August 17, 2005

Leader Dogs get paw in the door

Great Wolf Lodge changes pet policy to allow Leader Dogs in training into building

By Carol South
Herald contributing writer

       Raising and socializing a future Leader Dog means taking it everywhere - sometimes even where it is not at first welcome.
      This summer, JoAnne McDonald, a puppy counselor from the Flint area, transformed initial reluctance and a firm, company-wide "No Pets" policy at the Great Wolf Lodge into a learning opportunity for hundreds.
      McDonald and Lee Doll, a puppy handler from Birch Run, brought four dogs to the lodge Sunday for an outreach event that was also open to the public. Guests of all ages petted the dogs, picked up literature about the Leader Dogs for the Blind program, learned about the organization's puppy raising program and checked out a photo display of puppy handlers around the state. The event also included a story time for children in the afternoon.
      In addition, children played a variety of games wearing a blindfold so they could experience a slice of visually impaired life. These games included determining letters from their shape, stringing differently shaped and textured objects together and then duplicating it on another string and matching textures to complete a puzzle.
      "To be blind, you can't really use your eyes, you have to use your feel or smell or ears," said Ryan Andrusz, 10, of Rochester after completing a textured puzzle blindfolded.
      McDonald brought her future Leader Dog, Murray, a seven month old German Shepherd, to the lodge in late June for a vacation. Before getting approval to bring Murray, she had to educate staff about the dogs and program. The final OK eventually came from the corporate office.
      During her family's stay, where the dog and handling were closely observed, reluctance turned into enthusiasm - and an invitation to return and share with others.
      "The leader dogs did come in on Sunday and we viewed it as a great opportunity - we definitely are in favor of education, especially being a family resort," said Jennifer Marion, assistant director of guest services for Great Wolf Lodge. "It was very well received."
      McDonald is thrilled at the opportunity that opened up at Great Wolf Lodge.
      "We finally got our four paws in the door with the lodges," she said. "It's a pretty big deal for the Leader Dog program, something we've never been able to do with these lodges."
      Puppy handlers in the Leader Dogs for the Blind program, which is based in Rochester, typically raise a puppy from six to eight weeks of age until the dog is 12-15 months old. These volunteers take the Labrador, Golden Retriever or German Shepherd puppy everywhere with them. They also work with puppy counselors, such as McDonald, in their region, gathering for group training sessions regularly.
      "We do parades, go to dinner theaters, go sailing on sailboats, go to parks and have picnics," said McDonald, who is raising her 15th puppy. "We go to zoos and circuses- we try to do as much as we can to get them acclimated."
      "They want them to go just about every place you go, everyplace a blind person is going to go," she added.
      The Lion's Clubs in Michigan are huge supporters of the Leader Dogs for the Blind program. The cost to train a Leader Dog is more than $35,000 per dog by the time it is placed. All dogs in this non-profit organization are given to their visually impaired owners for free.
      "If it wasn't for the Lions Club, there wouldn't be any Leader Dogs," McDonald noted.
      Leader Dogs for the Blind breeds many of the puppies that eventually become Leader Dogs. The training and socialization puppies receive in a family environment for a year is a great asset to the organization - these puppies have an 80 percent success rate. This compares to a 30 percent success rate for donated dogs.
      "I thank God all the time for these puppy raisers, because their job is 24 hours a day, seven days a week taking care of these puppies," McDonald said.
      For more information on the Leader Dogs for the Blind program, contact the organization toll free at 888-777-5332 or at their website www.leaderdog.org