Puppy Raiser
Program
Puppy Raiser
Want to Volunteer to become a Puppy Raiser?
Your Service Dog Inc’s Puppy Raiser Program is one of the cornerstone supports of our P.E.P. Program. Without the devoted assistance and commitment we receive from our Puppy Raisers, we would be unable to go on to provide phase two program dogs or puppies to any of the disabled persons who apply to us wishing to obtain a Service Dog in Training Prospect.
The role of the Puppy Raiser is crucial to providing top-quality Service Dog in Training Prospects to our clients.
After initial selection at a rescue or shelter, or after the donation of a puppy to Your Service Dog Inc, the Puppy Raiser takes over the responsibility of caring for the future Service Dog Prospect during the dog’s (or puppy’s) initial training and evaluation period.
Your Service Dog Inc’s Puppy Raisers are carefully selected, vetted, and interviewed before being accepted into the program. There is a 7 day learning period given to each Puppy Raiser Candidate during which the Puppy Raiser learns all about what is involved in becoming one of Your Service Dog Inc’s Elite Team of Puppy Raisers.
During this time, the Puppy Raiser learns about their responsibilities and the support system in Your Service Dog Inc to assist them as they raise a future generation of Full Potential Service Dogs.
Each Puppy Raiser is provided with a manual outlining what is required of them and containing guidelines that will help during their volunteer work for Your Service Dog Inc.
Each of Your Service Dog Inc’s Puppy Raisers work in collaboration with the Trainers at Your Service Dog School to give the Program Dog (or Puppy) placed in their care the best opportunity to eventually become a Full Potential Service Dog once their training has been completed.
The role of the Puppy Raiser ends once the Program Dog or Puppy that Your Service Dog Inc has placed in their care completes their phase two training and is placed with a disabled Handler.
The Puppy Raiser can, at that point, request another puppy and begin the process again if they wish.
There is no set time limit within which this training and evaluation period must be completed; however, it usually takes about 6 months.
During this time, the Puppy Raiser will assist with training while following the online Prospect Evaluation course at Your Service Dog School and the directions of the Trainer appointed by Your Service Dog School to assist them as they navigate the course.
The Puppy Raiser will be required to monitor the Program Dog (or puppy) placed in their care and to keep a record of the dog or Pup’s progress in a journal. They will also be required to send in videos of the Program Dog’s (or puppy’s) progress to the Trainers at Your Service Dog School.
Each Puppy Raiser will be assigned their personal Trainer at Your Service Dog School and receive the support of a dedicated Team of Trainers at Your Service Dog School, including Service Dog Coach Lelah Sullivan, the Headmistress of Your Service Dog School, Mary Walshe and the Head Trainer at Your Service Dog School, Rebecca Mather.
Becoming a member of Your Service Dog Inc’s Puppy Raiser Program necessitates that you follow the guidelines given by the Trainers at Your Service Dog School and complete the Prospect Evaluation Course at Your Service Dog School. The Trainers carry out the continued evaluation of the dog (or puppy) at Your Service Dog School during this course.
Your Service Dog Inc values the donation of time and funds as well as the tender loving care lavished by those who participate in our Puppy Raiser Program on our Program Dogs (and Puppies).
As a token of our appreciation, upon completing their agreed term with a Program Dog (or Puppy), every Puppy Raiser will be presented with a dated Certificate of Gratitude from Your Service Dog Inc.
This certificate will include the image and the name of the Dog (or Puppy) that the Puppy Raiser has assisted Your Service Dog Inc with during their phase one and Two training and evaluation period. It will also include the Puppy Raiser’s name.
In gratitude to those Puppy Raisers who choose to volunteer to raise one of Your Service Dog Inc’s Program Dogs (or puppies), we present a Bronze Certificate upon completing the Prospect Evaluation Course at Your Service Dog School.
In gratitude to Puppy Raisers who choose to volunteer for a second term, we present a Silver Certificate upon completing the Prospect Evaluation Course with their second Program Dog (or puppy) at Your Service Dog School.
