In 1962 when Marybeth Hearn was 10 years old, she convinced her parents to let her volunteer to raise a puppy for the California-based nonprofit . She wasn鈥檛 sure what to expect when they brought home a black Labrador Retriever named Lepta, but she knew one thing for certain.
鈥淚 do remember my dad constantly reminding me that the puppy wasn鈥檛 mine and that we just had temporary custody of it,鈥� she says. 鈥淵ou know from the beginning that you鈥檙e not going to be able to keep that puppy, that they鈥檝e got another purpose in life.鈥�
Though it was hard to relinquish Lepta when it was time for her advanced training, Hearn had found her life鈥檚 passion. She鈥檚 currently raising a yellow Labrador Retriever named Barley鈥攖he 55th dog she鈥檚 raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Needless to say, she now knows exactly what to expect.
鈥淵ou take that goofy little puppy when they鈥檙e about 8 weeks of age and keep them about 14 to 16 months usually,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hen you see them graduate and become somebody鈥檚 eyes. It鈥檚 just absolutely amazing.鈥�
So what does it take to raise a successful guide dog from puppyhood to graduation?
The first step is, of course, getting the dog鈥攅ither picking it up in person from the organization鈥檚 headquarters in San Rafael, California, or gathering with other puppy raisers to meet a 鈥減uppy truck鈥� that drops off pups at a predetermined location. Puppy raisers don鈥檛 know the name of the puppy they鈥檒l raise, just the first letter of the dogs in the litter and the breed鈥攖ypically a Labrador Retriever or Golden Retriever.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always a lot of guessing that goes on before we get them of what the name might possibly be, which is kind of cool,鈥� she says with a laugh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little game that all puppy raisers play.鈥�
Honing Good Habits
Meeting a new puppy is joyful and involves a lot of cuddles to promote bonding, particularly in the first two weeks together. They often cry while spending the first night away from their litter, so the raisers help them through it.
Training starts immediately. Raisers teach the pups their names and the word nice, which they say whenever the dog presents good behavior.
For instance, when Barley lies quietly on the floor chewing a toy鈥攊nstead of, say, the couch鈥擧earn will say nice and reward him with a piece of his kibble.
鈥淚 have little Dixie cups of food all over the house,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o when I catch him being good, I鈥檓 marking that behavior. I鈥檓 encouraging him to be good.鈥�
It鈥檚 critically important for guide dogs to be well-behaved at home, rather than jumping on furniture, snagging remote controls, getting into garbage, zooming from room to room, or barking when the doorbell rings.
To establish good practices, Hearn will ask her granddaughter to ring the doorbell while she waits with Barley inside, quickly treating the pup when he doesn鈥檛 bark.
It鈥檚 also imperative that puppies learn a 鈥渞elieving protocol鈥濃�攂eing able to go to the bathroom on leash, on a variety of surfaces, on command, and without accidents in between.
鈥淲e teach them to relieve on all sorts of different surfaces, not just grass, because as a working guide, they may not have grass available,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o I always start my puppies out on asphalt or concrete, and that means getting them out at two o鈥檆lock in the morning, putting them on the leash, taking them out, and rewarding them when they鈥檝e done their business.鈥�
Lessons in Stability
Hearn meets with her local puppy-raising group weekly and will puppysit or trade dogs with other handlers to expose the canines to spending time with different people in diverse situations.
As the puppy鈥檚 confidence grows, Hearn teaches him basic cues like sit, stay, down, and come, and gradually builds upon socialization. For example, Hearn will start by taking a puppy to sit outside a big box store, feeding treats as people walk by. When ready, they鈥檒l pop in and out of the store before taking longer shopping trips. The same goes for a restaurant: On a first visit, Hearn will ask Barley to settle under the table, then just drink an iced tea instead of lingering over a meal.
