All breeding dogs are exercised regularly with walks and outside play. Female dogs are retired at the age of four and males after eight to ten litters. Once retired, the breeders are offered back to their puppy raisers or adopted by someone of the public. The four primary breeds that are used for training are German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, Golden retrievers, and Labrador/golden crosses. On rare occasion Poodles will also be trained if the individual has allergies, replacing what used to be Boxers. Approximately 500 puppies are born each year, with a 75% success rate for dogs who enter the formal Seeing Eye dog training program. From birth, there is a 60% success rate for puppies becoming guides or enter the breeding program. Those who do not make the guide or breeding program are placed in law enforcement, search and rescue, or adopted by their puppy raisers or the public. About 250 dogs reside at the Washington Valley Campus at any given time and about 60 dogs reside at the Breeding Station at Chester. All puppies at the breeding station are exposed to special play rooms which include toys, different surfaces to walk on, small stairs, and CDs playing sounds such as vacuum cleaners, thunderstorms and various other noises from the ages of four to seven weeks. Volunteers are encouraged to wear hats, glasses and other accessories to get the puppies comfortable with such items. Basic training When the puppies are 7 to 8 weeks old, volunteers called puppy raisers will foster these puppies and begin their basic training. Before becoming a puppy raiser, the volunteer must join a puppy club and attend meetings. Puppy sitting is highly encouraged before applying to be a puppy raiser or before receiving a puppy of their own. The volunteer has to live in the coverage area which can be found on the website. The veterinary bills for each puppy is covered by the Seeing Eye and puppy raisers are also assisted in paying for dog food. As a puppy raiser, it is essential to give the puppy proper socialization that will be needed later in life. The puppy raiser is responsible for exposing the puppy to different environments such as stores, city/urban environments, a variety of people and animals, and anything else they may encounter when out with their future partner. It is important to teach basic commands, which include sit, rest, down,