Graduate Team: Rebecca and Gia
About the Team: Gia, a female black Lab; Rebecca’s 2nd guide dog, 1st Guiding Eyes
Location: Roselle, Illinois
Training: October 2025 Home Training
Rebecca is a lifelong resident of the Chicago suburbs and a graduate of Fenton High School. She is married and a devoted mom to her two daughters, ages 10 and 7. Rebecca loves gardening and, together with her family, cultivates both vegetable and flower gardens. They enjoy what they harvest and sharing their bounty with friends and neighbors. She also loves spending summer days at the swimming pool with her children and going camping. When winter arrives, and gardening pursuits are on hold until spring, Rebecca and her family are undeterred by the change in seasons. Their love of the outdoors simply shifts to winter activities such as building snow sculptures. Her newly matched guide dog, Gia, is a welcome addition to their family and their adventures.
How would you describe your guide dog? “At just 2½ years old, Gia is simply amazing! She and I clicked right away. Guiding Eyes did a wonderful job matching us. I refer to her as my ‘velcro dog’ because she is always by my side. Gia loves my daughters and two pet dogs, but she knows I am her person. She loves to play, but once she sees the harness, she knows it is time to work. In the short three months we have been together, we have made tremendous progress as a team.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I was attracted to Guiding Eyes because of their Home Training option. Although I would have liked to train on campus, it was neither practical nor feasible for me to be away from home for that length of time.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Gia has had such a positive impact on my life. With a guide dog, I am confident going out at night and navigating snowy sidewalks. Even when I cannot see a step or curb, Gia can! Unlike a cane, Gia can ‘find the door’ or keep me safely out of traffic. Another benefit to having a guide dog is that people generally view me as more capable and approachable. With Gia, I feel much less isolated.”
Were there any training highlights? “The ability to train at home was a highlight and made it possible for me to have Gia! My trainer was very encouraging throughout the whole process, and I really think this contributed to Gia’s and my success. Gia herself was a highlight! She is very smart. For example, after just one encounter with ice, she learned how to recognize it and avoid it. I appreciate that Guiding Eyes connected me with Gia’s puppy raisers. It has been so nice to share Gia’s journey with them, knowing how hard they worked to make her the outstanding guide dog that she is.”
DOB: 5/8/2023
Litter ID: 1GG23|
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Taylor
Stud: Elton
Littermates: Glenda, Garfield, Ginger, Gladys, Gino, Giorgio
Region: New Hampshire
Regional Puppy Instructor: Lisa Bumbalo
Puppy Raiser: Kait & Craig Gallagher
Facebook: New Hampshire Puppy Raisers
Gia was a tough but fun puppy to raise! She was so brave and confident, loved going on all sorts of outings and meeting everybody. She had such a goofy personality but switched to professional mode as soon as she saw the puppy jacket. Gia will always hold a special place in our hearts and we couldn’t be more proud of her. We wish her and Rebecca a long and happy partnership! ~ Kait and Craig Gallager
