May 2023 - Leader Dogs for the Blind

April 1, 2024May 30, 2023

“It takes a pretty remarkable dog to make my travels unremarkable, but that is exactly what my Leader Dog Wake does for me. It is incredible.” – LDB Client Calvin V

Travel of any kind relies on fuel. Airliners burn jet fuel, automobiles consume gasoline (or battery-provided electric power for you early-adopters) and locomotives have transitioned from coal to diesel as their main source of propulsion.

Leader Dogs, for more than two decades, have received the energy necessary for their travels from Purina ProPlan dog food.

“We feed exclusively ProPlan products to our breeding moms and their puppies and to our dogs in training,” said Dr. Dave Smith, LDB director of canine health. “It is available worldwide and consistently provides a palatable quality product, which reflects in the excellent coat and body condition of our dogs.”

Nestlé Purina donates the essential nutrition via ProPlan to future Leader Dogs training on campus and to the puppies being raised in 11 prisons throughout the Midwest.

In total, Nestlé Purina donates more than 56,000 pounds of ProPlan annually, and has given more than one million pounds of fuel to our dogs over the past 20+ years.

ProPlan helps ensure that our dogs receive the calories and nutrition they need while also maintaining an ideal Body Condition Score (BCS) of 4 or 5 on the Purina BCS Chart (out of a possible 9). For dogs at an unhealthy weight, Purina ProPlan Veterinary Diet OM or Weight Management food is given in combination with FortiFlora to help the dogs’ digestive tracts and return their BCS to an optimal state for service work. LDB also uses FortiFlora to treat diarrhea in breeding dogs and their puppies, and for dogs who are recovering from surgery.

Because Leader Dog is 100% philanthropically funded, donations like those received from Nestlé Purina give our organization the fuel we need to continue helping people who are blind live unstoppable lives.

From the entire Leader Dog community, we thank Nestlé Purina for the incredibly generous, and essential, gift of ProPlan! Your efforts are changing lives.

June 21, 2023May 21, 2023

Day 1

“… you will find fortune, though it will not be the fortune you seek. But first, first ye must travel a long and difficult road. A road fraught with peril. You shall see things, wonderful to tell… I cannot tell you how long this road may be, but fear not the obstacles in your path, for fate has vouchsafed your reward. Though the road may wind, and, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall you follow them, even unto your salvation.”

For any movie buffs that may read this, this is a portion of the speech the blind man gave the three escaped convicts in the classic movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” It also describes days 1-3 of this month’s trip. After two delays for “forecasted bad weather,” two cancellations, two nights in motel from a nightmare, three meals from hotel vouchers, and possibly the roughest 30 minutes I’ve ever spent in the air, I finally made it to Pittsburgh, PA.

All this time at the airport gave me plenty of opportunities to wave mindlessly at motion activated water faucets, soap dispensers and paper towel dispensers. At one point, one men’s restroom in Terminal C in Houston looked like a synchronized swimming event as men of all ages, races and creeds moved from one fixture to the next, in an unchoreographed choreography.

Upon finally arriving in Pittsburgh, I quickly checked into the hotel and raced over to Joe’s house. Joe, my client this week, had been patiently waiting for me to arrive. We spend some time getting to know each other, then took a walk around his neighborhood. Joe’s a baseball fan, a history fan and a baseball history fan. We’re gonna get along just fine.

Day 2

Nights in hotels allow me to catch up on my reading. I’m currently reading “Bunker Hill” by Nathaniel Philbrick. I mentioned in my last blog that I was reading “Last Stand” by Philbrick and highly recommended it. Spoiler alert: It doesn’t work out well for Custer, or the majority of the 7^th Cavalry. Bunker Hill is about the battle of, you guessed it, Bunker Hill. Which actually occurred on Breed’s Hill, a fact I learned while reading.

Today started off in the little town of Coraopolis, nestled along the Ohio river north and west of Pittsburgh. Good sidewalks in downtown, a couple of traffic lights, but a challenging travel environment. Joe has had some training in the past from the state of Pennsylvania and it shows. He has a good foundation of skills. Makes my job a lot easier. After lunch… wait… lunch: Two words: Primanti Brothers. It’s a sandwich shop that opened in the 30s, specifically for dock workers and garbage men who either got off late or started early. To make the sandwiches more filling, Primanti started putting the french fries on the sandwich, with a large scoop of coleslaw as well. It is a fantastic sandwich. I’ve been there twice already. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, after the amazing sandwich, Joe took me to his old neighborhood, West End, to a beautiful overlook from which you can see downtown Pittsburgh, all the sports stadiums and the three rivers (Ohio, Monongahela and the Allegheny) that flow in and around the city. It’s where 3 Rivers Stadium got its name. 3 Rivers is where the Steelers and the Pirates used to play, before corporations started buying naming rights to stadiums and sports lost a ton of romance. The Pirates now play at PNC Park and the Steelers play at XYZ stadium. But I digress… The remainder of the day was spent on a trail that Joe walks on a regular basis. A beautiful rails-to-trails area that was a perfect way to end the day. Now, what to do? I think I’ll go to dinner at a local sandwich shop and read about Breed’s Hill…

