11 new dogs start their schooling
11 New Dogs Start Their Schooling
Intake is a time in a Puppy Raisers life where the last 16 months of dedicated exposure and puppy socialization comes to an end.
Intake is the first day of “big school”
This is where that little 8-week-old pup, collected from puppy block, now all grown up, starts their journey towards becoming a working dog.
Trainers meet with the Puppy Raisers to learn what it has been like to raise this puppy, what their strengths and weaknesses are and to hear all about their quirky personality.
This is where they are told about how many chickens have gone missing off the kitchen counter, if the dog enjoys chasing birds but also, how well the dog has exceeded through the Puppy Program. It is very important for this meeting to happen as it helps the trainer get a better understanding of the dog and the Raiser gets to meet the person who will be taking the pup through the training process and hopefully graduation too.
It is both an emotional and exciting time. The trainer gets the next generation of working dogs to train every day and the Puppy Raiser says good luck to their pup with a purpose.
Guide-Dog trainers get 6 dogs per intake, Service and Autism Support trainers get 4-5 dogs each.
Some like to call formal training “boarding school” as the pups go home every Friday to rest after a long week of learning important new skills and come back on Monday fresh and ready for the new week. The dogs are placed with a mate inside our kennels where they have freedom to play, sleep and get up to mischief when no one is watching. The dogs need to learn patience all over again. When these clever pups start big school, from the very first day they are already sussing out their trainer. They have already figured out how to push their buttons and they pretend like they have never been taught obedience in their life before.
Back to the basics they go!
With monthly reports sent to the Puppy Raisers, they are kept informed of the progress their Pup has made and perhaps a little bit of homework is needed to ensure a successful partnership with someone in need.
We wish the January intake dogs of 2023 all the best, make us proud and put your best paw forward!