Breeding Dog Volunteer

This vital volunteer role is perfect for dog-lovers who are looking for a permanent addition to their family. Most of the time your guide dog mum will be a wonderful, pet dog, then roughly once a year you’ll also get to enjoy the company of a litter of her guide dog puppies for around 7 weeks. You’ll see her puppies grow in just a matter of weeks – from tiny newborns with closed eyes, to excitable bundles of fur ready to explore the world. And, when the pups are ready to go, you’ll feel a huge sense of pride knowing you’ve made a big difference by raising life-changing guide dogs for people with sight loss.

Our guide dog mums are perfect for families. They’re specially selected for their ideal temperament and characteristics and have the very best guide dog genes. She’ll also arrive socialised and house trained!

We cover all the costs for our guide dog mums, including her food, vet bills and any equipment or bedding she needs. We’ll also provide all the training you need to look after her and her puppies. In addition, you’ll have the full support of our expert dog behaviour and welfare teams and dedicated 24/7 support from our specialist breeding team.

Ideally, breeding dog volunteers will

• Have dog handling experience but this is not essential.
• Have a clean driving licence and access to a car they are insured to drive.
• Live within an hour’s drive from the Guide Dogs National Centre.
• Have a home with a safely fenced garden.
• Have the ability to ensure that the guide dog mum is not left alone for more than 4 hours in a 24-hour period.
• Time to provide support to her when she gives birth in a volunteer’s home and help care for her litter of puppies for 6 – 7 weeks.

This is a long term volunteering opportunity as your guide dog mum will arrive with you at around 12 – 14 months of age and will have 3 – 4 litters over the course of her working life; the pups are born in breeding dog volunteers’ homes. She will retire at 6 - 7 years old after which you have the option to adopt her and keep her as your family pet.

To find out more about this rewarding role as well as many other volunteering opportunities please visit our website.

We look forward to welcoming you as a volunteer soon!