Become an RFI Puppy Raiser: Everything You Need to Know

Retrieving Freedom
2 days ago
4 min read

RFI Puppy Raisers play a vital role in preparing future Service Dogs for Veterans with disabilities and children with autism. If you have ever wondered what it takes to get involved, here is a complete overview of the program and how you can become part of the mission.

What Does a Puppy Raiser Do?

RFI Puppy Raisers foster an RFI Service Dog in Training from approximately 8 weeks old until around 12 months old. During this time, they focus on early conditioning and public exposure, including teaching basic manners, obedience, and socialization to novel situations such as new people, environments, activities, and experiences.

The objective is to help develop a confident, responsive, and reliable dog that is willing to try new things, is polite, and eager to please their handler.

Puppy raisers meet with RFI staff twice monthly or more for guided training sessions. These sessions include a combination of group classes and individual training, where raisers learn essential skills to shape their puppy into a future Service Dog.

Daily practice at home is equally important. This may include:

Practicing polite behavior around the dinner table
Sitting calmly at doors
Walking nicely on a leash
Settling appropriately in work environments

Once the puppy reaches 4 months of age and is fully vaccinated, raisers may begin taking the puppy to appropriate work environments and public businesses such as stores and restaurants to further develop public access skills.

At around 12 months old, the puppy returns to RFI to begin the next phase of training, called Impact Programs. During this stage, the dog may work with trained college or prison handlers for 4 to 8 months to advance obedience and begin task training. After that, the dog spends another 4 to 8 months with an RFI trainer to finalize skills before placement with a Veteran with a disability or a child with autism.

Even after turning in their puppy, raisers are encouraged to stay involved by:

Attending monthly classes
Fostering another puppy
Providing weekend foster care for dogs in advanced training

Who Can Become a Puppy Raiser?

RFI Puppy Raisers come from all ages, family settings, and careers. Dog experience is not required to be successful.

Successful raisers are:

Fond of dogs
Open-minded and eager to learn
Communicative
Willing to seek help
Able to follow instructions

Basic Requirements for Fostering

The primary handler must be 18 years or older and not a current high school student.
- Children ages 15 to 17 may handle the dog in public only when accompanied by RFI staff or the primary adult raiser.
- RFI dogs may not attend middle or high school classes.
- College students are eligible to foster.
Reliable transportation is required to attend training sessions at the nearest RFI facility at least twice per month.
A fenced yard is not required.
No more than two other dogs, cats, or large indoor pets, with additional animals considered case by case.
- Livestock and horses do not apply to this limitation.
Other animals in the home must not pose a safety risk and must tolerate the presence of the RFI dog without aggression.
Temporary fosters will be arranged if a raiser has a vacation or emergency that prevents the puppy from attending.

How to Get Started

The onboarding process is straightforward and typically lasts between 2 weeks and 1 month, depending on scheduling. Most new raisers receive their first puppy within 2 to 3 months after completing onboarding.

The Process

All potential raisers in the household complete the online application: https://retrievingfreedom.tfaforms.net/4820236
A site foster coordinator will follow up to schedule a call, video meeting, or in-person conversation to review the puppy raising manual and answer questions.
Attend an in-person Orientation and Introduction to Handling session at your nearest RFI facility.
Attend an in-person Public Access training session at a local business to practice public handling skills.
Sign the Foster Contract and Volunteer Liability Form after completing training sessions.
Enter a waiting period, typically 1 to 2 months, before receiving your puppy. During this time, you are encouraged to attend classes and provide weekend foster care when available.
Sign the Puppy Contract when your puppy arrives and begin raising your RFI puppy.

Financial Commitment

Puppy raising comes with little to no financial cost.

RFI provides:

Routine and emergency veterinary care
Dog food
Basic training equipment such as a collar, leash, vest, and treat pouch

RFI may loan additional supplies such as a crate if needed, though availability is limited. Raisers are encouraged to have appropriate supplies ready before their puppy arrives, including:

A crate
Food and water bowls
Toys
Grooming supplies
First aid materials
Cleaning supplies

Make a Life-Changing Difference

Becoming an RFI Puppy Raiser is a meaningful way to directly impact the life of a Veteran with a disability or a child with autism. Every well-socialized puppy raised with care and consistency moves one step closer to becoming a life-changing Service Dog.