WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:03.240 It's Maria's MUDs and Stuff. 2 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:06.639 What a great idea on iHeartRadio. 3 00:00:12.320 --> 00:00:15.519 Welcome to Maria's Mutts and Stuff. And with me today 4 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:19.120 is Jim Kessler, who is the director of Instructions and 5 00:00:19.199 --> 00:00:23.359 Training at the Seeing Eye in Marstown, New Jersey. So 6 00:00:23.879 --> 00:00:27.359 thank you so much, Jim. I know I've been such 7 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:31.000 a big fan of the Seeing I for so many years, 8 00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:32.799 and I'm just so happy that you and I ran 9 00:00:32.840 --> 00:00:36.240 into each other late last year and now I can 10 00:00:36.439 --> 00:00:38.719 talk to you about the organization. So thank you. 11 00:00:39.000 --> 00:00:40.799 Yeah, happy to be here. Thank you so much. 12 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.079 Yeah, So I and I didn't realize it because I 13 00:00:44.119 --> 00:00:47.439 feel like I grew up knowing about the Seeing Eye 14 00:00:47.439 --> 00:00:49.679 and I just I was looking on your website. You've 15 00:00:49.719 --> 00:00:52.359 been around since nineteen twenty nine. Last year was the 16 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:54.960 ninety fifth anniversary. That's incredible. 17 00:00:55.479 --> 00:00:58.759 Yeah. We were the first school, first school in the world. 18 00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:04.200 Uh huh, had over eighteen thousand, five hundred partnerships. 19 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:05.079 Wow. 20 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:09.959 Since we were created in nineteen twenty nine. Approximately, we 21 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:14.040 have about fifteen hundred active students. And what I mean 22 00:01:14.040 --> 00:01:17.599 by active students are individuals who are using names Seeing 23 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:20.640 on our dogs currently and we serve We served the 24 00:01:20.760 --> 00:01:25.239 entire North America, so the United States and Canada. So 25 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:27.719 we have students who come and are trained here on 26 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:30.040 our property in Morristown, New Jersey. 27 00:01:30.239 --> 00:01:32.640 Right right, I mean that's incredible. How did it all 28 00:01:32.680 --> 00:01:35.040 begin way back when in nineteen twenty nine? 29 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:39.840 Oh, it started back in nineteen twenty nine with the 30 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:44.159 two big names that are familiar with our history and 31 00:01:44.159 --> 00:01:48.079 are founding are both Morris Frank and Dorothy Harrison Eustace. 32 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:55.200 Dorothy was a She was from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was 33 00:01:55.519 --> 00:01:59.000 very in tune and loved the German shepherd as breed. 34 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:05.959 Morris Frank travels to they They, Switzerland and is trained 35 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:10.479 with the first seeing eye dog named named Buddy. The 36 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:14.800 original name was Kiss, and he decided he didn't want 37 00:02:14.840 --> 00:02:17.439 to have a dog named Kiss, so he changed dogs Buddy, 38 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:20.000 and all his dogs and all his dogs after that 39 00:02:20.039 --> 00:02:23.520 were named Buddy. Oh wow, okay, yeah. Both Morris Frank 40 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:27.000 and Dorothy they you know, what they did pretty much 41 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:31.360 started the entire guide dog movement worldwide. And the efforts 42 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:34.439 that they put in are what are what are graduates 43 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:37.319 are a direct result of what our graduates get today 44 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:39.840 by coming to the C and I getting pared getting 45 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:41.120 matched to one of our dogs. 46 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:44.879 Sure, so okay, So tell me what is a day 47 00:02:44.960 --> 00:02:47.919 in the life for you Jim Kestler Like, how does 48 00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:51.800 your day start? What is what does it entail for you? 49 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:53.960 With the Seeing Eye dog. 50 00:02:54.120 --> 00:02:56.800 I started my career here twenty four years ago. I 51 00:02:56.840 --> 00:02:59.680 started as an as an apprentice, or there's when you 52 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:03.759 become and when you become an instructor, you start you 53 00:03:03.759 --> 00:03:06.840 have a three year apprenticeship that you learn. It's all 54 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:09.280 on the job training. Like I came from a completely 55 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:11.840 different background. Oh, I used to work in New York City. 56 00:03:12.360 --> 00:03:14.400 Were used to work in New York City. I had 57 00:03:14.439 --> 00:03:17.199 no dog training experience, yeah, pet dogs and I was 58 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.360 growing up. I had no dog training experience. So you 59 00:03:19.479 --> 00:03:25.240 learn everything here on the job, everything about dogs, training, 60 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:30.960 working with students. So, and my job now as director 61 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:34.879 of the department is you know, we have twenty five instructors. 