UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Ask people to name an animal that 4-H kids work with, and most would say cattle, pigs, horses or sheep. But in Pennsylvania, high on the list should be dogs -- seeing eye dog puppies to be specific.

Although the Seeing Eye Puppy Project -- a joint effort of The Seeing Eye Inc., of Morristown, N.J., and Penn State Cooperative Extension's 4-H Youth Development Program -- started in 1942, it is not widely known. Despite this, the program plays an important role in many lives.

The Franklin County 4-H Seeing Eye Puppy Project was established in 1985. Since then, 4-Hers have raised approximately 310 puppies, 160 of which have gone on to become guide dogs. Both adults and youth participate in the puppy club. "It gives me experience in learning about animals, but most of all, it gives me a chance to give back to the community and help someone else out," says Sara Harbaugh, a 15-year-old puppy raiser from Orrstown.

The Seeing Eye breeds its own German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and lab/golden crosses. The puppies then are placed into volunteer homes. The Seeing Eye pays all veterinary costs and provides a stipend to defray the cost of food.

Most volunteer puppy-raisers are children between the ages of 9 and 19 and adults, especially retired adults. A volunteer receives a puppy that's between seven and eight weeks old and raises it until it is between 14 and 18 months old.

During this period, the participant must offer the puppy a loving environment, and teach it to live happily with humans. "It's easy to love the puppies when they first come because they are cute, but it's important that they learn to be loved so they can bond with their future person," says Alex Nicastro, an 11-year-old puppy raiser from Greencastle.

The puppy also must be taught basic obedience commands and be exposed to the world in which it will eventually work. "We have to socialize, expose and love the puppies," says Donna Boyd, a 4-H volunteer currently raising her 18th puppy. "Guide dogs guide because they love their owner. This bond of love begins with the 4-H family."

All volunteers and their puppies must attend local puppy club meetings. These meetings teach volunteers how to provide discipline and encouragement for the puppies and allow the puppies a chance to socialize with other dogs. "Attending meetings is very important," says Boyd. "The meetings show the 4-Her how the Seeing Eye wants the dogs trained. This is also where the dogs experience a lot of their socialization with other dogs and people, so that they're not upset by situations and become aggressive."

Once the puppy is between 14 and 18 months old, it goes into training at the Seeing Eye for four months. This training includes mastering traffic situations to prepare the puppy for its work as a guide dog. Toward the end of the training period, the Seeing Eye sends letters to the volunteers inviting them to watch the dog and its instructor in action.

"Seeing your dog in training is unbelievable," Boyd says. "This unruly puppy has gone on to be a responsible animal -- a person's life is depending on them. It's like watching a child graduate from college."

Julie St. Claire, a 12-year-old puppy raiser from Chambersburg, remembers watching her puppy in training. "It was sad and happy at the same time because I knew I was helping someone else," she says. After completing and successfully passing its training, the dog then is assigned a blind master and has an adjustment and training period of approximately one month.

There are currently 21 counties in Pennsylvania participating in the Seeing Eye Puppy Project, as well as counties in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and New York. There are 16 to 18 puppies being raised in Franklin County.

Virginia Knoll has been raising puppies for more than 30 years and is now raising her 48th and 49th puppies. She started with the project as a teenager in New Jersey and has continued raising puppies with the Franklin County Puppy Club. "It's fun having puppies," she says. "It's a challenge raising a puppy and then having it go on to help a blind person, but it's a great feeling knowing you've helped someone."

While it is no easy task to provide a home for a puppy and then after a year return it to Seeing Eye, participants say the satisfaction of helping a blind person to move about with independence far outweighs any negatives. "It's very challenging, but extremely rewarding," Boyd says. "You raise your children to go into the world and work, and that's what these puppies do. It also helps that you can get another puppy right away."

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Contact:

Cheryl Anthony cka106@psu.edu 814-863-0938 814-863-9877 fax

Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-863-9877 fax #229