Home Socialization

| Home Socialization

Home Socialization volunteers give our puppies one-on-one attention while introducing them to new sights and sounds in a home environment. These new experiences boost our puppies’ confidence and gives them the greatest chance for success as they proceed through the Guiding Eyes program.

Share your home with our adorable puppies

Home Socializers bring two puppies, ages six to nine weeks old, into their home for three to five days to provide socialization and reinforce simple aspects of the pups’ training. These include massage, leash walking, riding in cars, sitting for meals, crate time, name response and other skills.

Home Socialization Video

Learn more about volunteering in the Home Socialization Program from one of our Home Socializer families. Watch the video.

Responsibilities

Home Socialization Volunteers must:

pick up and deliver puppies and equipment at the Canine Development Center in Patterson.
successfully complete Home Socialization training.
be willing to provide training and socialization experiences per the guidelines.
be able to take puppies at least six times a year for a period of three to five days (Participants are not limited and may sign up as many times as they like each month.)
provide a spot in the home with sufficient room for the x-pen, with a durable floor that can be easily cleaned, such as a kitchen or playroom, where the puppies can be near lots of activity.
keep the puppies play pen clean, fully scrubbing and disinfecting the area once per day, plus frequent changing of the paper.
feed the puppies three times per day.
socialize the puppies in frequent short sessions throughout the day, totaling about 20 minutes per puppy.
groom the puppies daily.
adhere to vaccination protocol for other dogs in the home. (see below)

Vaccination Requirements for Pets

Volunteers who have other pets in the home can participate in this program, but they must be healthy, free of fleas and other parasites and friendly towards puppies. To best protect your pet dogs and the Guiding Eyes puppies coming in and out of your homes, we have instituted the following vaccination policy. Your dogs must be up to date on the required vaccines:

Required Vaccinations

Rabies
Bordetella
DHPP

Strongly Recommended

H3N2 Flu
H3N8 Flu

Recommended

Lyme
Leptospirosis

Support We Provide

Home Socializers are provided with all the equipment and supplies needed for puppy care, including an exercise pen, a crate for transportation and socialization, leashes, food, bowls, and toys. This does not include newspaper nor a surface protector for floors (strongly recommended).
Guiding Eyes Veterinary staff is on call for health and veterinary concerns. An emergency number is provided for after-hours calls.

Have a question? Email us at socialization@guidingeyes.org

Application – Home Socialization (Short-term Puppy Visits)

If you are interested in becoming involved in our Home Socialization Program, submit this application and the Home Socialization Coordinator will contact you in 7- 10 business days to discuss your application in greater detail.

All volunteers are asked to review and adhere to a Code of Conduct.

For additional information, please contact HS Program Coordinator at socialization@guidingeyes.org.

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Sep 1

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Today marks the beginning of Guide Dog Month, as well as the start of our annual Wag-A-Thon virtual fundraiser!
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If you enjoy going on walks with your pup, the Wag-A-Thon is the event for you. It’s a cumulative marathon (the goal is to hit up to 26.2 miles) that you and your dog can do anywhere, at your own pace, throughout the month of September. The event is a fantastic opportunity for people and dogs alike to stay active while raising funds for Guiding Eyes for the Blind’s important work - providing exceptional guide dogs for people with vision loss.
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We have a fabulous raffle for participants, with prizes courtesy of our friends at @ruffwear and @thedogist:
🏆 GRAND PRIZE: 1-hour photoshoot with The Dogist in New York City (or within a 1-hour drive)
🏆 Prize Pack 1: Ruffwear Urban Sprawl Bed
🏆 Prize Pack 2: Ruffwear Travel Pack (Haul Bag, Kibble Kaddie, and Bivy Bowl)
🏆 Prize Pack 3: Ruffwear Toy Pack
🏆 Prize Pack 4: Signed copy of The Dogist (New York Times Bestseller)
🏆 Prize Pack 5: DOGS Collection from The Dogist (Short Sleeve, Long Sleeve, Crewneck Sweatshirt)
🦮
🗳️ Register for the Wag-A-Thon and create a fundraising page before September 9th and receive one raffle entry
Drawing for the prizes will be held on September 30th.
Click the link in our bio to learn more and register.
🦮
Picture Description: Tahiti, a female black lab puppy, sits on the driveway and looks toward the camera with a curious expression.
Photo Credit: @geb_zoom_and_millie
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#Wagathon2022 #WagWithMe #GuideDogMonth #ServiceDogMonth #Wagathon #WagMoreBarkLess #GuideDogPuppy #GuidingEyes #GuideDogMonth2022 #ServiceDogMonth2022

