Guide Dogs for the Blind International

Exciting news! Starting today, you can take an exclusive, behind-the-scenes virtual tour of the GDB Puppy Center! https://www.guidedogs.com/tour-the-gdb-puppy-center In this photo, the entrance of the GDB Puppy Center and Learning Lab is pictured on a sunny day set against a blue sky.

Are you or your child blind or visually impaired, between the ages of 14 & 24, and interested in exploring the option of using a guide dog for mobility? Come an...d be a part of our Ruff Life Academy! These five-day after school workshops will explore how to interact and communicate with dogs, and how they communicate with us. We will do a little myth busting about guide dogs, like: can they really tell us when it is time to cross the street? We will discuss how to determine if you are ready to welcome a guide dog into your life and how one might fit into your everyday routine. Spaces are limited, apply before March 12th at guidedogs.com/ready-set-forward. In this photo, a young woman sits nose to nose with a yellow Lab guide dog.

Join us at the 46th Annual Ski for Light, Inc International virtual event. Organizers are planning a fitness program to get your blood pumping, special interest sessions to expand your knowledge (we'll see you there!), and more. Attendance will be free- register today at www.sfl.org/events/next.

Did you know that January 4th is World Braille Day? According to the American Foundation for the Blind, Braille is a system of raised dots that can be read with the fingers by people who are blind or who have low vision. Teachers, parents, and others who are not visually impaired usually read braille with their eyes. Braille is not a language. Rather, it is a code by which many languagessuch as English, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, and dozens of othersmay be written and read.... Braille is used by thousands of people all over the world in their native languages, and provides a means of literacy for all. This post is accompanied by two photos. The first is a photo of a GDB Lapel Pin, available at store.guidedogs.com, featuring a silhouette of a guide dog in harness, adorned with the letters GDB and braille reading gdb. The second photo is an image of the Braille alphabet with the text "January 4th is World Braille Day" along the top and the GDB logo at the bottom.

"Hominy and I bonded from Day One. When she and I were introduced to each other in 2014, she literally crawled onto my lap and that was it!! As the trainer said, Well, I guess youre hers! Our bond has grown even stronger over the past six years. She even gets worried if I am upset or emotional. If I cry, she runs over to try to comfort me. She is my girl." GDB Canadian Client Sharon Ruttan To help GDB continue to make more matches like Sharon and Hominy, visit guidedogs.com/support today. In this photo, Sharon sits in a field of lavender as Hominy, her yellow Lab guide dog, lays across her lap. Hominy is wearing her harness and both Sharon and Hominy smile at the camera.

Did you see GDB Alumna Beth Deer and Candian journalist on "Follow My Lead" on Accessible Media Inc. this week? Be sure to tune in for a peek inside the guide dog experience. https://youtu.be/1lEVuYPMZvM

An update from our sister organization, Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Tune in tonight for "Follow My Lead" with GDB Alumna Beth Deer on AMI-tv or watch on-demand!

"(Working dogs) are seeing more positive reinforcement, which is why you might have noticed that working dogs in even the most serious environments, like airports, seem to be enjoying their jobs more than in the past. I dont think youre imagining that, Susan Armstrong, Vice President of Client, Training and Veterinary Services at GDB says. These dogs love working. They love getting rewards for good behavior. Its serious, but it can be fun." Read more on TIME about the science of dog training and how GDB has been a leader of the pack for more than 15 years.

A reminder from our sister organization about how you can be an ally to working guide dog teams.

Everyone in North America is adjusting to sheltering in place, social distancing, and uncertainty about what the new normal will be as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Being blind or visually impaired adds an extra hurdle for our graduates, Canadian Alumna Beth Deer and her guide dog, Patronus. But like most things she has faced in life, it hasnt slowed her down. To read Beths story on our sister organizations blog, visit guidedogs.com/blog/beth-deer In this selfie snapshot, Beth smiles at the camera with her black Lab guide dog, Patronus by her side.

Sharing this thoughtful and important reminder from our Canadian Alumna Natalie Martinello: "As the world begins to slowly open up, I hope that we wont forget how flexible, creative and solution-driven we all have the capacity to be. It should be much harder now for anyone to say things like "we cant do that online because..."; "you cant do this from home because..."; "we cant have different options for different people on the team because..."; "yes but thats too complic...ated...". It turns out, once enough people need something, it no longer is thought about as an "accommodation". It just becomes... the new normal. Life. We now have proof how changes to the external world - things outside of our control like the pandemic - can disable people. Prevent you from doing things you are fully capable of doing, if only you had the tools to do it differently and to think outside the box. This should be a valuable lesson about inclusion." To learn more about how you can create greater access and inclusion for guide dog teams, visit guidedogs.com/access. In this photo, Natalie poses for her formal GDB Class picture with her black Lab guide dog, Gaeta.

