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Macedon, N.Y. —
Raising a puppy is a 24-hour commitment — especially if it’s for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, an internationally accredited, nonprofit, guide dog school.
“You’re living the training all day long,” said Robbin Huls, of Macedon, who has raised two labs, three German shepherds and is now training Molly, a 4 1/2-month-old shepherd. “If I’m doing the dishes, I many have the dog lay down.”
Although it takes longer to do things, she said, it becomes part of daily life.
Since childhood, when she read a story about a boy who was blind and raised a guiding eye dog, Huls has wanted to do just that.
“I think I’ve always had German shepherds and five years ago decided that if I couldn’t be blind and raise a dog, I would raise one for somebody else,” she quipped.
Dogs trained through Guiding Eyes ultimately help those who are blind or visually impaired improve their quality of life, by providing freedom to travel safely, assuring greater independence, dignity, expanded horizons of opportunity and a more fulfilling life.
Like young children, the dogs are constantly learning. Each is taught 28 different commands.
“We have special commands to use and specific rules to follow,” said Huls.
Dogs in training aren’t allowed on furniture, can’t indulge in people food or chew inappropriate things, but are given plenty of toys.
Trainers touch their dogs all over every night, as a person who is blind would do, to check for cuts or bumps.
An important skill for dogs to accomplish is touching their noses to various items, with the goal of pressing a button to open an automatic door.
Huls’s dog, Molly, whose grandmother came from Holland, came from Guiding Eyes breeding kennel in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., like all dogs that are part of the program. Guiding Eyes works cooperatively with other schools around the world to accomplish the best match of dog with person.
“It’s almost like finding a new dance partner,” said Huls. “The chemistry has to be there.”
Environment is also taken into consideration. Some dogs work best in a city. Others prefer a quieter space in the country.
Every other week, Molly and Huls meet with puppies between 10 weeks and 6 months to work on obedience in the community room at the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired Goodwill store in Macedon. On opposite weeks, they meet with older dogs up to 18 months, who are part of Monroe Region of Guiding Eyes for the Blind serving Monroe, Wayne and Ontario counties, and work on obedience, as well as socialization.
Raising a puppy is a 24-hour commitment — especially if it’s for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, an internationally accredited, nonprofit, guide dog school.
“You’re living the training all day long,” said Robbin Huls, of Macedon, who has raised two labs, three German shepherds and is now training Molly, a 4 1/2-month-old shepherd. “If I’m doing the dishes, I many have the dog lay down.”
Although it takes longer to do things, she said, it becomes part of daily life.
Since childhood, when she read a story about a boy who was blind and raised a guiding eye dog, Huls has wanted to do just that.
“I think I’ve always had German shepherds and five years ago decided that if I couldn’t be blind and raise a dog, I would raise one for somebody else,” she quipped.
Dogs trained through Guiding Eyes ultimately help those who are blind or visually impaired improve their quality of life, by providing freedom to travel safely, assuring greater independence, dignity, expanded horizons of opportunity and a more fulfilling life.
Like young children, the dogs are constantly learning. Each is taught 28 different commands.
“We have special commands to use and specific rules to follow,” said Huls.
Dogs in training aren’t allowed on furniture, can’t indulge in people food or chew inappropriate things, but are given plenty of toys.
Trainers touch their dogs all over every night, as a person who is blind would do, to check for cuts or bumps.
An important skill for dogs to accomplish is touching their noses to various items, with the goal of pressing a button to open an automatic door.
Huls’s dog, Molly, whose grandmother came from Holland, came from Guiding Eyes breeding kennel in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., like all dogs that are part of the program. Guiding Eyes works cooperatively with other schools around the world to accomplish the best match of dog with person.
“It’s almost like finding a new dance partner,” said Huls. “The chemistry has to be there.”
Environment is also taken into consideration. Some dogs work best in a city. Others prefer a quieter space in the country.
Every other week, Molly and Huls meet with puppies between 10 weeks and 6 months to work on obedience in the community room at the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired Goodwill store in Macedon. On opposite weeks, they meet with older dogs up to 18 months, who are part of Monroe Region of Guiding Eyes for the Blind serving Monroe, Wayne and Ontario counties, and work on obedience, as well as socialization.
The program looks at health and temperament in puppies, said Huls. The animals should be confident, but not too crazy with energy, since some will have to stay under a desk all day, while owners work.
Ninety to 95 percent are labs, German shepherds and golden retrievers, said Huls, whose first dog, released from the program due to a medical condition, is now her pet.
Many careers are available to dogs that are eliminated.
Some work with an autism program, some with detection agencies, some in the breeding program.
“We (at Guiding Eyes) knew one of the 16 dogs that worked as detection dogs at this year’s Super Bowl,” said Huls.
Finally, after providing dogs with hours of patient training and preparation for the job they will do, keeping a person who is blind safe, trainers must say, “Goodbye.”
For them, graduation from Guiding Eyes can be bittersweet.
“You do get attached to the dog you train,” said Huls. “You cry a lot when it leaves.”
But, the satisfaction of a job well done never goes away.
