Puppy Raising Club Leaders and Puppy Raising Club Structure
Guide Dogs for the Blind’s puppy raising club leaders are exceptional volunteers. Leaders go above and beyond and take on the responsibilities involved in shaping the culture of puppy clubs and managing the day-to-day responsibilities of raising puppies. Leaders develop volunteers in their overall skills in dog handling, encourage and lead by example in following all policies and procedures in the Puppy Raising Guidebook, and provide ongoing support for both the people and dogs in their clubs.
Topics covered on this page:
- Puppy Raising Leader Requirements, Application Process, and Responsibilities
- Confidentiality and Security
- Puppy Club Structure
- Requirements of a GDB Puppy Club
- Onboarding of New Puppy Raising Volunteers
- Club Division or Merger
- Sharing Club Information
- Decision-Making Responsibilities
- Contracting Approval
- Club Marketing, Branding, and Social Media
Puppy Raising Leader Requirements, Application Process, and Responsibilities
- Minimum age of 18 years.
- Excellent history of compliance with all GDB program requirements and guidelines.
- Represent GDB to the public and puppy club volunteers in a positive manner.
- Complete a Supplemental Leader Application (received through your puppy raising field manager).
- Successful background screening and completion of orientation on child welfare issues.
- Successful completion of subsequent background screenings every five years.
Puppy raising field managers (PFMs) have the responsibility of interviewing, evaluating, and selecting leader candidates. Leaders may not appoint additional leaders or successive leaders. Leaders with recommendations for leader applicants should inform their PFM.
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The training provided for new leaders includes the following steps:
- Discuss potential leadership with PFM.
- Receive and submit a supplemental leader application to puppy raising engagement manager.
- Pass background screening.
- Complete leader policies and procedures training presented by PFM.
- Observe four Walk & Talks with PFM.
- Attend three GDB training events approved by PFM.
- Receive mentorship from an experienced leader, designated by PFM.
- Complete puppy handling training presented by PFM or mentor.
- Observe mentor on four home visits.
- Attend four club activities with other puppy raising clubs.
If a leader supervises a puppy raising club under the umbrella of 4-H, FFA, or other such program, they will be required to attend that organization’s training sessions as well.
- Initiate, receive, and process applications for puppy raising volunteers joining their club.
- Conduct home interviews with each applicant and family to determine suitability.
- Ensure each volunteer has access to the GDB Puppy Raising Guidebook, including puppy development and policies.
- Support puppy club volunteers in learning the techniques and guidelines established by GDB regarding puppy handling and socialization.
- Assist with the recruitment of new club members.
- Work with their designated puppy raising field manager to best support the development of GDB puppies in their club.
- Notify the PFM of any situation that may be potentially unsafe, contentious, litigious, harmful to the reputation of GDB, or otherwise detrimental.
- Follow all GDB protocols and policies for working with and protecting youth.
- Mediate conflicts between club members.
- Supporting volunteers in understanding and embracing change.
- Providing appropriate and timely feedback to club members, their PFM, their puppy raising program manager, or others as needed.
- All volunteers serve as needed at the discretion of the organization.
- Leadership is not transferable from club-to-club without GDB approval.
Confidentiality and Security
All records relating to a leader’s application and screening process will be maintained strictly confidential. GDB at its sole discretion may contact legal counsel to review the appropriateness of a volunteer to work with youth or otherwise volunteer for GDB.
As part of required security:
- Applicable records will be stored in a secured part of the GDB database with restricted access.
- Applicable records will be maintained throughout a volunteer's service.
- As required by law, a volunteer can request access to their files.
Puppy Club Structure
All club leaders must be approved by the PFM and complete the GDB leader training under their supervision. For clubs with more than one leader, a primary leader will be chosen with the approval of the PFM.
GDB provides a leader with training, a basic list of responsibilities, and support materials for their role as a puppy club leader. An important puppy club leader responsibility is to be a liaison between GDB and the volunteers in the club. Being a positive representative of GDB is key to having a club that works in harmony with the mission. Strong leadership and clear communication are essential qualities in a club leader. Likewise, open communication with PFMs and other members of the Puppy Raising team is essential. Leaders must keep PFMs aware of all conflicts and problematic issues with club volunteers and the puppies, or with the public.
Communications regarding all issues should begin as soon as they surface. If GDB staff is aware of problematic situations as they arise, support will be more timely and effective.
Larger clubs with multiple leaders will determine how to assign responsibilities between them. Co-leaders are encouraged to assume roles based on their interests and talents, using the list of responsibilities provided by GDB.
The following guidelines are provided to maintain consistent communication amongst leaders:
- All communication about club matters will include all club leaders so all are kept up to date.
- When communicating by phone or informally in person, relay information to other leaders via email or follow-up telephone calls.
PFMs and GDB will schedule periodic leader training to ensure all are kept current of changes in the organization, training techniques, and other topics. Leaders are required to attend 80% of these training activities per year. To facilitate attendance, PFMs and other GDB staff will schedule these training activities as early in advance as possible.
Requirements of a GDB Puppy Club
- All new clubs must submit an Application to Establish a GDB Puppy Raising Club (this form should be requested from the PFM) prior to approval.
- All new GDB clubs are approved or declined by the PFM in consultation with the puppy raising program manager.
- All clubs must be supervised by a leader who meets the application, screening, training, and performance standards of GDB.
- A club does not have an exclusive territory; clubs that meet GDB requirements may form in the same geographical area.
