By Alexandra Mier y Teran
Staff Writer
Senior Katherine Spencer gained a new addition to her family, one who happens to be four-legged, covered in fur and is learning to guide the blind.
After Pat Whitehead, the leader of the Los Angeles Southwest Guide Dog Raisers (LASGDR), inspected and approved the Spencer household, they met the official Guide Dogs For The Blind dogs in January and brought home an eight-week-old Labrador retriever puppy, whom they named Moira.
“I have had ‘dog’ on my Christmas list ever since I was eight years old,” Katherine Spencer said. “My dad does not want to have a pet at home after I leave for college, so raising and training a guide dog is the perfect compromise because Moira will attend more guide dog training in San Rafael, California after I leave for college.”
At 17, Katherine Spencer is the youngest raiser in the LASGDR group. Though minors must be sponsored by adults, children as young as 12 have raised guide dogs for service projects throughout LASGDR.
“We look for people who are enthusiastic and responsible,” Whitehead said. “It is important to carefully evaluate your own house and schedule when considering raising a pup.”
The Spencers are committed to raising Moira full-time for 16 to 18 months and preparing her for different situations she will encounter once she is ready to work with a blind companion. The Spencers have taken Moira to concerts at the Hollywood Bowl, the UCLA campus and exhibits at The Getty Center for experience in public.
The Spencers attend meetings approximately three times a month, where they teach Moira skills like polite walking as well as walking close to a companion without reacting to distractions. According to Katherine Spencer, Moira shows promise as a guide dog, easily mastering commands such as “sit, stay and down” and has demonstrated mature social skills after only 10 months of guide dog training.
“At a typical meeting, we work on basic handling skills,” Katherine Spencer said. “Moira sits while trainers stroke her and check her health and physical fitness. We also play games that help the dogs practice their directional skills.”
Once Moira graduates training in August and leaves the Spencer family, she will attend the Guide Dogs for the Blind Advanced Training Center in San Rafael to become a therapy dog, begin work for a search and rescue team or become a guide dog.
“Career change dogs are considered for many different paths such as hearing dog programs, programs for seizure assistance, and diabetic alert programs,” Whitehead said.
Spencer hopes that her experience prompts more community members to raise guide dogs as well. Guide Dogs for the Blind is always seeking new raisers, especially those who are willing to provide love and guidance for their trainees.
“It’s important to make sure you fully commit to the responsibility of training a guide dog.” Spencer said. “It is an extremely fun and rewarding process and absolutely worthwhile.”
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