Graduate Team: Johanna and Clyde
About the Team: Clyde, a male yellow Lab, is Johanna’s 1st guide dog
Hometown: Birmingham, Alabama
Guide Dog Mobility Instructor: Dan Weesner
February Residential Training
Johanna grew up in Decatur, Alabama, and attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), about 90 miles away. She graduated from UAB’s Nursing program and will be working full time as a registered nurse at UAB’s Stain-Wallace University Hospital in the medical-surgical unit. Johanna has been legally blind since 2019, the result of ocular swelling from a pseudo-tumor. Her hobbies and interests include reading, playing the cello, and leading a choir and worship group at the Gardendale First Baptist Church. She also enjoys country and christian music.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Clyde is loyal, fun loving, and a very hard worker.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I was attending an orientation and mobility training program through the Alabama Rehabilitation Services Department in Birmingham and my mobility instructor, Yolanda, presented the option of Guiding Eyes.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Clyde is my first guide dog. He provides me greater freedom and independence. I feel more secure and safer with Clyde than I do using a cane. This is especially helpful now that I am no longer able to drive a car. I plan on utilizing Clyde to get to work and back.”
Were there any training highlights? “I spent two weeks at Guiding Eyes and the training was great. My instructors, Dan and Lori, were ‘10,000 times phenomenal’. Training took place in White Plains, Yorktown and in New York City. It was only the second time I had been to New York City. We took a train to Grand Central Station, which was very cool. We then took a subway and ate lunch at The District, on the Upper East Side and walked in Central Park. Everything we did was so much fun. Mariana, Greg and Jasmin were my classmates who all had guide dogs previously, and they were very supportive and helpful. I had never done anything like this in my life. The food and kitchen staff were terrific. Ms. Donna, the night nurse, was the best. The staff were all great and a lot of fun.”
Clyde was always such a happy and super smart dog. He came to us at 8 months old with lots of unfocused energy, eating furniture and ripping flowers out of my pots, but with a little discipline and time to settle in, Clyde showed his fun loving, outgoing, well behaved self. He loved being active, going on adventures new and old; it never mattered to him. We took him on planes and car rides, traveling to many different places. My favorite thing about raising Clyde was his happy energy and willingness to take anything on. His attitude/energy was/is contagious.
Jennifer & Ellie Butler, Puppy Raisers of Clyde
Clyde was an amazing puppy to work with! He took to being on the horse farm like a pro! I was always amazed at his confidence in new situations and of course his ability to pass out hard after any kind of work. He loved meeting all the people that came through and hearing how beautiful he is.
Kelsey Humble, Puppy Raisers of Clyde
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Guiding Eyes for the Blind Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 13-1854606.
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