Weekend Puppy Sitters
Weekend Puppy Sitters take puppies out of the NEADS Early Learning Center during the weekends to expose them to life in a home.
Weekend Puppy Sitters help NEADS Service Dog candidates start their socializations, and complement the weekday puppy socialization and exposure program that takes place at the NEADS Early Learning Center (ELC).
NEADS puppy candidates live on the NEADS campus and begin their training and socialization to become well-rounded Service Dogs. Weekend Puppy Sitters pick up their assigned puppy from NEADS campus and introduce the puppy to a home environment for a quiet weekend.
Weekend Puppy Sitters commit to:
- Handling, reinforcing training of, and interacting with the NEADS puppy according to NEADS methods and policies
- Providing a quiet, safe, and loving home environment for at least one weekend each month
- Communicating effectively and appropriately with NEADS staff
- Each weekend they volunteer, completing a short report about the NEADS puppy
Reasons people choose to become NEADS Weekend Puppy Sitters:
- Love puppies
- Looking for a fun and family-friendly volunteer opportunity
- Enjoy having a puppy only one weekend per quarter: hosting a NEADS puppy is not the full commitment of owning a dog
Program Features
Program Features
Commitment
minimum 1 weekend/quarter
Age of Dog
8 to 12 weeks old
Dog
Different puppy every weekend
Pick up/ drop off
NEADS Campus, Princeton, MA
Onboarding
2 hour orientation
Public Access
None
Timeframe
Friday afternoons – Sunday evening
Responsibilities
Keep puppy safe & healthy at home and in yard
Follow NEADS guidelines for handling
Paperwork
1 sitter report sheet each weekend you volunteer
Supplies
All supplies provided except poop bags
More About Being a Weekend Puppy Sitter
The Weekend Puppy Sitter is matched with a puppy from the Early Learning Center but will not likely take the same puppy home for multiple weekends. Due to the puppy’s young stage of training and the very short commitment of the puppy sitters, the sitter will not be allowed to take the puppy into places of business like restaurants, stores, hospitals, etc. Please note that to be considered for a puppy sitter volunteer opportunity, you must complete the puppy-sitter-specific application through the link on this page.
Requirements include:
- Providing adequate daily exercise as recommended by your NEADS trainer
- Providing a safe, healthy and loving environment for the puppy
- Following NEADS guidelines and procedures as outlined by the puppy program