If you’ve ever wanted a free puppy, now’s your chance. Guide Dogs NSW has just made an open-call out for all volunteers who love baby dogs to fill their most adorable job position – a role they call 'puppy raisers', with all your puppy lovin’ going towards raising the next generation of Aussie guide dogs in what will probably be the cutest 12-months of your life. It doesn’t really get better than this.
This year, as part of National Volunteer Week, Guide Dogs is calling for us all to be "better together", with them asking people to open up their homes to eight-week old labradors. Look, it’s a big ask, but we’ll take it. The lucky puppy raisers will be asked to provide basic training, including elementary toilet training, walking, feeding and sleeping routines, as well a home filled with oodles and oodles of love – therefore setting your tiny guide dog up for a life of wonderful service for those who need it most.
Puppy raisers will be asked to attend weekly training sessions that will teach their newest charges extra good manners, and will also have to make sure their lil’ pups are nicely groomed, fed and walked – but they won’t be taking a single step without a whole lot of support. Guide Dogs NSW will provide all the food, vet care and medication that your teeny Labrador needs, with you also getting an extremely dedicated ‘puppy development advisor’ who will walk each step of this life changing journey with you.
To qualify for this dream job, you’ll need to have a fenced in yard, be at home a fair bit (four hours a day, to be exact), have access to a car, and be able to attend puppy school in your local area.
If you are one of the chosen ones, you can expect, after 12 months, to hand your fluffy friend back to Guide Dogs for their final months of training, making sure they’re 100 per cent ready to become a fully fledged support for those living with blindness and vision impairment across Australia.
To apply for this ground-breakingly adorable position, click here. May be the puppy gods be with you.