Guide Dog News
2010, Issue #3
Welcome to GDB Nation!
Throngs of puppy raisers and their pups proudly gathered for the Boot Scootin’ Bow Wow Fun
Day events on our campuses. They are passionate and enthusiastic members of GDB Nation.
Cover photos:
 Lone Star Puppy Raisers: We’ve added a new state to the GDB Nation of puppy
raisers—Texas! Pictured above are Kim and Brion Hart with the six pups being raised in
the Dallas/Ft. Worth Area. Learn more about the Texas puppy raising club on our blog,
No Bones About It, guidedogs.blogspot.com
 The Woodruff Family with Diesel
 Jennifer Behrens with Havarti
 Chad Zasso with Perez
 Savannah Goble with Alya
The mission of GDB is certainly felt throughout America and Canada by the people who use our
dogs as guides, who support our cause through their donations, who raise our puppies and
volunteer for us in other ways. We are joined together across state and national borders by our
love of dogs and our dedication to improving quality of life.
We honor the partnerships that are forged when each puppy is delivered to its excited raiser,
when each student first meets their new canine partner, and at each graduation. But there are
other partnerships that receive lesser notice and also deserve celebration: the partnerships
between raiser and graduate—strong friendships that can last a lifetime; friendships that develop
through puppy club activities; and the bonds among classmates sharing the challenges of training
with their new Guide Dogs.
Although we are often separated by geographical distance, we find ways to stay connected. For
more than 5,000 people, one avenue of engagement is through the GDB Facebook fan page.
Sprinkled in among the photos of this year’s Boot Scootin’ Bow Wow Fun Days, we’ve included
quotes from raisers who were asked the oh-so-common question, “How can you give them up?”
We also asked our raisers to tell us about their very first puppy. Interested in reading about it? If
you haven’t yet visited us on Facebook, you’re missing out! Visit guidedogs.com and click on the
Facebook icon at the bottom of the page.
Fun Day Photos:
 Jennifer and Rick Monn with black Labs Karleen and Bev
 A Golden puppy sneaks a peek
 Eric Freyer with Harlene
 Susan and Stephanie Unruh with Nifty
 Donna Rindskopf with Latrice
 Spencer Turner with Bette
 Miniature horse Rocky meets black Lab puppy Carlos
 Travis and Shawn Hinz with Duran
 All lined up for the puppy delivery
 Julia and Lucia Brown try their hand at the blindfolded “Minute To Win It” game
 Tina Strandskov and Ross
 Donna Litchfield and Pravada
Raiser Quotes:
 “I'm not giving up. I'm just giving.” —Shannon H.
 “The reward for raising and giving up my puppy was getting a new one—starting fresh
with puppy breath and all!” —Jennifer E.
 “With a wish and a prayer for a wonderful life, I send off my special pup who will be
forever in my heart. I know he/she will make a difference for someone, and then I wipe
my tears with a new little bundle of fur!” —Mary Jo E.
 “1) He's not my dog. I'm not giving him up, I'm giving him back. 2) Yes, it's hard, but after
going to a graduation, you see the purpose.” —Leslie M.G.
 “Yesterday we dropped off our puppy #5. It just never gets any easier. We know that
Robbie will make us proud! I am ready for the tears to be gone and can't wait until
Wednesday when I pick up
 Pup #6. We love the process and being a part of such a great organization” —Tami F.
 “I generally equate it with sending a kid off to college. I fully believe that each dog
chooses the life of a guide or whatever they end up doing. And graduation is more of a
‘wedding’ where we are celebrating the pups meeting their new life partners. There are
lots of tears involved, but most good things in life do evoke such emotions.” —Cassie M.
 “I have been on both sides of the fence, I am a GDB user and my family raised three
puppies so this was a way for me to give back to GDB for all they have given me. This is
so much better than raising a cow for 4-H.” —Debbie W.
Our Alumni Respond
There is a bond of friendship and gratitude between our alumni and puppy raisers—they are
joined at the heart through the love of a dog. We asked our alumni on Facebook what they would
like to say to puppy raisers. Here are a few of the responses we received:
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“Bless you!” —Michele G-S.
“Thank you for the wonderful and generous gift you give. My son will be in the program in
about three months. As his mom, I know that your generosity and kindness will open up a
whole new world to him.” —Kathy C.
