 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Guide Dog Puppies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gabrielle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| There are about 10 Guide Dog Schools in the US that depend on Volunteer foster familys to raise puppies that hopefully will go on the be Guide Dogs for the blind. l have been raising Guide Dog Puppies For Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar, Ca since 1994 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| After passing an in home test the prospective puppy raiser is put on a waiting list for a puppy from the next available litter. Our school uses 70% Labradors, 15% Golden Retrievers and 15% German Shepherds. Most of the puppies are from the schools' own breeding program. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A few are donated. 30% of the donated puppies become working Guide Dogs, 50% of the Schools' puppies pass. lf a puppy does not pass the program the Puppy Raiser has first choice of taking the puppy back, friends of the puppy raiser have second choice. As third choice there is a 4 year waiting list for the released pups. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Our second puppy, Jennasee, was released at 15 months old. She was adopted off the waiting list. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| John and Gabrielle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gabrielle was our first Guide Dog Puppy. She came to us at 8 weeks old and went back to the school at 16 months. l always felt that she was a Guide Dog just waiting to grow up. She was fully trained in Harness work in 6 weeks, which is quite fast. John was matched with her in July of 1995. They are still a wonderful team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
People ask how we can let the puppy go. When you attend the graduation and present the dog to the blind person, you understand. lt is a great feeling to know that you have contributed to the independence of the person. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| While you are raising the pup you keep telling them (and yourself ) that they have a very important job to do when they grow up. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huggs and Gabrielle | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jennasee | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jennasee was our second puppy to raise. Some pups have the potential to be Guide Dogs and some don't. Unfortunantly Jennasee was one that didn't care to do the work. Even if she had of been a good potential she would not have made the program. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| One of her sisters seizured at a young age and because of this the whole litter was dropped. Jennasee now lives in Anaheim, Ca and spends many a warm day sitting in the swimming pool with just her head out of the water. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huggs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Huggs is our 3rd puppy to raise. She went back to the school in August and was placed with Bob on January 13, 1999. Huggs and Bob graduated on January 31,1999. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||