Yfke’s Puppy Raising Journey

Hello, puppy raising community! My name is Yfke. I’ve been a home socializer since 2014 and a puppy raiser for the past five years, beginning in my senior year of high school. I started puppy raising because I wanted to be more involved in training a guide dog. My first puppy, Dax, got his start along with my other two puppies with the incredible Michelle Russell, a fellow raiser in the New Hampshire region. Dax went on to become a stud for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and sired six litters, five for Guiding Eyes and one for another organization.

After getting permission from my university to raise another puppy (because we all know you can’t raise just one), I was matched with Stan, one of Dax’s puppies. Stan accompanied me during my junior year at Binghamton University in upstate New York. He was the first-ever guide dog trainee at Binghamton, and I cannot imagine a better dog to lead the way. I was so proud when Stan and his person Sam graduated from Guiding Eyes this March — Stan is Sam’s first guide dog. Right now, I’m raising puppy number three, Lancelot, who is Dax’s grandson. Lancelot accompanied me during my senior year at Binghamton and will join me at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in the fall until he returns for IFT.       

Well, Stan most definitely recognized me! He did his usual tiny bunny hops to say hello to me, and I smiled that big smile that all puppy raisers get when they reunite with a puppy they raised. Sam, his wife, and their family welcomed me with open arms, and Stan and Lancelot worked flawlessly next to each other. After meeting each other in person, we all drove to a flea market where the fun really began. I walked behind Sam and Stan and watched them work together — my eyes filled with tears of joy. The flea market was BUSY with people, tents, food stands, and dogs, and together Sam and Stan navigated them beautifully. I was so proud to see the team walk with confidence and without hesitation through the crowds of people, avoiding obstacles along the way.

Eventually, Sam’s wife and daughter went to another row of vendors, and Sam and I walked side by side. We talked and got to know each other. I shared with Sam what puppy raising is like and he told me all about having a guide dog and how Stan has changed his life for the better. After the market, we went to lunch where the dogs both settled and slept, exhausted from the hard work they did during their outing. Once we returned to Sam’s house, we took pictures, said our goodbyes, and I hopped in my car smiling from ear to ear.