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Paws4people®️

Host Family Program

About the Program

paws4people®️ breeds, raises, and trains dogs to prepare them for their future roles as life-saving Assistance Dogs. Our custom bloodline breeding program is specifically developed to produce dogs with the quality health, personality, temperament, and disposition suitable for Assistance Dog work. You can become a valuable part of our hosting process by joining our Host Family Program! Host opportunities range from short to long-term, as well as from puppy to adult dog hosting.

You can become a valuable part of our process by joining our Host Family Program!

yellow lab puppy in assistance dog training vest on beach

What is the Commitment?

2 White Paws

Short-Term Hosting

  • Perfect for those interested in helping with a small commitment-ideal for weekends, holidays, or when long-term hosts are unavailable
  • Short-term hosting is typically for puppies, or for when big dog hosts go out of town.
  • Stays will be scheduled with you in advance, & can range from a weekend to 3 weeks.
  • p4p provides all food & supplies upon pick-up.
  • p4p provides a checklist of experiences & skills to practice with the puppy/dog.
  • Host completes a training log at the end of each stay, or weekly if applicable.
  • p4p provides an emergency contact available to support you 24/7.
2 White Paws


Mid-Term Hosting

  • A longer commitment supporting a key phase in our dogs' develpment
  • Host commits to 6 months of care for a puppy from approximately 4 to 10 months of age
  • p4p & hosts provide food, gear, and training resources
  • Host attends training classes and work on specific developmental goals
  • A weekly training log is submitted to track progress
  • A 24/7 emergency contact is available for support
2 White Paws


Long-Term Hosting

  • Designed for hosts interested in supporting our breeding program by caring for an adult dog
  • Typically for dogs who are slated for or active in breeding
  • Hosts provide daily date, food, and household supplies
  • paws4people schedules and covers al breeding related and approved vet care
  • Hosts attend training classes and submit weekly training logs
  • A 24/7 emergency contact is available for support
  • At the conclusion of the dog’s breeding career, p4p assesses whether the dog will go into service. If it is determined the dog will not have a working role, the host may apply to become the dog’s pet home.

What paws4people®️ will do:

  • Provide harness, leash, vest, and preventatives
  • Schedule & cover expenses for all routine veterinary visits
  • Provide an emergency point-of-contact who can help the Host Family at any time
  • Provide a checklist of requested outings/experiences for each puppy to have based on their age and needs

What we ask Host Families to do:

  • Provide a safe, loving home environment
  • Daily care and attention
  • Food & household Supplies
  • Transportation to weekly training classes
  • Commitment to basic training and socialization goals
Note: We welcome households with other pets! Other pets will be evaluated during the home visit.

Become a Host Family

1

Apply

Email us to begin the application process.

2

Gain Experience

Complete preliminary training shifts with the puppies to learn our protocols.

3

Home Visit

We will complete a home visit, and temperament test any dogs in your home.

4

Online Training & Orientation

Complete online training about having a paws4people dog in your home.

5

In-Person Training Sessions

Complete the final in-person training sessions.

6

Host

Host your first puppy!

How to Apply

Please contact us to receive more information about applying.

We are currently accepting Host Families in Wilmington, NC, Greenville, SC,  and the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. 

three assistance dogs in service vests laying on beach

Host Inquiry