. The dogs are returned to ASDA between 16 and 20 months of age.

Puppy-raising is an accredited 4-H project; however, adults and non 4-H youth may also raise puppies for our organization.

From Puppies to Partners

Once the dogs have been returned to our custody, they spend approximately four to eight months in formal autism service dog training with professional instructors. Then they are placed with a family with an autistic child who has been screened and accepted for an ASDA service dog placement. The parents of the child receive training in Portland with the dog and upon successful training completion return home with the service dog. After two weeks a trainer from ASDA travels to the family home and begins tether training with the dog and child for approximately 7 days. Once the dog handler (parent) and child have met the public accessibility guidelines, the dog and handler are certified as a service dog team for the benefit of the child with autism.

Puppy-raisers are invited to officially present the ASDA puppy they raised to their new families and (with the permission of the recipient family) may communicate regarding progress of the dog and child.

Why Raise an ASDA Puppy?

The important role of puppy-raisers in ASDA success

Why raise an ASDA puppy? Your first answer might be, “because puppies are so cuddly, adorable and fun!” And you’re right—puppies are terribly cute and raising an ASDA puppy is a lot of fun. But, raising a future service dog also takes time, patience and commitment...

An ASDA puppy requires anywhere from 12 to 18 months of development in a raiser's home before it is ready to return to ASDA for advanced service dog training. A puppy raiser is responsible for teaching an ASDA pup good behavior both at home and in public, and what to expect in our busy world.

A raiser also rears the puppy to be a disabled person’s close companion—to trust and be trusted. The puppy-raiser’s goal is to raise an energetic and curious pup into a mature, dependable dog that  possesses the following canine characteristics:

Good house manners. The puppy is well-behaved and will not relieve in the house, is quiet and calm, eats only its own food and is not destructive.

Socialized to the world. The puppy has been exposed to a wide variety of people, situations and places, and accepts novel environments in a calm and thoughtful manner.

Well-traveled. The puppy is relaxed and comfortable when traveling in all modes of transportation—cars, buses, trains, airplanes, ferries, etc.

People-friendly. The puppy bonds well with people, enjoys receiving affection and praise and is eager to please.

Animal-friendly. The puppy is calm and appropriate around all sorts of animals: dogs, cats, birds, squirrels, livestock, etc.

Responsive. The puppy obeys basic commands and is cooperative during various training exercises.

Formal service dog training takes place in Lake Oswego by ASDA trainers, but a puppy raiser’s work is crucial to the dog’s success as a service dog for a child with autism. The initial socialization, basic obedience, praise and exposure to novel environments that a dog receives during puppy raising, prepares a pup for the diverse situations it will encounter as an autism service dog.

Although there is a lot of work involved in raising an ASDA puppy, the rewards are tremendous. By raising an ASDA puppy, you have made a huge difference in the quality of life for a child with autism and his or her family. To read more about the astounding benefit of an ASDA service dog, please visit the testimonial section of our website at www.autismservicedogsofamerica.com

The reward for a puppy-raiser’s dedication, effort and love is the safe mobility of a child (and reassurance for the entire family) that is achieved with an ASDA service dog.

In addition to providing safety by preventing a young child from running into the street or away from caretakers, the service dog stimulates the child’s speech patterns, particularly the expressive and receptive patterns, an area of deficit in children with autism. The child talks, plays and interacts with the dog; the dog is integrated into the child’s therapy sessions and also stimulates empathetic and affection responses in previously non-responsive children 

Puppy-Raising Frequently Asked Questions

How old is a puppy when it is placed with a puppy-raiser? A puppy is placed in the home of volunteer raiser when it is at least sixteen weeks old.

How long does a puppy stay with the puppy-raiser? A puppy usually remains in the puppy raiser home until it is between 16 and 20 months old. The length of time may vary, depending on the individual puppy's development.

Do I need dog training experience to be an ASDA puppy-raiser? No. It is, however, helpful if you have a pet dog, or had one in the past.

Are there meetings to attend with the puppy? Yes. Puppy raising groups meet regularly under the direction of an ASDA trainer. The group meets once a month. The meetings generally last 3 hours depending on the activities scheduled. The meetings take place in and around the Lake Oswego area.

These informational meetings offer training techniques, socialization excursions with the puppy, and provide an opportunity to meet other raisers.

Do I have to be a member of the 4-H organization to raise an ASDA puppy? No; however, raising an ASDA puppy can be an accredited 4-H project. Adult raisers may participate in 4-H raising clubs as leaders for 4-H registration purposes.

Where does an ASDA puppy stay when the raiser is out of town? ASDA raisers frequently trade with each other when the raisers are away. In some cases, a puppy can accompany the raiser on an out-of-town trip (with ASDA approval) in order to further the pup’s socialization.

Can I have other pets while raising an ASDA puppy? Yes. Controlled, supervised interaction between an ASDA puppy and other animals is beneficial for the ASDA puppy.

Where can an ASDA puppy accompany its puppy raiser? An ASDA puppy should be exposed to a variety of socialization experiences. Puppy-raisers take pups to malls, grocery stores, school and work, among other places. We encourage occasional trips to noisy chaotic environments in order to help the puppy adapt to loud, sudden noises and activities (county fairs, Bullwinkle’s, Chucky Cheese). Puppy-raising scheduled meetings will include outings specifically designed for puppy socialization. Trainers also teach the raisers appropriate ways in which to expose ASDA puppies to a wide range of socialization experiences.

Does an ASDA puppy require any special foods? Yes. ASDA does require that ASDA puppies be fed our preferred brands of high-quality dry dog food. An ASDA puppy should never receive table scraps or dog treats from strangers.

Who pays for an ASDA puppy's food and other expenses? The raiser pays for the puppy's food, flea treatment, toys and incidental equipment such as grooming tools, food bowls and a crate, if needed.

ASDA supplies leashes, puppy identification, vests and collars. ASDA also provides up to $250 veterinary care reimbursement.

Are the costs of raising an ASDA puppy tax deductible? Yes. ASDA is a nonprofit charitable organization and all expenses incurred by the raiser for raising the puppy (dog food, veterinary bills, gas mileage, etc.) are considered a donation to ASDA. ASDA suggests puppy-raisers consult with a tax advisor about the proper IRS documentation requirements.

What happens to a puppy that does not become a service dog? Known as a “career-change” dog, the puppy raiser is given priority to keep the dog as a pet. If the raiser chooses not to keep the puppy, ASDA has a list of applicants eager to offer these dogs loving adoptive homes.

Is it time-consuming to raise an ASDA puppy? Raising an ASDA puppy does involve an investment of time grooming, socializing and caring for the puppy. Puppy-raisers are taught ways in which to incorporate ongoing training into a raisers’ daily schedule and routine.

Do puppy-raisers find it hard to return the puppy to ASDA? Puppy-raisers become attached to their puppies; however, they find tremendous satisfaction in the knowledge that these dogs become loving assistance animals for children with autism. All puppy- raisers are invited to formally present their dog to the recipient family and share puppy raising experiences with their dog’s new family.

AUTISM SERVICE DOGS OF AMERICA

"SPECIAL DOGS SERVING SPECIAL KIDS"

4248 Galewood Street

Lake Oswego , Oregon 97035

(503 314-6913)

www.autismservicedogsofamerica.com

info@autismservicedogsofamerica.com 

Download our puppy raiser application form