Name a Medical Detection Dog Puppy

It takes a very special puppy to train as a Medical Detection Dog and a very special person to support that journey.

By naming one of our super sniffers in training you can become part of that wonderful journey that could change and potentially save a life of someone desperately in need of our support.

We work with carefully selected breeders, rescue centres, and have our own small breeding programme to find the right puppies. The very next step is giving them their name.

Their name is the most important word they will learn, they will hear and respond to it tens of thousands of times over their partnership, and it will become the signal to pay attention and listen to the command coming shortly after.

It can take up to 2 years to train a puppy and costs £29,000 to care for, train, place and support a dog and their partner to become an accredited assistance dog team.

By naming a puppy, you are helping to change and save life!

There are four levels of support to choose from depending on how much you are able to give. Whichever level you chose, you will become part of that puppies journey receiving regular and exclusive updates on their progress.

Name a puppy £5,000

Raise a puppy £10,000

Train a puppy £14,000

Partner a puppy £29,000

You can name a puppy individually, with your partner or family, as a group of friends or work colleagues, or as a business. Once you’ve decided the level of support you are able to give its time register your interest and get fundraising!

Click HERE to register your interest

What’s in a name?

We can help you chose a name if you need ideas and there are some things to keep in mind as you decide.

A name with one or two syllables works best. Dogs understand and respond to our tone of voice and pitch. Avoid names which are used/or sound like common words used in everyday conversation, or those used as cues and commands. Dogs will get confused if the name is heard in various contexts. Last but not least, chose a name which someone would be happy calling out loud in the park! Any embarrassing or inappropriate names won’t be accepted and our team here will have the final decision on any names chosen.

Frequently asked questions

How long will I have to wait to name a puppy?

We cannot say for certain. It can take up to 12 months depending on the number of people we have on the waiting list at the time. You will be sent an arrival letter as soon as the puppy has been named. Please note that you will only be added to the puppy naming waiting list when you have reached your fundraising target.

Can I choose whether the puppy is a Medical Alert Assistance Dog or a Bio Detection Dog?

Our puppies are selected for a role we believe is right for them. We won’t usually know until they are well into their training what that role will be, which means it isn’t possible to choose.

What happens if the dog doesn’t become a Medical Detection Dog?

It costs nearly £13,000 to select, care for, and socialise our puppies prior to the advanced training stage. Sometimes during their training, it becomes apparent that a dog might not be suitable and, in the dog’s best interests, s/he will be carefully re-homed as a pet dog.

Does my money go directly to the named puppy?

Medical Detection Dogs will use your donation for essentials such as training, insurance, vets fees and wherever the need is greatest.

I recently gifted you a donation but have just found out about your Name a Puppy Scheme – can my donation now be put towards this?

Unfortunately, we cannot implement the Name a Puppy Scheme in retrospect. The charity needs to be informed of your intention to name a puppy at the point of donation.

How long does the puppy training take?

There is no exact set time for training a Medical Detection Dog, each puppy has an individual training plan suited to their needs.

Will the puppy be placed near me?

Our Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are socialised and matched to the most appropriate client, so they will be placed where they are most needed. Unfortunately this may not be local to you. Our Bio Detection Dogs all live locally to our training centre.

Can I choose a specific breed or colour of dog?

We are unable to specify the breed or colour of the puppy you will be naming; however, we can guarantee that they will be adorable!