Graduate Team: Noble and Sparky
About the Team: Sparky, a male black Lab; Noble’s 2nd Guiding Eyes dog
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Training: May 2026 – On campus
Noble has returned to Guiding Eyes to be partnered with his second guide dog, a male black Labrador named Sparky. He lives near the winding Mississippi River and the bayous of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and works for the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs, where he is dedicated to improving the lives of American veterans and their families. Noble experiences vision loss primarily due to retinitis pigmentosa. He sustained nerve damage to his left eye as a child, and by age 25 had completely lost vision in that eye. He now has only very limited vision in his right eye. Noble credits Guiding Eyes and his first guide dog, Buckley, with changing his life for the better, and Sparky now continues that legacy.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Sparky is a very chill dog. When he works, he works very well, although sometimes he gets a little distracted, but we’re working on that. When he’s not working, he likes to sleep, but most of the time, he likes to play by himself.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I got my first dog, Buckley, from Guiding Eyes and had him for almost seven years before he was retired. I would not have gone anywhere else when it came time for my second dog. Guiding Eyes really wants you to be the best and do the best you can. I felt like I was part of a family. They have a special way of training their dogs. I will always get my guide dogs from Guiding Eyes.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “It has saved my life and changed it for the better. I had no one to help me physically, but having a guide dog has helped me, not only physically, but also mentally. Really, it’s been a win/win situation.”
Were there any training highlights? “There were three locations off campus that were highlights. The trainers brought us to White Plains, Mt. Kisco, and Valhalla. The greatest amount of time was spent in White Plains, where Guiding Eyes also has a facility. It was helpful knowing my trainer had a training leash on Sparky during our initial walks, in case it was needed. Sparky and I spent 3 weeks together training, which I think was the right amount of time.”
DOB: 4/28/2024
Litter ID: 4S24
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Male
Brood: Kendall
Stud: Yorktown
Littermates: Secret, Sadie, Shanna, Simon, Steffie, Spunky, Summer, Slater
Region: Richmond
Regional Puppy Instructor: Madeline Bruggeman
Puppy Raiser: The Houseknecht Family
Facebook: Richmond Puppy Raisers
Sparky’s greatest strength was his desire to work and his love for training. He is an excellent loose leash walker, making it a joy to take him anywhere because he is always right at your side. One of our favorite outings with him was to a local swimming pool that allowed all of our region’s pups to swim at the end of the season. He attended as a very young puppy and also a few weeks before returning to Guiding Eyes. His exaggerated paddling and splashes were comical and endearing. We are so proud of the excellent guide he has become and look forward to hearing about all of his adventures on the job! ~ Karl and Kim Houseknecht
