Why Fostering Matters
Fostering is a crucial step in the development of our medical alert dogs. These dogs are trained to detect and respond to life-threatening medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, and severe allergies. But before they can fulfill their vital roles, they need a nurturing environment where they can grow, learn, and socialize.
As a foster parent, you’ll provide the love, care, and basic training that will help these dogs develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed. Your home becomes their classroom, where they learn to navigate the world, encounter new experiences, and prepare for their future roles as life-saving companions.
The Benefits of Fostering
Fostering a service dog in training is an incredibly rewarding experience. Here’s why you should consider joining our fostering program:
1. Make a Direct Impact: By fostering, you’re directly contributing to the success of a future service dog.
Your care and attention help shape a dog that will one day provide invaluable assistance to someone in need.
2. Experience the Joy of Dog Companionship: Fostering allows you to enjoy the companionship of a dog without the long-term commitment.
2. Experience the Joy of Dog Companionship: Fostering allows you to enjoy the companionship of a dog without the long-term commitment.
You’ll experience the joy of having a dog in your home, with the knowledge that you’re helping them on their journey to become a hero.
3. Learn and Grow Together: Fostering is an educational experience for both you and the dog.
You’ll have the opportunity to learn about dog training, behavior, and the incredible capabilities of service dogs, all while contributing to a worthy cause.
4. Flexible and Supportive Program: We understand that fostering is a big commitment, which is why we provide full support, including training, resources, and veterinary care.
3. Learn and Grow Together: Fostering is an educational experience for both you and the dog.
You’ll have the opportunity to learn about dog training, behavior, and the incredible capabilities of service dogs, all while contributing to a worthy cause.
4. Flexible and Supportive Program: We understand that fostering is a big commitment, which is why we provide full support, including training, resources, and veterinary care.
Whether you’re new to fostering or experienced, we’ll be with you every step of the way.
Puppy Fostering and Raising
Our Puppy Raiser program puts service dog learners from as young as 8 weeks into foster homes so that they can learn all of the essential skills to become a service dog hero one day! Some pups may even already live with their potential SD team-mate (taking on the role as their puppy raiser. Whilst at their puppy raising homes, and up until they are approximately 1 year of age, puppies will need to learn obedience, house manners, and undergo intense socialisation.
About Puppy Raising
Honey's Garden takes donated puppies from reputable breeders as well as rescuing from a variety of welfare organisations. Once we have selected the best puppies to join our program, the next step to their future career as a service dog is being placed in a puppy raiser home. Honey's Garden may have dogs of different ages available to puppy raiser homes.
It is an exciting venture that you are now playing an important part in and we would like to give you some more information on how to live with a future service dog. We have also attached the testing that the dogs go through, just to give you an idea of how we expect the dogs to behave.
● We will be having regular group training sessions and zoom meetings.
● You will be added to a Whatsapp group where all information will be relayed. ● We will be using the Canine Good Citizens Award scheme
● You may be asked to do some task training at home infrequently.
● All food will be provided by Hills Pet Nutrition - stock SDs only.
● All veterinary care will be provided for by Honey’s Garden - stock SD’s only. ● Puppies are to receive at least 3 socialisation public outings per week.
If fostering sounds like a good fit for you, we would love to hear from you!
Fostering a service dog in training is a profound way to give back to your community.
At Honeys Garden for Medical Alert Dogs SA, we are dedicated to creating partnerships that change lives, and we can’t do it without people like you.