CORONADO, Calif. —
A black lab named North just earned his diploma from Guide Dogs of America. He is now settling in at his new home with his new owner, who is legally blind. Now, the family is raising another puppy.
Aylee is a yellow lab who is learning how to become a guide dog for the blind. Grace Skaalen and her family are raising Aylee as a part of the volunteer program for Guide Dogs of America.
“We wanted to give back to the community,” said Skaalen. “We know people who have had guide dogs - service dogs who have benefited so much from them.”
The family already knows how rewarding it is after successfully training North.
“It was really fun. A lot of emotions,” said Skaalen. “It was fun to see how far he came, to see he really did it, because some days we wondered. It’s super rewarding to finally see them in the harness working.”
Though Aylee's training is going well, she’s still a puppy. Skaalen admits saying “goodbye” some day to Aylee will be hard.
“How do you let go of a dog you’ve become so attached to?” said Skaalen. “You have to go in knowing it’s for a greater cause. It’s really a blessing to impact someone so positively. You’re literally changing their life.”
Aylee will remain with her Coronado family for a year and a half.