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.