FAQs for Puppy Raisers.
What are my responsibilities?
The raiser must attend a weekly class so that the puppy can learn basic obedience commands such as sit, down, stay, and come. Obedience teaches the puppy “good manners” and establishes a foundation for service tasks. Classes also help socialize the puppy. It is important that you socialize the puppy 2-3 times per week. We also require raisers to join us in our monthly community socialization outings and activities.
How much of my time is required?
Puppy raising is a 24/7 job—no getting around it! This includes:
playtime
work time
group training
socialization (exposing your puppy to people and public places)
general care
housetraining
exercise (daily)
grooming.
What if I work full-time?
Most of our raisers don’t work full-time, which we prefer— especially for our younger dogs. If the puppy is young, four hours is the maximum time it can be left alone. You can ask relatives, neighbors, or other raisers to visit the puppy if you cannot go home during the day for the first month or so. We prefer to have someone in the home at least part-time until the pup is comfortable in his new setting.
Who is responsible for veterinary costs, etc.?
Hawaii Fi-Do covers costs incurred including:
routine vet visits
monthly medications
and the spaying or neutering of the puppy.
We appreciate it if our raiser can purchase quality approved food (we use Costco when we can) for all of our dogs. If this is a hardship, Hawaii Fi-Do will purchase the food.
All costs incurred in raising your puppy may be deductible as a charitable contribution from your income. Consult a tax advisor for information about tax deductions.
What if I already have a dog?
We will consider your dog’s age, temperament, and breed. Sometimes having an older dog can be helpful to the puppy’s development, but it can also lead to bad habits or distract from the pup’s learning. Weekly classes will help to socialize the puppy, even if you do not have a dog.
Isn’t it hard to give the puppy up?
It can be the most difficult part of raising a foster puppy. Our pups are rotated every 3-4 months to a new home so they can experience many living situations. Our puppy raisers fall in love with the concept of puppy raising and have the opportunity to love and train many pups. The many times your puppies make someone laugh and smile will far outweigh the tears from returning them to Hawaii Fi-Do. Someone on our waiting list will be hoping and dreaming of the day your puppy becomes their service dog.