Happy Canada Day to the 250+ guide dog teams throughout Canada! GDBI clients receive customized instruction with their new guide dogs at an in-residence training program on our California and Oregon campuses. Upon completion, alumni of the program receive comprehensive post-graduation support and services back home in Canada, including financial assistance for veterinary care, as needed. All services are provided free of charge. Visit https://gdbinternational.ca/ to learn how... your support can help us match even more Canadian clients with their new best friends. In this photo, Canadian Alum Bruce Glimour smiles into the camera with his Golden Retriever guide dog, Marley by his side

Thanks to our dedicated volunteers and generous supporters, GDB had an amazing year. See how your support helped us create life-changing partnerships. Thank you - YOU did it! This video features a message from CEO Christine Benninger thanking donors for their support during the fiscal year 2020. Footage and narration feature a variety of GDB staff, clients, and dogs, as well as Board Chair Diana McQuarrie.

GDB is proud to be featured once again in the PBS KVIE series ViewFinder, "Devoted Dogs." Explore the human-canine relationship through encounters with the dogs who help humans navigate the world, control anxiety, heal, and more. Tune in now! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Eh_0tzFY6c Photo Description: A shot from the opening credits of the feature, "Devoted Dogs" highlighting the profile of a black Lab looking into the distance. The show title appears along the bottom in white text.

Thank you to GDB Alumna Janice Walth for sharing her story in the recent PBS KVIE special, Life After Sight, which introduced us to three resilient individuals facing vision loss, and the steps they are taking to navigate an ever-changing world. Tune in to see Janices story of becoming a world-class competitive archer and living a full life with greater independence thanks to the partnership and companionship of her guide dogs. https://youtu.be/q3Xjd1Up79k Janices segment shows her in her home environment with her husband and her yellow Lab guide Vargo, working Vargo, images of previous guides, and her GDB classmates, archery, and more.

Sending this hug to anyone who could use one tonight. Photo Description: Two Golden Retriever puppies cuddle up in the arms of a GDB team member. : GDB Team Member Celia Wong

"One for all, and all for kibble!" Photo Description: Three Golden Retriever pups peek curiously over the wall in the GDB Puppy Center. : CWNT Michelle Rada

Tune in to the latest episode of Lets Talk Portland from Entercom Communications to hear an interview with Chris Benninger, CEO and President of Guide Dogs For The Blind about raising, training, and matching guide dogs with visually impaired clients. https://omny.fm/shows/lets-talk-portland/guide-dogs-5-17-20

The latest issue of Guide Dog News is available now at guidedogs.com/news. Read about how GDB is moving forward to find our new normal. Photo Description: The cover of Guide Dog News features Canine Welfare Training Technician Kate Dougherty smiling behind a face mask while holding two fluffy Golden Retriever pups. Image title says "Guide Dog News 2020 Issue 2" and the text overlay reads "Moving forward during COVID-19." GDBs logo is also present in the bottom right-hand corner.

At GDBI, we envision a world with greater inclusion, opportunity, and independence by optimizing the unique capabilities of people and dogs. In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, and with so much of our community activity happening online these days, we want to remind you that social media is another place where you can be an ally to those who are blind or visually impaired. Inspired by the team at Facebook Accessibility, here are some ways that you can make your so...cial feed more accessible to the entire GDB community. Hashtags- Capitalize the first letter of each word when you use hashtags: use #GuideDogsForTheBlind instead of #guidedogsfortheblind. This is called CamelCase - its easier to read and enables screen readers to pronounce hashtags properly. Emojis- Avoid creating emoticons using text (such as \_()_/ ). Use emojis instead, such as . Each emoji has a matching text description that is spoken by screen readers. For example, is spoken as thumbs up. Photos- Add brief text descriptions to the photos you share. You can add an image description to the caption for each photo (which is accessible to all), or you can add Alt Text to an image as well (which is an image description read by screen readers and available in most social media platforms). Video- Consider including audio descriptions. An audio description is the spoken narration of a videos key visual elements, such as the action, settings, and characters. Short of including full audio description throughout your video, you could consider adding an audio introduction that describes the content of the video. For an example, watch the GDB Alumni Story: The Morenos on YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAP5FsQ2cTM To learn more about blindness access and etiquette, visit guidedogs.com/etiquette. Photo Description: GDB Alum David walking down the sidewalk with his guide dog, a black Lab. They are walking in front of a brightly colored mural with graffiti lettering.

Were just going to leave this puppy pile right here to brighten your evening. Photo Description: Several yellow Lab puppies snuggled up in a plush grey dog bed in the GDB Puppy Center.

Did you know theres no minimum age requirement for someone to recieve a guide dog? At GDB, we serve eligible youth throughout the United States and Canada who are ready and committed to embracing the guide dog lifestyle. https://www.guidedogs.com/get-a-guide-dog/ Photo Description: A Black Lab guide dog looks into its handlers eyes while she kneels down. The young handler wears two long braids in her hair.

Meet our Alumni. #IAmGDB An interview-style video featuring several alumni of Guide Dogs for the Blind and their guide dogs. They are all seated with their guide dogs laying next to them. The camera angles vary from close-ups on the peoples faces, to wide shots that show the entire scene.

