If she’d been named for her most endearing quality, Unis would have been called Radar. In a room full of people, the German shepherd puppy’s ears twitch at every sound. But they stand at full attention only when 17-year-old Paul Ehmann (shown below with his mother, Mary) calls. “Come, Unis,” he says. “Sit, Unis.” As with all pups bred by guide-dog school the Seeing Eye, Unis will be with Paul and his family for only 12 to 19 months. If all goes well, she’ll return to the school in Morristown, NJ, to train to work with a blind person. The Ehmanns will be invited to observe Unis complete her training. But then they will not see her again. Photo by Denise Foley In the United States, upwards of 200,000 dogs—mostly German shepherds, Labradors, and golden retrievers but also Jack Russells, pit bulls, and even Great Danes—serve people with special needs, such as the blind, children with autism, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, people at risk of seizures, and victims of multiple sclerosis. They all need someone to raise their future guide dogs right—someone like the Ehmanns, or maybe you. WHAT DOES IT TAKE?On the surface, helping a dog like Unis grow up isn’t much tougher than caring for a regular puppy. You have to housebreak, discourage bad behavior, and teach basic commands. While the Seeing Eye pays a small stipend to volunteers (mainly for food) and offers vet care, other organizations don’t, so you have to cover some costs (as any dog owner must). You also have to take the puppy everywhere, or at least wherever he’s going to serve as a guide dog. For Paul’s mother, Mary, that involved taking Unis into the third-grade class she teaches. There are also the Seeing Eye’s club outings, including town walks and train trips, says Peggy Gibbon, the organization’s director of canine development. Days like these help the dog develop the confidence to make the cut. MORE: 6 Inspiring Pets Who Saved Their Owners The Ehmanns’ 7-year-old golden retriever, Aggie, is one who didn’t. “She’s afraid of loud noises, so she wasn’t going to be a good guide dog,” says Mary. The toughest part of the job, everyone agrees, is saying good-bye. Many puppy raisers console themselves by taking in another dog to train right away. Others focus on how the rewards trump the sorrow. “I’ll be sad to see Unis go,” Paul says, “but I know it’s for a good cause.” To learn about training a dog in your area, check out some of these service dog organizations: Guide Dogs for the BlindP.O. Box 151200San Rafael, CA 94915(800) 295-4050guidedogs.com Autism Service Dogs of America5232 N. Interstate Ave.Portland, OR 97217autismservicedogsofamerica.com Guide Dogs of America13445 Glenoaks BoulevardSylmar, CA 91342(818) 362-5834guidedogsofamerica.org UDS Service Dog Program1901 Olde Homestead LaneP.O. Box 10485Lancaster, PA 17605(888) 837-4235udservices.org/services/support-programs-and-services/service-dogs The Seeing Eye, Inc.10 Washington Valley Rd Morristown, NJ 07960(973) 539-4425seeingeye.org Service Dog Project, Inc.37 Boxford RoadIpswich, MA 01938(978) 356-0666servicedogproject.org 4 Paws for Ability253 Dayton AvenueXenia, OH 45385(937) 768-90984pawsforability.org Canine Companions for Independence(This organization has regional training programs throughout the country, including in prisons.)P.O. Box 446Santa Rosa, CA 95402(800) 572-BARK (2275)cci.org MORE: 3 Ways Owning A Pet Makes You A Better Person
