May Home Training
Graduate Team: Paul and Bo
About the Team: Bo, a male yellow Lab, is Paul’s 4th Guiding Eyes dog
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Guide Dog Mobility Instructor: Lisa Derleth
Paul owns his own life coaching business, which helps individuals achieve their personal and professional goals, so they can become their best self. He received his training at Guelph University and received his certification from the Transformation Academy. Paul was born blind in one eye and in the late 90’s lost his vision in his other eye, as a result of a detached retina. He grew up in Ohio and currently resides in Toronto, Ontario. He has a son Colyn, who is 17 years old and attends high school. Paul’s hobbies and interests include following major league baseball, audiobooks, and music. He enjoys listening to progressive rock, jazz, and classical music. Bo is Paul’s fourth guide dog from Guiding Eyes.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Bo is very special. His personality is best described as “chill”. He is intelligent, always calm, low keyed, and eager to learn.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “It was 1999, two years after becoming totally blind, I began looking into getting a guide dog. I chose Guiding Eyes because I had previously read and heard very good things about the school. I went back to Guiding Eyes each time for a guide dog, and quite frankly can’t imagine going anywhere else.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “I relied on a cane to get around for a couple of years before receiving Bo, due to the pandemic and the delay it caused in receiving a guide dog. It didn’t take long to realize, that I felt unsafe. I realized after receiving Bo how much more comfortable and safer I felt with him.”
Were there any training highlights? “Lisa Derleth provided my home training. I can’t say enough about Lisa. I knew her back when she trained me with my first guide dog in 2001. Lisa made all the difference, then and now, with my confidence and being trained with Bo. She is very helpful, knowledgeable, and encouraging. I wish all my clients that I coach, could learn from their mistakes in the way I was able to during my training with Bo.”
Bo, being the first puppy we raised, was a delight from the first day we got him. He had a calm demeanor and was a quick learner. He was patient with us while we taught him skills that we were just learning. One of his successful challenges was settling in a college lecture hall. He enjoyed boating on Lake Erie in his doggy lifejacket, making numerous shopping trips and trying clothes and shoes, and snuggling at the end of the day while watching Jeopardy. Dropping him off in NY for IFT, on his 2nd birthday, was very sad, but knowing he is going to make someone’s life better, makes all that we did together so worthwhile.
Lori and Paige Dyer, Puppy Raisers of Bo
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