Day 3

Joe collects coins, so we learned a route to his favorite rare coin shop. Joe loves to fish, so we learned a route to two of his favorite fishing spots. Joe loves to eat pizza at Anthony Jr.’s in Coraopolis, so we learned a route there. Boom. I love this job. Who gets to do this kind of work? The weather here this week is fantastic, I’m out in it, doing what I love to do, empowering someone to continue living his life. Is it the same as before? No, but whose is? Joe is figuring things out, and I get to be a small part of that. Groovy.

We went down to the Ohio river, near the town of Sewickley, to a couple of fishing spots Joe likes to haunt. Sewickley is a really nice little town, and the heights above Sewickley house a good many of the professional athletes from Pittsburgh. If I had a professional athlete salary, I’d have a house in a town like Sewickley, or on that lake in North Carolina I got to visit last month, or maybe out in the Phoenix area. Speaking of professional sports, guess what else Joe likes to do? Go to Pirates games. Guess who just happens to be in town during my scheduled visit? The Pirates. Guess where I’m going tomorrow evening? Pirates game. Boom.

I had pierogies for dinner tonight. If you don’t know what pierogies are, they’re kind of a dumpling with different fillings. Great stuff. I also had kielbasa and sauerkraut, and a side of haluski. It’s bow-tie pasta with fried cabbage and onions. I don’t know what all was in it, but it was delicious. I’m finishing my night learning about taxation without representation and why that’s bad. Did I mention that I’m going to a baseball game tomorrow evening?

Day 4

Joe and I spent the morning working on his route to Anthony Jr.’s in Coraopolis. Coraopolis, by the way, is either named for the daughter of one of the first settlers or by a combination of the Greek words Kore and Opolis, which mean “maiden” and “village.” I’m not sure who to trust, but I like the story about the daughter named Cora. If true, Cora is the daughter of a man who fought with George Washington during the French and Indian War. It’s a bit more romantic… Anyway, I let Joe go to Anthony Jr.’s on his own today, while I monitored from a distance. Joe eventually would like to pursue a dog guide from Leader Dog and he needs some established routes. Anthony Jr.’s is a good start. He did really well despite veering into a couple of big parking lots. The thing with veering is that everyone does. If you or I put on a blindfold and walked much of a distance at all, we’d veer off our intended course. It’s almost impossible to walk an arrow-straight line without the assistance of vision. All this to say, everybody veers, but can you get your orientation back when it happens? Independent travel is all about gaining, maintaining, and regaining orientation while moving through space. Joe is able to regain his orientation. That’s a huge key to independent travel.

So, we finished in Coraopolis just before the skies opened up on us. Just in time for Martha, one of our volunteers, to call Joe for a post-class survey. Leader Dog wouldn’t be able to do the things it does without volunteers like Martha. Joe said he thought Martha liked him, and I assured him that she would if she ever got to meet him.

After the phone interview, I picked Joe up at his house and we headed to the Pirates game. I’ve been working with Joe in the suburbs, so I haven’t been in town until tonight. Joe was my navigator, although we did use GPS to confirm Joe’s directions. Joes was perfect and we made our first stop at the Steelers Pro Shop. I promised my son and two nephews a Terrible Towel. I chose the original, without all the extra mumbo jumbo on it, and even got a discount because, I guess, no one wants the “plain” ones anymore. I like to think I’m a bit old-school and I proved it again with my purchase. After the Pro Shop, we found our parking spot and wandered around the outside of PNC Park until about 30 minutes before game time. Saw the statue of Honus Wagner at the home plate entrance, and one of Bill Mazeroski at the right field entrance. Bill Mazeroski has the honor of being the only person to hit a walk-off home run in Game 7 of a World Series, and he was the first player to end a World Series on a home run. He and his fellow Pirates beat the Yankees in 7 games in 1960.

Joe loves baseball and he brought along his radio so he could hear the action being described as it happened. Turns out, there was a delay in the broadcast, and I was very happy to describe the action to Joe. We had great seats with a beautiful view of downtown Pittsburgh, the weather was beautiful, and the hometown heroes won 13-3. It was a great way to finish our week together.

Day 5

I’m flying back in the morning, so I’m hoping today’s rains didn’t delay travel for anyone, anywhere, any time in the near future. Namely me. I’ve had my share of travel delays. Next month, I’ll be writing in from Knoxville, TN while working with a young lady on the campus of the University of Tennessee.