62 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:36.000 Wow. 63 00:03:36.159 --> 00:03:40.479 That and we have five teams, five teams of five instructors. 64 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:45.759 And these instructors are all at different stages. So it 65 00:03:45.800 --> 00:03:48.639 takes four months to train one of our dogs to 66 00:03:48.639 --> 00:03:52.960 become a guide being matched with somebody, so in they're 67 00:03:52.960 --> 00:03:55.159 reaching different stages of the train. They're in the first 68 00:03:55.159 --> 00:03:57.199 month of training, second month, third month, and fourth month 69 00:03:57.199 --> 00:04:00.000 of training. And people are surprised when I say, okay, 70 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:02.759 it takes People ask, oh, I want to take the 71 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:04.199 train of dog a year, and I said, oh, it 72 00:04:04.199 --> 00:04:07.479 takes four months, and people are people are surprised at 73 00:04:07.479 --> 00:04:09.240 that that it takes such a short period of time 74 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:11.479 because you know, these dogs have a very difficult job. 75 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:14.439 Sure, that's a big job, big responsibility. 76 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:19.759 Yeah, I think I think I think collectively, uh, if 77 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:21.600 you take all the jobs a dog can have, I 78 00:04:21.600 --> 00:04:23.800 think this is the most difficult job the doll can have, 79 00:04:23.959 --> 00:04:27.000 just be responsibility. Sure, and the pressure that these dogs, 80 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:28.319 of course feel. 81 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:29.639 Sure I get that. 82 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:34.480 So yeah, so and I kind of not a kind 83 00:04:34.519 --> 00:04:37.120 of I did. I got off the question that you 84 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:38.040 initially asked. 85 00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:41.399 Oh no, it's okay. Yeah, yeah, no, this is great. 86 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:43.480 This is great because you're really giving us a slice 87 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:47.839 into the life of what goes on for you as 88 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:52.279 a trainer, but also what goes into making a dog 89 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:55.360 into a seeing eye dog, which you know is a 90 00:04:55.360 --> 00:04:59.639 big responsibility for the dog because basically it's guiding and 91 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:02.079 safe being someone's life. You know, there's a lot of 92 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:04.959 decisions that that dog has to make so I get it. 93 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:10.519 Yeah, yeah, and you know we have you know, as 94 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:15.240 an organization, our success rate is close it's in sixty percent. 95 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:21.240 So it's and that's uh, that's that's good for uh standard, 96 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:25.360 you know, industry wide. Sure, you know, not every dog 97 00:05:25.399 --> 00:05:27.319 can not every dog is cut out to do this. 98 00:05:27.319 --> 00:05:33.519 The sixty Yeah, okay. 99 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:33.800 We breed all our own dogs here. We have you know, 100 00:05:33.800 --> 00:05:37.199 we have a breeding facility and we have a we 101 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:39.600 have a you know, veterinary staff. We have full time 102 00:05:39.600 --> 00:05:40.680 geneticists on staff. 103 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:41.920 Oh wow, Okay. 104 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:44.600 People ask, you know, yeah, people ask why do you 105 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:46.879 why do you breathe your own dogs? And it's it's 106 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:49.319 for we have we're able to control, We're able to 107 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:56.600 control comperment. Yeah, so it's it's a you know, before 108 00:05:56.639 --> 00:05:58.279 I got into this line of work, Marie, I was 109 00:05:58.519 --> 00:06:00.199 you know, I didn't I had no idea what was 110 00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:02.720 involved in it. You know, there's a there's a lot 111 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:06.759 that goes into it. I mean, so you have you 112 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:10.399 have a dog, a dog is trained to be a 113 00:06:10.439 --> 00:06:16.160 guide and somebody who someone who's blind, and there's certain 114 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:20.439 things you have to think about, Yeah, think about when 115 00:06:20.480 --> 00:06:23.480 you're going into matching person. Okay, and the two things 116 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:26.639 that are really most important to us or pace and pull. 117 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:29.680 Me mean, how fast does the individual want to walk 118 00:06:29.839 --> 00:06:31.319 and how much pole do they want to feel on 119 00:06:31.360 --> 00:06:33.439 hardess harness. So, and what I mean by the harness 120 00:06:33.519 --> 00:06:36.519 is it's what dogs wear and it's the information. It's 121 00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:39.600 communication device between dog and handler. Correct, get to feel 122 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:42.519 lateral moves, left, lateral moves to the right, speed up, 123 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:46.360 slow down, they're able to feel that. So in our 124 00:06:46.439 --> 00:06:50.600 line of work, pace and pull are two most important things. 