Graduate Team: Katie and Fable
About the Team: Fable, a female black Lab; Katie’s 2nd Guiding Eyes guide dog
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Training: May 2025 On-Campus
Katie works in Human Resources, specializing in employee relations. In this role, she addresses various topics, including employee concerns and performance management issues. She shares her home in Minneapolis with her boyfriend and Fable, her new guide dog. They plan to travel frequently and eventually relocate to Portugal. Katie is also launching her own business, “Blind Wanderer,” aimed at documenting her journeys and promoting accessible travel for everyone, especially international travelers, with a focus on those accompanied by service dogs. In her free time, Katie enjoys exploring the outdoors and attending local fairs, festivals, concerts, and other events.
How would you describe your guide dog? “She’s just so loving and happy! She’s always right there with me. It’s amazing and I love it! Anytime my boyfriend sits on the couch with me and gets up, she is there immediately. She loves to steal spots. She’s a spot thief, as we say! She also moves around so much at night that there’s just not enough room for her to sleep in our bed. In the morning, she’s on the bed immediately. ‘Fabes’ can be stubborn in the most amazing ways ever (which cracks me up), but she’s very focused on her work. She also loves a good city pigeon. The city pigeons got to her a little bit at first, but she’s come to an agreement with them, and they seem to move out of our way.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “My last guide dog was from Guiding Eyes, and it’s just such a different experience than having a cane. When he retired and I had to go back to the cane, it reminded me how much more freedom I have, even with the added stress that comes with it; things like Ubers, Lyfts, and potential denials in places. The amount of freedom I feel with a guide dog is just insane.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Having a guide dog really helps me open up more. When I lost my sight, I kind of shut myself in, and I didn’t want to ask for help or say anything or be a burden to people. Having a guide dog opens up those conversations, and it’s what has helped me be more open and willing to ask for help when I need it. They see her, and automatically, they want to talk about their dog. It opens up that door to just have a conversation with someone. I also hit a lot fewer people’s shoes with my dog than with my cane! It has me feeling more confident as well, because I don’t have to worry as much about everything. I get to do the things I need to do. To be able to navigate through the world with a little bit less stress is amazing. As somebody who is blind, there is added stress to begin with, and this just takes away a bit of it.”
Were there any training highlights? “When we were going through the mall, I had this full-on ‘blind girl moment,’ as I like to say. We stopped at Ulta Beauty, and as I turned a corner to ask someone for help finding something, I realized I was speaking to a photo of people, not an actual person. My trainer, Shannon, and I just laughed about it for the rest of the day. Another moment was when we were doing traffic checks. People were walking towards us from the other side when the instructors did the traffic check. They gave the instructor, Michelle, a very weird look, and she had to explain to them that she was coming towards us on purpose as part of our training. Also, I want to mention that the food was amazing! There are so many good things that I could say about the experience.”
DOB: 5/8/2023
Litter ID: 10FF23
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador
Gender: Female
Brood: Dawn
Stud: Ralphie
Littermates: Fawn, Filbert, Finesse, Future, Floral, Fudge, Fenlon, Fran, Finnegan
Region: NoVA-North
Regional Puppy Instructor: Katie Meuer
Puppy Raiser: The Klein Family, Suz Ellis
Facebook: NOVA North Puppy Raisers
What a joy it was to raise Fable! This strong, remarkably easy-going pup thrived on human connection from her earliest days. Calm, patient, and wonderfully relaxed, she was always quick to settle, yet eager for any adventure. Watching her mature into a confident girl has been a gift. Fable loves the outdoors, especially cherishing sunny yet temperate days enjoyed from a perfect shady spot. Though we’ll miss her dearly, we are proud knowing she’s found her true purpose. She is destined to be an incredible guide and a devoted, amazing partner for her graduate partner, Katie. Congratulations to you both! We look forward to hearing about all of your amazing adventures together. – The Ellis Family
We will always remember Fable as our long-legged, easygoing pup. From the day she arrived on the GEB van to the day she left, Fable delighted us with her ability to balance life. She was equal parts adventurous and calm; quirky and composed; silly and serious. She was just the type of pup we needed during a very busy year for our family, sailing through her training milestones and never failing to show affection to everyone around her . We enjoyed being part of Fable’s journey to become a guide dog, and we are thankful for everyone who had a hand in the process! ~ The Klein Family
