Bella Graduates

Bella was matched with a doctor and is now working in Wisconsin.

Kismet Graduates

Kismet was placed in May and is now working in Oklahoma with a young woman. Kismet is her first guide dog.

Welcome Oakley!

Oakley joined PuppyPALS on August 5th. She's Samantha B.'s first puppy.

Welcome Millie!

Millie joined PuppyPALS on July 29th. She's being raised by Jeff D. This is the 6th puppy he is raising for the Seeing Eye and his family's 18th.

Bye Bye Gabby & Kole!

Gabby and Kole returned to The Seeing Eye, Inc. at the beginning of July -- they're ready to start their training.

Welcome Yasmine!

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge

In May, PuppyPALS went on a trip to Manhattan. We started in Brooklyn and took our puppies on a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

It was a great experience for the puppies. We walked on the pedestrian walkway which is raised up above the traffic and inbetween lanes of traffic going in both directions. There were a lot of other people on the bridge as well as bicycles and other dogs too!

In Manhattan, we found a park where we ate lunch before heading back to Brooklyn. The weather was perfect -- not too warm and the outing was a lot of fun for both people and pups.

Ava Graduates

Ava graduated and is now working in Georgia.

Rutgers Day

Every April, our club puppies compete in the State 4H Eye Puppy Show at Rutgers Day.

In Class A, Kendall B., showing Scott, placed third.
In Class B, Emily D., showing Quote, placed second. In the same class, Samantha M., showing Dave, placed fourth.
In Class D., Emma B., showing Kole, placed fourth.

All of the other pups, Aries shown by Elena S., Gabby shown by Jeff D., Quail shown by Adult raiser, Marian S. and Ophelia shown by adult raiser, Marc G., scored excellently.

Liberty Science Center

In April, Puppy PALS went to the Liberty Science Center. We visited many of the exhibits, gave a demo and enjoyed lunch. Puppies and people all had a good time.

Welcome Nana!

Nana has the same father as Quote, Quail and Gabby.

Welcome Kara!

Anita Seeing Eye Dog - a letter from her person

After our puppies graduate to Seeing Eye Dog, we anxiously await a letter from the trainer. The letter includes the official Seeing Eye Dog photo of our dog in harness plus a little bit about how our pup did in training, who he/she was matched with and where they are living. It's all anonymous and at most we find out what city they have moved to. It's rare to hear from the Seeing Eye graduate that has our pup but one of puppyraisers did receive an email from the Seeing Eye graduate that currently has one of their puppies. The letter was also printed in The Seeing Eye Guide magazine.

To the staff of The Seeing Eye,

I am writing to express a huge sense of gratitude for the gift of this beautiful seeing eye dog named Anita. Not only has she given me greater safety as I walk down and cross streets, she has been an absolute joy to have in our home. I also want to thank all of you so much for treating me so well during our month of training to become a seeing eye team. The dining room staff, the administrative staff, the nurse, the program staff, and, of course, the amazing trainers were so wonderful. Thank you so much!!!

Anita did so well on the plane ride and loved walking through the airport with the airline assistant who took us to baggage. I learned early on when I got her how much pride she takes in doing a great job. She has settled down very well in our home. Now, she is in her own stride, moving more freely through the house. However, she is not so keen on the my insistence on the cement parking in our back yard, which has a patio bordering a garden with lots of moist soil and mulch! Yesterday, she parked with her two front legs on the soil and her behind on the cement! She is one smart dog! What could I say?

She has been to church with us twice now and really likes it. She has plenty of room and eventually goes to sleep, but I think she loves the people and activity, including the music. She does a great job of moving me through the people in the lobby after church, being careful not to bump anyone but helping me to move through.

We went to our house this weekend, and she is beginning to love it there since it always includes long walks in The Gardens, which is directly across the street. This past Saturday, we stopped at one of the ponds so that she could enjoy the geese. There were so many of them, and they were splashing around, taking off in groups, and making lots of noise. Well, of course, Anita was ready to jump in with them! She really likes the feel of the wide open spaces of the park and loves that she can now take me through all of the twist and turns of the garden paths with very little direction from me.

We have had a trip to New York City already, and she was stellar. She loved the Acela train with its special section that gave both of us plenty of space. She watched everyone get on and off the train with naps in between. She was great getting me across the busy streets of the city when I went from one meeting to another over a five-block distance. On one occasion when we walked with my colleague to the Ford Foundation, she kept me from getting hit. With my colleague walking behind my right shoulder, I gave her the forward command to cross Second Avenue at 43rd Street. No sooner had I stepped off the curve, Anita stopped abruptly. Well, I sure have learned to stop when she stops if we are crossing a street. I then asked her hub up?? And then she continued taking me across the street. So, my colleague told me later that it was a car turning in on the street and at speed that forced the driver to stop very abruptly when they saw us crossing. I never saw the car. My colleague said that she had to just trust we knew what we were doing and didn’t try to grab me or alarm Anita. Good for her!

I was so proud of Anita’s good and work. I was also reminded of the fabulous training Anita and I got from the Seeing Eye trainer and all of the support and encouragement we got from all of you. So, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!!

P.S. The puppy raiser family sent me a beautiful album of Anita. The photos of Anita growing up as puppy were so moving. I just cried when I saw them….again a wonderful gift for which I am grateful.