April 29, 2020 is International Guide Dog Day, which celebrates the importance of canine heroes that help people around the world who are blind and visually impaired. Guide Dogs for the Blind is North Americas largest guide dog school, providing free services and qualified guide dogs to thousands of people throughout the U.S. and Canada. GDB salutes all its wonderful graduates, staff, volunteers, and partners on this significant milestone day each year. To learn more about Guide Dogs for the Blind International, visit https://gdbinternational.ca/ Photo Description: A Black Lab in harness confidently guides their trainer along a tree-lined walkway.

Happy World Veterinary Day to our outstanding team at Guide Dogs for the Blind. Thank you to our Veterinarians, RVTs, and Veterinary Assistants for your commitment to providing high quality care in support of GDBs mission. Photo Description: Two members of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Veterinary team examine a Yellow Lab puppy inside one of GDBs American Animal Hospital Association accredited clinics.

Wishing everyone a beautiful Saturday! #iamgdb Photo Description: A young Yellow Lab looks directly into the camera with a curious expression.... : GDB team member Mia Quiroga

The conference call that everyone wishes they could be on! GDB Puppy Clubs all over the Western United States are staying connected and staying active as they shelter in place. Were so thankful for their creativity and ingenuity as they continue to prepare our pups to be future canine heroes. #iamgdb Photo Descriptions: Screenshot of a video conference call featuring guide dog puppies and volunteer raisers.

A message from GDBs Veterinary Medical Director Kate Kuzminski, DVM: The US Center for Disease Control and the World Health Organization still believe that pets are not a major factor in the spread of COVID-19. There is no evidence to suggest that dogs are a transmission risk to humans or other dogs, or can even get sick from SARS-CoV-2. There is no scientific evidence that facial masks protect dogs (or any pets) from infectious disease and face masks on dogs may cause b...reathing difficulties. Not to mention, putting a mask on a dog may be unnecessarily scary or uncomfortable for the dog. For more information about COVID-19 and your companion animal, visit https://www.guidedogs.com/b/covid-19-and-companion-animals Photo Description: A Yellow Lab smiling at the camera. Text overlay on the image reads: Should my dog wear a mask to prevent COVID-19? No. There is no scientific evidence that facial masks protect dogs (or any pets) from infectious diseases. Face masks on dogs may cause breathing difficulties.

Catch Up with Chris: A COVID-19 Video Update Visit https://www.guidedogs.com/coronavirus to watch a video update regarding Guide Dogs for the Blinds response to the coronavirus pandemic from CEO Christine Benninger. This video is audio described. Photo Description: Guide Dogs for the Blind CEO Christine Benninger smiles at the camera while embracing her Golden Retriever, Theia.

The Puparazzi Results are in! Did your favorite photo win?

Sending a heart-felt congratulations from the entire GDB family to Alumna Aria Mia Loberti who was recently accepted as a The Fulbright Program Scholar to the UK. We are so excited about your next adventure! #IAmGDB Aria is pictured here on the University of Rhode Island Campus with her guide dog, Ingrid. Aria is smiling as they navigate confidently onward on a sunny day.

This is it! The final countdown. Get all of your photo submissions and votes for the Puparazzi Photo Contest in by 9:00 pm PST on Thursday, April 16th. Winners are determined by number of votes. Votes cost $1 each, and theres no limit on how many times people can vote. The photo that gets the most votes in its respective category wins that category. The photo with the most votes overall wins the overall contest. Dont wait! Vote now! https://www.gogophotocontest.com/guidedo...gs : Ashley Centimole Photo Description: A Black Lab guide dog sits in a garden of colorful flowers with her tongue out.

Cheers to GDB alumna and Canadian journalist, Bethany Deer, who is using her platform on Accessible Media Inc. to bring awareness to important issues around accessibility for persons who are blind or visually impaired. https://www.ami.ca//ami-week-heal/media/guide-dog-commands

Curious about this Puparazzi thing we keep talking about? Head on over to gogophotocontest.com/guidedogs to see the entries and vote for your favorite pic. In this photo, a Black Labrador in her guide dog harness gazes at camera straight on, displaying a small white "soul patch" on her chin. : Sarah Brinck *Please note that due to the constraints of this platform we are unable to provide a Canadian tax credit for money donated for votes. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Its amazing how much a smile can brighten your day, isnt it? Photo Description: A Golden Retriever GDB breeder smiles from a shady spot in the grass looking at the camera. : Vicki Moss

Pretty sure this is what we all need right now.

Youre invited to enter your adorable pup pics into our sister charitys annual Puparazzi Photo Contest! Through April 16th, get your friends and family to vote for your entry, and your photo could win a spot in the 2020-2021 Guide Dogs for the Blind calendar! https://www.gogophotocontest.com/guidedogs *Please note that due to the constraints of this platform we are unable to provide a Canadian tax credit for money donated for votes. We apologize for the inconvenience.

This cuteness is no April Fools joke - hope it brightens your day!

The latest from our sister organization. Stay healthy, stay safe.

Looking for something to boost your spirits or provide some relief from the news cycle? We got you.