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No, this is not a competition, however it is something that has been weighing on my mind…should I continue being a guide dog Puppy Raiser or should I move to a different organization/school as well as volunteer as a service dog Puppy Raiser?
Over the past few years I’ve had the chance to talk to many of the different non-profit animal organizations out there. Most of you already understand that I’ve been a long time volunteer puppy raiser for guide Dogs of America (GDA). However, more just recently I’ve been thinking about branching out as well as discovering more about a few of the other wonderful assistance dog organizations.
Where should I Volunteer My Time?
Toby, GDA Puppy In TrainingWhile working for the technical education company, Ascolta I discovered the importance of volunteering time to my neighborhood as well as discovered exactly how rewarding it can be to assist others in need. Before I started volunteering with guide Dogs of America I included myself in the neighborhood as a foster parent for Cuddly Canines Rescue and likewise volunteered for special Olympics, habitat for Humanity, as well as working Wardrobes.
While I enjoyed assisting all of these organizations I truly like working with puppies as well as dogs while likewise assisting people.
I did think about for a short while going back to fostering (this may be something I do once again in the future), however I’ve always enjoyed the long term commitment of training a puppy from 8 week old puppies to 18 month old young adults. Not only the training, however the truth that you get to train a puppy to assist one more human being makes the experience all the more rewarding.
So why not continue as a guide dog Puppy Raiser? Honestly, I like increasing for GDA! I like my regional Orange region GDA group! I like the volunteers, staff, guide dog teams, as well as all people included with the organization. However, I wished to do a bit more:
I wished to discover more about all type of assistance dogs.
I wished to discover exactly how to teach more commands/cues.
I wished to work on more advanced training.
I desired the chance to work with not only the puppies in training, however likewise the clients.
Unfortunately, these things would not occur at guide Dogs of America. I still plan on assisting GDA whenever possible, however instead of continuing as a guide dog Puppy Raiser I wished to try volunteering as a service dog Puppy Raiser.
Assistance dog Organizations
Before I ended up being a GDA Puppy Raiser I researched as well as used to a number of other guide as well as service dog organizations in southern California. I really sent my application to these institutions back in 2006:
Guide Dogs of America (GDA) – I currently satisfy with the Orange region group in Irvine, CA
Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) – I satisfied with the objective Viejo, CA group a number of times.
Guide Dogs of the Desert (GDD) – I sent my application as well as emailed them a number of times, however never heard back.
Canine Companions For self-reliance (CCI) – I sent my application, spoke to the puppy manager as well as a couple trainers, I likewise went to their graduation in Oceanside, CA
That was the process back in 2006 as well as as you understand I ended up a puppy raiser for GDA. So far I’ve increased 4 puppies for guide Dogs of America as well as puppy sat lots (maybe even in the 100’s) of puppies for GDA.
Shortly after turning Apache (my 4th GDA pup) in for formal training I decided I wished to raise a service dog puppy in training instead of a guide dog. I promptly started researching schools. Here’s a listing of institutions I contacted:
Canine support teams (CST) – found in Temucla, CA. About 1 month after I turned in Apache he was career altered as well as began advanced training with CST. I had heard of CST ever since I increased my very first puppy, Stetson as well as discovered more as Apache went with the program. I used to the institution as well as went to a number of of their outings. Apache ultimately graduated from CST in April 2012.
Tender Loving Canine assistance Dogs (TLCAD) – Located in San Diego, CA. I used to the institution as well as went to a couple events. I likewise went though their training program as well as discovered some new things about training as well as assistance dogs. I composed a separate blog publish on TLCAD here.
Little Angeles service Dogs – likewise found in San Diego, CA. I used to TLCAD as well as went to an interview to ended up being a volunteer trainer. They never contacted me back after the interview evennull