What if your next family adventure didn’t involve a plane ticket, but puppies and purpose? We’re inviting families like yours to help raise the next generation of guide dogs right from your own home.
If your kids love dogs, and you’ve got a soft spot for puppy kisses and wagging tails, becoming a volunteer breeding mom host is an amazing way to bond, give back and make a real difference, all while cuddling adorable puppies in their first weeks of life.
There are two ways to get involved, and both are perfect for families looking for something meaningful to do together.
Option 1: Full-Time Breeding Host (Traditional Breeding Mom Host)
This is the classic way to get involved. As a Breeding Mom Host, you welcome an adult female Leader Dog into your home full-time. She’ll live with you as a part of your family, and when it’s time, she’ll give birth (also known as whelping) right at your house.
You’ll help mom care for her litter until the puppies are about seven weeks old. Then they head back to Leader Dog to start their path toward becoming guide dogs. And the best part? When her breeding career is done, your Leader Dog mom retires with you — forever part of your family.
You’ll need to:
- Live within six hours of Leader Dog’s campus in Rochester Hills, Michigan
- Be ready to care for mom and puppies during those important first weeks
Option 2: Short-Term Puppy Hosting (Whelp & Litter Host)
As a Whelp & Litter Host, your commitment is shorter. You’ll take in a Leader Dog mom just for the birth of her puppies and care for the whole crew for about seven weeks.
Once the Future Leader Dogs are ready for their next steps, mom and puppies return to Leader Dog, and you get to say you played a vital role in helping people with blindness or low vision gain back their independence with a guide dog.
This role is perfect if you’re looking for a meaningful short-term experience that’s packed with puppy snuggles.
You’ll need to:
- Live within two hours of Leader Dog’s campus
- Be available to care for mom and pups for seven weeks at a time
Why This Is Amazing for Families
Besides the joy of puppy kisses, this experience teaches kids about empathy, responsibility, and the importance of giving back. They’ll watch the puppies grow, help socialize them and understand that your efforts will ultimately help someone who is blind or low vision gain back their freedom and independence.
Both roles are incredibly important — and overall incredible. Whether you’re in it for the long haul or just for the puppy phase, you’ll be making a real difference. Because raising puppies is even more rewarding when you know they’re headed toward changing someone’s life.
Watch our on-demand information session for more information available on the Host A Breeding Dog page.
Or jump right in and apply to become a breeding mom host (whelp) or whelp & litter host.