Graduate Team: Jean and Abraham
About the Team: Abraham, a black, male Lab; Jean’s 1st guide dog
Location: Strasburg, Virginia
Training: March 2026 Home Training
Jean was born in Kaiserslautern, Germany, where her father was stationed with the U.S. Army. She proudly notes that she was born in a country – West Germany – that no longer exists! When she was one year old, her family moved back to the United States, and she has lived in northern Virginia for most of her life, where Jean built her career as a loan officer with Navy Federal Credit Union. After she and her husband retired, they briefly relocated to the Outer Banks of North Carolina but ultimately returned to Virginia. Today, they enjoy their home in the Shenandoah Valley, where they enjoy antiquing and hiking.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Abraham is very smart and eager to work when he hears me say, ‘harness up.’ His excellent training is always on display. He recently surprised me with his ‘intelligent disobedience’. Passing a driveway, and despite my direction to continue, he saw a car coming and immediately cut in front of me, stopping me and keeping me safe. In the short time that I have had him, he has earned my trust, and we have bonded. When he is not working, he is a silly and sweet 3-year-old Lab! He has developed a habit of grabbing a stuffed toy after he eats. He then parades around the house with the toy until he places it in his food bowl. Recently, his plush duck was the toy of choice!”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “After several falls and a few broken bones, I thought a guide dog might help me navigate better than my cane. I called several guide dog schools, and Guiding Eyes was the standout and ultimately the only school to which I applied. From my very first phone call, I was impressed by the politeness, patience, and honesty with which I was greeted. Guiding Eyes set my expectations about the time it would take to match me with a dog, as well as the work involved in being part of a guide dog team. Abraham was worth the wait and the ongoing effort.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Abraham arrived just over a month ago, and since then, my confidence has profoundly increased. I am comfortable walking into town independently. Abraham expertly navigates me around obstacles and allows me to walk with a renewed steadiness and stability.”
Were there any training highlights? “The Guiding Eyes staff and I determined Home Training was the best option for me. My town of Strasburg is a small, old colonial town with just 2 traffic lights and some quirky architecture and infrastructure. Training in my hometown, we immediately got to work on learning my routes and creating solutions for unique circumstances. Abraham has an incredible memory and is learning very quickly. Louise was my trainer, and she was fantastic! She prepared Abraham with specialized training related to my balance. Louise continues to be a wonderful resource and readily responds to my questions. I am also in touch with Abraham’s puppy raiser. I enjoy sharing with her pictures of Abraham and his progress.”
DOB: 1/1/2023
Litter ID: 1A23
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador
Gender: Male
Brood: Dana
Stud: Midnight
Littermates: Ashley, Argyle, Abu, Ambrie, Andre, Asante, Amiga, Amie
Region: Eastern MA
Regional Puppy Instructor: Lisa Bumbalo
Puppy Raiser: Rachael Bell, The Kapitz Family
Facebook: Eastern Mass Puppy Raisers
