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."