Graduate Team: Tyler and Fran
About the Team: Fran, a female black Lab; Tyler’s 1st guide dog
Location: Sims, North Carolina
Training: June 2025 On-Campus
Tyler is a junior biology major at Barton College. He participates in the marching band, playing the 5th bass drum, and is also part of the Bulldogs Thrive Pathway Program. After earning his bachelor’s degree, he plans to pursue genetic research. Outside of his studies, Tyler enjoys reading, gaming, playing board and card games, and watching TV and movies. He listens to music from all genres and attends a couple of concerts each year. Tyler comes from a supportive, close-knit family that includes his parents, two younger siblings, and five dogs – guide dog Fran, two huskies, and two mixed breeds. They often set aside time to spend together, with dedicated beach trips and an annual tradition of taking a week off together before the school year begins.
How would you describe your guide dog? “Fran is really smart, but she can also be mischievous and friendly. When she’s working, she does well, but when she’s off-leash, she wants to be all lovey-dovey and friendly with people.”
What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I heard about Guiding Eyes from two presentations and from other clients who received positive information about them. Through my vocational rehab, there’s a presentation Guiding Eyes does in Raleigh, NC, where you get to demo a dog and learn about the school’s history. They talk about what it means to have a guide dog, the responsibilities, and the benefits. That’s what really persuaded me – the presentation.”
How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “I’m walking a bit faster than I normally would, which is a benefit, although Fran is not a big fan of the heat, so she walks a bit slower. Overall, though, I’ve been walking faster, and it’s definitely different. It’s an actual dog you’re working with and not a cane, so you’re working together as a team, which I love. A lot more people come up to me now, too.”
Were there any training highlights? “I would say being able to live with Fran during training was something I didn’t expect would happen on day one after we were matched. It was a bit of a shock, since I thought it would happen at some point, but not so quickly. In hindsight, I prefer it starting the first day because you begin building that connection. Another thing was that after training one day, we got to experience a puppy raiser class. We got to watch the puppies being trained, and that was cool. It was interesting to see that process.”
DOB: 5/8/2023
Litter ID: 8FF23
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Dawn
Stud: Ralphie
Littermates: Fawn, Floral, Filbert, Finesse, Future, Fable, Fudge, Fenlon, Finnegan
Region: North Carolina
Regional Puppy Instructor: Kerry Lemerise
Puppy Raiser: Ainsley Smith, Carrie-Dow Smith
Facebook: North Carolina Puppy Raisers
