Volunteer

As a puppy socializer, you will be responsible for taking in one of our new puppies. This puppy would come into your home at 8 weeks old and would stay with you until they are around 4 months old and ready to begin their official training to become a service dog. As a puppy socializer, you will be expected to begin some basic training with our puppies to set them up for success in our program.
At this age we will be focusing on:

- Potty training
- Crate training
- Good manners: not jumping on people, mouthing, barking, etc
- Basic behaviors such as sit, down and stay
- Positive exposures to the world!

Expectations:
- Ability to have a young puppy in your home full time
- Drop the puppy off for training at the New Life building several days a week
- Attend monthly puppy raiser meetings
- Submit weekly puppy updates
- Follow crate training and potty training protocol
- Begin working on house manners and basic behaviors
- Take puppy to puppy preschool class (5 week class, 1 hour each week)
*Note: Puppies cannot go out in public at this age and must remain inside your home/ backyard
or carried

As a weekend puppy parent, you will be assigned a dog to take home on weekends. You will be picking up your dog from The California Men’s Colony on Fridays each week and keeping them for the weekend to expose them to everyday life. This option is great for people who cannot commit to having a dog full time, or for first time puppy raisers who want to get a feel for what it is like
without the full commitment yet. As a weekend puppy parent, you will be expected to take your dog on outings to generalize their training and prepare them for their future job as a service dog.
Service dogs in training can go with you to the grocery store, movie theater, restaurants, and many more. You are encouraged to take your dogs on outings to expose them to new environments and practice good public manners in all settings.

*Outing opportunities may vary based on the dog and where they are at in their training

Expectations of weekend puppy parents:
- Pick up and drop off at CMC every weekend (friday-sunday/monday)
- Attend monthly puppy raiser meetings
- Attend monthly outings/ group classes with New Life K9 trainer
- Submit weekly updates online and in your dog journal
- Follow all training guidelines
- Reinforce good house and public manners

As a full-time puppy parent, you will be assigned a dog that will live with you full time while they finish their final training and get prepared for service dog graduation. You will be expected to take your dog on outings to generalize their training and prepare them for their future job as a service dog. Service dogs in training can go with you to the grocery store, movie theater, restaurants, work, school and many more. You are encouraged to take your dogs on outings to expose them to new
environments and practice good public manners in all settings.

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Expectations as a full time puppy parent:
- Ability to have a dog in your home full time
- Drop off dogs at New Life building for training as needed
- Attend monthly puppy raiser meetings
- Attend monthly outings/ group classes with New Life K9 trainers
- Take the dog to school or work with you as available
- Follow all training guidelines
- Reinforce good house and public manners

As a puppy sitter, you would take home dogs on an as needed basis if the dog’s full time puppy parent goes out of town and/ or cannot watch their dog for a period of time. This role is on an as needed basis and is great for people who want to be involved but cannot fully commit to raising a dog full time, however we cannot guarantee how often you will be able to take home a dog

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Expectations:
- Attend monthly puppy raiser meetings
- Attend monthly group outings with New Life K9 trainers
- Pick up and drop off dog at designated location on an as needed basis
- Follow all training guidelines