Eyes on the Future

"Guiding Eyes" offers support in training

Story and photos by Jim Murtagh

A recorded announcement plays on the overhead speaker asking all passengers to stand behind the yellow line for their safety. The noise from the approaching locomotive grows, until the high pitch squeal of iron wheels becomes deafening, and then a whoosh of air blows across the landing platform as the silver streak of the train disappears down the tracks.

Sitting calmly beside the platform is a 13 month old yellow labrador retriever named Zeta. Her attention is focused solely on her handler. The wind from the passing train ruffles her blue coat which has the words “Guide Dog in Pre-Training” embroidered down the side, but the gust of air and the loud noise does not distract her.

Someday, this puppy may give a blind person the freedom to leave their home.

Christian Orcutt holds the dog’s leash, and praises the dog for listening to him and not moving. Orcutt is an experienced dog trainer, and has been raising guide dogs for over six years for the non-profit organization Guiding Eyes for the Blind, headquartered in Yorktown Heights , New York. Today’s training session may be routine for Orcutt, but it is a major milestone for Zeta, who may someday have the responsibility of leading a blind person through a similar train station on their way to work.

Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) and the Elizabeth E. Muller Charitable Trust, recently recognized Orcutt’s outstanding volunteer contributions, and awarded him one of three 2006 Youth Puppy Raising Scholarships, in the amount of $2,500. Christian accepted the distinguished honor with great humility knowing, “The people I have met and worked with have impacted my life in ways most of them will probably never know.”

When Orcutt was 13 years old, his home-school teacher (his mother), challenged him with a research project. Orcutt had to write a paper on a topic of his choice, but he also had to get hands on experience with the subject matter. After viewing the video “Audrey to Merlin – Journey of a Guide Dog,” Orcutt was inspired to contact GEB and volunteer as a puppy raiser. The seemingly benign matter of selecting a research topic would have a profound impact not only on Orcutt, but also his family, and the countless people his selfless efforts would benefit.

Orcutt has successfully raised three guide dogs, volunteers at GEB’s breeding kennels, and is a regional instructor. As an accomplished trainer, Orcutt’s actions have a ripple effect throughout the organization. Well trained handlers can produce better guide dogs, and if more dogs graduate from the training program, more blind recipients around the country can live fuller lives.

Dog handler Christian Orcutt stands with "Zeta," a 13 month-old yellow labrador retriever, who is being trained as a guide dog for the non-profit organization Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Every dog that enters the program presents a unique challenge to raisers and instructors, as each dog’s temperament and abilities are different. It takes an experienced eye to recognize what training methods are working, and when different techniques need to be applied. The three puppies Orcutt raised are a testament to his understanding of dog behavior. While each dog has given him an opportunity to learn something new about dog raising, the dogs have also taught him about the joys and struggles of growing up. “Each dog is different. They are all hard in their own way, but it’s a fun challenge to raise a dog.” says Orcutt.

The path through life is not always clear for people or guide dogs. Some guide dogs may follow alternate career paths, such as Louie, Orcutt’s first dog, who answered the prayers of an adoptive family and their autistic child, or Orly, Orcutt’s third dog, which works as an Accelerant Detection Canine with Norfolk, Virginia’s Fire-Rescue Department. Orcutt’s second dog progressed through harness training, but was eventually released for medical reasons, and is now his adopted pet, as well as a GEB Ambassador dog.

Puppy raisers commit themselves to the care and well being of their dog from eight weeks to about 16 months. This entails lots of early morning wake up barks, daily training sessions, and constant community exposure. In return for their sacrifice, raisers are showered with boundless love and affection from their four-legged companion, and the knowledge that all their hard work will help a blind person experience the pleasures of life outside their home.

The question “How can you give such a cute dog away?” always gets asked whenever people see the guide dogs training in stores, on the town green, or in the library. Orcutt explains how he copes with this emotional challenge; “At the end of the raising, you really like the dog and want to keep it, but you give it up in the hopes that it will go on to help someone else who needs it more than you do.”

Guiding Eyes for the Blind provides professionally trained Guiding Eyes dogs, training, and lifetime support services to blind and visually impaired men and women free of charge. GEB has graduated more than 6,000 guide dog teams, and is one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world.

The local GEB chapter has puppy raisers from Milford to Old Saybrook, and is always looking for more people to accept this rewarding challenge. Further information is available at www.guidingeyes.org or by calling 1-866-GEB-LABS.