In celebration of National Puppy Day on March 23, we are inviting you to get to know a few of our adorable puppies with a purpose. Each of these paw-fect pups currently lives with their volunteer puppy raiser as they grow & learn on their journey to become a working guide dog.
What is a puppy raiser? A puppy raiser provides the foundation from which one-half of a successful guide dog team is made. These essential volunteers raise a Guiding Eyes puppy by providing the pup with the love, socialization, house manners, and basic obedience it will need to succeed in guide dog training.
Click here to learn more about puppy raising.
Meet some of our adorable guide dog puppies:
Hello, my name is Amos!
A.K.A Famous Amos, Cookie, Cuddlebug
Amos is a sweet & spunky male black lab puppy. His proud parents are Denny and Violet.
Amos’ three favorite things:
- Cuddles
- His wishbone-shaped Benebone toy
- Walks
Puppy Raisers: Lydia Tran
Region: Southern Connecticut Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “2 (this will be the second)”
Favorite thing about raising: “I started volunteering for Guiding Eyes as an opportunity to blend my love of dogs with service and a new challenge. I began this journey to potentially help someone else’s life be more accessible, but [I] never imagined how much the pup would change my life. It is truly the most rewarding and fulfilling experience.“
Hello, my name is Char!
A.K.A Charrie
Char is a thoughtful & attentive female black lab puppy. Her proud parents are Perry and Dusk.
Char’s three favorite things:
- Any toy that rolls – especially the green ball
- Greetings, especially petting you with her forehead
- Her friend, Marvel (a released Guiding Eyes yellow lab)
Puppy Raisers: Lynn Stas & Aaron Ogletree
Region: Eastern Massachusetts Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “32? and starters pups around 12?” – Lynn / “1 puppy” – Aaron
Favorite thing about raising: “Love to start a puppy or raise to the end because the puppy who grows into an adult will change a person’s life. If they become a guide, goes to another agency for police work or service dog work or becomes a cherished pet they all change a person’s life. This is the best reason for raising a puppy for a greater purpose which is a beautiful gift.” – Lynn / “One of my favorite things about raising is being a bridge to their confidence in something that initially made them anxious or intimidated. It’s very rewarding to watch them grow in experience and also have their trust in you validated.” – Aaron
Hello, my name is Chula!
A.K.A Chew-ya, Tine Size, Choola-Boola
Chula is an adventurous & clever female black lab puppy. Her proud parents are Shadow and Irie.
Chula’s three favorite things:
- Playing with her brother, Guiding Eyes released lab Barley
- Snuggling
- Snow! Especially playing on the snow banks around the house
Puppy Raisers: Gary & Lorraine Schiavi
Region: Adirondack Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “Chula is our sixth pup. We raised both her father and her grandfather so we’re excited to watch her grow.”
Favorite thing about raising: “We love to watch the pups learn and see their reaction to their new experiences. Puppy playdates with socialization for both pups and their humans are also a highlight of raising.”
Hello, my name is Clancey!
A.K.A Just Clancey 🙂
Clancey is a curious & playful male yellow lab puppy. His proud parents are Hamilton and Eloise.
Clancey’s three favorite things:
- Taking long naps
- Playing with his fellow Guiding Eyes friends
- Learning all his new skills
Puppy Raiser: Joseph Gruber
Region: Colorado Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “4”
Favorite thing about raising: “Seeing the puppies learn so much in such a short time, then go off and proudly show how much they’ve learned to everyone else!“
Hello, my name is Diamond!
A.K.A Sassy, Cuddles, Princess Di
Diamond is a smart & sweet female black lab puppy. Her proud parents are Shadow and Adrienne.
Diamond’s three favorite things:
- Practicing skills for kibble
- Cuddling on laps
- Chewing on Nylabones
Puppy Raiser: Naomi Barkevich
Region: Capital NY Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “Diamond is my 6th puppy for Guiding Eyes.”
Favorite thing about raising: “I love getting to know the different personalities of each puppy. I really enjoy learning about dog behavior, and every puppy is different, so I learn something new while raising each one. I also love working with our fantastic and supportive region team.“
Hello, my name is Quebec!
A.K.A Becky
Quebec is a loving & spunky female yellow lab puppy. Her proud parents are Edgar and Hetty.
Quebec’s three favorite things:
- Other dogs
- Tags
- Sleeping
Puppy Raiser: Meagan Christian
Region: Wayne County Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “2nd puppy raised”
Favorite thing about raising: “I enjoy being able to play with them as puppies and give someone the chance to have a guide dog.“
Hello, my name is Queen!
A.K.A Queenie
Queen is a cute & smart female yellow lab puppy. Her proud parents are Edgar and Hetty.
Queen’s three favorite things:
- Her blue ball (she seems to enjoy her blue toys)
- Her toy bowl (because it always bounces in an unexpected way)
- Her thick rope knot toy
Puppy Raiser: Yingying Liu
Region: Richmond Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “Queen is my very first one. I even did not have a pet dog before.”
