Autism Dog Services is in dire need of puppy raisers to help raise young dogs that will one day help a family in need.
“We are not able to (get new puppies into the program) right now because we have exhausted our list for puppy raisers,” said ADS executive director Vicky Spadoni.
“This implies huge impacts to our service dog program because we have a very healthy wait list of clients, and families waiting for an autism service dog.
“And if we don’t keep our flow of puppies coming into our program, and being raised up the ranks, that affects us being able to place dogs into the hands of the people who need them most.”
Puppy raisers usually take on a dog for 12 to 18 months, depending on the dog’s skill set, before moving on to advanced training.
But Spadoni said even a six month commitment would help go a long way.
“That gives us time to continue to recruit, but still be able to bring puppies into the program,” she said.
The program covers such costs as dog food, training support, vet care and equipment.
Music to the ears of Jessika Hurd, a fourth-year sociology student at the University of Guelph. She has been a puppy raiser since 2021, something she always wanted to do.
“I didn’t have any pets or anything like that growing up,” she said. “(My first dog with the program, Pablo, a male golden retriever) was a big learning curve for me.”
But Hurd said the ADS program offered plenty of support and guidance for her, from bi-weekly puppy classes, manuals and slideshows, training tips and more.
“Of course having a puppy, having any young animal is going to be a bit of work, especially if you don’t know what you’re doing,” she said.
“But it’s something that I would do over and over again.”
Hurd is on her second dog.
Kora, a female black labrador, goes everywhere Hurd goes. Whether that be to school, to work, grocery stores, malls, the coffee shop, and is quite active on social media.
“It’s so rewarding,” she said. “It’s also so fun having a dog and being able to bring it everywhere.”
Hurd said for anyone interested, and those who may be concerned about the time commitment, ADS helps you dip your toe in by being a puppy sitter.
You can also go to a class, and see what age group you’re more comfortable with, because you don’t necessarily have to go with a young pup, you can get an older dog.
The difference between a puppy sitter and puppy raiser is the time commitment.
Sitters can take a dog for say a weekend or a couple weeks, maybe longer, to help puppy raisers in case something comes up.
You also become part of a community. Hurd said many of the Guelph area puppy raisers are part of a group on Facebook, where they exchange updates, tips and more.
“I’ve made lifelong friends now through this organization that I don’t think I would have ever met,” she said. “We meet up all the time, or we have a group chat.”
It’s a large group, she said. Guelph serves as the largest catchment area for the program.
The hope is to grow the group, whether it be people still working from home, a stay-at-home parent, retired or semi-retired folks, others with flexible schedules or have the ability to bring the dog with them to work or school.
You can apply to be a puppy raiser on the Autism Dog Services website.
To see the impact these puppies have on people’s lives, take a look at this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6rZofLeWHo&authuser=1
