Registered Charity Number: 17821
This page was last updated 16-06-10

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PUPPY SOCIALISERS WANTED

The primary goal of a Puppy Socialiser is to love and raise a puppy to be well-mannered, confident and socialized until the puppy is ready to begin formal assistance dog training.  Raising an assistance dog puppy is truly an unforgettable experience.  It is fun, but it also requires a great deal of personal time, responsibility and a commitment from the entire family. Many Puppy Socialisers find this programme so rewarding they choose to participate again and again. The importance of proper training for an assistance dog starts from a very, small young puppy only a few weeks old, the first stage of which can last for anything from 12 -18 months depending on the individual.  The home environment provides love and essential bonding with people as well as an early start of good house manners, familiarisation with the everyday world and early exposure to social situations that prepares the puppies for their future as assistance dogs.

Irish Dogs for the Disabled are actively looking for suitable volunteers to assist with the basic socialisation training for the puppy’s first phase. 
 

Go to our page on Puppy Socialiser 'Frequently  Asked Questions'   click here
You can also download our Puppy Socialiser Information Guide which is available in pdf format by clicking here

If you feel you can be a Puppy Socialiser then we would like to hear from you. 

Socialisers are the most amazing people, each family opens their home and hearts to a little puppy, raising it with lots of love and special training, so the puppy can advance to the next stage of training where it will receive more intensive specialised training. The socialisers are responsible for the puppy’s care, safety, and behaviour in the home and out in the big wide world.  Irish Dogs for the Disabled ensures that close support is given to the socialiser during training, we will meet with you and the puppy regularly.   We provide food, support and veterinary expenses and all equipment that is needed. 
The foundation of this programme is built on the love and trust provided by Puppy Socialiser Families.  Puppy Socialisers also acts as goodwill ambassadors to promote public awareness and support for the assistance dog project.  Many of our Puppy Socialisers are only too willing to participate in fundraising events and have even given demonstrations and spoken at public meetings and schools to promote the work of Irish Dogs for the Disabled. 

If you seriously would like to consider taking on this very worthwhile role and become a Puppy Socialiser then download the application form (available as a PDF document) or alternatively contact Irish Dogs for Disabled directly who will arrange to send an application form to you.

 Click Here to download Puppy Socialiser Application Form

If you haven't got Adobe Acrobat reader installed on your PC click here for a free download.

Case History:

Puppy Socialisation from a much younger viewpoint:
 

My name is Eilis. This is Asha in the photograph with me. Asha came to live with us in February last year. I was afraid of dogs so my parents decided it would be a good idea to get one (go figure!). Asha was eleven weeks old when she moved in. She was up to all sorts of puppy tricks and was excited about everything!! – the clothes on the line, my new runners, food on the table, everything. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to this hyper puppy, but she was so cute she got away with destroying many household items!  Since then Asha has calmed down a lot. My runners can be left on the floor without being chewed and my dinner is safe if I leave the table.We love bringing Asha out and about with us. Lots of people stop to ask questions and for a rub! Mum is always giving out because a trip to the shopping centre can take twice as long with all those people stopping us. Sometimes when we are in a hurry she tells us not to look people in the eye and to keep walking!
I love taking care of Asha. She loves to be brushed and she gets excited when she sees me getting her hair brush. I help clean her ears and we go for lots of walks.
I’m not afraid of dogs any more and I want to be a vet when I grow up.

 



 

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