Puppy Program
Where it all begins
Our Puppy Program is where it all starts for these beautiful dogs who will go on to change and save lives.
What’s on this page?
Caring for the puppies in the program is about providing a caring and loving environment, the right foundations of training, regular exposure to different environments, fantastic nutrition and veterinary care.
This incredible program is delivered by the See Differently team and our amazing volunteers.
Become a puppy volunteer today.
Tomorrow’s heroes need your help today. We offer flexible volunteering roles whether you have a little time or a lot. Join our life-changing program with all costs covered and a supportive team by your side.
Breeding for great health and temperament
We often get asked why we only have Labradors and Golden Retrievers (and crosses of the two) in our Guide and Assistance Dog Program. The short answer is that these breeds are well regarded for their temperaments, and they have a track record over many decades globally of being wonderful Guide and Assistance Dogs.
See Differently has run a leading Guide and Assistance Dog School for the past two decades and we breed the majority of our puppies, as well as sourcing some from our interstate partners. We work in partnership with other internationally accredited Guide and Assistance Dog Schools in Australia, the UK, Canada, Japan and the US to ensure the healthiest dogs now and into the future.
We select dogs for our breeding program based on:
- Temperament and Health: Guide and Assistance Dogs are bred for specific temperaments, including confidence, willingness to learn, and a friendly, outgoing nature. They also undergo health screenings to ensure they are free from inherited diseases like hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia.
- Breed Selection: While various breeds can be guide dogs, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are commonly used due to their calm, loyal, and intelligent nature, which makes them well-suited for training.
![[Image description:Three cute puppies lying in the floor]](https://seedifferently.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Cute-Puppies.webp "Cute-Puppies")
“Caring for these puppies really is a privilege. There is a lot of work that goes into ensuring we breed the healthiest puppies that will be suited to their important jobs. We really couldn’t do it without the support of our international Guide and Assistance Dog community, our local vets and our hard-working and caring volunteers.”
Puppy Training Program
Once the puppies are eight weeks old, they are placed in homes with volunteers who provide socialization, training, and care, preparing them for their future roles as Guide and Assistance Dogs.
The first 12-14 months of the pups life is like the early years for a child, the learning process is steep, and the foundations are laid for a healthy, happy and helpful life ahead.
Some of the key parts of the Puppy Training Program include:
PART ONE
Training the dogs with positive reinforcement methods that use high value rewards of both food and praise. An abundance of rewards, including physical and verbal affection, builds motivation and confidence, and creates a happy working dog
PART TWO
Using internationally accredited training techniques to ensure puppies learn the basic skills quickly. This means things like sitting, standing, walking well, lying down and eating meals on command.
PART THREE
Puppy classes. It’s really important that the dogs are able to concentrate on the task of guiding their client. From an early age we teach the puppies in a range of environments to be focused on the task at hand. It means being able to navigate distractions like smells, other dogs and people in the environment.
PART FOUR
All the modes of transport. It’s important that Guide and Assistance Dogs are comfortable on a range of transports – trains, trams, buses and planes. With some incredible partners like Virgin Australia, who allow us to take dogs in training on their planes, we make sure the puppies and dogs are confident with different modes of transport.
PART FIVE
One on one support for puppies and volunteers. Our highly trained puppy team provide regular one on one check ins to see how the puppies are going in their training, offering advice and support to our volunteers to encourage the right behaviours.
PART SIX
Regular health checks with our local veterinary care experts to ensure the puppies are meeting their health milestones.
![[Image description:Three cute puppies lying in the floor]](https://seedifferently.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Mum-and-pup-scaled.jpg "W litter 2025")
The welfare of the dogs is always our top consideration, and it’s important to understand that while these puppies are in training for an important role in the future, there is still plenty of time for fun and being a dog! In all parts of the program, there is time for running, playing and cuddles – all the things that dogs love to do.
“I’ve just started as a puppy educator. It’s fantastic caring for Wallis and working with him on his journey to being a Guide or Assistance Dog.”
Healthy and Happy Pups
The health and welfare of our dogs is a top priority. We ensure the dogs are cared for in terms of their physical health, that they have a strong bond with their client, and that they still have opportunities to run and play, just like any other dog.
- We work with a brilliant team of local vets and TAFE students to care for the health of our dogs.
- We provide top notch nutrition (thanks Royal Canin) to all of our dogs throughout their lives.
- We are accredited by Assistance Dogs International and the International Guide Dog Federation which prioritises dog welfare.
- We only select dogs that enjoy working – and all dogs get time off!
- We provide clients and volunteers with support to care for their dog.
- We attend international conferences to keep up to date with the latest advances in animal welfare.
- We ensure a smooth transition to retirement and care for our dogs for their entire life.
Adopting a Dog
We work very hard to ensure as many puppies as possible make it to become a See Differently Guide or Assistance Dog. But we maintain the highest standards for these working dogs and sometimes for health or temperament reasons, the dogs aren’t right for the program.
Sometimes we will find different careers for them, as therapy or facility dogs or in other service programs. But sometimes, the best role for the dog is as a fantastic pet!
Sometimes too we need homes for retired dogs. It doesn’t happen often, but occasionally a client gets a new dog and can no longer keep their retired dog.
You can register your interest to adopt a dog from the program.
How much does it cost to adopt a dog?
See Differently charges an adoption fee for all dogs under the age of three. The fees are used to fund our puppy program and deliver the next generation of guide and assistance dogs.
All dogs made available for adoption are desexed, fully vaccinated and up to date with their flea and worming protection. You will also receive a welcome care pack for your dog which includes a bag of high-quality dog food and some toys.
If you are adopting a retired dog, there is no fee to pay, although you are always welcome to make a donation to our program.
Applying for an adoption dog?
Let us know if you are interested in either adopting a dog or a retired dog, and we’ll let you know if a suitable dog is available.
We find out a bit about you, where you live and your family situation, just so we can make a good match that will work for you and the dog.