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Aug 26

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Happy National Dog Day! To celebrate, we’re giving you a better feel for our guide dogs’ unique personalities from people who know them well: our graduates. While guide dogs are loyal, hard workers when in harness, it’s important to remember that they are also life-long companions who love to play, cuddle, and just be a dog!
Click the link in our bio to meet 10 of our exceptional guide dogs.
🦮
Picture Description: On a beautiful sunny day, Rocket, a male black and tan German Shephard, and Rihanna, a female yellow Lab, look toward the camera while laying out on a large rock. The sky is bright blue with fluffy clouds, and mountain tops are far in the distance. Two of the clouds look like pawprints, while one looks like the outline of a dog.
Photo Credit: @josephgruber
Photo Manipulation (Clouds): Andrew Scialabba
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#NationalDogDay2022 #InternationalDogDay2022 #DogDaysOfSummer #InternationalDogDay22 #DogDay2022 #HappyInternationalDogDay #DogDay22 #EveryDogHasItsDay #NationalDogDay #GuidingEyesForTheBlind #LastLicksOfSummer #HappyNationalDogDay #NationalDogDay22 #InternationalDogDay

guidingeyes

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Aug 25

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Our puppies send wags of gratitude to our friends at @nylabone for their generous donation of chew toys. The pups have already been enjoying them up at our Canine Development Center campus. Thank you, Nylabone, for your generous contribution in support of our mission and future guide dogs!
🐶 🦴
Picture Descriptions:
[1] Beacon, a male yellow Labrador puppy, lies in a down position in the Hockmeyer Puppy Pavilion with a salmon-colored Nylabone resting on his front paws.
[2] Brandt, a male black Labrador puppy, lays in the Hockmeyer Puppy Pavilion and gently licks the salmon-colored Nylabone placed on the floor before him.
[3] Beacon, a male yellow Labrador puppy, happily chews the salmon-colored Nylabone.
[4] Gru, a male black and tan coated German shepherd puppy, lays on the metal drain in the Hockmeyer Puppy Pavilion and tests out one of the various Nylabones scattered on the floor beside him.
[5] Belgium, a yellow Labrador puppy, and Brandt, a male black Labrador puppy, play with a Guiding Eyes staff member who holds out a Nylabone for the pair to chew on.
📷: @zoeandthepeach
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#Nylabone #NylaboneCares #GuidingEyes #PuppiesMakeMeSmile #ThankYouThursday #PuppyWithAPurpose #PlayfulPuppy #PuppiesWithAPurpose #FutureServiceDog #GuideDogPuppy #WoofToday #ServiceDogInTraining #DailyDoseOfDog

guidingeyes

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Aug 24

Open

This could be you and your dog... if you win the grand prize for our Wag-A-Thon raffle!
🦮
All prizes have been donated, courtesy of @Ruffwear and @TheDogist:
🏆 Prize Pack 1: Ruffwear Urban Sprawl Bed
🏆 Prize Pack 2: Ruffwear Travel Pack (Haul Bag, Kibble Kaddie, and Bivy Bowl)
🏆 Prize Pack 3: Ruffwear Toy Pack
🏆 Prize Pack 4: Signed copy of The Dogist (New York Times Bestseller)
🏆 Prize Pack 5: DOGS Collection from The Dogist (Short Sleeve, Long Sleeve, Crewneck Sweatshirt)
🏆 GRAND PRIZE: 1-hour photoshoot with The Dogist in New York City (or within a 1-hour drive)
🦮
Receive one raffle entry for every fundraising goal you achieve:
🗳️ Register for the Wag-A-Thon and create a fundraising page before September 9th and receive one raffle entry
🗳️ Receive one raffle entry for every $100 you raise
🗳️ For every donation made to your fundraiser of $50 or more before September 15th, you will receive one entry to the raffle
🦮
Click the link in our bio to learn more & register.
🦮
Video Description:
[1] VanDyke, a male yellow lab guide dog in-harness, stand in the large room at Grand Central Terminal in NYC at the side of Deanna Lentini, Foundation Guide Dog Mobility Instructor as the pair have their photo taken by @EliasWF of The Dogist. Elias makes a funny noise to get some adorable head tilts from VanDyke.
[2] VanDyke waits next to Deanna at the crosswalk curb, as Elias stands in front of the team to capture some up-close photos.

guidingeyes

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Aug 12

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guidingeyes

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Aug 10

Open

Congratulations to guide dog Kinley, the winner of the Guide/Hearing category for the 2022 American Humane Hero Dog Awards, and his handler Chloe!
🎉 🦮
Kinley still needs your help in the 3rd round of voting to be named the overall 2022 American Hero Dog. You can vote for Kinley 1x per day through September 13th, 3 PM (EST) by clicking the link in our Instagram Highlights.
🎉 🦮
Photo Description: Chloe smiles happily with her yellow lab guide dog Kinley sitting at her feet. Kinley's puppy raiser, Elizabeth, sits on the red bench to the left of Chloe.
Photo Credit: @puppy_raising_tales via @geb_southerntier
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#HeroDogAwards #AssistanceDogWeek #HeroDogAwards2022 #InternationalAssistanceDogWeek #AmericanHeroDogAwards #AssistanceDogsOfInstagram #WoofWednesday #AmericanHeroDogAwards2022 #WagginWednesday #IADW2022 #WoofWoofWednesday #AssistanceDogWeek2022 #WaggingWednesday #InternationalAssistanceDogWeek2022 #AmericanHumaneHeroDogAwards

Guiding Eyes for the Blind is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Guiding Eyes for the Blind Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 13-1854606.

Share your home with our adorable puppies

Home Socialization Video

Responsibilities

Vaccination Requirements for Pets

Support We Provide

Application – Home Socialization (Short-term Puppy Visits)

Application – Home Socialization (Short-term Puppy Visits)

Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Headquarters and Training School

For donations:

(800) 942-0149

For changes to your account:

(800) 937-2083

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