Name a Puppy FAQ's

Anyone can get involved with naming a Canine Partners puppy. Whichever naming level you choose, you’ll be supporting a puppy on their journey to becoming a life-changing assistance dog.

Naming levels start at £5,000. You can make a one-off donation, or fundraise as a group to meet your chosen target. We’ll support you every step of the way with ideas and tips to maximise your fundraising. When you reach your target, we’ll be in touch to collect your suggested names.

Name a Puppy follows a Canine Partners puppy in real time, so there may be a wait until the next litter arrives and is ready for naming.

Once you’ve named your puppy, you’ll receive exclusive updates as they progress through training and embark on their career as an assistance dog.

If you choose the Train, Match, or Partner naming level, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet your pup in person – or online if you prefer. Find out more here.

The four naming levels are Name, Train, Match, and Partner. Each level comes with exclusive, behind-the-scenes updates from Canine Partners’ expert trainers:

Name – Start a puppy on their life-changing journey, from £5,000

The adventure’s just beginning. Gift a Canine Partners puppy their name, and support their care in those vital early months as they grow and learn about the world.

You’ll receive:

• A birth certificate
• A pupdate with photos during puppy training
• An update when your pup moves to assistance dog training
• A final placement update when your pup is matched with their partner

Train – Support a puppy’s first year, from £10,000

Be at the heart of your puppy’s first year. Your support will help provide all their early care and training, as they learn the core skills that set them up for life as an assistance dog. As well as gifting a name, you’ll have the opportunity to meet the puppy in person.

You’ll receive:

• A birth certificate
• Two pupdates with photos during puppy training
• A puppy meeting (in person or by video call) with the puppy you’ve named
• An update when your puppy moves to assistance dog training
• A final placement update when your puppy is matched with their partner

Match – Support your puppy through all their training, from £20,000

A personalised experience throughout your puppy’s training journey. From puppy training at home to assistance dog training with our expert team, follow as we choose their canine career and carefully match them with their partner. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the puppy in person twice during training.

You’ll receive:

• A birth certificate
• Four pupdates with photos during puppy training
• A puppy meeting (in person or by video call) with the puppy you’ve named
• An update when your puppy moves to assistance dog training
• A private tour of our National Training Centre in Leicestershire and an opportunity to see your puppy during assistance dog training [hyperlink to NTC page]
• A final placement update when your puppy is matched with their partner

Partner – Support the lifetime cost of a working dog, from £50,000

The complete Name a Puppy experience. Through every personalised update, you’ll get to know more about your puppy, the expert training they follow, and the incredible ways they’ll support a disabled person to live life to the full. You’ll have the opportunity to meet the puppy in person several times too.

You’ll receive:

• A birth certificate
• Four pupdates with photos during puppy training
• A puppy meeting (in person or by video call) with the puppy you’ve named
• Two updates when your puppy moves to assistance dog training
• A private tour of our National Training Centre in Leicestershire and an opportunity to see your puppy when it is in assistance dog training [hyperlink to NTC page]
• A final placement update when your puppy is matched with their partner
• An opportunity to meet (in person or by video call) the person we’ve carefully matched with your dog

We suggest keeping your goal focused to 1 year or less. This keeps your fundraising fun, and helps you feel motivated to meet your target.

Our team will support you every step of the way to answer any questions, and share ideas and inspiration to keep you progressing towards your goal.

We’re sorry, the extra amounts raised by Gift Aid can’t be used towards your fundraising total. Some donations aren’t eligible for Gift Aid, so this approach ensures we’re fair to everyone taking part in Name a Puppy, by asking them to raise or donate the same amount.

We do, however, welcome Gift Aid as an added bonus to your total. All money raised will support us to breed and train more life-changing assistance dogs.

There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing your name. We’re here to help if you’re not sure whether your suggestions are suitable.