May 2, 2023

Yellow lab wearing blue Leader Dog Dad bandanna

Meet Hero, a 3-year-old Labrador retriever who was raised in the prison system as part of our Prison Puppies initiative. When he came back to Leader Dog to go into formal training, our breeding team determined he would become a breeding dog instead, making him Leader Dog Dad Hero.

In March of 2021, he met his breeding hosts, Carrie and Geoff. They immediately fell in love and took Hero home. He fit right in, and Carrie and Geoff were so happy to be hosting a dog that would produce Future Leader Dogs to change people’s lives.

Yellow lab lying its head on smiling man's lap — Geoff and Hero

After a few litters, Hero’s breeding career came to an end early in July of 2022. When that happens, our breeding dogs become the host family’s pet. However, after much thought, Carrie and Geoff believed Hero was destined for more. “We both have people in our lives who may be affected with vision loss down the line,” said Carrie. Knowing how exceptional Hero was, they wanted to give him a chance to change someone’s life. “We believe in him, and we believe in the program.” Hero was evaluated and it was determined that he was fit to come back to Leader Dog for formal guide dog training. A bittersweet moment for Carrie and Geoff as Hero was off to Leader Dog again.

Yellow lab sitting next to smiling woman kneeling on ground with grass behind — Hero with his instructor, Emily

For formal training, Hero was paired with Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Emily Rowland. She worked with him for four months. “I cannot express how grateful I am to Carrie and Geoff for their selfless decision to offer Hero back into the training program. I tear up every time I think of when Carrie told me that she knew someone else needed Hero.  Hero’s journey is truly unique and touching with so many people to thank for making it possible: his inmate raisers, Carrie and Geoff and all the people who cared for him along the way,” said Emily. Even though Hero was in formal training, on his off weekends, he was able to spend time with Carrie and Geoff, who were grateful to get extra time with him.

During training he was sweet, gentle and playful and effortlessly won over everyone he met. Hero’s nature to be calm, patient and eager to please were all great qualities that led him to become a Leader Dog for a client in Spain. “We look for dogs that are confident in new situations, very adaptable and able to generalize their skills quickly. We know the dogs going out of the country will be working in environments that are very different than the ones we train in the metro Detroit area,” said Emily.

Three yellow labs in harness standing next to three women in winter clothes in a lobby area — Hero and two of his offspring in training together

It was a hard day for Carrie and Geoff when they found out Hero was paired with a client from Spain. They had no doubt that he would make it through training and give someone else the independence they’d been waiting for. What made it easier was meeting the person whose life Hero was changing. “Just to hear how long [Hero’s client] has waited and what she’s been through, it kind of erased any doubts that we had,” said Carrie.

The definition of a hero is someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. There were many acts of heroism along Leader Dog Hero’s journey. As his official Leader Dog journey is just beginning with his client, his legacy lives on as five of his offspring are in advanced training to become Leader Dogs.

May 2, 2023May 1, 2023

Day 1

I love the airport! Such a melting pot of cultures, sights and sounds. The leisurely walk through the newly constructed, widened terminals are a joy. Lots of natural light is good for the soul. Also, I hate the airport. I can’t understand any of the myriad languages being spoken, the new terminal are nice and wide but filled with more people, all confused (like me) as to where to go now, and there’s so much sunlight in here I have to wear my sunglasses inside. Goodness gracious. The plane ride should be fun, as it looks about as big as the Styrofoam one I used to buy for my son and we flew it off the house and it shattered into a million pieces. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’m flying into Knoxville, TN then driving to Robbinsville, North Carolina. It’s the birthplace of Ronnie Milsap, and a section the road between Knoxville and Robbinsville is called the Dragon’s Tail because it has 318 curves in an 11-mile stretch, and only 2 intersections in 14 miles. I’m sure that’ll be fine, too. Right?

The area is famous also for having two major motion pictures filmed here. At least parts of those films. The Fugitive starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones. The dam that Dr. Richard Kimball jumps off is here, not too far from Robbinsville. The other film is Nell with Jodie Foster. If you know the film, the scenery is absolutely beautiful, and it is in real life as well.

Day 2

Met Terry at her house (yes, Terry. She tells me that Terry with a “Y” is the traditional Scottish spelling for a female. I’m not arguing that). Terry has a hearing impairment in addition to her visual impairment, which makes independent travel a little more challenging than “normal.” She lived here in Robbinsville, before, a few years ago, but in a different location in town, so this week-long orientation should give her a good head start in getting around town. Still, where she’s living is not her permanent home, so there’ll be more work to do later. She received some great training this summer from Leader Dog GDMI/COMS (guide dog mobility instructor/certified orientation and mobility specialist) Sarah Duyck while she was attending the Helen Keller National Center (HKNC) in Long Island, NY. Sarah, who was already a seasoned GDMI at Leader, completed her orientation & mobility certification this summer, well on her way to world domination. But I digress… While at HKNC, Terry learned to use communication cards for assistance crossing the street. Communication cards are often used by folks with dual sensory impairments when they don’t have enough vision or hearing to safely assess traffic. The cards have various messages printed on them, requesting assistance in crossing the street from other pedestrians. So, here’s the thing: Terry used to live in downtown Des Moines, IA, population 212,031, where there were plenty of “other pedestrians” from which to request assistance. In Robbinsville, NC, population 599, “other pedestrians” are a little harder to find. So, today we focused on Terry’s cane and orientation skills. Within a few short minutes, it was clear that World Domination Specialist (WDS) Sarah Duyck had already covered this area in full.

