Guide Dog for the Blind graduate
Guide Dog for the Blind graduate
By: Courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind and Durwood Thrasher
Topics:
Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 275 times
0 responses 0 comments Local residents Heidi and Durwood Thrasher contributed time and love in raising a puppy for Guide Dogs for the Blind, and were proud to see the dog graduate as a guide in a formal ceremony at the Guide Dog campus in San Rafael, Calif., on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007.
Puppy raisers Heidi and Durwood are members of the Guide Dog Puppy Raising Club Antelope Valley Guide Dog, led by Kay Brickner and Kathy Chenoweth.
Guide Dogs for the Blind uses yellow and black Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, Lab/ Golden Crosses as guides. The puppies are born at the Guide Dog kennels and placed in the homes of volunteer puppy raisers when they are about two months old. The puppy raisers socialize the pups by house- breaking them, teaching them to be good canine citizens and introducing them to new experiences.
The pups are returned to Guide Dogs for formal guidework training when they are 14 to 18 months old. Following the completion of training, the dogs are matched with blind students enrolled at the school. The new person - dog team completes an intensive in - residence course culminating with a graduation ceremony at which the raiser formally presents the dog to the dog’s new partner who is blind.
Guide Dogs for the Blind has been creating life - long partnerships in the community by providing skilled dogs and training in their use free of charge since 1942. They receive no government funding but depend entirely on private donations. If you know someone who could benefit from a Guide Dog, please let them know about this program. To get involved, contact Guide Dogs for the Blind at 800-295-4050; or visit www.guidedogs.com.
The Thrashers want to thank the many businesses in Tehachapi and Lancaster who greatly assisted in Rafael’s training by welcoming Rafael to their premises.
| Send to a Friend | Report a Violation |