“Every time I see Santana and Railey, I thank you for your enormous hearts full of
generosity. You have not only given me the gift of more independence, but you have also
given me animals to love unconditionally. Thank you.” —Tiffany J.
“Thank you so much for your time, your care, and your love. Pandora is the light of our
lives and we can't imagine how we managed without her. You and all puppy raisers are
awesome!” —Karen D. P.
“Thank you to my puppy raiser who gave me a wonderful, fun-loving, happy-go-lucky
Guide Dog, who brings me joy, happiness and a smile to my face every day. Keep up the
good work you do and thank you.” —Tina S.
“Thank you to all of you for the hard work and love you give to your puppies. God bless
you all. Your love, work, and sacrifices will never be forgotten.” —Tammie H.
“Thank you so much for giving me my wonderful 4-legged guide Olivia! She has been the
most amazing thing that has happened to me this past year! She is such a super worker!
It’s very clear that my puppy raisers worked really hard raising Olivia!” —Emily T.
“The puppy raisers are amazing! The whole Guide Dog concept cannot work without the
raisers’ love and affection, without socializing the puppies with people and other dogs,
without puppies getting used to being in different environments, and more. It's pretty
amazing for raisers to be able to have a puppy in their lives, get close to that puppy, and
then have to give him up at the appropriate time. Very hard. Raisers are awesome!
Thank you!” —Felix B.
“Thank you to Carol and Jacob Springburg for raising the sweetest li’l girl Rona. I love her
so very much. She is perfect and she always gives me her all.” —Angela N-D.
“Thanks to the puppy raisers for giving us such wonderful dogs! They are a gift and my
guide Pascal has greatly improved my life.” —Deanna L.
“Thank you, Sandy and Kelsey for being the absolute best puppy moms that my Princess
Posada could have ever had. It is very obvious that you loved her and I love her just as
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much. I am grateful every day that I have her as my guide and I will never forget to keep
you in the loop on how we are doing.” —Kristin H.
“I promise to give your puppy a wonderful loving home, full of life and positive exciting
activities. This gift is love, and will be received with love.” —Tammy A-B.
You know you're a puppy raiser when...
 “You tell anything with a handle (groceries, luggage, etc.), ‘Let's Go!’” —Karen W.
 “You've contemplated carrying around a bait bag full of M&Ms so you can clicker train
your friends. NICE!“ —Erin L.
 “You tell your students to ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ (and realize that your puppy is better at following
commands).” —Deborah P. G. (teacher)
 “You realize you could shave your head and paint yourself purple and no one would
notice because of how cute your puppy is in her little vest.” —Jack L.
 “You list ‘collecting plastic bags’ as one of your hobbies.” —Kathi T.
 “You're in trouble and your mom goes through three puppy names before she remembers
yours: ‘Alan, I mean, Bessa, I mean, Ralston, I mean.... SAMANTHA, do your
homework!!!!!’” —Samantha J. L.
 “You have to have your purse searched at the airport because they couldn't identify what
the Kong was in the X-ray machine.” —Ruth D.
 “You care more about the cleanliness of the floor than the food at the restaurant.” —
Tracey S.
Photo: Puppy Raiser Kelsey Falk
It’s Not “Just About the Puppies!”
By John Weiss, puppy raiser
The nurse, Bethany, smiled as she watched me rub the ears of a puppy whose head ‘just
somehow’ found its way into my lap. “It’s always ‘just about the puppies’…” she mused.
As she leaned over my wife, Ellen, administering the latest round of cancer
medications, I nodded toward Bethany’s pregnant belly and responded, “Just like it’s always, ‘just
about the baby’…”
Frankly, I can’t remember which puppy had its head in my lap or who sat across from me; there
were just so many puppy raisers coming through the hospital room in those two tough weeks! All I
can remember is that the people of Guide Puppies of Seattle (GPS) were our biggest and most
consistent support group while my wife spent her final weeks in a hospital bed. I never could have
predicted it…
It was only a year ago, August of 2009, that Ellen and I went to a GPS meeting just to see what a
puppy raising class might be all about. At first we knew nobody there, and though we had raised
two Labs previously, it had been about 25 years since we had last raised a puppy. I had hardly
introduced myself when I discovered a leash in my hand and a puppy looking at me from the
other end. After a month or so, we decided we might be able to become puppy sitters. After
another month, our old pet Brittany died, and we decided to apply to co-raise a puppy, since Ellen
worked full time and I travel extensively for my job. In December, we took delivery of Fergie,
complete with Santa hat and reindeer antlers, to co-raise with Betsy Rand.
