Could you give a temporary home to a guide dog puppy like Hovis?

144","classid":1073872969,"properties":[201342447,"5",201342448,"1",469777841,"arial",469777842,"",469777843,"calibri",469777844,"arial",469769226,"arial,calibri",268442635,"24",469775450,"eop",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"eop",335572020,"1",469778324,"default="" paragraph="" font"]">Guide dog puppy Hovis will be spending the rest of the summer settling into her new temporary home in Northamptonshire.

This eight-week-old pup left Guide Dogs’ National Centre, in Leamington Spa, earlier this week and travelled to the county to live with her volunteer Puppy Raisers, whom she’ll stay with for around 12 months.

The charity relies on volunteer Puppy Raisers to look after its pups during their first year, teaching them basic commands and introducing them to different social environments, such as town centres and public transport.

142","classid":1073872969,"properties":[469777841,"times="" new="" roman",469777842,"times="" roman",469777843,"times="" roman",469777844,"times="" roman",469769226,"times="" roman",335551547,"2057",335559739,"0",201342447,"5",201342448,"1",268442635,"24",335559704,"1025",335559705,"2057",469775450,"paragraph",201340122,"2",134233614,"true",469778129,"paragraph",335572020,"1",134233118,"true",134233117,"true",469778324,"normal"]">Guide Dogs pays for essential costs, including food and vet bills.  

There are currently 20 pups being looked after by volunteer Puppy Raisers in Northamptonshire, but more volunteers are needed in the county, so that more pups can be transformed into life-changing guides.

Anna Standing, Operations Manager for Puppy Raising at Guide Dogs covering Northamptonshire, said: “Hovis is the latest pup to move to Northamptonshire, to live with her volunteer Puppy Raisers.

“She’ll spend the next year getting used to the outside world and developing her basic training skills, before she moves to a Guide Dogs centre to start her formal training when she is around a year old.

“We urgently need more temporary homes across the county for our future guide dogs, like Hovis.

“Being a Puppy Raiser for us is an exciting and rewarding opportunity to raise a guide dog puppy and prepare them for their future role supporting someone with sight loss.       

“We’ll provide all the support and training you need, so you feel well equipped to care for your puppy when they arrive with you.  

“We also run regular puppy training classes, where you can meet other guide dog pups, and volunteers, from the local area, and learn important training skills.

“If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Puppy Raiser for Guide Dogs, please do get in touch.”

Volunteers must be aged over 18 and have suitable housing. Caring for a puppy is a full-time commitment and you must be able to give a guide dog pup the love and attention they deserve.   

Applicants must have the ability to access online content and training materials and have an email address.   

To find out more, contact Volunteering Coordinator Gail Pajak via [email protected] or call 0800 781 1444.