An Ode to Truth, my Guide Dog for the Blind

Published on 10 / 26 / 2024

Truth and I on our first day together.

In November 2022, I started volunteering with Guide Dogs for the Blind as a puppy raiser for an adorable puppy named Truth! I was informed about the opportunity through my sorority, Delta Gamma, whose philanthropic mission is Service for Sight. Service for Sight supports and advocates for those who are blind or visually impaired. It is also the umbrella term for the many organizations we support that fall into its scope, like Arizona’s Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Delta Gamma Schools for Visual Impairments, and Guide Dogs for the Blind (or GDB). In 2022, GDB asked Delta Gamma to be the first chapter in the country to raise Guide Dogs, and we accepted. It was an honor that we were selected, so I just knew I had to volunteer. We individually filled out applications to potentially raise a Guide Dog puppy, being evaluated on the basis of our grades, responsibilities, past involvement, and personality. It would be our goal to socialize, familiarize, and prepare a puppy in its first stages of potentially becoming a Guide Dog. It was a highly competitive process, as these dogs deserve the most fit trainers.

I was ecstatic when I found out I was chosen to be a raiser. I was paired with my roommate Sydney to share in the efforts of raising. With class and work schedules and the difficult task of raising, having a hand is very integral to the success of the process. Sydney and I, alongside other selected sisters, worked diligently to learn the skills required to raise a Guide Dog. The field managers, or those in charge of our Guide Dog region, brought fully trained Guide Dogs to act as our test puppies. We learned leash handling, walking techniques, and terminology. As the training courses continued, I began to feel more confident in the mutual relationship that is involved in training a dog. I learned positive reinforcement, shaping, luring, redirection, and commands to eventually communicate with my puppy. Our dogs were to be by our side as much as possible to familiarize them with the outside world and start them on their journey to being hard-working companions. With our guidance, they gradually learn to be calm, aware, and composed. They are to be consistently by your side, awaiting your command. As training neared an end, they provided us with all the supplies and resources to be successful in raising our dog. Though we work with the puppies for free, the company covers all the costs of physical goods and services required for raising. 

Truth and I waiting for a vet visit. I couldn't stop giggling because of her proper paw placement.

After the training concluded and my confidence was high, we received Truth, our 8-week-old Golden Retriever-Labrador mix. And it wasn’t long before that confidence was thrown out the window, as I had so much to learn. From then on, Truth, Sydney and I were in it together. Our days started with bathroom runs, then breakfast, then more bathroom breaks. A good amount of our routine consisted of behavior training, teaching her to be calm and collected (which if you have ever had a puppy is almost impossible). Instead of meals, Truth received kibble as a reward throughout the day, with an amount that equated to her proper meal portions. Therefore, there was a lot of correction, guidance, and training as the day progressed. She would sit with me for homework, walk with me to work, take naps with me--everything I did, she did, too. 

Sydney and I continued to attend training sessions weekly to check in on Truth’s progress and our training skills. We learned new ways to manage behavior and share any questions or struggles we were facing.

Our journey with Truth eventually came to a close in January 2023 as she transitioned to another set of raisers. However, Truth will forever be with me. She taught me so much about patience, love, and selflessness. We learned together what it meant to be responsible, how to manage our time, and how to work hard. We pushed through sleepless nights when one of us was sick, difficult training sessions when neither of us wanted to be on a leash, and chaotic public situations. We laughed in success of learning to stand on blocks and listen to commands. I looked upon Truth as a child I had taught to navigate the world. And in a way, she too taught me to put others first. She taught me I can directly impact someone else’s life with my own relentless determination. 

If it isn’t already clear, there were many collaborative efforts that played in the success of Truth’s raising. Sydney, my partner, assisted when I had commitments that Truth could not attend. She also aided in clearing some stress when the raising got rough. Others in my chapter collaborated toward the same goal of benefiting those with visual impairments. The raisers and professionals in the region contributed to the overall success of the program and were there when we needed them. All of us together, from individuals to organization, collaborated to make our community a little more inclusive, a need that never stops.

By raising Truth, I contributed to the development of an intelligent, capable dog who can assist someone else in the easier navigation of their world. Guide Dogs, for those who need them, are free of charge thanks to the selfless effort of all the volunteers that make up the organization. By raising Guide Dogs, we promote accessibility and awareness in the community. We empower individuals with disabilities and create an environment of compassion. We educate others on the importance of Guide Dogs and their purpose in assisting others. 

I was forever changed by the time I spent with GDB. I am changed in a way that could only come from an experience as powerful as this. I’ve learned empathy towards those with visual impairments and feel a broader sense of passion for helping my community. I couldn’t imagine a life where I don’t continue to volunteer and advocate for Service for Sight. I now understand what volunteering truly means to the happiness of others, and urge everyone to consider helping out to your local Guide Dog organization in any way possible. It feels good to directly make your community more inclusive, and that’s the TRUTH.

Read more about Service for Sight today, and consider giving back to your local Guide Dog organization.