Sarah and Heron

Meet Graduate Sarah

Graduate Team: Sarah and Heron
About the Team: Heron, a female yellow lab, is Sarah’s 1st guide dog
Location: Denver, North Carolina
Training:  June 2024 On-Campus

Sarah is a rising sophomore at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, majoring in psychology. She’s passionate about becoming a mental health counselor. Sarah will be researching grad schools, taking the first step towards pursuing the career that’s calling her. Sarah loves exploring new places and seeking adventure, but also values downtime with friends and family, and enjoying each other’s company. In addition to exploring, she enjoys reading, knitting, hiking, horseback riding, listening to music, and going to concerts. Sarah is in the process of getting involved with the Big Brother Big Sister organization. Sarah lives at home with her parents and two older brothers. She has a close, “best friends” relationship with her younger sister, who lives at home when she’s not in school. Heron joins the family’s two dogs, a Great Pyrenees named Max and a golden retriever Miles.

How would you describe your guide dog? “Heron is so cute. She’s such a sweet girl and she’s wicked smart. Typically when she’s out of harness, her sweet side is more apparent and she’s like a little goofball. When she’s in harness, she walks in and is so focused on her job. It’s amazing and you can really see her intelligence shining through. She’s a super big snuggle bug too and a social butterfly.”

What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to get a guide dog. Throughout that period of wanting a dog, I was talking to other people with visual impairments who have guide dogs, and I heard nothing bad about Guiding Eyes. I went on the website, and it seemed like a pretty cool school. The deciding factor was when I reached out about a year and a half ago, asking if there were any skills I should learn as a cane user to make the transition to a dog easier. Danielle reached out to say they were having a transitional skills seminar and asked if I was interested in being a part of it. I went up to Guiding Eyes in NY for a couple of days, and at the end of my time there, I got to work with a guide dog. That was the moment when I knew it was the school for me and how awesome everyone was, showing me how things could be firsthand.”

How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “I feel so confident walking around now that I have Heron. I know that she’ll take care of me, and I’ll take care of her. It’s this new confidence I haven’t felt in a long time. It’s amazing being introduced to that feeling. It can be hard because it’s so new and I’m still trying to figure everything out with her, but it’s so much fun. She has such a good personality and is so fun to work and learn with.”

Were there any training highlights?  “The biggest thing that I’ll never stop talking about is how lovely the people are. Everyone there loves what they do and they’re so incredible and awesome! I was telling my family when I came back with Heron, there’s so much information given to the person coming in to get a guide dog; so much to figure out and roll with. It would have been way too overwhelming if not for the instructors and everyone else. They made it fun instead of straight, hard work. They made it enjoyable. It’s a really well-oiled machine and they’ve got you covered.”

Meet Guide Dog Heron

DOB:  6/7/2022
Litter ID: 7HH22
Color/Breed:  Yellow, Labrador
Gender: Female
Brood: Bonnie
Stud: Bosley
Littermates: Henry, Harvey, Helix, Herb, Henna
Region:  NoVA-North
Regional Puppy Instructor: Katie Meuer
Puppy Raiser:  The Klein Family, The Ellis Family
Facebook: NoVA North Puppy Raisers

From the Puppy Raisers…

Heron is spreading her wings and starting an amazing adventure as a guide! We’ll miss her snuggles but can’t wait for Sarah to experience the world with Heron by her side. Heron is a beautiful pup with stunning fox-red fur (complete with a ‘racing’ stripe down her spine,) and an adorable, wrinkle-faced smile. The emotional awareness of a superhero, Heron will ‘borrow’ toys from her basket to cheer someone else. Quick to offer love, and maybe hoping to receive a belly-rub in exchange. Co-raised in two bustling households with college students, Heron is a social butterfly who thrives on new experiences. A perfect match! We can picture them off on adventures, Sarah navigating with confidence and Heron by her side, a furry guardian angel. This may be bittersweet, but we’re bursting with pride! The world awaits this duo!  ~ Susie & Joe Ellis 

I will forever remember Heron as my “beastie.” She turned out to be over 70lbs of muscle, with a level of energy and a degree of stubbornness that challenged us in a demanding yet fun way. She’s my first GEB lab to prefer playtime over treats, although a peanut butter Kong could get her attention anytime. I have many videos of Heron running laps like a NASCAR driver around our backyard, through play tunnels and around trees, oftentimes with a firewood log in her mouth. I’m sure her infectious enthusiasm will serve her well as a guide dog, and I’m thankful to know that Sarah has a willing and capable partner!  ~ The Klein Family 

Photos of the Team…