Puppy Raising Essentials
Car-Riding Tips
Your pup needs positive exposure to riding in the car throughout their entire time with you. Allowing them to become familiar with both front and back passenger floor is helpful, since they will likely be asked to sit in both locations when they are with their blind partner.
Newly arrived pups can learn about the car through very short rides or initially just getting them settled in the car, turning it on, listening to some music and turning it off, or just going up and down the street or around the block. As they get older you can take longer rides.
Make sure the pup is comfortable and is staying where you’ve placed them on the front passenger floor, or rear passenger floor. A tie down is advised so they do not have enough room to jump up on the seat. Using a leash as a tie down is an option if you can see what they’re doing, but a pup in the backseat with a leash could chew through it. Some of us place a box or container on the seat to prevent the pup from getting the idea to jump up!
A pup might like a nice blanket or family t-shirt to lie down on, and a special toy or two for car rides.
Continued reinforcement of car riding skills is essential. Refer to the Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Manual “Riding in the Car”.
Cleanup Kits
Whenever you are out in public with your pup (not counting your local walks around the neighborhood), you should always have your cleanup kit with you. It is important to leave everywhere you go with your pup as clean as it was.
At a minimum, The Seeing Eye advises that it should include paper towels, plastic bags, water, disinfectant and/or wipes, and a photocopy of your pup’s health record.
Additional Requirements
the ID on lanyard delivered with your pup (for talks)
collapsible bowl for water
several toys
a plastic baggie with some kibble or a few biscuits
a static dust cloth to pick up shed fur inside church or places of business where the pup may have been sitting and moving about
a brush is handy when sitting on a park or town bench watching the world go by
cleaning wipes/liquid for your hands
It’s also not a bad idea to have an extra leash in your bag or car just-in-case your main leash breaks or “accidentally” gets chewed on and weakened
Refer to The Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Manual “Cleanup Kits” for more details.
Commands
The puppy raisers role in raising a pup includes making sure the pup is comfortable with the full set of commands provided by The Seeing Eye. Those commands help the pup make a smoother and more successful transition to their training as a guide. A simple reference guide to basic commands was included with the paperwork when your pup was delivered to you: Seeing Eye Commands.pdf
Common Commands
Sit
Command: “Sit"
Puppy Raiser Action: “<Puppy's name> Sit”. Run hand down back and tuck into a sit. 3 second rule – if you are stopping to talk/ shop etc. for more than 3 seconds, ask your pup to sit.
Sit is a neutral position that helps an excited dog to calm down. Patterns the dog to be under control anytime you stop for any length of time. Sit for food, to go out the door, to get in and out of the car, crate, to greet people, when out walking and stop to talk; when shopping; for extra control at stairs, curbs,chores, brushing teeth, etc.
Down
Command: “Down"
Puppy Raiser Action: Say “<Puppy's name> Down". Make downward motion with left hand, flat palm facing down to the floor.
Excellent command for practicing self-control and being relaxed for a period of time: during meals, television, homework, computer, when shopping or paying for purchases; taking a shower, doing chores, cooking etc.
Rest
Command: “Rest"
Puppy Raiser Action: Put pup in sit or down. Hold right hand in front of pup's face (make a stop sign) and say the command “Rest”. Command can be repeated if needed.
Rest is the command used by TSE instead of stay: combine rest with sit or down when pup is to remain in a stationary position or when stepping away from the pup. Examples: mealtime, computer, TV, homework, shopping, greeting people, go to your place; taking a shower, cooking, at the door to gain more control before leaving; etc.
Forward
Command: “Forward”
Puppy Raiser Action: Say "<Puppy's name> “Forward”. Pup should be on the left and slightly forward with a steady pull.
Forward is the command used to get the pup moving anytime the pup is walking on leash and moving from a stationary position. Seeing Eye pups are not to be taught to heel.
Come
Command: “Come”
Puppy Raiser Action: Say "<Puppy's name> Come” (preferably in a happy voice). If pup doesn't come, go get the pup and bring pup back to where you called from and praise.
