Local family raises a guide dog

Lynn Farnung watched with pride as the clumsy black ball of fur that once ran through her house was now confidently guiding his new partner down the aisle to her seat. Farnung and her family helped raise and train "Atlas" as volunteer puppy raisers for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and attended his graduation from the organization's Guide Dog Training Program.

"Being a puppy raiser has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager," she said. "And to see that little puppy we raised become this amazing guide dog is the most fulfilling reward."

Atlas was the first puppy the Farnungs raised for Guiding Eyes and they are now raising their second puppy for the organization. They joined the puppy raising program in October of 2003 and after attending a few puppy training classes, received Atlas when he was eight weeks old. As puppy raisers, they were responsible for providing him with the love, care and basic obedience and socialization training he would need to prepare for formal guide dog training.

When Atlas turned 14 months old, the Farnungs returned him to Guiding Eyes for evaluation for formal guide dog training. After he was accepted, he underwent five months of intensive training before being matched with a visually impaired student based upon several criteria including compatibility, personality and lifestyle, Guiding Eyes' professional trainers then worked with Atlas and his new partner during a 26-day training program where they lived and worked together.

"Returning Atlas back to Guiding Eyes was kind of like sending my daughter to kindergarten," she said. "I knew he was going to have a blast with the other dogs, but I did worry about him making it through training."

Guiding Eyes is always looking for people to become puppy raisers. The organization encourages families, couples or individuals to apply. Information is available on the Guiding Eyes Canine Development Center Website www.cdc.guidingeyes.org or by calling 1-866-GEB-LABS.

September 25, 2005