Specifically ones that you don’t own.
I know someone who looks after labrador pups for a year or so at which stage they go through guide dog training. I also read a thread recently where someone said they have a pup for a year until it goes into customs training.
Is it difficult to let go of these pets after having them for that time?
I don’t think I could do that. I get attached to some dogs after a few minutes. But I suppose one could psyche up for it, esp. if it’s a business situation.
I don’t think I could do it either. I was so attached to my new kitten in ten minutes - I knew I was going to keep her forever the minute I picked her up and held her. I had been thinking about fostering cats, but I don’t think I could give them up. I am the type of person who doesn’t like good-byes at all, I get too emotional.
I’d guess it’s like having foster children. You do the best you can, and love them while you have them. It hurts to see them go, but you take comfort in the fact that you’ll have new puppies to work with soon, and the ones who just left are going to do something important. And, like being a foster parent, it takes a special breed of person to do this.
Skogcat l am fostering a dog for 12 months whilst he trains to become a Customs Detector Dog.
At first leechboy and I were really worried that we wouldn’t be able to give him up. But now we’ve had him for a while I don’t think it will be a problem.
Because he is training to be a working dog we are not allowed to play with him like we would a normal pet. He has a strict training regime ie you can only play games with him twice a week, 2hrs per day inside max, he must sleep outside etc etc.
I love Tarquin dearly and he is a great dog but every time I socialise with him I remind myself he is not my dog. This is the key for me - constant reminders that he is not mine. Recently he went away for testing for 3 days and we didn’t miss him at all.
On the other hand leechboy and I have two cats that we are both really really attached to. When I went interstate to visit my parents for the weekend I missed the cats more than I missed leechboy (at least I could talk to him).
So how do you get into this working-dog-fostering-thing then? Do they advertise?
I guess with the training regime you have Leechbabe it’s easier to remember that he is not yours.
I’ve never done it, but I think the key is to understand that they aren’t your dogs, and that they’ll be doing important work, for which you’re helping to prepare them. My problem is, it’s the first year/year and a half that they’re the most trouble, what with housebreaking, chewing, etc. That’s why I usually adopt adult dogs.
As to how you can do this - I think many guide-dog schools have lists of puppy-raisers. Contact one of them. I don’t know what kind of home study they have, or anything like that.
StG
Skogcat the Australian Customs breeding centre is based in Melbourne and they advertise in the local paper when they need “Puppy Walkers” (thats the official name for what I do).
StGermain is right they are alot of trouble in the first 12 months but they are also fun to have around when they are little. Housebreaking and chewing isn’t such an issue as Tarquin is vary rarely inside. To toilet train him we have to say the words “Empty Out” when ever he does his business. Soon he learns to associate those words with going to the toilet and does it on command. Just have to be vary careful then not to say “Empty Out” at the wrong moment. 
Some of the work we do with him is heaps of fun - like taking him to the park to play on the slides and stuff. He goes nuts whenever he see’s a slippery slide, they are his fav. toy.
Hopefully when the time comes to give him up the Customs Centre will have another litter of puppies needing “Puppy Walkers”.
My husband & I used to foster a lot of cats & dogs. At first we had a lot of difficulty letting go of them. That’s why we now have 26 cats, 5 dogs, & 8 ferrets. After your house fills up, you learn how to let go in self-defense. We still foster the odd dog, mostly abused pit bulls, but not as much as we used to. Of course, we’re always here to take in a batch of kittens in an emergency!