Volunteer

The vast network of Guiding Eyes volunteers spans twelve states and includes more than 1,200 volunteers throughout the Northeast. Our volunteers are key to raising, training, and socializing guide dogs as well as supporting our operations in our Yorktown Heights and Patterson, NY locations.

Puppy Raising Raising a puppy for Guiding Eyes for the Blind is a real gift of love. A puppy is not born a guide dog, but created through the dedication and commitment of an entire team of individuals. Puppy Raisers provide a home, teach good social skills and house manners, attend training classes, coordinate care with Guiding Eyes veterinary staff and much more to raise a successful guide dog. Learn about Puppy Raising		Brood/Stud Foster Foster volunteers provide a permanent home for a Guiding Eyes brood or stud dog, and their efforts are a critical element in the success of Guiding Eyes. The dogs in our breeding program represent the future generations of guide dogs for our organization, and we entrust their health, safety, and well-being to foster volunteers who are dedicated to the Guiding Eyes for the Blind mission. Learn about the Brood/Stud Foster Program
Home Litter Care As part of the Guiding Eyes Breeding Program, our Home Litter Care volunteers enrich the early experiences of our youngest puppies by caring for a mother dog (brood) and her pups in the comfort of their own home. The dogs in our breeding program are accustomed to home life with foster families, and some broods find the comforts of home more conducive to taking care of their litter of pups. Learn about the Home Litter Care program		Home Socialization Home Socializers bring two puppies, ages six to nine weeks old, to their home for two to five days, to provide socialization to new sights, sounds, and people. Home Socializers also continue and reinforce simple aspects of the pups’ training that was started at the Canine Development Center, including massage, leash walking, riding in cars, sitting for meals, crate time, coming when called, and other skills. Learn about the Home Socialization program
Early Training & Socialization The Early Training & Socialization Program is a crucial program that helps the puppies get the right start on the long path to becoming guide dogs. As guides, they will need to exhibit confidence, resilience, and a strong bond to the human half of the guide dog team. Volunteers in the Early Training & Socialization Program provide these much- needed stimuli in two separate stages, depending upon the age of the pups. Learn about the Early Training & Socialization program		In-House Volunteers Our in-house volunteers work out of our Yorktown Heights or Patterson, New York locations and provide everything from administrative to video to kennel support and much more. Learn about the in-house volunteer program

To learn more about Sitting, Raising or Fostering our dogs, click here.