The best assistance dog puppy names are:

• Two syllables. This helps to make training cues quick and attention-grabbing.
• A different sound to training commands. By avoiding rhymes or similar sounds in names, you can help trainers and partners to communicate clearly with their dog.
• New to Canine Partners. Sorry, we’re unable to have two dogs with the same name who are both in training or partnered. 
• Clear and easy to say. We love creativity and unusual suggestions, but please think about the trainers and partners who will use the name every day.
• Gender neutral, or both male and female suggestions. We won’t know the number of male and female puppies in a litter until they’re born. If you only suggest a male or female name, it may take us longer to give your name to a puppy.

Sometimes, a name’s suggested that we can’t use. If that happens, we’ll be in touch to talk through your ideas and ask for some new suggestions.

Yes, you are welcome to name a puppy in memory of a loved one or an animal companion you dearly miss.

If you’re naming a puppy in memory of a loved one, we understand how important their name will be to you. We will work with you to support your fundraising journey and find the best way to celebrate your loved one’s life. 

You can also find out more about tribute funds and other ways to support Canine Partners in memory.

You’ll be naming and supporting a puppy’s journey in real-time, so we’re sorry it’s not possible to choose your favourite breed or colour of dog.

Whichever puppy you name, you’ll receive exclusive updates on their progress – and puppy photos you’re sure to love.

We usually name our puppies when they are around 6 weeks old.

The waiting time to name a puppy after you’ve met your fundraising target will depend how many puppies are born throughout the year.

We’re working with natural cycles and varying (and surprising!) litter sizes, so we appreciate your patience.

Remember, you’re on the exciting journey of naming a real-life puppy, and following their progress in real time.

Yes! If you choose the Train, Match, or Partner levels, you can meet your puppy in person – or via a video call if you prefer.

If you would like to meet your puppy in person, you may need to travel to meet us in a suitable place.

We wait for the puppy to be ready before we plan your visit. This means they’re settled in their training, comfortable travelling, and at least 17 weeks old.

Here are the opportunities you’ll have to meet your puppy at each naming level:

Train

• A puppy meeting (in person or by video call) with the puppy you’ve named

Match

• A puppy meeting (in person or by video call) with the puppy you’ve named

• A private tour of our National Training Centre in Leicestershire and an opportunity to see your puppy during assistance dog training

Partner

• A puppy meeting (in person or by video call) with the puppy you’ve named
• A private tour of our National Training Centre in Leicestershire and an opportunity to see your puppy during assistance dog training 
• An opportunity to meet (in person or by video call) the person we’ve carefully matched with your dog

Your donation to Canine Partners through Name a Puppy won’t be restricted to the puppy you’ve named – but your updates will be in real time and personalised to your puppy’s progress.

Your incredible generosity will help where it’s needed most – supporting us to breed, train, and support more life-changing assistance dogs for disabled people.

Every puppy and partnership is unique, meaning that each puppy’s journey will involve different costs. That might be extra vet care, more training support, or a more expensive dog food for a special diet.

You can choose to receive Name a Puppy updates by post or by email – just let us know which suits you best.

Email is the easiest way to share exciting updates with your fundraising group, friends, or family.

All naming levels will receive a final placement update when the puppy is matched with their partner.

Even with an expert breeding programme, it’s difficult to predict what the future holds for a young puppy.

Your puppy could take on one of five careers with Canine Partners: 

• Canine Partners support both in and outside of the home, providing practical support with everyday tasks and helping them navigate the world.
• Canine Home Assistants provide vital support for their partners at home, from calling for help in an emergency, to unloading the washing machine, and assisting them to dress and undress.
• Canine Companions give essential emotional support to their partners, helping reduce loneliness and isolation.
• Ambassador Dogs help raise awareness and funds for our charity. They attend events and take part in filming and photo opportunities.
• Brood Dogs are all about the future, becoming mothers for the next generation of life-changing puppies.

Even though our success rate is high, for some dogs our roles aren’t the best fit for their future.

Our dogs’ welfare and wellbeing always comes first. On the rare occasion one of these roles isn’t right for them, we will find them a permanent home with a loving family.

Sorry, we’re not able to rehome dogs through Name a Puppy.

Adopting a dog is a big decision – you’re making a commitment for their lifetime. We take great care to assess the dog’s needs and find the perfect, loving home that will meet those needs for life.