Graduate Team: Adam and Beau
About the Team: Beau, a yellow male Lab; Adam’s 1st guide dog
Hometown: Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Training: October 2025 On-Campus
Adam was born and raised in Ontario, where he now lives with his family. He and his wife, Angela, have been married for twenty-one years and have two teenage sons, Max and Mitchell, as well as two cats. Adam earned a dual college degree in law and justice and social work. He was employed in Ontario’s Youth Justice Department for twenty years before taking on his current role as a staff training coordinator for Child and Family Services of Ontario. Adam’s vision loss began five years ago as a result of diabetes and untreated glaucoma. He currently has approximately 30% vision remaining in one eye. His vision loss hasn’t stopped him from playing blind ice hockey or enjoying golf, fishing, and walks. He also finds amusement in playing cards and games with his family. Beau is Adam’s first guide dog. Although the family cats initially wanted nothing to do with Beau, they have since come around and now peacefully cohabitate with him.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Beau is extremely mellow. He enjoys cuddling and is affectionate with anyone and everyone he meets. When not finding someone to cuddle with, he really enjoys spending time in his dog bed. When I started my training, I was paired with Beau’s brother, who was more energetic than Beau. I knew right away that I would prefer a more mellow guide dog. My trainer, Shannon, easily and quickly made the change. It turned out to be a blessing for me.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I met a gentleman when he and I were volunteering on an advisory committee associated with the Canadian Institute for the Blind. He provided me with great feedback on Guiding Eyes. After learning about Guiding Eyes, I preferred their philosophy that a guide dog also needs to be a family-friendly dog and trained accordingly.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “I am now able to go outdoors and take safer walks when I am alone. Beau has enabled my family to be more relaxed when I am out walking with him. Beau’s companionship enables me to talk to him like he is a family member. He even knows when I am sad. He is a mind reader.”
Were there any training highlights: “The dorms and room accommodations were phenomenal. The kitchen staff, nurses, and trainers went above and beyond to make everyone comfortable. Shannon, my primary trainer, was great, and the other trainers were always available to help. I scratched my legs during the training, and as I am a diabetic, the nurses were very concerned and checked and treated my scratches every shift, every day. If anyone in our group didn’t like what was on the menu, the kitchen staff would prepare something we preferred. Amazing… As a result of my early guide dog switch and the training time lost with Beau, Guiding Eyes sent a trainer to my home to make certain that all was going well.”
DOB: 8/23/2023
Litter ID: 2B323
Color/Breed: Yellow/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Male
Brood: Violet
Stud: Midnight
Littermates: Bronco, Brady, Beckett, Brooklyn, Blake
Region: Southern Tier NY
Regional Puppy Instructor: Cassie Houghton
Puppy Raiser: Elizabeth Williams & Family
Facebook: Southern Tier Puppy Raisers
I’ll remember Beau with a toy in his mouth (bonus points if it squeaks obnoxiously!). Beau’s training took him everywhere: sporting events, hiking, train rides, shopping, etc., but Beau’s favorite place was elementary school. A special thanks to my Kindergarten and 1st graders who were Beau’s little “puppy raisers.” They learned the rules of raising a future guide dog to help him learn, all while giving him lots of snuggles! A favorite Beau memory is when the Grinch “stole” Beau from me at our holiday school assembly. Our school resource officer saved the day with a safe “return” of Beau. That moment revealed how many Beau fans there were!! To Adam and Beau: I wish you excitement each morning as you wake up to navigate the world together, extra snuggles when life is tough, and beauty in knowing you’ll have brown guiding eyes by your side. ~ Elizabeth Williams
