Puppy Raising Projects
SICSA Puppy Raising Projects consist of rescuing moms close to giving birth or new moms who are homeless and providing as stress free an environment as possible. The program focuses on providing the necessary structured handling, socialization and attention to the behavioral development of the puppies as possible.
During the these projects, dedicated SICSA staff and volunteers provide handling necessary to teach the pups a variety of things.
- Accepting restraint
- Nail trims
- Age appropriate exposure to a variety of different surfaces, objects & toys
- Age appropriate exposure to cats
- Age appropriate puppy group time away from mom
- Age appropriate individual time away from mom
- Open crates for the pups to learn to den
- Designated potty areas for them to develop a preference to eliminate in a designated area
- Beginning of chew toy training with Kongs and other food dispensing toys
- Hand feeding for the development of good bite inhibition
- Accepting a collar and leash
- Play time with children
- Unfamiliar women and men
- Baths and grooming
- Age appropriate exposure to an unfamilar dog
- Clicker training
- Imprinting of auto sits when approaching people
- Beginning leash training in week 6.
 
Even with the heavy focus on the behavioral development of the puppies, mom is nurtured and cared for. While each project has it's own special needs, generally she receives several walks a day with much needed breaks from motherhood; playing in the yard; two stuffed Kongs a day; roaming the office area and a guarantee that no other dogs were in the office area. She is primped and groomed complete with belly rubs!
 
Applications for adoption are taken as soon as a project begins. Keep in mind that puppies are NOT available on a first come, first serve basis.
Puppies will be matched with the most appropriate home based on their individual personalities. It is impossible to assess personalities in puppies until 7-8 weeks of age.
Prospective adopters may have to wait several weeks before the pups are ready for their homes.
We hold ourselves to the standards that we would expect an ethical, responsible breeder to adhere to in determining placement for the puppies.
All puppies receive appropriate health preventatives for their age, are spayed or neutered before going to their new homes and are microchipped for identification.
We determine each individual puppy's placement according to that specific puppy's personality, and by the role it will play within its new family. Because of the nature of our organization, we see an enormous number of animals who were poor matches for the homes they were in which is partly responsible for why they have ended up in a shelter. We feel it is very important to place each puppy in the right home, thus we continue to carefully evaluate each puppy's temperament as it is growing up in order to make this determination.
While potential adopters may choose to limit what sex and color puppy they would like to have, we do not encourage this. Adopters who do so must be aware that this will limit the chances of them getting a puppy, since the puppy of that color and sex may not be the best match for them. (FYI... the differences between a male and a female that are neutered or spayed is minimal. Both make excellent pets.) It is our goal for the dog to have a happy, lifetime home with equally happy adopters.
All adopters must understand that we will be following the development of these puppies through their first two years of life and adopters agree that they will be available for phone interviews or other follow up means as SICSA deems appropriate for the program. In addition, all adopters must commit to seeing that the pups attend a puppy training class prior to 5 months of age.
As with all SICSA adoptions, free behavioral support (outside of standard puppy or obedience classes) is available for the lifetime of the dog and SICSA has a liberal return policy. If for any reason the dog cannot remain in their home, SICSA will accept all animals back provided they pass our behavioral evaluation and are considered adoptable.
The Isabelle Project - July 2008
The Priscilla Project - October 2007
The Midnight Project - August 2007
The Nina Project - June 2007
SICSA Adoption Application |