Day 3

This town, population 599, is surprisingly busy. The aforementioned Dragon’s Tail draws a multitude of motorcycle and sports car enthusiasts on a regular basis. You wouldn’t think a town this small would have this much traffic. Now, the motorcycles aren’t Sons of Anarchy-types, nor are the sports cars driving around like a Fast and Furious movie. All of them with whom I’ve had contact are extremely courteous and, well, old, like me. Not really interested in flying around all the curves, they just want to ride their bikes and drive their cars through some really pretty country, but it does make for a lot of noise with which Terry has to attempt to hear over, using her hearing that is already impaired.

Yes, I did teach mobility today, and Terry did really well. We walked along Main Street Robbinsville and found the Milsap music building and the Milsap mural. Ronnie’s big here. Really big. There’s a Milsap Street as well. For a town as small as Robbinsville, their sidewalks are in surprisingly good condition. Not all of them, mind you, nor do they exist on both sides of each street, but with a little practice and a lot of hard work, Terry will have to opportunity to go just about anywhere in town she wants.

Day 4

One of the positive surprises that Robbinsville holds is that two of the three largest, light-controlled intersections in town have Audible Pedestrian Signals (APS). There are many different types of APS, but the ones here not only speak audibly when it is time for crossing the street, but they also rapidly vibrate. For Terry, who cannot see or hear the traffic, these APS are invaluable. With the use of these APS, and a lot of practice, Terry could be able to independently cross two major intersections in town. Now, the placement of the actual poles that hold the APS leave something to be desired, as someone maintaining contact with the vibrating part of the system still has to take three or four steps to the curb before stepping into the street. If I had a magic wand, I’d put them right at the curb so the user could be lined up nicely, at the curb, feel the vibration and step directly into the street. I understand that the world is not designed for people who can’t see (or hear), however, and we’ll work with what we have.

Day 5

We went to look at an apartment complex that Terry is considering moving into. Like most places here, getting to and from will be an issue. This one in particular is out of town a bit, but without sidewalk access. The road to and from is filled with sharp curves and there’s no shoulder, so walking into town would not be safe, whether the traveler had vision trouble or not. Luckily for Terry, there is a transportation system in the county that she can access with some fore-planning. After that, we found a nice sidewalk that leads through a nice park and up to Robbinsville High School. The weather really cooperated with us today, as it has all week. Mid 60s, very few clouds in the sky. We even sat outside for lunch. We won’t be doing that back home in Texas until mid to late November! Just in case you’re wondering, Terry had a fried bologna and bacon sandwich, and I had some Carolina barbeque (pulled pork) with the slaw right on the sandwich. Tasty. On the second to last day here, I found a local man and wife that make soft serve from all fruit juice. It’s called the Pineapple Whip and if you’re ever in Robbinsville, North Carolina between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., you NEED to stop and have some. A yellow food truck on the north side of town with a 6-foot tall, robotic hula girl shaking her mechanical hips to attract customers. I had pineapple one night and peach the next. Shoulda been here all week…

I’m driving the Dragon’s Tail back to the airport in Knoxville tomorrow. If I don’t make it, the Pineapple Whip will help me die a happy man! I’m sure it’ll all be just fine, right?

About Barry and his work

The home delivery option for orientation and mobility is a new one at Leader Dog since June 2022. It’s an option we’ve always thought would be a good idea with our clients, either serving directly in their homes at the onset, or following them home to help them establish routes, putting into practice what they’ve learned over the course of their training on campus. It has proven to be very effective. Serving clients who may not be able to travel for myriad reasons such as health issues, single parent responsibilities, or a desire to work on very specific public transportation routes or intersections are some of the main reasons home delivery we offer home delivery. When home delivery occurs, the client receives the same amount of O&M training as if they were at Leader Dog. Plus, they get the benefit of doing it in their home environment. There are benefits and drawbacks to each method of training, but by adding the home delivery option, we’ve given our clients more flexibility.

My name is Barry Stafford and I work at Leader Dog as a certified orientation and mobility specialist providing both on-campus and home delivery instruction. I’ll be sharing some of my stories with you as I travel the U.S. to work with clients and provide home delivery service of O&M instruction.

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About Barry and his work

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