Raising a puppy to be a guide dog by Larisa

Raising a puppy to be a guide dog by Larisa - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

The community-based organization that I am part of is the Seeing Eye - 4H Puppy Raising Program. This is a program that I became involved in four years ago. I am currently raising my third puppy, a German Shepherd named Lily. As a puppy raiser, the puppy arrives at your house at seven weeks old, only about five or six pounds. The first few months require a lot of middle of the night trips outside. We must house-break them and teach them many basic commands and behaviors. The puppy is required to sleep in your room next to your bed. We attend weekly training sessions with other puppy raisers in the area. Our group is called the 4-footed Leaders. We also take the puppy once a month to the home for retired firemen for dog therapy sessions. The firemen love when we come, many of them share stories of their own pets growing up. We also take the puppies on the train and to events, such as a play or sporting event. The more places you can take them with you, the better prepared they will be for leading their blind person in any situation. At sixteen months old, the puppies, now dogs, are picked up and taken back to the Seeing Eye for a professional trainer to train them with the harness, and then they are assigned to lead someone blind. Sure, after taking care of this puppy from a tiny seven week old puppy to a seventy pound full grown dog, there is plenty of crying when they come take the dog away, but I am hoping this dog will go on to be a great service dog, to help someone who needs her in their life. Occasionally we get to meet someone using a guide dog from the Seeing Eye, and the gratitude they have for the puppy raisers is more than I can explain. So, if helping a few people who must live without sight to gain some independence and confidence with a dog that I raised and trained, then it makes me glad to know that I did a small part. It is very hard to give up the sweet puppy that I helped raise, but it is so gratifying to be a part of this amazing program and to do something for someone that needs her more. I will also be looking forward to the next puppy to arrive at my door.