Josy and Bill's Breeder Caretaker Story

Josy & Bill

My husband, Bill, and I have been PADS volunteers since 2011. After attending an information session on the various volunteer roles and what each entailed, we jumped at the chance to become breeder-caretakers. Why? Aside from our wish to be part of PADS’ mission, there were three main reasons.

The first was the opportunity to see and care for newborn pups. When do you ever get to do that? We had only ever had rescue dogs and had always wondered what they looked like in their younger years.

The second reason was that we would be home for the mother dog before, during, and after her pregnancies, with the option to adopt her once she was retired from breeding.

The third was that we were inspired by Santini’s blog. Santini was a PADS breeding dog, and her caretakers shared their experiences and the development of the puppies during the times they had a litter on the ground. It was inspiring.

Fifteen years on, I can say that we made the right choice for us. The entire process, from breeding to whelping, is fascinating in its own right—but baby pups are amazing. The speed at which they develop physically and cognitively, all while maintaining 100% cuteness, makes you want to hold your breath for eight weeks. It is a privilege to be able to watch and participate in the process.

One of my favourite times occurs when the pups are three to four weeks old and their eyes and ears begin to open. However, honestly, we have been known to spend hours just watching them twitch in their sleep or celebrating weird things like good poop consistency!

That’s not to say there aren’t challenging moments (or days or weeks!). Sometimes those moments are due to lack of sleep during the early stages; sometimes they’re due to medical emergencies for either mom or pups; and sometimes it’s when the pups start to practise using their new, sharp little teeth on your ankles.

There is a lot of cleanup involved, especially during the last few weeks. However, I can attest to the fact that PADS’ breeding staff are always at the ready to answer questions and make any necessary medical decisions. Once you set up a routine that works for you and identify the areas where you could use a bit of help, there are lots of other PADS breeder-caretakers and volunteers ready to lend a hand or offer moral support.

We have had seven litters so far, involving four different moms, and have helped with several other litters. What’s been fun to discover is that each litter has its own character and that mother dogs all have their own parenting styles. Additionally, over the years, there has been evolution in some of the technology used and progress in best practices to give each litter and pup a strong foundation. You learn a lot with each litter of pups.

We are often asked, “Aren’t you sad when the pups leave your home?” We have always answered with a resounding “No!” The eight weeks are wondrous but intense, and by the time the pups are eight weeks old, they need more time, more space, and more individual attention.

Looking at the big picture, it is always reassuring for us to know that each pup is going to a well-vetted home, with a raiser and trainers ready to take them to the next stage of their journeys. It’s not as though we lose touch with the pups completely—they’ve simply gone out into a wider network of assistance dogs.

Not only do we often hear about their progress, but we’ve also, in the process, connected with so many wonderful people who share the goal of breeding, training, and placing assistance dogs.