Graduation day at Guide Dogs For the Blind, Inc., San Rafael, California, is a proud one for the youths and adults who present the dogs they have raised to blind people as full-fledged Guide Dogs. Peter and Mary Jo Egus, raiser, presented "Hatfield", a Labrador golden retriever cross breed to Ricardo Viera on May 20, 2000.
The pups are born at the Guide Dog kennels. At two months of age they are placed in homes of puppy raisers who housetrain the pups and teach them social skills. This socializing by the raiser helps to lay a solid foundation for the future work of the dogs as Guide Dogs.
When the dogs are about 18 months old they are returned to the school to begin a four to five month program of Guide Dog training with licensed instructors.
Following the completion of training the dogs are matched with blind people enrolled at the school. The new person-dog team completes an intensive, in-residence course at the Guide Dog school culminating with an informal graduation ceremony at which the raiser presents the dog to the new graduate.
Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., provides dogs and training entirely free of charge to qualified blind men and women throughout the United States and Canada. The program receives no state or federal funding, but depends entirely on donations for its existence.
For more information about Guide Dogs, phone or write Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., P.O. Box 151200, San Rafael, California, 94915, (800) 295-4050, or visit their Web site at www.guidedogs.com.

Coto De Caza News June 29, 2000