Saint Francis Service Dogs Summer 2024 Newsletter

special from the start

Do You Want to Help Give the Gift of Independence?

What is Whelping?

To really get to the heart of every single Saint Francis Service Dog journey, you have to go all the way back to very beginning. The moment these wriggly, tiny pups take their first breaths, it marks the start down a very important path to becoming a life-changing teammate. Helping to bring a litter of Saint Francis Service Dogs-to-be into the world takes care, dedication, and time. Whelping and raising a litter is a three month commitment, as a mama dog will come stay in the whelping home about 3-4 weeks before the puppies are born. Then, during and after their birth, both mama and the puppies must be diligently cared for until they return to Saint Francis when they are ready to start the Puppy Program at 8 weeks old. “Rearing puppies in a home is a labor of love. That love is the foundation for building a trusting relationship with the humans around them,” says Kathy Marr, Saint Francis Breeding Program Manager. With the official launch of our Breeding Program last year, and the anticipation of several litters in the very near future, whelping volunteers are vital in helping us achieve our

mission. They play a crucial role in the early development of our exceptional service dogs and set the stage for the journey ahead of them. “There are so many benefits if our puppies are whelped and raised in a home. They are better protected from illness, they get to hear the sights and sounds of daily life, and they are part of a family,” says Kathy. and exposure to different sights, smells, and sounds, whelpers help the puppies develop the confidence and adaptability they will need to be a Saint Francis Service Dog...one of the many reasons the commitment and efforts of a whelping volunteer continue to make an impact far beyond the early days of a puppy’s life. “ Without them we would not have any foundation to build on. Our dogs perform wonderful tasks for their partners and give them unconditional love and confidence,” Kathy says. “These dogs change lives, and it all starts in the whelping box with whelping volunteers.” Interested in becoming a whelping foster? Contact us at (540) 342-3647 or kmarr@saintfrancisdogs.org Along with the physical care, early socialization is key. By gentle handling

As a WHELPING FOSTER , you help Saint Francis by hosting one of our mama dogs leading up to and through the birth of her litter. You care for both mama and puppies until the puppies reach 8 weeks of age. As a PUPPY RAISER , you help Saint Francis by taking a puppy into your home. You introduce the puppy to the big world and teach the puppy basic manners and commands. As a PUPPY SITTER, you offer your home to puppies that need a weekend getaway or a vacation for a week or two. We support our Puppy Volunteers every step of the way! If you can provide a safe, comfortable, loving home for our puppies to learn and grow in, please consider becoming a Puppy Volunteer today! For more information: visit saintfrancisdogs.org/volunteer email volunteer@saintfrancisdogs.org or call 540-342-3647

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