By Teddy Cohen
Poodle Club of Southern California members Mike and Marilou Ward of Bakersfield are the proud people parents of a new Guide Dog for the blind. Their Standard Poodle "Edison" is standing tall as the "eyes" of Vesta Muth from Spokane Washington.
Vesta and Eddie were matched up after they both put in some training time at the Guide Dogs of the Desert (GDD) in Palm Springs, California.
Although Vesta initially wanted a Poodle guide, she decided that any dog who could do the work would be just fine. Poodles are generally reserved for vision impaired people with allergies to dog fur. Unbeknownst to Vesta, the team who matches dogs and students selected Eddie as her guide without knowing her Poodle preference. Their match-up was just meant to be. Whether it was because Vesta just sparkles with life like a Poodle, or because she and Eddie share the same white fluffy hair-do we may never know. It seems to be a match made in heaven.
If you need to restore your faith in mankind or to remind yourself why you love dogs so much, attend a Guide Dogs Of the Desert graduation.
How Does a Poodle Get a Paying Job?
Donate a puppy to Guide Dogs of the Desert. Bear in mind that the puppy will have to pass all the tests that a breeding animal would need to have, such as an OFA evaluation of the hips, etc. when he or she grows up.
The pup is assigned to a pre-screened "Puppy Raising Home" where he will be presented with as many experiences as possible. Guide dogs in training go to the grocery store, restaurants, and other places where the average puppy is not welcome. After six months of puppy experiences, the dog returns to the GDD's Palm Springs campus for further training. If he's a good learner, and passes all his health tests, the dog will get further training, met his new vision impaired person, train some more, and then be fully employed. Since GDD's graduates never pay dog-related expenses, a dog "earns" his keep through donations.
You may contact Guide Dogs of the Desert at 1 (760) 329-6257 or
Email : gddesert@aol.com
