Michael and Wasabi

Meet Graduate Michael

Graduate Team:  Michael and Wasabi
About the Team:  Wasabi – male yellow Lab; Michael’s 2nd guide dog
Location:   Dayton, Ohio
Training:  September 2024 On-Campus

Michael is a contract specialist with the United States Air Force at the Wright-Patterson Air Force base.  Michael is originally from Florida and attended Florida State University, graduating with his bachelor’s degree in business in 2017. He hopes to return to college for an advanced degree in the future.  Michael visits Florida each month for eye care for detached retinas and takes the opportunity to visit his parents during these visits. Michael lives in a single-family home and often tackles house repairs. He enjoys carpentry and is building his home gym, which includes various workout equipment. He initially studied music in college before switching to business, and music is still a part of his life. He enjoys playing the drums and guitar and noticed Wasabi seems intrigued. Since he primarily works from home, Michael looks forward to socializing and going out for food and drinks with friends.

How would you describe your guide dog?  “His raiser, Sherry, mentions how he stares into your soul, and I can’t agree more.  If I put my hands up and kneel, he puts his front paws on my shoulders and gives me the best hugs. He’s very playful and always wants to be included. He has a lot of character, is very social, and likes meeting other people and dogs. This past weekend, Wasabi got together with classmate dog Patch, and they had a raucous reunion. In harness, he is very solid and knows his commands.  I fly each month to Florida, and around here, I use Para Transit, Lyft, or Uber. He does very well in all of them.”

What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I knew I wanted to get a dog at some point.  A friend of mine who also works at the base, Andy, has a guide dog from Guiding Eyes, and he struck me as a great handler. He had been raving about Zeb and his experience with Guiding Eyes, so it felt like the timing was right for me.”

How has a guide dog impacted your life?  “He is a great companion and skilled at getting me from point A to B.  We are working on walking routes, and having Wasabi makes it easier when going to the mall, restaurants, and stores. He likes to do things that will get him a treat. Just like they showed us in training, he easily finds the dog food aisle in the grocery store and quickly heads to the shelves where they have the nice juicy treats. When we are stuck in the airport, it is great having company, and having a guide dog versus a cane is a night-and-day experience. Having him adds a lot of comfort and independence since he is able to look out for cars and obstacles. There are times when the cane is an effective tool, for example, I wouldn’t want to take Wasabi to loud rock or arena concerts, but the situations where I’d prefer not to have Wasabi with me are few and far between.”

Were there any training highlights? “Michelle was my trainer and did a great job, teaching all the commands and doing night walks and road crossings. I like working with him on obedience skills like the ‘Close’ command. When I get his dinner, I put him in a ‘Down–Stay’ until his dish is on the floor, and I’ve stepped away. Then I will walk to a different room past the food bowl and ask Wasabi to heel to me, causing him to walk past the food he is anxiously awaiting to devour. He’s mastered this skill, and it’s awesome.  I eat plant-based, and I was blown away by Chef Rob and the cooking staff’s willingness to cook me vegan food, and how great the food was. At the School, they have everything you really want – a gym, a garden-gazebo-fountain-situation, Alexa speakers, and a desk in the dorm rooms. There is also a grand piano where another student and I would jam. In the evenings, we put together a song he performed at graduation. Everything there is very thoughtful in how it’s laid out.  I wasn’t lacking for anything, that’s for sure. They went above and beyond to make our time more comfortable and really look after the small details that add up to make a big difference.  It was awesome. Thanks, Guiding Eyes team, community, donors, & stakeholders!! 

Meet Guide Dog Wasabi

DOB:  11/27/2022
Litter ID: 2W322
Color/Breed:  Yellow/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Male
Brood: Raelyn
Stud: Donny
Littermates: Winnie, Widget, Wind, Wizard, Woodstock, Wonka
Region:  Maine
Regional Puppy Instructor: Lisa Bumbalo
Puppy Raiser:  Sherry Baron
Facebook: Maine Puppy Raisers

From the Puppy Raiser…

Wasabi has the biggest heart, personality and he loves people. Wasabi took challenges in stride. Just a happy, smart boy. He loved visiting local schools, the local retirement village and grocery store. He even appeared on TV. He had quite a following. I loved Wasabi’s happy loving personality, hugs and cuddles. Words cannot describe the experience of learning with Wasabi and seeing what we were capable of doing together. Wasabi was the best. We had so much fun learning and growing together. I also love my Guiding Eyes group. My guidance from Pat Webber was amazing. Connecting with Lisa Bumbalo and other raisers was so helpful. Lastly, I am so proud of the boy. ~ Sherry Baron 

Photos of the Team…