125 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:52.439 And then you look at the lifestyle of the individual 126 00:06:53.319 --> 00:06:56.959 and what they do on a daily basis, and you 127 00:06:57.360 --> 00:07:01.360 make a match based on this these certain characteristics of 128 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:04.639 dog in person to get the best match that you 129 00:07:05.120 --> 00:07:08.639 can correct every time. Now, we're not you know, we 130 00:07:08.680 --> 00:07:12.399 make mistakes, but you know that's the it happens. 131 00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:14.680 It happens, of course, but that's that's human nature and 132 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:17.439 that's just life. I mean, yeah, yeah, it can't be 133 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:21.199 one accurate all the time because you're not you're not 134 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:23.439 a fortune teller, you know, who's to know? 135 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:27.920 No, not exactly exactly. Yeah, So its how the process works. 136 00:07:27.920 --> 00:07:29.439 And I'll just go to a little more detail about 137 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:33.519 So we every every month of the Seeing Eye. We 138 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:36.839 have what we call a class and what and what 139 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:40.000 that basically means is we have students from all over 140 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.879 North America come to the Seeing Eye to be trained 141 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:46.480 with a Seeing Eye dog. So these students can either 142 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:50.480 be individuals who've had dogs before they're coming back to 143 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.759 get a successor dogs. So there are returning students. Then 144 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:58.319 we have students that have never had a dog before. 145 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.319 So they come here campus and if they're returning students, 146 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:04.639 they spend eighteen days. If they're a new student, they 147 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.480 spend twenty five days. So and they're trained, so they 148 00:08:07.480 --> 00:08:10.639 live here on campus, they have their own room. We 149 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:14.920 are able to really start the foundation build the relationship 150 00:08:15.000 --> 00:08:19.319 between the dog and the person. It's you know, is 151 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:22.040 everything perfect after a month, No, but you you've laid 152 00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:24.959 the groundwork. So they come here to campus and they 153 00:08:25.000 --> 00:08:29.600 spend this time here and really it's it's a busy 154 00:08:29.680 --> 00:08:31.319 day for them. They're up at five thirty in the 155 00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.120 morning and they're you know, taking care of the dog, 156 00:08:35.159 --> 00:08:37.879 taking the dog out, feeding the dog. They have trips 157 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:41.720 that they have to do with their instructor in the morning, 158 00:08:41.720 --> 00:08:45.720 a trip in the afternoon, and throughout the entire process 159 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:50.039 they're learning things that are pertinent to guide you know, 160 00:08:50.039 --> 00:08:54.480 guide dog mobility. Sure, and it's a it's a great 161 00:08:54.519 --> 00:08:56.360 thing to watch. I've been doing this for twenty four 162 00:08:56.440 --> 00:08:59.720 years and it never gets never gets tiring to me. 163 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:03.360 To you know, see students who you know, they come 164 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:05.399 in on the first day, they're just meeting their dog, 165 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:07.679 and then they leave after eighteen or twenty five days, 166 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:10.519 and you see the relationship that's built between the dog 167 00:09:10.600 --> 00:09:13.240 and the person, right, and it's just it's great. I'm 168 00:09:13.320 --> 00:09:14.639 sure it's great to watch. 169 00:09:14.679 --> 00:09:16.679 It has to be heartwarming for you too, because you're 170 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:17.879 part of that process. 171 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:20.480 Oh no, agreed, Yeah, yeah, it's great. 172 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.559 I'm sure. I know from you know, talking to organizations 173 00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:29.600 that supply service dogs to veterans with PTSD, and I 174 00:09:29.639 --> 00:09:32.360 feel it's it's probably the same exact thing for someone 175 00:09:32.639 --> 00:09:35.960 who doesn't have their sight that these dogs give them 176 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:39.360 their life and give you know, the dog gives its life, 177 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:44.200 but it makes people who do things that they would 178 00:09:44.200 --> 00:09:46.639 be limited to do, and so they get to live 179 00:09:46.919 --> 00:09:49.919 their life every day because of the dog, which is 180 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:50.759 like phenomenal. 