Through those months we slowly got to know the various people in GPS as they filtered through
the meetings and outings and social events. First the leaders and their able assistants, then the
raisers of the puppies for whom we sat, then the former neighbor who we had known only as
“Harley the Lab’s mom.”
Just two weeks after we got Fergie, Ellen’s cancer became acute, and she was driven first to the
hospital and then to a wheelchair. Despite the setbacks, we continued to attend meetings and
keep Fergie as Ellen’s treatments and my schedule allowed. We became closer to this puppy
raiser group than we had become to any group of neighbors or co-workers in the past 15 years!
One of them is an interior designer specializing in handicapped access; another is a former
hospice nurse; another is a hospital chaplain—all skills that were readily offered to us and which
we gratefully accepted.
ALL of the GPS puppy raisers used whatever skills they had to help Ellen and me survive day by
day. They brought their puppies to visit us in the hospital room, usually two or three a day. The
cold noses and wet tongues on Ellen’s arms brought smiles to her face on days when she
couldn’t respond to anything else. Ellen may have lost her battle with cancer, but it wasn’t for
lack of help.
In those 10 short months, and especially in Ellen’s last two weeks, we found that Guide Dogs for
the Blind’s volunteer puppy raisers are the best sort of people you can know, and I will be
eternally grateful to them. When it comes down to it, it’s REALLY “just about the PEOPLE!”
Photo: The late Ellen Weiss with Fergie
There’s an App for that! Introducing GDB Mobile—a handy iPhone app that puts many of GDB's online social networking
channels in one convenient location. With access to GDB's blog, podcasts, Twitter, Flickr and
YouTube accounts, this handy app keeps you in-the-know when you're on-the-go! It's FREE if
you have an iPhone—search the app store for GDB Mobile, and take us with you today!
Happenings
Labs Live at Andrei's
The Orange County Friends Committee of Guide Dogs for the Blind hosted a wonderful afternoon
at Andrei’s Restaurant in Irvine, Calif., in May. One hundred and fifty Guide Dog supporters came
out to enjoy fabulous gourmet food and wine, meet plenty of adorable dogs and puppies, and
listen to the inspiring words of guest speaker Aerial Gilbert with her Guide Dog Splash. The
highlight of the day was a special “stork” delivery where puppy Ophelia met her new puppy
raisers. The event raised more than $38,000; proceeds support two Guide Dog team
sponsorships in Orange County.
Photo: Lonny Weiss, Derek Ostensen and Natalia Olenicoff celebrate as they win a raffle prize at
the “Labs Live at Andrei’s” event.
Save the Date
 Canine Heroes Wine Auction, Napa, CA: October 9, 2010
 Oregon Fall Luncheon, Portland, OR: November 5, 2010
 Festive Holiday Luncheon and Legacy Society Reception, San Francisco, CA: December
8, 2010
 Visit guidedogs.com/events for more info!
Norah Hamilton Straus Donors’ Circle Donor Profile: Frank Frand
Frank Frand always lives life to the fullest. An active man, he enjoyed tennis, rugby and other
sports until suddenly, his sight began to deteriorate due to retinitis pigmentosa. Soon, life became
difficult and his activities limited.
A friend encouraged him to get a guide dog, and he was intrigued. “I still had some remaining
sight, and didn’t think I’d qualify, but I was wrong,” he said. “I was advised to call GDB, because
they’re the best, and I did.”
Thus began a new adventure. With his Guide Dog Jacklyn by his side, he began to enjoy life
again. “I continue to be amazed at the support GDB has given me,” he said. “Phone and on-site
assistance makes working with a Guide Dog the way to go. I know that if a problem occurs, help
is only a phone call away.”
Frank wanted to do something to give back to the organization that had made such a positive
change in his life. He decided to sponsor a benefit golf tournament.
“In 2005, I held my first Tee Off for Dogs,” he exclaimed proudly. “In addition to the golfers, I
invited GDB puppy raisers and alumni to bring their pups and guides. This year, we completed
our sixth Tee Off in Yorba Linda, Calif. We had lots of fun and laughs—\especially with my ‘Blind
Man’ hole shot of 210 yards!