Favorite thing about raising: “Queen is the first dog in my family. My whole family loves her. A lot [of] helping hands involved in her raising. Grandpa, my two girls (9 and 7 yo), my husband and me. She brings so much fun to me and teaches my daughters love, responsibility, and patience. In addition, I have to have a lot more outdoor time, which is good for me, because of her.”
Hello, my name is Royal!
A.K.A Royalty, Tiny Friend
Royal is a brave & smart female black lab puppy. Her proud parents are Midnight and Nyla.
Royal’s three favorite things:
- Food
- Benebones
- Her dog friends
Puppy Raisers: Michelle Sickles & Turner Pecen
Region: Richmond Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “We’ve raised 6 puppies all the way through! 3 for guiding eyes. Royal is our 4th starter puppy for Guiding Eyes.”
Favorite thing about raising: “Our favorite thing about raising is the community of people!”
Hello, my name is Ruffles!
A.K.A Puppers
Ruffles is a curious & lovable female yellow lab puppy. Her proud parents are Midnight and Nyla.
Ruffles’ three favorite things:
- Eating
- Exploring new places
- Playing with other Guiding Eyes pups
Puppy Raisers: Cheryl Gall & Ruth Ladd
Region: Eastern Massachusetts Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “3” – Cheryl / “18, plus 4 starters” – Ruth
Favorite thing about raising: “With each puppy, I am humbled by how much more I have to learn. Like children, it takes a village to raise one of these dogs, and there is tremendous support. In addition to bi-weekly classes led by the regional manager Lisa Bumbalo, I am fortunate to have mentors like Lynn Stas; my co-raiser Ruth who has raised 18+ pups and can answer any question(!); and a whole community of GEB raisers with whom we have puppy play dates, puppy swaps, photo sharing, and ongoing discussions about our everlasting love for these pups.” – Cheryl / “I have been raising for 24 years now and it has become part of the fabric of my life. I started raising because we (my husband and I) wanted to have a dog but didn’t want to deal with end of life heartbreak again (we’d had several wonderful golden retrievers) and we didn’t want to commit to 12-15 years – and because the idea of raising a puppy to help a visually impaired person seemed like such a wonderful idea. Our first puppy, Fletch, was a wonderful dog so we decided to keep going…and here we are with Ruffles! There is no one favorite thing for me unless you count the Guiding Eyes experience as a whole. Raising is a challenge but also fun and seeing difference my efforts have made it so satisfying.” – Ruth
Hello, my name is Teddie!
A.K.A Ted, Theodore, Little Love, Big Guy
Teddie is a confident & playful male yellow lab puppy. His proud parents are Gomer and Piper.
Teddie’s three favorite things:
- Playing with his brother, Thor
- Chew toys
- Kibble
Puppy Raiser: Hannah Frederickson
Region: Cleveland East Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “Teddie is my first!”
Favorite thing about raising: “My favorite thing about raising is seeing how prideful Teddie is when he learns and executes a new skill. Even at such a young age, Teddie exhibits immense drive and always strives to do his best. Teddie’s future is incredibly bright, and I am ecstatic to be on this journey with him!”
Hello, my name is Thor!
A.K.A Sleepy Eyes
Thor is a sweet & curious male yellow lab puppy. His proud parents are Gomer and Piper.
Thor’s three favorite things:
- Playing with his brother, Teddie
- Snuggling on his raiser’s lap after breakfast
- Going to Hathaway Brown School every day
Puppy Raiser: Beth Armstrong
Region: Cleveland East Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “Thor is my first puppy ❤️”
Favorite thing about raising: “I love watching him grow and learn. He changes on a daily basis, and it’s so fun to see the bigger dog he is starting to become. He learns fast. At first, I thought he would never be able to walk down the sidewalk without picking up every single stick, pebble, and acorn. But with daily practice and the help of Macy, our puppy instructor, he is now ignoring most of the things that once were so distracting.”
Hello, my name is Winnie!
A.K.A Win, Winifred, Winnie the Pooh, Windsor, Winner, Win-Win
Winnie is an attentive & charming female yellow lab puppy. Her proud parents are Donny and Raelyn.
Winnie’s three favorite things:
- Laps to curl up in
- Snuggles
- Being warm
Puppy Raisers: The Partlow Family (Jennn, Steve, Levi, Asa, & Clara)
Region: Dutchess Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “We raised one other puppy, Uriah, several years ago. Since then, we have been GEB puppy sitters.”
Favorite thing about raising: “As a family, we love the opportunity to bring a puppy into our home to snuggle with and play with, but ultimately to spend the time training the puppy so that it has the best chance to become a guide dog. We continually marvel at the abilities of these puppies and the good they do for those who need their assistance.”
Hello, my name is Woodstock!
A.K.A Woody
Woodstock is an inquisitive & playful male yellow lab puppy. His proud parents are Donny and Raelyn.
Woodstock’s three favorite things:
- Naps
- Going for walks
- Playing with toys
Puppy Raiser: Ann McDermott
Region: Montgomery Puppy Raising Region
How many puppies have you raised: “He’s my second.”
Favorite thing about raising: “It is so fun and rewarding to train and love these pups!”
