Graduate Team: Elizabeth and Octavia
About the Team: Octavia, female black Lab; Elizabeth’s 5th guide dog, (1st Guiding Eyes)
Location: Wyoming, Michigan
Training: July 2026 On-Campus
Elizabeth, came to Guiding Eyes from Michigan, to be matched with her fifth guide dog Octavia. She is her first Guiding Eyes dog. Blind since birth, she leads an active life as a member of her church’s worship team, her local American Council of the Blind (ACB) chapter, and the Lions Club. For Elizabeth, a guide dog will bring greater confidence and independence, making it easier to navigate her community, travel to vacations, and enjoy educational trips such as ACB conventions, and Lions Club meetings. With Octavia by her side, she’ll have the freedom to focus less on the challenges of getting from place to place. At home, Elizabeth enjoys cooking and reading a good book.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Octavia is a beautiful black lab. She is happy and healthy and smart as a whip. She plays as hard as she works, but loves doing her job. Octavia is sweet and just amazing. Give her a treat and she’ll do anything, yet she knows when it’s time to work – she gets this serious look, I’ve been told. Octavia has impeccable house manners and she loves her crate. She is such a sweetheart; she’s the queen! Her puppy raisers love her. What can I say, she’s a match made in heaven!”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “Octavia is my 5th guide dog. My first 4 were from another organization. After my 4th dog, I was told that there would be a long waiting list for another dog. I did a lot of research on guide dog organizations and thought that it couldn’t hurt to apply to Guiding Eyes. I applied and in no time was contacted by a field rep to start the process. When I got the call that they found a match for me, I was so impressed with how quickly that happened. I was meant to go there.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “I enjoy being Octavia’s Mom. She’s building my confidence and is always ready to go when I am. I enjoy taking care of her immensely. When I was working with my trainer, we discovered Octavia had ear infections which were promptly treated. When Octavia was settled with me at home, I switched her to a different food, suspecting it could be food allergies. I’m pleased to report that her ears are perfect, and the food switch went very well.”
Were there any training highlights? “On my last day of training, we took a particular walking route, and Octavia was very careful about keeping me away from the cracks in the sidewalk, and steered me away from some goose droppings. With the other handlers and trainers, we took the train to Poughkeepsie and walked around there and at Vassar College. We walked in White Plains to Starbucks, and around Yorktown, and Cold Spring. It was all great. On a separate note, on campus, the food was wonderful, along with the chef and servers!”
DOB: 10/24/23
Litter ID: 2O323
Color/Breed: Black Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Blondie
Stud: Archie
Littermates: Otis, Omari, Orpheus, Oshie
Region: Monroe NY Puppy Raising Region
Regional Puppy Instructor: MeKalea Chambliss
Puppy Raiser: Avor Szostak, Sherry Fox
Facebook: Monroe Puppy Raisers
Octavia is a sweet, hard working and dedicated girl. She used to go to work at a preschool with me. All the children and staff were excited when I brought her to work with me. Octavia brought a smile to everyone’s face. We used to play fetch down the school’s hallway before the children arrived. Octavia is trustworthy, smart and loved by all. She will be an amazing partner. Enjoy this next adventure. ~ Sherry Fox
Octavia was a wonderful puppy to raise. She is mild mannered, smart and has a heart of gold. She loved going on outings and handled stressful situations like a champ. She loved going to baseball games and listening to live music. She had a group of doggie friends she would play with routinely. She was always up to having fun and splashing in the pool. She is an absolute gem and has the most soulful eyes ever! Best of luck on your next journey Octavia. I love you and will never forget you. ❤ ~ Avor Szostak
