Adolescent Puppy Raisers Needed - Co-Raise a Service Dog for a Veteran with a Parent or Guardian!

Warrior Canine Connection is a non-profit organization which breeds, raises and trains dogs with the assistance of Veterans suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI), or mobility issues. These dogs are eventually placed as service dogs for Wounded Warriors, military family support dogs, or facility dogs for Veteran Organizations. We are actively seeking volunteers to serve as Puppy Parents for future service dogs in training and would love for Montgomery County youth to co-raise with their parent or guardian.

For the duration of their training, WCC pups live in Puppy Raiser's homes. In addition to any training the dogs do with Warriors, they are constantly working on their skills in a home environment and at training sessions at WCC.

Puppy Raisers train our service dogs for 4 to 20 months before the dogs graduate and are placed with their forever Veteran.Each puppy goes home with his or her Puppy Parent between the ages of 8-12 weeks. To be considered for this important task, you must be willing and able to provide the following support and training for the WCC service dog in training:

• Must co-raise with a parent or guardian
• Provide a stable, safe, consistent and loving environment
• Provide the dog with access to new places, new people and new experiences
• Supervise the dog throughout the day
• Teach the dog manners and basic commands
• Keep the dog on a leash at all times or supervised in a securely fenced area
• Closely monitor the dogs progress and submit monthly reports and complete a brief daily journal to reflect on the dog's progress and your experiences
• Attend weekly trainingclasses that build skills and confidence
• Provide the dog with age-appropriate socialization opportunities
• Ensure that the WCC dog is the only dog under the age of one in your home
• Agree to return the dog upon request

Click here to learn more:http://www.warriorcanineconnection.org/get-involved/become-a-puppy-parent/

As a youth co-raiser, you can earn 1 SSL hour for each day that you have the dog and take an active role in its training and healthcare (This is not a dog fostering program). In order to demonstrate this you must attend weekly trainings, complete monthly progress reports, submit the daily reflective journal every 12 weeks, and bring your dog to Head Quarters in Germantown when necessary. If not all parts are completed, the student will only earn a portion of the hours based on their involvement. This is a big responsibility, but it will be so rewarding. Not only can you earn SSL hours, but you will be serving the Veteran community, learning how to train a dog, and this experience will look amazing on college resumes.

Questions? Contact [email protected]

Student participation in this service project is at the discretion of the students parent/guardian. The nonprofit organization is responsible for maintaining student safety and privacy at any time the student is interacting with the nonprofit and its clients. The nonprofit organization will determine the number of SSL hours awarded based on the evidence submitted. Parents/guardians should contact the nonprofit directly with any questions and/or concerns. This service activity is designed to be completed within the safety of the students home.