Breeding Dog Volunteer

As a Breeding Dog Volunteer, you’ll provide a full-time, loving home for one of our guide dog mums. You’ll help keep her in top condition and health for her vital role, while also getting to enjoy all the benefits of a well-behaved, loving pet dog. 

When the time is right, you’ll support your guide dog mum throughout her pregnancy and during her birth at home. You’ll then help to take care of her puppies during their first seven weeks of life until they’re ready to move onto the next stage of their guide dog journey. 

You’ll receive all the training you need for the role. You’ll have the full support of our expert dog behaviour and welfare teams and dedicated 24/7 support from our specialist breeding team. We also cover all the costs for our guide dog mums, including her food, vet bills and any equipment or bedding she needs.

Our guide dog mums deliver a maximum of four litters of puppies and each litter can have up to ten potential future guide dogs. When your guide dog mum retires you can choose to keep her as your pet dog.

Eligibility for the role:

• The welfare of our mums and pups is our top priority. Most importantly we’re looking for loving homes for our dogs.

• Our Breeding Dog Volunteers need to live within an hour’s drive of our National Centre in Leamington Spa, CV33 9QJ, so we can support you and your dogs.

• You’ll need to have a car and be able to travel to our National Centre when the time is right to prepare your guide dog mum for her litter of pups.

• Your home will need an area suitable for your guide dog mum to give birth and you’ll need access to a secure garden. 

• When your guide dog mum has had her puppies, you’ll need to be available to look after them at home for around seven weeks.

• We ask that our dogs are never left at home alone for more than 4 hours per day.

Our Guide Dog mums are able to live with children and other pets, so please talk to us about this when you apply. Please note, we’re unable to place our guide dog mums in homes with male dogs who have not been neutered.

To find out more and to apply for this rewarding role, please go to our website, or if you have any questions, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you.