FB pixel
Photo of a golden retriever whose face is only partly visible with its paw resting in a person's hand. Only the person's hand and forearm are visible

Cooperative Care – Training Your Dog the Low-Stress Way

People are spending much more time at home right now, and many have been looking for new activities and companionship. This has contributed to a surge in adoptions of shelter animals and the number of people fostering pets. If you ...
Continue Reading This Article
Photo of the canine center lobby. One woman walks with a dog through the mostly empty space, and another woman sits at a desk. A dog behind the desk is looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows toward the parking lot.

Amid Coronavirus, We’re Hopeful for the Future

Just last week, the Leader Dog campus was bustling with activity. Guide dog mobility instructors worked with their dogs in training, preparing for the clients who were soon to arrive. Puppy raisers arrived for vet visits with their Future Leader ...
Continue Reading This Article
Close up photo of someone hand stamping part of a leather harness with numbers, using a metal tool

Old Skills, New Friends – Making Harnesses for Leader Dogs

By Steve Williams Steve works in the tack shop on Leader Dog's campus. After working as an orthotist (a person who makes custom orthopedic devices) for 39 years, my wife and I closed our family business in 2015. Shortly after ...
Continue Reading This Article
A row of dogs stand on a floor that looks similar to a high school gym. They are looking up at the men standing beside them who are holding their leashes. The men are pictured from the waist down

Leaving Prison Behind – A Prison Puppies Perspective

By Puppy Raiser John There is a saying among prisoners, “everyone has their own bit to do.” Some are long, some shorter, but each one is long enough (or too long) for the person it was imposed on. My bit ...
Continue Reading This Article
Dan leans back onto his skateboard, which is propped up against his back. He is lying on a low wall outdoors with people walking in the background on a sidewalk in a sunny public area. A white cane leans on the wall near his feet

A New Direction: Dan Mancina

Dan Mancina was very active growing up, not letting a diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa (RP) at age 13 slow him down. Then in his 20s his diminishing vision led him to rely on others to guide him around and he ...
Continue Reading This Article
A yellow lab/golden wearing a green canine ambassador vest

Meet the Ambassador Dogs

Did you know Leader Dog has a dedicated group of canine representatives? We're often asked to bring dogs to events (here on campus and elsewhere), and one of the things we like to do with people who are getting to ...
Continue Reading This Article
A man stands at a crosswalk on a busy street with a yellow lab in harness on his left

How Guide Dogs are Trained

When Future Leader Dogs are 12 to 15 months old, their volunteer puppy raisers return them to the Leader Dog campus to begin formal guide dog training. Puppy raisers have already worked with their Future Leader Dog on the fundamentals ...
Continue Reading This Article
Black lab puppy wearing blue Future Leader Dog bandana looks up toward the camera

Raising a Future Leader Dog in School

By Puppy Raiser Becky Wynn I am a retired speech/language pathologist and raised my first two Future Leader Dog puppies while I was still working in the public schools in Southgate, MI. I traveled between several schools and worked with ...
Continue Reading This Article
Close-up of a hand holding the Victor Reader Trek GPS device. In the background is snow and a golden retriever is visible, looking up at the person with the GPS

Webinar: You’re Going Where? GPS Training at Leader Dog

In the fourth installment of our webinar series, staff members discuss why we began offering free GPS devices and training to our clients over a decade ago. Learn about how GPS use benefits people using a cane or a guide ...
Continue Reading This Article
A black Labrador in leather Leader Dog harness sits in front a bush . His mouth is slightly open and he is looking forward

Congratulations to the 2018–2019 Top Dog Lions Clubs!

Congratulations to our 2018–2019 Top Dog Lions clubs! These clubs made impactful donations to Leader Dog's mission this past fiscal year. Lions clubs donating $5,000+ to our annual fund qualify for this distinction—that's just over 1% of our supporting clubs. ...
Continue Reading This Article