Be a Breeder Caretaker & Make a Paw-sitive Impact

Open your heart and home to a breeder dog to help bring future service dogs into the world. You can make an impact on people with disabilities by becoming a volunteer breeder caretaker today!

Breeder dogs and their puppies are the foundation of our organization. We carefully select and breed Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and crosses of the two breeds after an intensive evaluation process. Our breeding program evaluates each dog’s health, genetics, temperament, behavior, physical attributes, littermate trends and the success of the dam and sire lines. After evaluating all this information, the most appropriate candidates are selected as Canine Companions breeder dogs.

Volunteer breeder caretakers are a diverse group of volunteers ranging from all lived experiences and backgrounds. This role could be supported as an individual or family unit, all of whom receive extensive support from Canine Companions staff, other breeding program volunteers and the Breeder Caretaker Support Team. Once the breeder dog retires, the dog is spayed or neutered, and the volunteer has the option to adopt them as a loving pet.

Many volunteer breeder caretakers report immense feelings of pride and satisfaction in seeing Canine Companions breeders produce puppies with a purpose.

As a volunteer breeder caretaker, you must meet the following criteria:

• Live in proximity to Canine Companions Headquarters in Northern California.
• Work closely with Canine Companions veterinary, breeding and canine care staff.
• Caretakers for male breeder dogs will bring the breeder to the national headquarters in Santa Rosa, California, for breeding dates and veterinary appointments, as requested.
• Caretakers for female breeder dogs bring the breeder to headquarters each heat cycle and have the option to assist with whelping and delivery per Canine Companions guidelines.
• Follow Canine Companions early care protocols when whelping, rearing and socializing puppies.
• Attend Canine Companions breeder educational seminars and meetings.

To learn more about this opportunity or to sign up for a virtual information session, please email breedingprogram@canine.org.

You can also learn more by visiting our Breeder Caretaker FAQ page:

https://canine.org/get-involved/ways-to-volunteer/become-a-volunteer-breeder-caretaker/