Graduate Team: Lisa and Uriah
About the Team: Uriah, a male yellow Lab, is Lisa’s 3rd Guiding Eyes dog
Hometown: Eastchester, New York
Guide Dog Mobility Instructor: Ben Cawley
Lisa returns to Guiding Eyes for her 3rd guide dog and yellow Labrador. She shares that she is happily married to a wonderful man and has terrific friends. Her many interests range from facilitating bible studies for women to working in the community; collecting toiletries for the homeless, connecting those in need with food banks and helping senior citizens with vision loss. She loves singing and is a member of her church choir. When not outside walking and exercising, she enjoys reading non-fiction, American history and Christian books.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Uriah is a big, fluffy, playful teddy bear, a sweet dog and my darling boy. He’s handsome with a long tongue! He enjoys us learning together and we’re growing into a very good team. He’s very loving and always seems happy to be with me and my husband. He’s a real blessing.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog at Guiding Eyes? “Initially, a former president of the organization put me in touch with the program. Since then, I’ve had two other amazing guide dogs from Guiding Eyes who became precious companions and Uriah is my third.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Each part of having a guide dog compliments the other, so they help my overall well-being and I flourish all around. They are emotionally uplifting; I enjoy the rapport with them and the developing relationship. I get to go outside to get exercise and fresh air with a trusted companion.”
Were there any training highlights? “My trainer was professional; a real expert, patient and flexible. He was very kind while still able to communicate what worked or needed improvement. I loved the games used to re-focus the dog. The touch game and treat pouch/food rewards worked really well.”
One of Uriah’s greatest traits was his patience. He was ever-patient with our 5 year old daughter, who loved to lay her head on his side; the two would just lie on the floor together. He showed that patience, even in challenging situations. Once he was introduced to another dog who was over-excited and a bit nippy, but Uriah stayed calm and never reacted. When asked ‘what did you enjoy most about raising Uriah?’, Asa, age 8, said, ‘He was so friendly. I enjoyed playing with him.’ Levi, age 10, agreed, ‘Playing with him; snuggling him.’ Our most enjoyable outings with Uriah were going on hikes. Even as a small puppy, he loved going on long hikes in the woods. Uriah was our first experience with raising a Guiding Eyes pup, and we are forever grateful for the time we had with him. We are so proud of the work he’s doing, and thankful we could be part of that process!
Steve and Jennn Partlow, Puppy Raiser of Uriah
Meet our other recent guide dog team graduates. Click here!
Friends and Family: Watch this video to learn more about Working with a Guide Dog Team.
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