181 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:56.240 Yea, yeah, I mean I trained a gentleman and he 182 00:09:56.840 --> 00:09:58.480 and I've known them. I known for a long time, 183 00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:01.519 and he said to me, wasn't for my seeing eye dog, 184 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:03.639 I would not have I would not be the person 185 00:10:03.720 --> 00:10:07.399 I am today. Sure, and it's it's great. 186 00:10:07.600 --> 00:10:09.399 Yeah, and that must you know, it gives me a 187 00:10:09.480 --> 00:10:11.759 chill to hear it. Just but I can imagine how 188 00:10:11.799 --> 00:10:14.519 it must make you feel being so involved in that 189 00:10:14.600 --> 00:10:18.480 whole process. It's amazing. Yeah, yeah, it's amazing. 190 00:10:18.559 --> 00:10:18.960 It's great. 191 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:24.559 Yeah. So for someone who's listening and you know, thinking 192 00:10:24.600 --> 00:10:27.879 about needing a seeing eye dog, how would how would 193 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:31.039 the process how would they start the process with the 194 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:31.840 seeing eye. 195 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:36.159 Yeah, so they would have to they fill out an 196 00:10:36.200 --> 00:10:41.399 application to you know, to apply, and there's you know, 197 00:10:41.879 --> 00:10:46.279 the application, and there's certain requirements that we require along 198 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:50.639 with the application, and you know, one thing that's required 199 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:53.440 is each of our each of our students have to 200 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:56.840 have orientation of mobility. And what orientation mobility is is 201 00:10:56.879 --> 00:11:01.200 it's using a way using a king. So I mean 202 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:04.039 you can either you can either use a dog or 203 00:11:04.039 --> 00:11:06.840 you can use a kne and there's differences between both, 204 00:11:08.320 --> 00:11:12.200 but you have to have those orientational mobility skills because 205 00:11:12.200 --> 00:11:15.559 they're applicable to your when you when you're using a 206 00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:18.879 same eye dog. So you fill out, you fill out 207 00:11:18.919 --> 00:11:23.679 the application and you know, just say, you fill out 208 00:11:23.720 --> 00:11:28.399 the application and you get accepted. Part of the process 209 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:33.279 is we have an instructor come to their home environment 210 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:37.360 and they do it in person interview. So you may ask, okay, 211 00:11:37.519 --> 00:11:39.080 what do you do with the in person interview? So 212 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:43.720 as an instructor, it gives us the opportunity to see 213 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:47.559 where the individual lives, what their lifestyle is like. But 214 00:11:47.720 --> 00:11:53.080 even more importantly, it gives us an opportunity to do 215 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:57.879 a Juno walk. The instructor pretends to be a dog, 216 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:02.080 meaning they take a harness and they walk with the 217 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:05.399 individual to get one how much pole they want to 218 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:08.879 feel in the harness? And two what speed they want 219 00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:10.879 to walk? Like I mentioned earlier, pay and pull the 220 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:14.720 important criteria. Yeah, because the last thing we want to 221 00:12:14.759 --> 00:12:17.200 do is an organization, is give the dog that's too 222 00:12:17.240 --> 00:12:20.759 fast or slow or shows too little or pulls too much. 223 00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.759 Of course, so we do general walk and that also 224 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:26.679 gives us the opportunity to see how the individual you know, 225 00:12:26.759 --> 00:12:29.120 follows a lot like how do they follow lateral moves? 226 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:31.879 Do they follow lateral moves? The lateral moves, the left 227 00:12:31.960 --> 00:12:34.519 lateral moves to light, how do they do how they 228 00:12:34.559 --> 00:12:37.919 do when they're following the harness. So it's important criteria 229 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:42.320 that we as an instructor gauge from this junal walk. 230 00:12:43.159 --> 00:12:46.120 So we go and we assess them in their home environment. 