2006 Puppy Raising

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Puppy Socialization / Assessment

1. Your school's policies regarding puppy raisers are best described as: (Mark all that apply.)

  • We encourage contact between the raiser and graduate and facilitate such contact.
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDF, GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader)
  • We do not encourage contact between graduates and puppy raisers.
    • (No schools chose this option.)
  • We pass along some puppy raiser-provided information about the dog to the handler during training.
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • We pass along communications between graduates and puppy raisers upon request.
    • (Fidelco, Freedom, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GDTX, GEB, Pilot, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • We discourage contact between graduates and puppy raisers for a prescribed period of time after graduation.
    • (Pilot)

2. Your school's puppy socialization/assessment program includes: (Mark all that apply.)

  • members of school-organized raiser groups
    • (GDA, GDDI, GEB, Seeing Eye)
  • 4H club members
    • (Fidelco, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, Seeing Eye)
  • adult volunteers
    • (Fidelco, Freedom, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • youth volunteers
    • (Fidelco, Freedom, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, SEGD)
  • school-screened applicants
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDDI, GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • selected residents of correctional facilities who are part of an organized program
    • (GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, SEGD)
  • school staff members
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • other (Please specify.)
    • (Freedom: home-schooling families;  GDB: instructor-staff and graduates may also participate in the puppy-raising program)

3. Please mark all statements that describe your puppy socialization/assessment program.

  • Participants in the puppy raising program are not subject to formal guidelines from the school.
    • (No school selected this option.)
  • The puppy raising program is formally organized with a puppy raising manual that sets out specific guidelines for raisers to follow.
    • (All schools checked this option.)
  • Participants in the school's puppy raising/socialization program must attend regular meetings.
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, Leader, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • Periodic assessment takes place to insure that participants in the program regularly and strictly adhere to established procedures for puppy raising/socialization.
    • (Fidelco, Freedom, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • Raisers are responsible for teaching basic obedience to the puppies.
    • (All schools checked this option.)
  • Raisers are responsible for making sure puppies learn appropriate house behaviors.
    • (All schools checked this option.)

4. How frequently are puppies evaluated by school approved staff or volunteers? (Please indicate.)

  • Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation: weekly
  • Freedom Guide Dogs for the Blind: depends on the raiser
  • Guide Dogs of America (GDA): monthly or as often as needed
  • Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB): minimum monthly, generally twice per month
  • Guide Dogs of the Desert International (GDDI): monthly
  • Guide Dog Foundation (GDF): minimum monthly, usually more than twice monthly
  • Guide Dogs of Texas (GDTX): monthly minimum
  • Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB): minimum every three months
  • KSDS: monthly reports are completed by raisers and sent to staff and several observations are made by staff
  • Leader Dogs for the Blind: monthly
  • Pilot Dogs: monthly
  • Southeastern Guide Dogs (SEGD): monthly
  • The Seeing Eye: monthly

5.  Behaviors that may cause a puppy to be dropped from training include: (Please mark all that apply.)

  • dog aggression
    • (All schools)
  • aggression toward people
    • (All schools)
  • regular relieving accidents
    • (Fidelco, Freedom, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, KSDS, Leader, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • fear of loud noises
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, KSDS, Leader, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • pronounced fear-reactions to environmental stimuli
    • (Fidelco, Freedom, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader, SEGD, Seeing Eye)

6. Your program's health screening for puppies includes: (Indicate all that apply.)

  • a complete physical exam performed by a veterinarian 
    • (All schools)
  • screening for skeletal problems including hip and elbow dysplasia
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GDTX, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, SEGD, Seeing Eye)
  • screening for common chronic conditions that could necessitate ongoing treatment or medication for the dog 
    • (Fidelco, GDA, GDB, GDDI, GDF, GEB, KSDS, Leader, Pilot, Seeing Eye)