Graduate Team: Tammy and Varsity
About the Team: Varsity, a black male Lab; Tammy’s 1st guide dog
Location: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Training: October On-Campus
Tammy grew up on her family’s farm, where they raised horses, cows, and chickens. She enjoys working with her first guide dog, Varsity, and stays active through Special Olympics bowling and golfing, as well as playing bocce ball. Tammy volunteered with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind, helping with gift wrapping, and she previously worked at Walmart for several years. At home, she enjoys knitting, creating afghan throws, and dishcloths. She has a brother and two nieces, McKenna and Kalli, and her mother lives nearby.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Varsity is handsome, and friends comment about that. He carries himself so proudly. He is smart and calm and never just reacts, but first analyzes the situation and decides, for example, if it is safe to move forward. He’s fun, and we love to play together with balls and squeaky toys. He’s social and loves going in the truck on an adventure, or to a bowling alley, the mall, or a playdate at my friend’s house, who also has a dog from Guiding Eyes. He meets other dogs with curiosity and no aggression. He is loving, loyal, and likes to cuddle with me on the couch. When I leave the room, he watches me or escorts me to the bathroom. In harness, he walks us across street intersections very well. He is 71 pounds and very easy to handle.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “Dogs have always been a part of my life – family dogs on the farm as well as my own dogs when I left home. As my vision deteriorated, my CNIB mobility instructor suggested that it might be a good choice for me to help maintain my independence. I loved the idea.”
How has a guide dog impacted your life? “Having Varsity makes me happy, as we are best friends, and I’m never alone or lonely. He has had a positive impact on my life and makes me feel brave enough to try things that I hesitate to do. Since I came home from Guiding Eyes, we have had two major storms, so I don’t get out as often now, but when we are in the condo, I play with him, so he is motivated.”
Were there any training highlights? “Louise was great as my trainer, and on our walks, we talked about distractions, worked on slowing down, and did traffic checks with Stephanie. We also laughed a lot. We walked around Yorktown and went to a bowling alley. While walking in White Plains, we stopped in a restaurant. Varsity did very well. When he finished a task that went well, he was anxious to get to the starting point for the next challenge. Every success was a highlight of our training.”
DOB: 3/8/2023
Litter ID: 10V23
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Male
Brood: Guava
Stud: Arlo
Littermates: Verna, Vega, Viggo, Velvet, Vanilla, Verbena, Vintage, Voyager
Region: Columbus
Regional Puppy Instructor: Leslie Stephens
Puppy Raiser: The Vercere Family, Maedison-Louise Hughes
Facebook: Columbus OSU Puppy Raisers
Varsity is the cutest chill boy ever but when it comes to meeting new people he turns into the happiest most excited pup ever. He embodies the friendliness of a lab while calmly showing his love for those around him. I loved taking Varsity to the store with me as he made shopping so much more fun with every check-in. Varsity loved sleeping on his bed and playing with his yellow squishy ball. He’s an amazing friend and teammate drool and all 🙂 ~ Maedison Hughes
Varsity is a confident, quiet loving pup just like his dad Arlo, the first pup we raised. He loved our newfoundland Enzo and they played often together. He was confident on every surface, including docks and piers. He visited a firehouse, a poetry reading, a pride event, and so many more. I never saw him afraid of anything, I am sure he will make a wonderful guide and companion! ~ Tomra Vecere