231 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:50.559 Stay okay, We get all the information we need from it, 232 00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:54.639 and then when they're accepted into when they get accepted, 233 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.240 that's when the process begins when we start looking for 234 00:12:58.320 --> 00:13:01.639 a match for them. So each month, like I said, 235 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.879 a group of students from North America come to campus, 236 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.799 comes to Morristown, New Jersey, and they're trained with their dog, 237 00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:10.679 and we have we have a class every month of 238 00:13:10.759 --> 00:13:13.639 the year. So January through December we have a class 239 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:19.799 on campus. And then another thing I failed to mention 240 00:13:20.039 --> 00:13:24.639 is that you know we are we're a nonprofit organization. Yeah, 241 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.159 we we don't rely on any funding from you know, 242 00:13:28.200 --> 00:13:31.360 the government, nor do we've any funding from the state. 243 00:13:31.440 --> 00:13:33.559 It's all it's all donations funding. 244 00:13:34.519 --> 00:13:39.759 It's all donations. And the cost of a cost of 245 00:13:39.799 --> 00:13:45.279 a Seeing Eye dog is approximately from costs to create 246 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:48.559 each partnership is seventy five thousand dollars. 247 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:51.840 Yeah, yeah, I figured that. Yeah, that's that's that's a lot. 248 00:13:52.080 --> 00:13:56.440 Yeah, there's a lot of money. Yeah. And since nineteen 249 00:13:56.519 --> 00:14:01.000 thirty three and we haven't changed this. The cost the 250 00:14:01.080 --> 00:14:04.120 cost for a cost for one of our students is 251 00:14:04.120 --> 00:14:07.320 one hundred and fifty dollars for the first time and 252 00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:11.600 fifty dollars for you turning student. Amazing, and since and 253 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:16.279 since nineteen forty one, we charge one dollar for veterans. Wow, 254 00:14:16.320 --> 00:14:19.120 and that hasn't changed. That hasn't changed. 255 00:14:19.240 --> 00:14:21.360 Since nineteen forty one. That's a long time. Yeah, that's 256 00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:22.039 a long time. 257 00:14:22.480 --> 00:14:26.559 Yeah. Wow. Yeah, it's the symbol for us. It's it's 258 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:29.039 they they have they have some ownership in this. They 259 00:14:29.360 --> 00:14:32.919 they you know, they you know, paid this fee and 260 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:35.519 it's its ownership then. And that's one thing too about 261 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:39.240 the Seeing Eye is when our graduates graduate and leave 262 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:42.000 our students, they have full ownership of the dog, right, 263 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:45.440 So it's their dog. So we as an organization, you know, 264 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:47.799 that's we don't we don't retain ownership of the dog 265 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:50.639 once you'll graduate that you still all the requirements, right, 266 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:54.159 they have full ownership of the dog. And I failed 267 00:14:54.159 --> 00:14:56.519 to mention too pres the dogs, the breeds that we 268 00:14:56.639 --> 00:15:01.720 use are Labradors, Golden Retriever and German shepherds, and we 269 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:05.080 cross a lab in Golden to get a cross breed, right, 270 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:07.440 But those are those are the three predomintered breeds that 271 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:08.000 we use. 272 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:10.200 I was gonna say, is there a reason, but it's 273 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:13.879 it just seems like those are the working dogs that 274 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:16.559 seem that that can handle it, right. 275 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:19.039 And somebody asked me, like somebody asked me, is like, 276 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:21.600 why don't you use a husky? You know, you know, 277 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.519 it's it's the three breeds that we use, the lab 278 00:15:24.679 --> 00:15:28.000 Golden and the shepherds. They they're the breeds that are 279 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:31.639 you know, we feel, you know, that's best success. 280 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:33.440 Yeah, and that's what you would go by. Yeah, I 281 00:15:33.440 --> 00:15:35.399 mean why would you. It's like if you have a 282 00:15:35.440 --> 00:15:38.399 product that works, right, if you were a manufacturer of 283 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:40.759 a product, why would you change up your product if 284 00:15:40.799 --> 00:15:43.519 it works well and it works for people, right, So 285 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:47.200 you know it makes sense. No, it makes sense. And 286 00:15:47.480 --> 00:15:50.679 I know that, you know, I mean, I do know 287 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:52.919 this obviously. And I saw it also on your website 288 00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:56.639 that people can volunteer to raise the puppies. Is that correct? 