Be a Puppy Raiser for Genesis – Here’s Why
Public awareness of the assistance that highly trained dogs can provide to people with disabilities is vastly increasing. The need for service dogs in Florida is rising almost exponentially. Unfortunately, the availability of service dogs in Florida is not keeping pace with the demand. If you have ever considered becoming a puppy raiser to help those in need of a service dog, there has never been a better time to start! Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc. is the only organization you should consider and we want to tell you why.
1. Genesis Assistance Dogs, Inc. believes in quality over quantity. As a small organization our focus is to insure that the perfect match is made between puppy raiser and puppy. What that means for our puppy raisers is that you have a say in the age group of dog you are most comfortable training. Some people love the infancy stage (8 weeks to 8 months old) where housebreaking, playtime and basic commands are taught while others prefer the toddler stage, which includes socialization, traveling within the community and reinforcement of behaviors already learned, while others prefer the young adult stage where our assistance dogs learn behaviors specific to their intended human companion.
2. As a Genesis puppy raiser you are not alone. Our puppy raisers are welcome to reach out to our trainer as needed. There will, of course, be regular training sessions for both you and your charge, but our trainer is available for additional tips and counseling as needed.
3. Puppy raisers for Genesis are an important part of our extended family. You will have the opportunity to remain in touch with the former or the next puppy raiser and will be able to see your protégé ultimately work with their human companion. Genesis believes in fostering community amongst our puppy raisers and our clients. You will have a front row seat to watching the transformation of a puppy into a highly trained service dog in Florida.
4. Unlike many other organizations, Genesis Assistance Dogs Inc. doesn’t mass produce service dogs in Florida. You won’t be reporting to an area manager who oversees 5-10 puppy raisers at a time – you’ll be working directly with our trainer. It is typical for us to have only 2 or 3 dogs in training at any one time – all at various ages. With additional puppy raisers we will be able to increase the number of pups in training without losing sight of who we are.
Knowing that you are participating in a life changing project that will provide assistance to a person with a disability is, hands down, one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. There will be no greater sense of accomplishment, pride and joy that you will ever experience then when your pup is finally placed into service.
Please complete an application to become a Genesis Assistance Dog Inc. puppy raiser. The need is now, and it’s real. You will receive so much more in return than you could ever have imagined when you help us provide service dogs in Florida to those in need. Be a part of the Genesis Difference.
