Graduate Team: Lillian and Ozark
About the Team: Ozark, a male yellow lab; Lilly’s 1st guide dog
Location: Wethersfield, Connecticut
Training: July 2025 On-Campus
Lilly is a psychology student at Central Connecticut State University. She has volunteered at a church and enjoys other ways of helping out in her local community in her spare time. She takes pleasure in long walks around her neighborhood while listening to true crime podcasts. Lilly loves shopping at arts and craft stores, and L.L. Bean is another favorite, especially when accompanied by her mom, sister, and a close friend. She lives at home with her parents, and although her siblings have moved out, she still sees them from time to time. Her sister has a puppy that Ozark enjoys playing with whenever they get together.
How would you describe your guide dog? “When he’s working, he takes his work seriously. He knows when we’re going out somewhere and he’s in work mode, ready to go. Ozark becomes a different dog when he’s working. He’s not a teddy bear in those moments, but he’s a lovable, caring, gentle soul outside of harness. He’s always checking on me to see that I’m doing okay. He can be goofy and silly, too, but he loves both people and dogs and can be sociable. His favorite treat is a pup cup. He gets so excited and his tail wags when he smells the whipped cream.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “When I was in high school, I started to meet people with guide dogs, and trainers would bring them into my school. Over the years, I started to ask questions about guide dogs, like what schools they thought would be best for me, as someone who’s deaf and blind. Most of them would say Guiding Eyes because it’s known for accommodating challenges in addition to blindness. When I reached my 20s, I had almost been hit by a car twice trying to cross the road, so I thought it was time for me to get a guide dog. I applied and was accepted. I’m glad I made the right decision for myself.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Before Ozark came into my life, I used a white cane. I thought it would give me more freedom to move independently, and of course, there are challenges, like when the white cane won’t tell me it’s safe to cross the road. When Ozark and I started working together, I was like, ‘Wow, this makes my life a lot easier than I realized.’ Especially the obstacles and being able to move more smoothly, like when a car’s parked on the road or when I can’t see at night. Ozark lets me know when it’s safe to cross the road. He always makes sure he helps me get to the curb and safely on the other side of the road.”
Were there any training highlights? “Ozark and I struggled a bit the first couple of days of training to bond and work together. I started to have doubts, but halfway through the training, everything started to fall into place. We began working together as a team and moved through obstacles smoothly and easily. We got comfortable with each other; Ozark trusts me, and I trust him. Ozark is the guide dog for me, and we were meant to work together. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re meant to work together. Ozark is always looking for me when I’m not in the room, and he’ll always be by my side.”
DOB: 6/27/202
Litter ID: 6OO23
Color/Breed: Yellow/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Male
Brood: Lark
Stud: Champ
Littermates: Orlando, Odyssey, Mitchell, Oceana, Orchard, Ocala, Oberon, Omaha
Region: Richmond
Regional Puppy Instructor: Madeline Bruggeman
Puppy Raiser: Barbara & Richard Katz
Facebook: Richmond VA Puppy Raisers
Ozark, our 7th dog was so much fun. He had a sweet disposition and loved going on walks and riding in the car. We would go to Starbucks often and he loved getting his special pup cup. He would sit on the top step of our staircase every morning to get his belly rub which I’m sure we loved giving as much as he loved receiving. He is such a lover. We wish Ozark and his new partner the best of everything. ~ Barbara and Richard Katz
