Graduate Team: Ashlee and Dream
About the Team: Dream, a female yellow Lab; Ashlee’s 1st guide dog
Location: Moultonborough, New Hampshire
Training: July 2025 On-Campus
Ashlee is a rising junior at Clemson University, pursuing a double major in secondary education and mathematics. When the new semester begins, she and her guide dog, Dream, will share an on-campus apartment with two other students. Each person has a bedroom of their own, and both roommates are excited to meet their fourth roommate, Dream. Ashlee is eager to introduce Dream to campus life. Besides her studies, she is involved with TEDx at Clemson, a student-led version of the well-known TED Talks, fostering ideas and discussion. In her free time, Ashlee enjoys reading fantasy novels such as Throne of Glass, Caraval, and Fourth Wing. She is a devoted Taylor Swift fan and loves what she describes as “nerdier” games, like Sudoku and chess. When she is not at school, she and Dream are at home in New Hampshire with her family and their dark yellow Labrador, Teddy.
How would you describe your guide dog? “She is an absolute love with a giant personality! Within our first hour, I would sit on the floor to play with her, and she’d push my legs over so she could sit in my lap, and I was OK with that. It’s really cute. She’s also incredibly smart. I feel like that is a given with guide dogs, but I’d like to think she’s smarter than the average guide; however, I am biased! She walks really fast! I call her my speed demon. Dream loves all people, but especially kids. After meeting her raisers, I know why. I loved meeting raiser Bethany and absolutely loved her children, who cracked me up, and my Dad still mentions them. She co-raised with Cindy, plus Lynn and Katie were involved in Dream’s raising, too. I find it adorable that when Dream hears a kid cry, she looks around like ‘I’ll help!’ And she also LOVES dogs, especially little dogs. Basically, she is a giant love, and she gives A LOT of kisses!”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I had been thinking about getting a guide dog for a very long time. I passionately disliked using the cane, but my O&M instructor said I had to learn to use it to get a guide dog, so I worked really hard on my cane skills. I waited until my sophomore year of college to consider getting a guide dog. I wanted to see how well I could make friends on my own without the help of a furry little friend that everyone wants to say hello to. After hearing of a tragic incident on a university campus in Georgia, my father insisted it was time I got a guide dog. I really liked Guiding Eyes – they care about their dogs, handlers, and everyone else there. It seems like the staff really and truly love their job, which, in my opinion, is a really good sign. That’s kind of why I chose Guiding Eyes.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “It has impacted my life in many unexpected ways. It feels like a weight is being taken off my shoulders. It’s definitely stress-reducing. I used to have to stop at every single crossing, and that takes time. I’m a fast walker, and I like to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible, but the cane felt like it was holding me back. I trust Dream. I can keep going, knowing that if a car is coming, she’s going to stop. That’s huge. It’s also nice having a little furry companion. She is with me at all times, so I constantly have to think about whether I have enough water for her, or do I have her booties in case it gets too hot, but it’s so worth it.”
Were there any training highlights? “I had mentioned to Caroline, my instructor and Dream’s trainer, that at Clemson, a lot of people ride electric scooters, and some like to see how close they can get to ‘the blind girl’. I’ve had friends tell me they’ve gotten just a hair away. Caroline became passionate and said, ‘You tell me if that ever happens again, because that’s not okay.’ She and Dream practiced around scooters. The next day, we did it together, and Dream took it like a champ. It was really nice to know these people have my back. Then at the mall, we were given the choice to work on escalators. I was so terrified of accidentally hurting her. I kept doing it with her empty harness, then Caroline said I was ready to try it. I was so scared. I looked down at Dream and could tell she was ready, and I nearly started crying, so we did it. Now I’m comfortable when we encounter escalators, and Dream handles them amazingly. We hit it off so quickly. We are the “Dream Team” for a reason! Having Dream is a fun time, and it’s been amazing.”
DOB: 9/8/2023
Litter ID: 1D323
Color/Breed: Yellow/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Irie
Stud: Ira
Littermates: Draco, Dispatch, Dusty, Denver
Region: Wayne County
Regional Puppy Instructor: MeKalea Chambliss
Puppy Raiser: Katie Andreas, Lynn Stas, The Oliver Family, Paul & Cindy Swift
Facebook: Wayne County Puppy Raisers
We loved raising Dream with our awesome co-raiser’s Cindy and Paul Swift. Dream was the perfect mix of “sugar and spice”. She was always ready for our adventures, no matter what it was. Sometimes it was just going to the playground with my children or on larger outings like a museum. We had so much fun raising Dream and are very proud of her. We wish her and Ashlee all the best! Go Dream team! ~ Bethany Oliver