In gratitude to Puppy Raisers who choose to volunteer for a third term) we present a Gold Certificate upon completing the Prospect Evaluation Course at Your Service Dog School with their third Program Dog (or puppy).
Because of the critical role that Puppy Raisers play in providing quality Service Dogs to our clients, Your Service Dog Inc dedicates a carefully selected team of suitably qualified personnel and Trainers to assist those who volunteer for this position.
If you would like to make a difference in the quality of life of a person with disabilities by becoming one of our Puppy Raisers, please email us at: puppyraiser@yourservicedog.org, and one of our team will be happy to speak with you in more detail about the position.
Your Service Dog Inc 501c3 nonprofit was born out of one woman’s dream that anyone who needed and wished to have a Service Dog to mitigate their disability should be able to obtain a Service Dog regardless of their ability to access funds.
This woman noted that having a Service Dog was as necessary a medical aide as having a wheelchair or a cane, and she set about training Service Dogs and placing them free of charge with the disabled who came to her wishing to obtain a Service Dog.
Placing trained Service Dogs with people meant that she could only reach and help a tiny fraction of the people who were in need of a Service Dog, so she began to teach disabled persons how to train their own Service Dog.
Although teaching people to train their own Service Dogs was able to provide help to more people, there was still a limit to the number of students which our founder, Lelah Sullivan, was able to coach personally herself.
We plan to carry on Lelah Sullivan’s life mission, multiplied many times over (even after she can no longer personally contribute) so that her dream can live on and continue to provide a new lease on life to many who might otherwise be without hope.
This website contains information about our organization, and provides details about the services and resources we offer regarding Service Dogs.
It was very discouraging to see a great need and be limited due to lack of time, money and other resources.
It was suggested that perhaps forming a nonprofit would be the way to go so that with more people helping, more people could be helped – because as they say, “Many hands make light work!”
Of course, forming and maintaining a nonprofit is not easy to do either, but with perseverance and much hard work, we were able to make Lelah’s dream a reality, and now YSDI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Tax Exempt Organization!
We are now in the process of developing a variety of programs dedicated to enhancing the Quality of life for people with disabilities by helping them to train a Full Potential Service Dog Partner to perform to his or her full potential in order to provide superior Canine Assistance as well as providing services to Service Dog handlers to help the Handler attain their full human potential, utilizing Canine Assistance, and we rely solely on donations and grants to fund our operation.
It was very discouraging to see a great need and be limited due to lack of time, money and other resources.
It was suggested that perhaps forming a nonprofit would be the way to go so that with more people helping, more people could be helped – because as they say, “Many hands make light work!”
Of course, forming and maintaining a nonprofit is not easy to do either, but with perseverance and much hard work, we were able to make Lelah’s dream a reality, and now YSDI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Tax Exempt Organization!
We are now in the process of developing a variety of programs dedicated to enhancing the Quality of life for people with disabilities by helping them to train a Full Potential Service Dog Partner to perform to his or her full potential in order to provide superior Canine Assistance as well as providing services to Service Dog handlers to help the Handler attain their full human potential, utilizing Canine Assistance, and we rely solely on donations and grants to fund our operation.
Your Service Dog Inc was founded by Lelah Sullivan, who is an experienced Performace Dog and Service Dog Trainer, certified Life Coach, and entrepreneur.
Lelah Sullivan trained dogs for a variety of purposes for many years, but then began to specialize in Service Dogs, and her mission has since been coaching owners on how to train their own Service Dogs and assisting them to bring their canine Service Dog Partners to a higher standard of excellence
Your Service Dog Inc was founded by Lelah Sullivan, who is an experienced Performace Dog and Service Dog Trainer, certified Life Coach, and entrepreneur.
Lelah Sullivan trained dogs for a variety of purposes for many years, but then began to specialize in Service Dogs, and her mission has since been coaching owners on how to train their own Service Dogs and assisting them to bring their canine Service Dog Partners to a higher standard of excellence
Founders
Myra Hudson
CEO
Rebecca Lissner
CFO
