Public Pay Tribute to Guide Dogs for The Blind

Saturday, August 16, dawned bright and gorgeous at the scenic Boring campus of Guide Dogs for the Blind, as the organization paid tribute to more than 100 aspiring guide dogs and over 300 puppy raisers as part of its annual Fun Day celebration.

“[Fun Day] is a day of recognition, fun, education, food, and love for our puppy-raising volunteers,” said Summer McCormick, Guide Dog for the Blind’s Puppy Raising Engagement Manager.

While you might expect a massive group of dogs to be a rowdy affair, Fun Day was serene. The pristine Boring campus was filled wall-to-wall with eager, happy guide dog puppies, but there wasn’t a bark. There wasn’t a scuffle. 

There were, however, plenty of treats on hand.

Fun Day began early, with games and activities for the aspiring guide dogs. There were designated play areas, peanut butter painting, pup cones, and plenty of photo ops. Midday, a free lunch was held for the raisers who made the trip to Boring. Some traveled from as far away as Austin, TX, to be part of the celebration. The day was capped with a delivery ceremony, where 14 cuddly novices were matched with their raisers. 

For Guide Dogs for the Blind, events like Fun Day are crucial. Says McCormick, “We always want to celebrate our puppy raising volunteers because they are vital to our mission of pairing people with visual impairments to wonderful guide dogs and canine buddies.”

Puppy raisers are those beautiful souls willing to take in a puppy at around 10 weeks, socialize it, and then hand it off to someone in need a little over a year later. While letting the dogs go can prove difficult, puppy raisers get to focus on the most fun part of having a dog.

“During the time that puppies are in their raiser homes, it’s less about training and more about fun. It’s about building a confident, resilient, happy puppy,” explains McCormick. 

“Puppy raisers get ... to take [the puppies] almost everywhere they go. They go to the movies: their puppy comes with them. They go to a farmer’s market: the puppy’s right at their side. It prepares the puppy for their life as a guide dog in the future.”

Guide Dogs for the Blind is eager to get your help raising a guide dog, whether or not you’ve had prior training. Becoming a puppy raiser requires little more than a time commitment. They’ll cover vet costs and training equipment, and they can supplement the cost of dog food if you’re struggling to make ends meet. 

They’ll even connect you with an experienced raiser who’s ready to answer your questions and help you socialize your assigned pup.

For those who are intrigued but don’t have the free time to bring a dog into their home, there are ample opportunities to pitch in. Why not try puppy sitting? Even raisers need a break from time to time. On those occasions, a volunteer puppy sitter is brought in. You can also help plan events and fundraisers.

To learn more about becoming a raiser, visit guidedogs.com today or visit their Boring campus in person as part of their Ice Cream Social on September 6. Be warned, though, once involved with this extraordinary organization, you might get hooked for life.

As McCormick says, “Puppy raising is like eating potato chips. You can’t take just one. You have one and suddenly you’re raising your seventh puppy.”