- Leaders, raisers, sitters, and all club volunteers will meet all guidelines of GDB; including attending trainings, Walk & Talks, or other sessions as requested by their PFM or the organization.
- Clubs that have fewer than three puppies placed with approved raisers will be individually evaluated by the PFM to determine the next steps, up to and including club dissolution.
- Clubs that are concurrently enrolled in other organizations (4H, FFA) must also meet the requirements of that organization.
- GDB may set a minimum or maximum number of puppies for individual clubs at its discretion.
Onboarding of New Puppy Raising Volunteers
To begin puppy sitting or raising a puppy, a volunteer needs to complete an application, a home visit, the "Pathway to Puppy! Self-Study" course via Litmos, and hands-on practice of the “Pathway to Puppy! Fundamental Puppy Handling Skills.”
The program is designed to be learned in stages as the puppy matures; a volunteer does not need to know the entire curriculum prior to receiving a puppy. Volunteer will typically be ready to raise a puppy within 2 to 4 months.
Leaders are responsible for providing an application and home visit in a timely manner and ensuring opportunities for new volunteers to learn the “Pathway to Puppy! Fundamental Puppy Handling Skills” in one or more of the following ways:
- Pathway to Puppy! Workshop (volunteers learn all fundamental puppy handling skills in a half-day workshop and, combined with completion of Litmos online learning and a home visit, are ready for puppy when finished). Workshops can be led by a PFM or other GDB staff, by the club, or in collaboration with neighboring clubs.
- Learning the skills via club activities (at meetings, outings, or dedicated small group sessions).
- 1:1 with club leader or designated mentor.
See the Puppy Raising Volunteer Application Process page in the Let’s Work Together! section of the Guidebook for more details.
Club Division or Merger
Occasionally a single club will re-form into two separate groups, or two groups will merge into one. Splitting an existing club or creating a new club is allowed only with the consultation and approval of the PFM and puppy raising program manager.
Sharing Club Information
All clubs are strongly encouraged to share basic information about the club and its functions with all club members. This information may also be made available to volunteers through a club Facebook page or other electronic means (excluding individual club websites; please see Marketing and Social Media for more information).
Information can include:
- Calendar of Club Activities: regular meeting days, times, and locations; detail of any other regular club outings and activities.
- Leader names and contact information.
- GDB website information.
- Fundraising information: brief description of club fundraising activities and expected volunteer participation.
- Club provisions, if any, including assistance with equipment, or dog food.
- Financial obligations, including fees for club activities or club dues.
Decision-Making Responsibilities
Puppy Raising Field Manager (PFM) responsibilities include:
- Transferring a dog from a home.
- Career changing a dog.
- Sending a dog for health or behavior evaluation.
- Denying an individual’s participation in GDB activities.
- Denying applications in consultation with the club leader(s).
PFMs are responsible for supervising the puppy raising volunteers and puppies in their territory. All volunteers and family members must work with their PFM in a cooperative fashion. A PFM’s decisions represent those of the organization. If any volunteer has concerns about a PFM’s decision or actions, they should contact the puppy raising program manager or director of puppy raising.
Leader responsibilities include:
- Overseeing puppy sitting.
- Requesting the PFM to consider an evaluation of a puppy.
- Temporarily removing a puppy from a home for evaluation.
- Temporarily removing a puppy from a home if it is in danger or in a situation unsuitable for its proper development.
- Temporarily removing a puppy from a home if it is endangering other people or animals.
- Submitting any letters of dispute, reprimand, or any other sensitivity to the PFM for review prior to distribution.
Club responsibilities include:
- Primary club leader will not have veto power over decisions made by the total club leadership.
- Club leadership should include the majority of active club volunteers in decision making. Voting can be done at in-person activities, via email or survey, or another inclusive method.
- Club decisions should be passed by a simple majority of active club volunteers.
- In the event that a majority vote cannot be reached, or when a conflict occurs that cannot be resolved, the issue in question will be taken to the PFM for resolution.
- Decisions regarding club activities (ideas, locations, special dates, and times) should be based on the leadership’s decision and the consensus of club members.
- If a group chooses to fundraise, have dues or any kind of monies collected:
- A treasurer will be designated.
- There will be strict accountability of funds. The treasurer will make quarterly reports on expenditure and income to full club membership.
- Receipts must be given, and a set of books maintained to track every transaction. These documents remain with the club, even if there is a change of treasurer.
- All GDB policies and practices for club fundraising and handling of funds must be followed; see Club Fundraising.
- Decisions regarding expenditures for general club benefit (equipment, outing and meeting expenses, operational expenses) can be made by club leadership without a club membership vote, subject to the dollar amounts below. Expenditures for items that benefit individuals must be voted on by the general club membership.
- The primary leader may make or authorize expenditures up to a maximum of $100 total per month without club leadership or club approval. Expenditures between $100 and $250 must be authorized by the majority of club leadership. Expenditures over $250 must be approved by the majority of the general club membership.
- Club dues and fees for use of club-owned equipment may be charged as long as the club membership approves, and fees are assessed in a consistent manner.
Contracting Approval
GDB puppy raising clubs and volunteers may not enter into a contract in the name of Guide Dogs for the Blind. Any contract entered into by a volunteer will be considered their act as an individual separate from GDB, and in this context, a volunteer is fully responsible for any resulting liability. Please contact your PFM before entering into any contract for club activities.
Club Marketing, Branding, and Social Media
For information on GDB’s guidelines on social media, logo use, and branding, please refer to the Marketing and Social Media section of the Guidebook.
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