FB pixel

Gui Douyon and Leader Dog Emma

Gui sits on a brick path outdoors on a sunny day. In one hand he holds the leash of the yellow lab and golden retriever cross lying beside him in harness, Emma. With his other hand, he pets Emma

During his sophomore year of college, GuiAlix decided it was time to apply for a Leader Dog. He first needed to strengthen his orientation and mobility skills, so he flew to Michigan for our week-long, accelerated white cane travel training. Shortly after he returned home, he was ready to train with a Leader Dog.

Gui is studying to be a veterinary technician and could not return to Michigan in the middle of a semester for 25 days of guide dog training. Fortunately, we were holding a two-week-long training session in Naples, Florida – right in Gui’s backyard – in February. This is where Gui trained with Leader Dog Emma, whom he describes as his “guardian angel.”

“Emma has changed every aspect of my life,” Gui says. “She looks out for me and I don’t ever have to worry about my blind spots.”

He continues: “Emma keeps up with me. When she sees I’m not doing anything, she just hangs out, but when I grab her harness, she’s ready to go.”

Even though people are always watching Gui and his adorable Labrador retriever Emma when they are on the train or walking around campus, when she is in her harness, Emma is completely disengaged from other people.

“She really moves through a crowd when it’s necessary, and she is good at chilling out, too,” Gui says. “Emma enjoys when I play piano. I’ll go to the piano and she sits under my seat and will veg out until I’m done.”

Gui and Emma were able to stay home and ride out Hurricane Irma this past September. He said the hardest thing for Emma was the heat. For nine days, they had no air conditioning! To cope, they spent more time outside, using fallen trees and branches as an opportunity to practice avoiding obstacles.

Gui said that his ultimate goal is to be a veterinarian. Since Emma will be right there with him attending every class, she might just get DVM after her name, too!

Recommended Posts

Six people, two women and four men, stand on a gravel road, smiling at the camera. Three people hold white canes.

What is Orientation and Mobility?

You may not have heard of “orientation and mobility” or ...
Keith, wearing sunglasses, khaki shorts and a blue Leader Dog polo, sits smiling next to a woman in sunglasses and a flowery top. The woman has her mouth in a wide open smile as if laughing. A yellow lab in harness sits near their feet looking at them.

Thank You, Keith McGregor

It's not hard to find passionate, dedicated team members at ...
A man in jeans and a dark jacket and gray knit hat walks down a leaf-covered sidewalk with a yellow lab in harness

Meeting My Match: A Leader Dog Diary

By Joey J., Guide Dog Client Day 1 My humble ...
Ashley is wearing a Dorothy costume from the Wizard of Oz and smiling while she holds her pyrenean sheepdog, Gryf

How to Have a Spooky Safe Dog Halloween

By Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Ashley Nunnelly Spooky season is ...
A smiling girl walking with a white cane on a sidewalk surrounded by fall leaves. With her are two adult women.

Cane Quest at Leader Dog

White Cane Safety Day is celebrated every year on October ...
A closeup selfie of a woman, Jill, and a German shepherd, Leader Dog Hannah, in the front passenger seat of a car. Jill is smiling and wearing a winter coat, scarf and knit headband. Hannah has her pink tongue slightly hanging out of her mouth. In the background is a children play structure and a line of trees without leaves.

Voice of the Leader Dog Community: Jill

NOTE: Today’s posts are a reprinting of an article titled ...
Never miss a post

We've got cool stories from clients and volunteers, dog training tips, news about Leader Dog and much more coming out on our blog all the time. Stay in the loop!