This is the most important command for the safety of your puppy. Practice this often, start when pup is very young, call in a happy voice and praise. Use a long leash to practice outside, do something fun like go for a walk or play fetch when they come.
Keep it positive: don't reprimand them for having something they shouldn't, clip toe nails, etc. if they come to you.
Come and Sit
Command: “Come and Sit”
Puppy Raiser Action: Say “<Puppy Name> Forward”, then follow with “<Puppy Name> Come”, and finally "<Puppy Name> Sit" in a figure 8 pattern returning to left side. See manual.
Teaches pup to always come back to the left side. Exercise useful for focus work (pup sees dog, squirrel on walk) to slow pup down and bring back to working position on a walk. Can be done in repetitions to settle an excited pup.
Stay Back
Command: “Stay back”
Puppy Raiser Action: “Stay back”, gently move pup back.
Teaches pup to wait while handler goes out the door; prevents door bolting.
Uses: when going out to get the mail or opening the door for the UPS man, to have the pup stay back when using the dishwasher, refrigerator, etc.
Go to your place
Command: “Go to your place"
Puppy Raiser Action: Take puppy to the designated spot. Say “Go to your place” followed by down command.
"Go to your place” provides a safe place for puppy to go; useful for excitable door greetings such as barking, jumping; while cooking; controlling counter surfing behavior around food.
Refer to The Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Manual “Basic Commands and Obedience” and the Resources page for many more details, suggestions and examples of use.
Crate Training
It is advisable to crate train your pups right from arrival. Most newer crates come with a removable divider that helps you make the crate the right size for a growing pup.
If you give the pups too much room in their crate they may eliminate in it, but they tend not to make a mess in their small space and will whine to notify you of their need. They need enough room to stand up, sit, turn around and lie down.
Monitor their growth and keep adjusting the divider as necessary until they are reliably housebroken, and then remove the divider. Many of our pups enjoy their crate and retreat to it throughout the day to rest or to get some time away from other pets or children.
Try to respect their privacy when in the crate by keeping children from banging on the crate or poking at the pup.
Puppy Raiser Goals for Crate Training
Your goal is to make the crate welcoming for your pup. A good option to associate the crate with pleasant occurrences is to feed them in their crate. Gradually shift some of their feedings to the location you’ve set as their feeding area.
Keep a few safe toys in their crate, and when you put them in the crate during the day do so just for a short amount of time. Don’t take them out when they’re complaining but wait in another room until they stop complaining and then let them out and immediately take them outside to park. A blanket or a family member’s t-shirt may be comforting for young pups in their crate, but just monitor that they’re not chewing it up which could be dangerous.
You determine where to place the crate. During the day you probably want it near you with quick access to the door. At night you may not want a new puppy in the crate in your bedroom where they’ll hear you toss and turn and their whining will worry you. A solution could be to have a baby monitor on to hear if the pup awakens during the night, or to sleep out-of-sight but near them so you can spring into action at the first whine.
You may want to try and keep the pup awake during the evening by playing with him/her. Take them out at your bedtime for their final walk of the night, and hopefully you will have fewer trips up during the night.
Refer to The Seeing Eye’s Puppy Raiser Manual “Crate Training” for more details.
Food
Feed your newly arrived pup as instructed by the Area Coordinator when pup was dropped off. Remember that Seeing Eye puppies should never be given people food.
Follow the scheduled number of feedings as well, and determine when to gradually increase pup's food as necessary. If your pup does not finish their meal within 30 minutes, pick up the bowl and don’t offer them anything else until their next meal. Our goal is to feed pups what they need but not more, as a lean body weight is essential for their continued health and longevity.
The pups arrive from The Seeing Eye familiar with the idea of having to Sit and Rest until given permission to eat (familiar doesn’t mean they do it automatically!) but you need to help them by holding their collar, giving the Sit and Rest command, and when they stop squirming give the release command (most use “OK”). Keep at that for each meal and you’ll see they adjust to it and you no longer have to hold their collar.
