Click here to register your interest in being a puppy socialiser

Could you do something amazing?

Our charity is looking for volunteer puppy socialisers. We are looking for volunteers to provide a loving home and help us prepare our puppies over their first 14 months of life before they begin full time training as life-changing support dog. 

As a puppy socialiser you will play a vital role in our puppies' formative years, caring for a puppy in your home and providing them with the socialisation and training they will need. This is a unique opportunity to not only care for a lovely dog but also to make a significant contribution in changing the lives of people affected by autism, epilepsy and disability.

What do you get?

• To provide a home for a gorgeous support dog puppy from eight weeks old for 12-18 months
• Full support from your puppy coordinator
• 24-hour emergency phone line
• We can provide a temporary home to accommodate holiday cover for your pup when you go away or in an emergency 
• We provide all equipment a puppy socialiser will need including food, vet care, flea and worming treatments
• Medical expenses and insurance is covered by Support Dogs
• Opportunity to meet new people 

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What do we need from you?

• A loving home, with a secure garden.
• Volunteers who are at home for the majority of the day and who can dedicate time to puppy training on a daily basis (if you work from home, this will need to be very flexible to accommodate puppy classes and visits) 
• Live within a 45min drive of our offices in Sheffield
• Feel you can meet the physical and mental needs of the puppy
• Be able to attend regular obedience classes at our office in Sheffield and host regular home visits
• Families with children are welcome, but there must be no children under two years of age living in the household
• We can consider families with their own pet dog but they will be assessed on an individual basis. Other pets will also be considered on an individual basis
• Be able and willing to get the dog to a vet in a case of emergency
• You must be allowed to have a dog in your home – we will need written permission if it is rented accommodation
• We are not able to consider families with someone who has uncontrolled epilepsy living in the home
• If you are on the waiting list for any of our training programmes for an assistance dog, unfortunately we are unable to accept applications to become a puppy socialiser.

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Stages of recruitment:

1. Register your interest in the role

2. Complete an application form (online or one sent via email/post)

3. Attend an information session (held at the centre, during the day, midweek)

4. Have a home assessment (pet dog assessment where applicable)

5. Attend a "dog body language" training session

6. Once accepted as a puppy socialiser we will recommend that you help out with holiday cover for existing puppies in training before taking on a puppy full time. You will also have the opportunity to shadow a puppy class or a visit by the training team.

If you think you meet all the above criteria
 Click here to register your interest in being a puppy socialiser 
and a member of our team will be in touch as soon as possible.
Alternatively please phone 0114 261 7800

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If you are interested but cannot commit for a 12-18 month period, we are also looking for volunteers to provide holiday cover for our puppy socialisers. This could be anything from a few days to a few weeks at a time. Click here to find out more.