When a puppy is 5 or 6 months old, she takes him to church. They鈥檒l sit in the back pew and if the dog is quiet, she鈥檒l slip him treats periodically. Around 7 to 9 months鈥攚hen there鈥檚 no risk of an accident鈥攖hey鈥檒l try a grocery store. Along the way, they鈥檒l stay in a hotel, watch a movie, ride the train, visit bustling Christmas-tree lots, and attend holiday concerts. She鈥檒l even attend pep rallies鈥攕eated near the door so she can quickly exit if the dog seems uncomfortable.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a building block: If a dog is successful at one step, then you add to it,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e do not know what the lifestyle of their future partner may be. So the more varied experiences I can give a puppy, the better their chances are of being successful.鈥�
Hearn, a teacher at Lemoore High School, also brings her puppies to school with her. They proved so popular that she created a Future Farmers of America program at the school so that students can raise guide dogs as a recognized project.
鈥淚 think youth raisers are going to make great parents someday because they鈥檙e learning to be consistent,鈥� she says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e learning to set guidelines and they鈥檙e learning to do it in a very positive way.鈥�
Gifts from Heaven
Hearn and her students have raised 186 puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind, including Ale, a black Labrador Retriever who partnered with San Francisco resident Mary Cruz in 2017.
鈥淎le is the most laid-back, wonderful, sweet dog you鈥檇 ever want to know,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e walks at my pace. He is not in a rush. It鈥檚 like we鈥檙e out for a Sunday stroll.鈥�
Ale鈥檚 controlled pace has been life-changing for Cruz. Over 10 years ago when she and her daughter were in a crosswalk鈥攚ithout her second guide dog鈥攁n elderly woman plowed into them with her car, breaking both of Cruz鈥檚 legs and permanently affecting her gait. Her dog, Greeley, adjusted to her slower pace because of their close connection, but when the Golden Retriever needed to retire, she feared she wouldn鈥檛 find a guide dog who could walk as slowly as she needed.
As luck would have it, Ale almost couldn鈥檛 find a partner because of his own slow pace. Cruz says he helps keep her safe in crosswalks and from falling off curbs or running into poles. She鈥檚 grateful to puppy raisers like Hearn and her student, Jordan Lee, who raised Ale.
鈥淎s far as I鈥檓 concerned, all the puppy raisers are God鈥檚 gift to the world,鈥� she says.
There are many opportunities to volunteer as a puppy raiser. For instance, around 2,000 people volunteer for Guide Dogs for the Blind鈥攚hich, thanks to their help, partners dogs with their handlers for free.
On the East Coast, the renowned guide-dog school has had a puppy-raising program since 1942, and nonprofits throughout the country depend on volunteers to raise future service dogs for a variety of roles, such as assisting the deaf, detecting impending seizures or blood sugar fluctuations in people with diabetes, mobility assistance, and support for those with PTSD or autism.
, a nonprofit that places service dogs for people with disabilities free of charge, has over 1,500 volunteer puppy raisers in the United States. Ohio resident Jerry Amos and his wife, Jerri, have raised puppies for the organization for nearly 30 years.
They enjoy welcoming pups into their home鈥攚hich includes Hugo, their beloved Coton de Tulear鈥攁nd helping socialize the dogs. They take them to local festivals and to meet veterans with PTSD for win-win socialization.
While they say it鈥檚 hard returning a puppy for their advanced training, it鈥檚 worth it for the best part: an emotional graduation ceremony, in which they hand over the leash of the dog they raised to a person with a disability.
The couple has presented dogs to many people, including a boy with autism, a young man with cerebral palsy, and a nurse injured in a motorcycle accident.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just a joy to do it,鈥� Jerry Amos says. 鈥淎 lot of our dogs are going to children. You see their eyes and how happy they are and what a difference it makes to them. To me, that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�
Puppy raisers are also critical to smaller organizations like the nonprofit , which raises service dogs for children with autism. The dogs provide calming pressure when a child becomes overstimulated and act as a social bridge to other kids.
The organization currently has about a dozen puppy raisers and is expanding the program in order to serve more families, according to Laura Sylvester, co-founder and executive director.
鈥淧uppy raisers are an essential part of our organization. They make things happen,鈥� she says. 鈥淢y favorite quote is, 鈥業nside every service dog is the heart of a puppy raiser.鈥� 鈥�
Originally appeared in the May/June 2020 issue of AKC Family Dog Magazine