Socialising a Puppy
Everyone loves a puppy, but imagine being able to offer one a home for a year, giving it all the experiences to start off on the road to becoming an assistance dog. Unlike pet dogs; our dogs go to all sorts of different places such as shopping centres, supermarkets, the local school, train stations or even the hairdressers.
By introducing a puppy to all these different environments at an early age our pups become confident and used to the many different sights, smells and sounds they will encounter as a working dog.
Puppy socialisers play this vital role of early education, habituation and socialisation for our puppies. It starts early; at around 7 weeks old and they will remain with the socialiser up to the age of 14 months. The aim of a socialiser is to help achieve a well behaved, responsive and friendly dog at ease with all environments, transport, people and animals.
As a puppy socialiser you play a very important part of Dogs for the Disabled's work; although no experience is necessary, puppy socialisers are required to meet the following criteria:
- Live within one hour’s drive of Banbury
Example areas are: Daventry, Coventry, Leamington Spa, Rugby, Milton Keynes, Wellingborough, Buckingham. Brackley, Warwick, Bicester, Stratford-upon-Avon, Solihull, Nuneaton, Hinckley, Lutterworth, Oxford, Gloucester.
Stop Press: Socialisers urgently required in Bristol, North Somerset and Gloucestershire
- You have a fully-fenced safe and secure garden
- Any children within the home should ideally be over the age of 2 years old, although younger children may be taken into consideration.
- You are away from the puppy for no more than four hours per day
- Your circumstances and family routine are reasonably stable and consistent
- With the support of our puppy department train the puppy in the basics, eg: house training, general obedience and walking on the lead.
- Able to spend some time every day on activities to socialise the puppy. Environments that need to be covered at some time include train stations, buses, shops and crowded and rural areas
- To be able to come into one of our centres or attend one of our locations for monthly puppy classes andwelcome home visits from a member of our puppy training team
- You are able to provide the puppy with regular contact with children, other dogs and cats
Although this work is done on a voluntary basis, it will take a lot of time, commitment and love from both you and your family. However, the end result is that every dog makes a wonderful life-changing experience for every disabled person the charity helps. Ultimately, the dogs give their new owner independence and confidence along with constant companionship and a means of social contact...and you will be an important part of that achievement
Download our Information Guide for more information
Download the Puppy Socialising application form
Temporary boarders needed
If you feel that having a puppy for a year is too much commitment, then you may be able to help us as a temporary boarder.
We are always in need of volunteers from all areas to help temporary board our dogs and puppies while socialisers go on holiday.
If you are interested in becoming a temporary boarder, please call 01295 252600 or email info@dogsforthedisabled.org
