Leader Dog Mia provides me more independence and confidence!!! I’m going on more routes than before and I think it’s just that security of not being alone while you’re walking!
Host a Breeding Dog
By opening your heart and home to a Leader Dog mom or dad, you’re helping raise the next generation of Leader Dogs that will empower people who are blind or low vision. Breeding hosts provide the loving foundation our dogs need while playing a vital role in our mission.
You don’t need prior experience to get started. If you want to make a meaningful impact, you can be a breeding host and we will support you every step of the way.
What Hosting Means
As a breeding host, you’ll welcome either a Leader Dog mom or dad into your home. These dogs live with you, while also serving as an important part of our breeding program. When a mom has puppies, you’ll provide care and comfort for her and her litter for the first seven weeks of life. If you host a dad, you’ll provide a stable, loving home while bringing him to Leader Dog as needed.
Hosting is more than volunteering — it’s creating a legacy of independence for people who are blind or low vision.
Apply to Host
Hosting is one of the most impactful ways to volunteer with Leader Dog. By opening your home, you’ll help ensure that more people who are blind or low vision can experience the freedom and confidence that a Leader Dog provides.
How it Works
Welcoming a Breeding Stock Dog Into Your Home
When you become a Leader Dog breeding host, you’ll welcome a carefully selected Leader Dog mom or dad into your home. Dogs are typically placed at 12–15 months old. Most families receive a Leader Dog mom within six months of applying, though certain breeds, like golden retrievers, may take longer. The wait for a breeding dad is usually two to three years, and five or more for golden retrievers because we have fewer goldens in our breeding colony.
Commitment & Care
Your commitment varies by dog. Breeding moms are typically in the program for two to three years, while breeding dads may remain active for up to seven. Leader Dog covers veterinary care, vaccinations and preventatives. Food is provided for Leader Dog moms, while hosts provide food for Leader Dog dads, along with daily care and lots of love.
If you’re hosting a mom, she’ll stay with you to whelp (give birth to) her puppies at home. In every case, our breeding team provides training, supplies and 24/7 support.
After their breeding career, they retire permanently with you at no cost, becoming a forever member of your family.
Volunteer Requirements
For the safety and wellbeing of our dogs, team members and volunteers, all breeding hosts are required to complete a background check as part of the application process. Additionally, all household pets must meet Leader Dog’s vaccine requirements, and current vaccination records must be submitted with your application.
Is this volunteer role for you?
Hosting a breeding dog is a meaningful way to support our mission, and we will guide you every step of the way.
You may have up to three dogs in your home (including your Leader Dog mom), if personal pets are spayed/neutered and current on vaccines. If you’re hosting a mom, her puppies will need their own space away from other pet dogs in the home. All dogs in the home must observe a four month quarantine to keep baby puppies healthy. We’ll help you prepare.
Once the puppies arrive, expect frequent feeding, cleaning and hands-on care. Hosts should also plan to be available during whelping, with advance notice.
To keep you well supported, hosts must live within six hours of Leader Dog’s campus in Rochester Hills, Michigan. You should be comfortable bending, kneeling and lifting about 20 pounds, and able to provide daily walks or active playtime for these energetic dogs.
While the responsibilities are real, so are the rewards. With time, patience and love, you’ll help raise the next generation of Leader Dogs and give someone the gift of independence.
I've been floating on cloud nine ever since I found out that some of the puppies we whelped became guide dogs for those with blindness. I feel like hosting a Leader Dog Mom is better than winning the lottery.
We have hosted three moms, and we will continue to host. We have learned responsibility, compassion, and we've witnessed firsthand how to make a positive impact in the world.
Breeding Host Options
There are several ways to become involved as a breeding host:
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Breeding Mom Host (Full Whelp)
Welcome a Leader Dog mom into your home as a permanent member of your family and support her through four litters. Puppies are born and raised with you until they’re about seven weeks old, giving you a front-row seat to their earliest development. You’ll receive hands-on experience and ongoing guidance from the Leader Dog team every step of the way.
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Whelp & Litter Care Host
Provide temporary care for a Leader Dog mom and her puppies for a single litter. Mom joins your home near the end of her pregnancy and stays with you until her puppies reach seven weeks old. This role is ideal for those who love the earliest stages of puppy development but aren’t able to host a dog full-time.
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Breeding Dad Host
Provide a loving home for a male breeding dog. You’ll bring him to the Leader Dog campus for scheduled breeding appointments, and the rest of the time he’s your faithful companion.
Ready to Learn More
We offer an on-demand info session recording for people interested in hosting a breeding dog. If you’d like to hear from our team about what being a breeding host is like, please fill out the form below to receive a link to the pre-recorded presentation!
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Dr. Gail McRae, DVM, MS, DACT
Assistant Director of Canine Health & Breeding
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Alex Guigar, LVT
Breeding Specialist
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Sam McCormick, LVT
Breeding Specialist
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Brianna (Bri) Frye
Early Puppy Development & Host Coordinator
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Monica Swanseger
Breeding Program Data Coordinator
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Christina Rybicki
Breeding Assistant
Breeding Host FAQ
What if I have other dogs in the house?
You can host with up to three dogs in your home (including your breeding stock dog). Personal pets must be spayed/neutered and up to date on vaccines. For everyone’s safety, puppies cannot have direct contact with your pets.
What are the personal pet vaccine requirements?
Pet Dogs: Required Vaccines + Additional Recommendations:
- Rabies – Required; every three years after the first booster
- Distemper/Parvovirus (DHPP or DA2P) – Required; often boostered every three years. Antibody titers may be substituted for Distemper. Please share results with our veterinary team for review.
- Leptospirosis – Highly recommended, but not required
- Bordetella – Highly recommended, but not required
- Not required – Lyme, Influenza or Coronavirus, unless your vet recommends based on local conditions.
Pet Cats: Recommended Vaccines
- Rabies – Rabies vaccination is recommended but not required. Please follow your veterinarian’s advice.
What is the quarantine?
Quarantine applies to all dogs living in your home, and travel is restricted during this time including visiting other homes or properties. Throughout the quarantine period, all dogs in the household must remain at least 15 feet away from other dogs and from people who have recently interacted with dogs that may be ill. Dogs cannot participate in playdates, visit grooming salons or doggy daycare, or go to places where other dogs may be or may have recently been. It’s also important to avoid areas with high dog traffic, even if no dogs are present, as walking over contaminated ground can pose health risks, especially for a mom and unvaccinated puppies in your home.
What is it like after the puppies are born?
Puppies will live in your home for about seven weeks after birth, and during this special time, you’ll play a key role in their early care and socialization, giving them the strongest possible start in life. In the first few days, puppies need to be checked every couple of hours, shifting to every four hours during the first two weeks. As they grow, they can be left alone for up to six hours at a time. Once they begin eating solid food around four weeks, things get a lot messier and require extra cleaning but also come with plenty of adorable moments.
At seven weeks old, the puppies return to Leader Dog to begin their exciting journey with their puppy raiser and continue their path toward becoming future Leader Dogs.
Do I need a fenced yard?
No, but your breeding stock dog must always be on a leash if not in a secure space. Underground or livestock fencing doesn’t count as secure. Females in season must always be attended, even in a fenced yard.
How many trips will I make to Leader Dog?
For a female: usually about five trips per litter (for breeding, ultrasound, x-ray, and puppy return at 7 weeks). Males make several trips a year for breeding or semen collection.