“To date, we’ve grossed more than $170,000 for the six events. Our goal is to get the word out
about GDB to people who are visually impaired and to support local puppy raisers and graduates.
I’ve posted photos on my website: TeeOffForDogs.org. You can see how much fun we’re having,
and we’re always looking for more people to join us. The next event is set for May 15, 2011.”
These days, Frank walks to work with his second canine partner, a yellow Lab named Cardinal.
“My dogs help greet each day with a smile.”
Photo: Frank Frand and his yellow Lab guide, Cardinal.
Gift Shop
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Holiday Cards: $6.50/pack of ten
2011 Wall Calendars: $12
Shop online at guidedogs.com/shop
GDB Training Secrets
Does your dog or puppy have a house behavior you’d like to eliminate? We’d like to let you in on
a little secret—instead of just saying “NO!” or (heaven forbid) yelling—ask your dog to do
something else instead. For example, if your dog is barking because someone is at the door, give
the “Go to Bed!” cue (reward of kibble to follow when the dog obeys).
Want to learn how to teach your dog to go to its bed? Visit guidedogs.com/gotobed and sign up
for this FREE GDB Training Secret. You’ll be glad you did and your dog will, too!
Learning About Blindness: Tools for Traveling Independently
One of the common misconceptions about traveling with a guide dog is that the dog does all the
work. Actually, a person who is blind or visually impaired must be able to plan a route and remain
dynamically oriented as they direct a dog to a desired destination.
People who have been blind from birth or who have lost some or all of their sight later in life
usually learn to move independently in their surroundings through the use of a long white cane.
The cane allows the user to detect hazards at ground level, such as curbs, stairs or obstacles in
their path. Its white color also alerts other pedestrians and drivers to the fact that the user cannot
see well.
A specialist in orientation and mobility can ensure the user has a cane of the correct length and
can teach them to use it efficiently. Together they practice problem solving on a variety of routes
in the person’s home or work environment.
Those who prefer the enhanced safety and companionship of a guide dog may keep a folded
white cane as a back-up. Portable talking GPS devices and other technological mobility gadgets
are sometimes used in tandem with a cane or guide dog.
October 15th is White Cane Safety Day. We invite you to join us in celebrating independent travel
and the achievements of people who are blind or visually impaired.
News of Our Graduates
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Larry Marcum and his guide Galleon of Forrest Ranch, Calif., are featured in a video by
California Institute of the Arts student Amy Young. The video has been entered into the
Mitchum "Hardest Working Person in America" video contest: http://bit.ly/Larry_video.
Your vote could help Larry win the $100K prize, which he said he will donate to GDB. So
vote!
Alex Valdez, a professional comic, put his talents and connections to work with a benefit
at the Icehouse Comedy Club in Pasadena, Calif. The event was dedicated to the
memory of his late wife, Jana. Gabriel Iglesias, known as “the fluffy comic in the Hawaiian
shirt,” performed and then generously matched the event proceeds. Through the event
and private donations, Alex has raised more than $15,000 for GDB. He recently received
in-home training with his new Guide Dog, Fabrica.
DONATE YOUR CAR!
Guide Dogs now accepts vehicle donations. Call for details. 877-DOG-CAR-1
Anxious About Your Retirement Funds?
Increase your income while supporting Guide Dogs
Charitable Gift Annuity Benefits Include:  Reliable income for life
 High fixed rates
 No investment worries
 Income tax deduction
 Fund with cash, stock or real estate
You Can Make a Difference!
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Send a donation today
To send a contribution of any type or amount, please use our special mailing address for
donations only: Guide Dogs for the Blind, P.O. Box 3950, San Rafael, CA 94912-3950.
You can also donate at our secure website: www.guidedogs.com.
Eliminate checks and postage
Direct your bank to automatically transfer your donation; we’ll send you a year-end letter
of confirmation.
Make an Honor or Memorial gift
Pay tribute to a friend, relative or pet; we will send cards of celebration or sympathy in
your name.
Create a Legacy in your estate plan
Make a lasting commitment by naming GDB in your will, trust, or as a beneficiary of your
annuity, life insurance policy, IRA or retirement plan. We honor such commitments with
membership in our Legacy Society.
Designate your gift
Designate your donation to go toward a specific GDB program. Visit the “Case for Giving”
section of our website for more info.
For more information on any of these giving options, please contact our Development Department
at (800) 295-4050.