289 00:15:56.919 --> 00:16:00.879 Yeah? Yeah, you're onred correct, and the puppy raisers are 290 00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:03.840 They're a huge, huge part of our mission at the 291 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:07.840 Seeing Eye. So approximately five hundred puppies are born each 292 00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:12.480 year at the Seeing Eye. And what happens is that 293 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:17.519 these puppies are born and you know, eight weeks of age, 294 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:21.919 these volunt these families, these puppy raising families volunteer their 295 00:16:21.960 --> 00:16:26.320 services and their time, energy love to raise these puppies 296 00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:28.200 and they get them. They get the dogs about eight 297 00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:31.320 weeks of age and then they come back to the 298 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:35.840 Seeing Eye and they're approximately say thirteen fourteen. These puppy 299 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:38.240 is they put all the hard work in their house, 300 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.039 breaking the dogs, the teaching the dog basic deedas and 301 00:16:41.080 --> 00:16:45.639 they're also they're also getting these dogs out into socializing them, 302 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:48.120 getting them out into the real world to see how 303 00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:51.600 they react to certain things. And what happens is in 304 00:16:51.720 --> 00:16:56.159 different geographic area and geographic areas there is a club. 305 00:16:56.679 --> 00:17:00.320 So you belong to a club of puppy raisers. Guys 306 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:03.080 meet weekly or you know every other week. And then 307 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:07.319 they do outings where they go to see they go 308 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:10.920 to New York City. And this is all important information 309 00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:14.839 for us because these families will fill out a report 310 00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:18.039 for their puppies saying and as when they come back 311 00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:22.160 to going to instruction. In the training instructors look at 312 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:25.200 these reports and they get notes from these families showing 313 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:30.599 certain things that the dog reacted to and just important, 314 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:33.519 very important information for us when we go into the 315 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:35.839 training of the dogs. And I used to say, if 316 00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:38.559 it wasn't for the puppy raisers, our ability to carry 317 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:41.319 our mission would be very difficult. It would pretty much 318 00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:45.039 be impossible because the families the selfless dedication to the 319 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:47.960 organization by raising these puppies, right, and then at you know, 320 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:50.839 thirteen fourteen months, we're saying, okay, thanks, we're going to 321 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.680 take the dog back. But what a lot of these 322 00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:55.319 families do is they repeat razors. So they raise a 323 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:56.559 dog and then the raise. 324 00:17:56.440 --> 00:18:01.079 Another one one. Yeah, now, that's amazing, you need them. 325 00:18:01.160 --> 00:18:04.000 That's that's the whole start. So of course that makes sense. 326 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:06.160 And I'm sorry because I'm not sure I heard it 327 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:09.799 on my end, right, maybe not on yours. But when 328 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:12.599 you said that they go from eight weeks and then 329 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:15.200 they bring them back to you, what was the time 330 00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:17.319 period on that, because on my end to cut out. 331 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:22.160 Oh, it was approximately thirteen to fourteen months of age. 332 00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:24.559 They come out Oh okay, wow, so they have Yeah, 333 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:26.640 so they have that puppy for like almost a year. 334 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:29.079 There's a lot of stuff they could do. Yeah, that's 335 00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:29.960 pretty incredible. 336 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:33.839 Yeah, our family, my family, we've raised a puppy and 337 00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:35.599 it was it was a great experience for my kids. 338 00:18:35.640 --> 00:18:38.440 I'm sure still you know, they still talk about it. Yeah, 339 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:41.480 and you know, you're doing something, you're doing something for 340 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.200 the greater good by of course you raising this dog 341 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:47.839 that in turn will eventually become a same I dog, right, 342 00:18:48.200 --> 00:18:48.440 And I. 343 00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:51.400 Would think that knowing that you're doing such a good 344 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:55.160 deed is bigger than oh no, I'm sad because we 345 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:58.000 have to give the dog back, right, But the bigger 346 00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:59.039 the bigger picture. 