It is a rewarding, necessary task but it is also guaranteed heartbreak. The task is giving Leader Dogs a good start, so that the possible service dogs can be trained, in the future, for vision and hearing impaired individuals:

“…The main goals of a puppy raiser are to teach the dogs socialization skills and make them aware of everyday sights, sounds and experiences. That means taking the puppies to the grocery store, malls, parade, parks, on elevators, fireworks, restaurants, Pistons games and fire stations.”

link: Couple dedicates family life to raising Leader Dogs

And then, that puppy raiser says ‘good bye’, as the dog moves on to learn to be a service dog. The importance of the work that the puppy raisers do is invaluable. It is providing pup with the basic foundation to be bold and stable. Kudos to the people and families who give these service dogs such a great start. They are a vital part of a love story.

Catherine Forsythe