Foster Families
As a foster family, you will socialize and train a puppy for one of four phases of training, typically 4-6 months. This involves bringing the puppy everywhere and introducing them to what life may be like when they’re placed with their veteran. A foster commits to raising a puppy for the entire time the dog is in the service dog program. This includes attending mandatory training sessions and group outings once a week throughout the fostering phase. Fill out the Full-Time Foster application below.
Puppy Sitter
Puppy sitters are not paired with a single dog. Instead, they will take puppies sporadically to help full-time raisers and provide different learning opportunities. As a puppy sitter, you will be “on call” – you will be contacted for help when a puppy raiser may be out of town or have prior commitments. If a puppy sitter has a puppy during one of the mandatory training sessions, they need to bring the puppy to the training as if they were the full-time puppy raiser.
Fill-in Handler
Fill-in handlers are individuals who cannot have a dog in their home but wants to handle dogs. Fill-in handlers step in at training classes, training retreats, or training trips and works with a dog when a foster family cannot attend.
How to Apply
When you apply to be foster family, puppy sitter or volunteer you are helping Puppy Jake Foundation fulfill its mission to improve the physical and emotional well-being of wounded military veterans through well-bred, socialized and professionally trained service dogs. To start the process, please download and fill out the the Foster Family/Puppy Sitter application below and mail to Puppy Jake Foundation, Attn: Foster Application, P.O. Box 12220, Des Moines, IA 50312.
After sending in the Foster Family/Puppy Sitter application please join us for a volunteer orientation.
Volunteer Orientations are held on the 3rd Saturday of every month (except Septembers), 9:00am at Puppy Jake Foundation Training Academy, 3101 104th Street, Suite #2, Urbandale, IA 50322.