347 00:18:59.240 --> 00:19:02.720 Yeah, you know, but you're right, you're right. I mean 348 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:05.000 there's still a lot of you know. What happens is 349 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:07.480 so the the dog comes back and goes through it's 350 00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:09.599 four month of train four months of training, and then 351 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:13.160 at the end of like probably about close to the 352 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:16.880 end of the end of the fourth month, if the 353 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:19.119 dog made it, If the dog made it, and it's 354 00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:22.079 going to be matched or yeah, it's going to be 355 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:25.960 potentially matched. The family comes in. The family comes and 356 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.640 observes the dog working with the instructors. They get they 357 00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:33.079 get the Yeah, they get the the end result, which 358 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:35.119 is great, and there's oh yeah, there's tears chick of. 359 00:19:35.079 --> 00:19:37.720 Course, but of course because they're but they're part of 360 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:39.680 the process. It's like they get they get to see 361 00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:41.799 the child graduate, which is pretty cool. 362 00:19:41.880 --> 00:19:47.680 Oh yeah, yeah, and then you know, and the puppy 363 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:50.920 raisers is there's there's there's a shortage and it's it's 364 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:55.319 worldwide shortage of puppy raisers. And it seemed ever since COVID, 365 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:59.680 ever since COVID, really okay, decline and puppy raisers, and 366 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:03.640 it's huge. It's it's a huge undertaking for some family, 367 00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:08.319 right right. The reward of course, of course. 368 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:11.279 Well, I think for anyone who's listening and is in 369 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:15.160 the area, they can go to seeingi dot org and 370 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:17.279 it's right there on your website if they'd like to 371 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:20.319 be a puppy raiser. So I think, uh, because I 372 00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:22.480 know people who are listening right now, I know that 373 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:26.160 they love dogs and puppies and doing good for the world. 374 00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:28.119 So that would be really cool if we got you 375 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:32.440 some more razors. So SEEINGI dot org. So I I 376 00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:34.680 have to talk to you about this because I know 377 00:20:34.759 --> 00:20:38.279 it bothers me whenever I see someone with it, and 378 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:41.480 I'm sure it makes you crazier. You know that anyone, 379 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.559 right can go online and pay like whatever money it 380 00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:47.480 is to get a vest for their dog. So this 381 00:20:47.559 --> 00:20:50.200 way they can say, oh, this is my therapy dog, 382 00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:51.759 so they can take a dog on a plane or 383 00:20:51.799 --> 00:20:55.200 a restaurant. And that must make you as angry as 384 00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:56.319 it makes me. Correct. 385 00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:59.079 Yeah, yes, it's so wrong. 386 00:20:59.240 --> 00:21:02.000 It's yeah, no, it's just so wrong. Yeah, I know, 387 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:02.440 I know. 388 00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:05.440 You know, our graduates, they you know, they have to 389 00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.759 you know, certain things. It's you know, to go on 390 00:21:07.799 --> 00:21:11.319 a plane, they have to fill out of course paperworkane, right, 391 00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:13.920 and why you know, like why why why should they 392 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:15.400 have to fill out the paperwork? 393 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:15.640 Right? 394 00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:18.480 You know, for the Department of transmiss they fill out 395 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:21.079 a form. And you talk about like even like getting 396 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:25.720 into like the ride share like lift and Uber, the denials, 397 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:29.279 Like what happens. What's happening is, you know, they'll they'll 398 00:21:29.279 --> 00:21:32.279 pull up, they'll see somebody has a seeing eye dog 399 00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:34.480 and they just they just pull away and they deny 400 00:21:34.519 --> 00:21:37.599 them because it's having a dog, and it's it's a 401 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:41.480