The pups should always have clean water available, but during housebreaking you may want to control how much and how often you offer water, and take up the water around 7 at night.
General Puppy Feeding Timelines Note that The Seeing Eye may periodically update the food requirement via notification from your Area Coordinator, County Leader or Seeing Eye Puppy Development. Those notifications take precedence over these directives.
Puppies up-to-1 old: Purina ProPlan Under Two Years Large Breed Puppy Chicken and Rice Formula.
From 1 year to return to Seeing Eye: Over a period of at least 7 days wean your pup from the Puppy formula to the Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Chicken and Rice formula.
Your pups should be transitioned to the Adult formula right around their 1 year birthday, but definitely should be on the Pro Plan Large Breed Adult Chicken and Rice formula before they return to The Seeing Eye for training.
Refer to the Puppy Manual for additional guidance on feeding and assessing body condition, how to feed pup when they have an upset stomach, and how to introduce pup gradually to their adult kibble when it is time.
Grooming
Grooming your puppy is a daily responsibility. Seeing Eye guide dogs will be “seen” by their partners sensitive hands.
For example, if a pup is limping, the handler will be carefully feeling their legs and paws, running hands over their body to search for ticks or brambles, etc. A puppy raisers job is to make the pup comfortable with this.
Puppy Raisers should:
brush our pups frequently
handle their legs and paws and between their nails
trim their nails
clean their ears
brush their teeth
Refer to The Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Manual section on “Grooming” and the Resources page for more information
Housebreaking
Housebreaking or training your dog to eliminate outside may seem daunting, but with consistency and good humor, your pup catches on relatively quickly! Seeing Eye puppies are taught to respond to the word "park". From the very beginning you want to associate the word "park" with the act of going outside on leash to eliminate.
Take your pup out on leash so you make sure they are in the area you want them to use. Don’t play with them first and then expect them to park, but use playing as a reward for getting their business done.
Plan on puppies needing to eliminate right after waking from a nap, after a play session, and soon after eating. Take them outside and wait with them to park, gently stroking their back from neck to tail while they do so and repeating the word “Park” or “Parktime”. Praise enthusiastically with something like “good park!”
If they don’t eliminate after a reasonable amount of time return inside and put them in their crate. The amount of time you wait is generally determined by your patience and the weather – we can be much more patient in the spring and willing to wait for 15 or more minutes and less so in the middle of a January snowstorm. Take them out again in a few minutes (you might want to set a timer) and warmly praise.
If you keep a written account of puppy’s elimination, you may notice a pattern and can adjust your trips out with them accordingly.
Some raisers train the pup the ring a bell when they need to go out. It might help the pup be less vocal (otherwise they would whine or bark). If you decide to do this, and it is totally up to you, the best way is to just hang a bell (a ribbon with firmly attached bells, so pup can’t chew and swallow – many are sold online) on the door you consistently use to take the pup out to park. Each time you bring the pup to the door, even if you are carrying them, gently swipe their snout across the bell to ring it and excitedly say something about them needing to go out to park. Be consistent, and your reward will eventually be the sound of a bell ringing and your pup standing by the door.
Refer to The Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Manual “Housebreaking and Relieving” for more detail.
Medical Situations
A puppy requires constant oversight, but even so they may get into something they should not or become ill.
If you have a true medical emergency, head to the vet and call your Area Coordinator en route.
If you are concerned that the pup isn't feeling well, has loose stools, is vomiting, may have an ear infection or hot spot, etc., record the information and contact the Area Coordinator to see what his/her advice is. If it is not an emergency, you may be asked to wait, monitor and provide the Area Coordinator with frequent updates.
Treating vets often consult with The Seeing Eye vet. Be aware that for any vet visit there is a dollar limit listed on your puppy Vet Visit Form for treatment without TSE vet consultation. You should always get an estimate for treatment before agreeing to it so you can ask them to consult TSE vets if necessary.
Toys
You want toys that are durable and will not break off in chunks or fibers that the pup could swallow or choke on.
