The puppy raising program is administered by the Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) Canine Development Center (CDC) located in Patterson, New York. GEB breeds, whelps, and places their guide puppies with raisers. GEB's puppy raising program extends from Maine to North Carolina and the newest region in Ohio. There are more than 500 GEB puppies of varying ages out with raisers at any one time. The different states are divided into geographical puppy raising regions, which are administered on a day-to-day basis by volunteer Area Coordinators and their assistants. Guiding Eyes has on its staff several remote Puppy Evaluators, whose responsibility it is to oversee all aspects of the regions. The Puppy Evaluators travel to each of their regions quarterly, provide necessary guidance and instruction and support each pup's health and development.

Raising a puppy is no easy task! A puppy is not born a guide dog. It is a process that depends upon the dedication and commitment of an entire team of individuals.

Puppy raisers are the most critical volunteers at GEB because guide dogs cannot be raised in a kennel. Guide dogs must spend their early months being properly introduced to the world in order to achieve their full potential. You must be 17 year old to apply as a raiser. Some raisers are senior citizens. A puppy raiser's home can include personal pets as well. Raisers live in urban, rural, and suburban areas. More than 50 percent of the raisers are "repeat raisers."

Puppies usually stay with the raiser for 14 to 16 months. The puppy raiser provides obedience, social skill, and life experience training. Exposure to a broad range of experiences, appropriate to each stage of the dog's life, is crucial to developing a confident, adaptable dog. Puppy raisers must adhere to GEB rules and standards to provide consistent training and to secure the safety of the dog. Puppies must be crate trained (crates are provided by GEB) and must always be on lead and supervised when outside. GEB puppies are not to be fed people food as a "treat" and are not permitted on furniture. Raisers teach the puppies to be well mannered in social situations and to ride quietly in a car on the floor in front of the passenger seat.

In the Montgomery Region, raiser and sitter applicants are required to attend 6 Pre-Placement classes and must do some puppy sittings BEFORE getting a GEB puppy. Puppy raisers with puppies who are younger than 16 weeks old are required to attend weekly class and raisers with puppies who are older than 16 weeks old are required to attend class twice a month. Attendance at class provides the opportunity for the puppy to interact with other puppies and to experience different handlers and for the raiser to learn different handling techniques. Attending class also provides the opportunity for the Area Coordinators and helpers to offer instruction in dog handling and address raiser concerns. Puppies and their raisers must participate in quarterly evaluations to assess progress. The puppy raiser is responsible for the costs associated with puppy maintenance (dog food, toys, etc) and to travel to class and evaluations.

Contact Jody McCain for class registration at (301) 762-1939 or email  jodyms@comcast.net