A Visit to Newark Airport

This past Saturday, our puppy club joined a bunch of other Seeing Eye puppy clubs at Newark Airport for a tour. It's an annual trip for us puppyraisers and a great exposure outing for the pups. We started out our morning with a behind the scenes look at the airport emergency equipment. We all boarded buses for a trip to the Continental Terminal where we walked around and even boarded an airplane -- we didn't go anywhere but it's a great experience for the pups to get onto an airplane and try to squeeze on the floor. The bus rides are always amazing -- lots of dogs and no barking. The trips are also a great opportunity to meet littermates -- Dave (one of our club German Shepherds) met his littermate, Dusty.

Our trip also made the newspaper! Here's the article that appeared in Sunday's paper and look for quotes from our club leader -- Marie -- and from one of our own puppyraisers -- Emily D!

NEWARK — Piper, an impetuous and frisky half-chocolate, half-golden lab, stood at fidgety attention on the tarmac at Newark Liberty International Airport with more than 80 other puppies and their handlers when the sirens and hoses of two waiting fire trucks were suddenly turned on.

The blaring noise startled Piper, prompting her handler to pull her aside. "Don’t baby her," another handler warned.

As the other dogs circled the trucks, Paula T. gave Piper an affectionate pat. "She’s the only flunkie," she joked. "We still love her."

The canine cavort to one of the nation’s busiest airports was part of a training trip for dogs destined to be paired with blind and visually impaired owners. Part of the training for the dogs is acclimatizing them to loud noises in emergency situations.

"It’s chaos, but it’s exciting," said Paula T, of Westfield, who is taking part in the program, run by The Seeing Eye in Morristown, for the first time.

The field trip to Newark Airport gathered Seeing Eye puppy raising clubs from northern and central New Jersey to expose the dogs to an airport environment.

"This is actually a pretty hard environment for a dog," said Rivi I, 28, of Bridgewater, a trainer at The Seeing Eye who is caring for her family’s 21st Seeing Eye puppy, Jason. "It’s great exposure and experience for the dogs — people, slippery floors, luggage containers."

But in an airport where some 35 million people come through every year, there’s a lot to be gained by airport staff as well.

"You’re dealing with every aspect of life and every aspect of what people have to cope with," said Newark Airport general manager John Jacobi as dozens of pint-sized pups and their handlers lined up at the security gate before boarding a plane. "The more we’re aware of that and understand it from the other side, the better we can do our job."

Most people who care for a Seeing Eye puppy get hooked. Janet K, a retired NJ Transit investigator who leads the Essex County Puppy Club, started nearly 30 years ago with a black lab named Helsa for her shy 11-year-old daughter.

"It seemed like something that would bring her our of her shell," said Janet K, 71, of Irvington. "And it worked."

Since Helsa, Janet K has raised 49 guide dogs. Yesterday, she walked Zara, a six-month-old German shepherd clad in her telltale green Seeing Eye handkerchief, around the baggage carousel at Terminal C.

"It’s really rewarding," said Emily D, 18, of North Brunswick, who is raising her third guide dog, Quote, an 8-month-old black lab who rested her head between her paws as Emily D and her mother rode the bus with the rest of their club, the 4-H Middlesex County Puppy Pals. "It’s really cool to see them paired up with someone. It changes their life."

Once the dogs are ready for training, they return to The Seeing Eye for intensive training. Every handler will admit that’s the hardest part.

"You know in 15 or 16 months you’re going to have to say goodbye," said Roger W, 67, of Woodcliff Lake, who is raising his 26th guide dog, Dusty. "Big people do cry."

"It’s horrible," said Marie L, who leads the 4-H Middlesex County Puppy Pals. Her face visibly fell just at the thought of it. "You go through puppy deprivation — then you get another one."
Former handlers are allowed to attend the dog’s "graduation," but from a distance, so the dogs don’t see them and get confused.

"It was hard," Emily D recalled. "I just wanted to hug her."

But later, the teen received a heart-warming letter from the dog’s new owner, a New York City professor. "He said it was like getting a new set of eyes."

Welcome Scott!

Ava's Town Walk

We were so excited to attend Ava's Town Walk in January. Ava returned to The Seeing Eye in August.

She is the fourth Seeing Eye puppy we have raised and the daughter of Harley, our second Seeing Eye puppy.

She walked much faster than we remembered and she showed off everything she has learned. We're hoping she is matched with one of the February students and we can't wait to hear where she ends up working. We're so proud of our girl.

-Marian & Ed S.

Peace Graduates

Peace graduated and is now working in California.

Zoey

Sadly not all pups make it as Seeing Eye dogs and Zoey was released from the program for medical reasons. Her raisers are very happy to take her back into their home as a family pet.

Bye Bye Bella

Bella returned to The Seeing Eye in January.

Nordic Graduates

Nordic is working in Michigan.

Welcome Dave!

Dave joined PuppyPALS in December. He's being raised by Samantha M. Her older sister raised Jackman who is now working as a Seeing Eye Dog. Isn't Dave adorable with his floppy ears?

The Edison Tree Lighting and Potluck Dessert!

In December, our club went to the Edison Tree Lighting. Santa arrived on a firetruck with sirens blaring and we took pictures in front of the tree. It was crowded and everyone wanted to pet our puppies -- especially Aries, the youngest and cutest of them all. All the people and noise made the outing a great experience for the pups.

Quail lives a few blocks away from the tree lighting so afterwards, everyone went to Quail's home where there was a potluck dessert -- milkbones for the puppies and yummy desserts for the raisers.

November Walk at the Mall

In November our puppy club was invited to do a demonstration at the Brunswick Square Mall. We used the opportunity to walk our pups around the mall giving them great exposure to noise and people. Afterwards, we had dessert at Ruby Tuesdays -- another great experience for the puppies in learning to sit quietly while we chatted and ate dessert.