Graduate Team: Melvin and Tarzan
About the Team: Tarzan, a male black Lab, is Mel’s 4th Guiding Eyes dog
Location: Vassalboro, Maine
Training: July 2025 On-Campus
Mel and his wife, Maureen, reside in Vassalboro, Maine, sharing their home with his new guide dog, Tarzan, as well as his retired guide, Ward, and their black Lab, Penny. He works from home as an independent living specialist for Alpha One – Maine’s Center for Independent Living. In his downtime, Mel loves lunches out with Maureen, going for rail trail walks by the river, and spending time outdoors with their dogs in their fenced-in yard and on their new deck. As a New Englander and sports enthusiast, he roots for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Celtics. Mel also values quality time with his daughters, sons-in-law, and grandchildren.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Tarzan is very active, has a strong pull, and loves to play fetch. We have other dogs who come for play dates in our yard, and he loves to hang with them and play! He’s also an excellent worker. He is spot on. He’s not easily distracted by other dogs while he is in harness, even considering how much he loves dogs! I have been very blessed. I’ve had four excellent guide dogs from Guiding Eyes. All great workers and all at a good pace for me. I’m very, very pleased!”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “The first time, I had a good friend who said Guiding Eyes is the best guide dog school! He has since passed away, but he told me Guiding Eyes was the place to go! I had such a positive experience with my first three, I knew I had to come back.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “It supported my independence greatly. Over the years, it has really made me so independent. It’s kept me mobile, more independent, and more confident. I am incredibly blessed.”
Were there any training highlights? “It was just an overall positive experience, even though being in class with youngsters made me feel so old! There were six students in our class, and I’m old enough to be the grandfather of three of them. They used to tease me about my age quite a bit, and of course, I teased them quite a bit back. I told them to be careful what they start, since I have a lot more experience busting people’s chops! It was a wonderful experience. The instructors were great, and the food was good as always. Everything was wonderful!”
DOB: 7/31/2023
Litter ID: 3TT23
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Male
Brood: Quail
Stud: Ira
Littermates: Twix, Tenor, Tilly, Tron, Traxler
Region: Central NY
Regional Puppy Instructor: MeKalea Chambliss
Puppy Raiser: Jessica Burgess, Arianna Kuhn, Megan Panny
Facebook: Central NY Puppy Raisers
In the jungle, the mighty jungle… ~ Jessica Burgess
