Graduate Team: Gregory and Kenner
About the Team: Kenner, a male yellow Lab, is Greg’s 2nd Guiding Eyes dog
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Guide Dog Mobility Instructor: Lori Busse
February Residential Training
Greg and his wife, Kim, have been married for 30 years. They met at Vincennes University in Indiana, both receiving an associate degree. Greg went on to graduate from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Hospitality & Tourism and Kim pursued her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern Indiana in Health Services. After graduating, they relocated to Las Vegas, seeking employment opportunity. Greg works for the MGM Resorts Corporation in their “call center”, booking reservations for room accommodations, dinner and entertainment. Kim is currently employed at The Bellagio, in guest services. They have two daughters, Megan, 23, and Kayla, 20. Greg lost his vision when he was 21 years old as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, (RP). Greg’s hobbies and interests include traveling, swimming, walking, movies, watching sports, casino bingo and bowling with his family. Besides their dogs, the family has desert turtles, the size of large dinner plates, visiting them in their backyard. They feed them lettuce and carrots, so they are sure to return daily.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Kenner is outgoing, loving and has a lot of energy. When I sit down on the floor to play with him, he loves giving me kisses. Kenner is also a very quick learner.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “Kenner is my second guide dog from Guiding Eyes. With assistance from my brother Don, we did an exhaustive amount of research, selecting Guiding Eyes, who provided me with my first guide dog, Kristoff. Guiding Eyes was clearly the best opportunity at the time and still is today. They are like a second family to me. The staff, from top to bottom, go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and at home. Kristoff was retired after eleven and a half years, which brought me back to Guiding Eyes for Kenner; the only school I would utilize.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Kenner enables me to feel free to go out and do anything I want. I have my independence and I don’t worry about running into something and injuring myself. I am much more comfortable in stores, and on public transportation including planes, boats and trains.”
Were there any training highlights? “I was blessed to train with Lori. Fate brought us back together as she had trained me with my former guide dog, Kristoff. Lori used newer methods of training this time, with Kenner. Our training included residential walking routes in the City of White Plains and training at CVS with the store’s automatic doors. The highlight of training was our visit to New York City. We took the train down to Grand Central Station, walked to the subways and then walked some more to a restaurant on the Upper East Side to get lunch. One of the highlights of the training was walking around Central Park to learn how to avoid obstacles and avoid distractions including children playing, and ducks walking all around the park.”
Kenner was gentle and very good teaching younger pups. He loved being on campus and going to Starbucks with me. When he understood what you wanted from him, he was very proud and happy to work.
Barb McCabe, Puppy Raiser of Kenner
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