Guide Dogs

by Phil Vigil
Guide Dogs for the Blind Incorporated is an organization that gives visually challenged people a chance to get free guide dogs. People of any age can train a guide dog puppy. All it takes is lots of patience. We keep the puppies for about 16 months before Guide Dogs, Inc. takes them back for further training.
All you will need to do is train the puppy the basics. Potty-training is probably the hardest. I have raised three dogs and they have had many accidents in the house. If you want a dog that is already potty-trained, then you can get a transfer dog. This means it is transferred from another person that already potty-trained it. Socializing your dog is the most important part of raising a guide dog. That means taking the dog everywhere with you--to school, to work, to restaurants, and movies etc... The dog is only allowed into these places if he is wearing the approved puppy coat with the Guide Dogs, Inc. logo. It takes good training and a good dog to graduate as a guide dog.
Fairfield, a black labrador, was my first dog. He was the most hyper and obnoxious dog I have ever raised. He also was not approved to be a guide dog because of aggressive behavior. My second dog named Dell, a yellow lab, was my best dog, but he had his moments. He graduated from Guide Dogs Incorporated in San Rafael. I got to go to the graduation ceremony and meet the visually challenged woman accepting my dog. Chandler, my third dog, was okay. He was sort of a mix between Fairfield and Dell. He did not graduate though. I soon will be getting my fourth dog. I am pretty sure his name will be Yale.
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