Happy International Guide Dog Day!

My husband and I are so proud to be apart of a great organization located in our own backyard.  Freedom Guide Dogs  just celebrated their twentieth anniversary last year.  We have raised two of their puppies, Kasey and Scout, who are successfully working with their new owners and we now have their breeding male, Buddy.

Breeding and puppy enrichment center.

Future guide dogs.  Sharon Lorrie is in charge of breeding.

Today I had the pleasure of meeting two representatives from the Japan Guide Dog Association.  Actually, they really came to meet Buddy.

Kazoo and Buddy getting to know each other.

Freedom Guide Dogs have trained and sent a number of dogs to Japan in recent years.  Their white German Shepard, Sky will be headed to Japan within the next few weeks.

Sky with trainer and founder of Freedom Guide Dogs, Eric Lorrie.  Yukiko is on the left.

Freedom Guide Dogs uses "Hometown Training"  with all their dogs.  This specialized training brings dog and trainer to the client's area and has an extremely high success rate.

Yukiko, Eric, Kazoo, Buddy & Sky

Buddy cooperating.

Yukiko giving Buddy the head-to-tail-check up.

Yukiko, Kazoo, me and Sky.  Buddy not cooperating.

Freedom Guide Dogs is always looking for Puppy Raisers.  Our family enjoyed every minute of this experience and felt we were truly giving a blessing.  Or in this case, Freedom!