Unique and Licorice

Meet Graduate Unique

Graduate Team: Unique and Licorice
About the team: Licorice, a female black lab, is Unique’s 1st guide dog
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Training: July 2024 On-Campus

Unique and her guide dog, Licorice, are experiencing their freshman year together at the North Carolina Central University. Unique is majoring in psychology and minoring in social work. The team lives in a dorm on campus but is at home in Charlotte, N.C. with Unique’s parents and six siblings when school is not in session. In her free time, Unique enjoys listening to music, attending concerts, hanging out with friends, and writing. She is looking forward to getting involved with the various clubs and organizations available on campus. She is also a fragrance enthusiast and loves shopping for perfume! 

How would you describe your guide dog? “She’s adorable and I love her to pieces! Licorice is such a sweetheart! She just loves college life, and I think she likes all the attention. Everyone loves her, and she knows it! She loves people, but she still remains focused if they attempt to talk to her when she’s working. My friends tell me she won’t take her eyes off of me. She’s the cutest thing.”

What made you decide to apply for a guide dog from Guiding Eyes? “I always considered guide dogs as an option for me, but I was kind of young and not ready. In the middle of my senior year of high school, I decided to apply. I was worried about a training session in the middle of the school year, but after graduation, I came home one day, and my mom told me I got the call and was leaving for New York in four days. I was shocked. During my research, Guiding Eyes always stood out. I would look at other schools and think, ‘Guiding Eyes probably has that,’ and they did. I really enjoyed my time there, making friends that I love so much! The food was amazing, and the chef was great. It was so much fun, it was as if we were at summer camp.”

How has having a guide dog impacted your life? “Having a guide dog has made me more social. People approach me, asking her name. We may chat about dogs, but then our conversation continues and we end up going for dinner and hanging out. I notice how much she’s helping me sometimes when I walk with my friends who are cane users. My friends and I were walking to the store and one hit something and asked why I didn’t let him know it was there. It was because Licorice brings me around and away from things, so half the time I don’t even notice they’re there!”

Were there any training highlights? “The food was amazing! Also, it worked in my favor that many of our lessons are at the mall. I dragged my instructors into Bath & Body Works and Sephora and came back with so many perfumes! We worked with two trainers and two trainees. The student I was paired with also got her first guide dog and we had so much fun. It was also nice to be in class with people who have had several guide dogs. One of our classmates said their first dog was received in the 70s. It was really eye-opening, but a lot of fun, joking and laughing the whole time, and enjoying our rides in the van together. The rooms were nice too and the whole setup was amazing.”

Meet Guide Dog Licorice

DOB:  2/26/2022
Litter ID: 7L22
Color/Breed: Black/Labrador Retriever
Gender: Female
Brood: Caprice
Stud: Felix TSE
Littermates: Livy, Lupin, Lila, Lisa, Loyal, Lumos, Lucille, Laura, Lazz, Leslie
Region:  Maine
Regional Puppy Instructor: Lisa Bumbalo
Puppy Raiser:  Joe & Rennie Donovan
Facebook: Maine Puppy Raisers

From the Puppy Raiser…

Licorice was a star from the very first day she arrived at our island home off the coast of Portland, Maine. Our close community of 200 year-round residents enjoyed participating in her raising. Summertime was very exciting with an explosion of visitors and activity, and Licorice always took it in stride. Ferry rides between the island and mainland, with the chaos and noise they entailed, sometimes through stormy winter seas, never phased her. It was clear she would do well wherever she ended up! I’ll always remember her as affectionate, attentive and confident. Licorice was often the first pup used to demonstrate or teach in class; she was always excited to learn. She was a delightful member of our family and a joy to raise!  ~ Rennie & Joe Donovan 

Photos of the Team…