No, you do not need any past experience with dog training to puppy raise or sit. However, you DO need to have a high level of interest in and commitment to learning about positive reinforcement training.

Absolutely! Summit provides lots of support to our raisers and sitters through our trainers, our Puppy Raising Program Coordinator, dedicated Facebook page, and secure foster home website.

We ask our puppy sitters to provide the dog with a high-quality food (approximately $50/month).

Vet treatments are reimbursed through Summit.

A fully fenced yard is not required for puppy raising or sitting, but it is recommended. Exceptions may be made if the sitter has reliable access to a safe, fenced area for a dog to utilize near the home.

While being socialized to children is beneficial to the dogs in training, we must remember to always prioritize safe and respectful handling of the dogs. If you have very young children (under 5 years old), it may be better to wait to apply until they are a bit older. We encourage older children (over 13 years old) with an interest in helping to attend orientation and classes with you. The parent/guardian in the household will remain the primary responsible party for the dog’s health, safety, and training.

Puppy raisers and sitters may have pet dogs of their own, as long as the pet dog is healthy, not aggressive, doesn’t engage in behaviors that we wouldn’t want modeled to a puppy, and the handler abides by Summit’s dog separation policy. Summit dogs and pet dogs may coexist in the home through proper home management including crates, ex-pens, baby gates, or rotations in the yard.

If you have concerns about the requirements of puppy raising or sitting, please reach out to us to see if there are other ways you can help. We often have a need for volunteers in other areas including: Transportation, puppy socialization, kennel assistance, photography/videography, sewing, outreach, and fundraising.