Let’s Hear it for the
Puppy Raisers!
WORDS: Ruth Lando
Several times each year, Mother
Nature delivers a puppy palooza
of furry babies to the four-legged
moms of Southeastern Guide Dogs,
creating the need for lots of volunteer
puppy raisers to help another generation
of superheroes grow and develop.
It’s a two-year process to breed, raise,
and train the guide and service dogs
of tomorrow that will one day be paired
with the people who need them - those
with visual impairments and veterans
with post-traumatic stress and other
disabilities. Volunteer puppy raisers are
an enthusiastic and vital part of every
successful human/dog team.
New puppy raisers, the Del Savio’s of
Bradenton - Nicole, Dan, and their three
children, Natalie, Andrew, and Alex -
know the special joys and bene��ts of
taking a Labrador/Golden Retriever-mix
puppy named Clancey into their home for
about a year of basic obedience, house
manners, exposure to the world, and, of
course…love.
“I saw puppy raising as a great opportunity
for us to do more together as a family,”
says Nicole. “My husband works from
home, so he takes Clancey on his walks
during the day and hangs out with him.
My daughter is a co-raiser with me, so we
go to the puppy raiser meetings together,
and she is directly involved in helping with
his training. My middle and youngest sons
are great playmates for Clancey, and they
take him on walks and help with feeding.
When we go out with Clancey everyone
wants to help with walking him or training
him; it’s awesome to experience.”
The Del Savios are great animal lovers,
and Nicole says she has always had
dogs in her life. “When I signed up for
puppy raising, we had been without a
dog for a couple of years. We were at
a point in our lives where our kids were
getting bigger and they would be able
to help take care of a dog. I also feel that
dogs are a great motivator to participate
in physical activity and get out more.
In today’s world it’s easy as a family to
become distant and isolated from each
other. I felt a dog would help bring the
family together for a common purpose.”
For Natalie, a senior at Lakewood Ranch
High School, Andrew, an 8th grader at Dr.
Mona Jain Middle School, and Alex, a 4th
grader at Gullett Elementary, helping to
raise Clancey has been worthwhile and
fun. “Deciding to raise Clancey was one
of the best decisions you’ve ever made!”
Natalie has told her mom.
As for Clancey, Nicole describes him as
“sweet, gentle and cautious by nature.”
Clancey is extremely loyal and follows
the family around the house making sure
they are okay. He enjoys taking long
walks outside and playing catch with the
kids and is always excited when they go
out into the community to places such as
Target or Marauder’s baseball games.
“He puts the Southeastern Guide Dogs
training coat on, and he knows he must
behave - he’s the most well-behaved
dog I’ve ever had!” Nicole raves. “Given
all of his positive personality traits I have
no doubt that he will be the perfect
companion to someone one day. It will be
exciting to see what job he will get.”
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