In general, Nylabones (not the edible kind), Benebones, Kong and large balls are popular, safe choices, but you still need to evaluate each.
Refer to The Seeing Eye Puppy Raiser Manual for toy guidelines.
Outings
List of Indoor Places to Visit with Pup
Your workplace
Your local library is a great place to practice moving and resting quietly in the presence of others. The two headquarters sites have long banks of stairs and elevators. All of the libraries offer programs you may want to attend.
Retail stores such as Kohl’s, Stein Mart, pharmacies and the box stores, avoiding the grocery section.
Barber shops and Beauty Parlors
Banks, Credit Unions and other Financial Institutions
DMV and municipal offices
Local train and bus stations expose the pup to public transportation
List of Outdoor Places to Visit with Pup
Flea markets and farmers markets
Off season the boardwalks in Long Branch, Asbury Park and Ocean Grove
Island Beach State Park and Fort Hancock fishing beaches and bay side.
Some local outdoor recreation clubs allow the pups to watch their practices or games.
Wineries and Wine Festivals
Professional and Rutgers sporting events
Further afield our pups have visited the Grounds for Sculpture, Longwood Gardens, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Washington DC and campgrounds in the northeast.
Commercial District of any town provides exposure to different sounds and smells, construction and delivery trucks.
Here are some places we visit as a club or events affiliated with the Seeing Eye:
Blueclaws games
Each summer we meet at First Energy Park and watch the baseball game or wander around the park, practicing working in the public and around food vendors.
Club Train Ride
We board the NJ Transit train at Little Silver, transfer in Long Branch and detrain at Manasquan. We then walk up Main Street to the local ice cream store for a snack or drink, walk back to the train station and return to Little Silver.
Woofstock
Usually held in the Fall, there are games for people and puppies, a rally course, silent auction, and much more. Seeing Eye Instructors lead training activities and judge the puppies to see who gets Best in Show! Items are often available for purchase.
Gran Fondo
A bike race that raises funds for assorted causes, including The Seeing Eye . If you are not interested in riding one of the routes, you and your puppy can join other Seeing Eye volunteers to “man” a rest area, greet the riders, and offer a quick cuddle and lick. Visit the Gran Fondo website for more details.
Six Flags Seeing Eye Day
We greet visitors and tell them about The Seeing Eye and puppy raising, then walk the pups around the amusement park.
Rutgers Day
The State 4 H Dog Show is an annual event where 4 H Dog Care & Training and Seeing Eye Puppy project members demonstrate their accomplishments in a competitive format. It is usually held in conjunction with Rutgers Day in the spring.
Newark Airport Trip
Once a year all puppies in the Puppy Raising Program are allowed to visit Newark Airport. We meet at the TSA offices, meet representatives from their detection teams, watch the fire equipment demonstration, then board buses to the terminal where we go through screening and board a plane as if we were heading on a trip. We then return to the TSA building via the monorail and buses. Check out the CBS article about this event.
Family Day
All puppy raising families are invited to visit Seeing Eye headquarters for a day of seminars, demonstrations, anecdotes from Seeing Eye alumni, tours of the facilities and shopping for Seeing Eye merchandise. Puppies do not attend this event.
Socialization is an important part of our role as a Puppy Raiser. A Seeing Eye Dog must remain focused and confident in all situations. The more environments we gradually expose a pup to, the better chance they have to become a successful Seeing Eye Dog. Choose places that are safe and appropriate for your pup’s maturity and personality. Keep in mind the attention span and patience of your pup. Please refer to the Puppy Exposure Timeline you were provided at puppy arrival for guidelines and when in doubt, ask at a club meeting or contact your Area Coordinator.
Our pups are not service dogs yet and do not have the access rights afforded a Seeing Eye Dog. Be sure to ask permission before visiting a new place and be gracious if the request is declined. Bring your cleanup kit and be prepared to remove your pup if they get restless or are a distraction to others. If you are planning an outing out of state, at a school or where food will be served, be sure to get approval from your Area Coordinator first.