How to Raise a Puppy

Do you want to raise a Guide Dog Puppy? If you meet this puppy raiser requirements, then these are the steps to get a puppy.

Attend Puppy Meetings

Before you attend any puppy meetings, make sure we're the closest group to you. There are several puppy clubs in Colorado. For an accurate, up-to-date listing of guide dog puppy clubs in Colorado, go to the donate to a club link at Guide Dogs and scroll through the list of active clubs. Here is the list as of July 18, 2011.

  • Boulder Guide Dog Puppies (this web site and club)
  • Denver Eye Paws (Jefferson)
  • Dogs With Vision (Arapahoe) 
  • Have Paws Will Travel (Arapahoe) -- Meets at 5814 S. Datura Street, Littleton, CO 80120. Contact  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Liberty on Leashes (Aurora) -- Meets at 3855 South Alicia Parkway, Aurora CO 80013  (720) 886-8000
  • Sidekicks for Sight (Douglas) -- Contact  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • TLC Guide Dog Club (Larimer) -- Contact Beth Nelson at  (970) 495-9903 or email to  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Two to four puppy meetings occur each month. "Baby" puppies, that is, puppies four months old and younger, meet each week. Older puppies meet twice a month. Check the calendar to find out when the next meeting is.

Fill Out An Application

Ask for an application at a meeting. Or you can send an email to one of the puppy club contacts asking for an application to be mailed to you.

While you're at it, register with Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs will get back to you in a few days and email you the name of the club closest to you and the leader's name and phone number. The email you receive has a subject line of "Response Puppy Raising Volunteer Interest Request" and will be from This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Go to the Guide Dogs website.

  1. Register for an account.
  2. Login.
  3. Click on "Volunteer" on the right-hand side of the screen.
  4. Click on "Puppy Raising Interest Form" under Volunteer Applications on the right-hand side of the screen. Guide Dogs will send you more information and a larger application.

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volunteer

Home Visit

One of the club's guide dog leaders comes out to your house for a home visit. The leader helps point out areas of the house that are puppy safe, areas that aren't, and gives you management ideas

Puppy Sit

Before you committ to and receive a Guide Dog Puppy, you need to babysit. Puppy sitting is good for the puppies and it's good for you.

  • The puppy learns that the rules are the same in many houses.
  • You can try it out before you committ. Raising a guide dog puppy is a LOT more work than raising a puppy.

Tell the Leader You're Ready

After you've registered at Guide Dogs, had your home visit, and have puppy sat a few times, let the puppy club leaders know you're ready for a puppy.

Wait for Your Puppy

Puppies come out from California on the puppy truck. Colorado puppy people meet, and the puppies come off the truck one by one.