November 28, 2003


Guide dogs offer the blind new leashes on life, thanks to volunteers

By Rosemarie Niles
Special to the Times

A few years ago, Louise Cate’s vocabulary matched her high-tech writing job, but today, common words like “down,” “sit,” and “stay,” fill her speech. Louise co-raises Trinka, an
all white female German shepherd puppy, for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Louise holds Trinka’s leash tight and pats the puppy’s furry neck. “Trinka, sit,” she commands.
Trinka obeys. With ears erect and long bushy tail curved, she fixes her gaze on her raiser.

Louise, a tall gray-haired resident of Almaden since 1970, flashes a dazzling smile as she talks about her favorite subject—dogs.

“Growing up as a child in Colorado, my family owned German shepherds. Later, with my husband, Henry, we raised shepherds for our children.”

Puppy sitting is daunting, and taking care of special dogs that will be trained to guide blind people can pose a unique challenge. Louise originally became interested in guide dogs one day at her work place.

“A fellow employee brought her guide dog puppy to the office. That little dog, dressed in a green coat with the words ‘Guide Dogs for the Blind’ emblazoned on it, captured my heart.”

“After my retirement while shopping, I saw another adorable German shepherd puppy in a grocery cart. He, too, had on the green Guide Dog coat. I just melted. I knew right then I
wanted to be involved with these dogs.”

Louise contacted the local Santa Clara County Guide Dogs for the Blind group, Pawsabilities. This organization checks the background of puppy raisers, holds training sessions and dispenses information.

Gina Barr, co-leader of Pawsabilities, says, “Our chapter was established 25 years ago. With enthusiastic volunteers like Louise, we continue to grow. She’s very dedicated, attends the
meetings and is dependable. She does a great job. We need more people like her.”

“You should see the huge binder I received full of instructions,” exclaims Louise. “They make sure we have excellent reference information. Three or four times a day I spend five minutes teaching Trinka basic commands such as ‘sit,’ ‘stand,’ ‘down,’ ‘stay,’ ‘come’ and ‘wait.’”

Pawsabilities examined Louise’s credentials, and her large comfortable home with its big backyard was inspected to make sure she was a good fit to care for dogs.

“I ‘sat’ several puppies before the opportunity to take Trinka surfaced. Her original raiser was unable to care for her full time, so I agreed to co-raise her half time.”

“Receiving a little puppy is akin to having a new baby in the home,” remarks Louise, her blue eyes sparkling.

“Trinka was 10 weeks old when she arrived. I took her on my lap because she wasn’t house broken yet, sat in my rocking chair, and cuddled her.”

Raising dogs takes time, patience and scheduling. Every two hours a young puppy must be let outside to ‘do her business.’

Louise laughs, “One time Trinka found out toilet paper was fun to unroll. I had to put a halt to that, but playing with an ice cube on the kitchen floor is acceptable. Between grooming,
feeding, exercising and training, I spend at least 2 hours per day taking care of her.”

As soon as all her puppy shots were completed, walking in Almaden’s Quicksilver Park became a ritual. Louise, Henry and a group of neighbors hike the trails daily.

“She loves hiking in that park,” remarks Louise. “People stop and say how beautiful she is. Then back at home I brush her coat, and that beautiful hair flies all over the backyard. She sheds a lot. No puppy is perfect, although Trinka comes close.”

She has a barking problem and expresses anxiety toward other dogs. Louise knows puppies often outgrow this. A guide dog cannot show aggression and must focus solely on the blind
person’s needs.

An allotment of $250 is given toward veterinary bills. The raiser pays for food, play toys and sometimes the kennel needed for training and transportation.

When puppies are 12 to 18 months old, they go back to San Rafael for more training and are paired with a blind person.

Louise says, “Dogs that do not make it usually become pets or have alternate careers such as search and rescue.”

According to Joanne Ritter, public relations manager for Guide Dogs for the Blind, each year 350 dogs are matched with qualified individuals. The group was established in 1942 and their services are provided throughout the U.S.A. and Canada.

“Our organization provides dogs that will be a lifelong partnership for people. The human-animal bond is mutually beneficial and dynamic,” said Ritter. “Just liking dogs isn’t enough. To be a successful puppy raiser, a person should have a good stable home life, a big backyard and experience with other dogs.”

Louise realizes Trinka is not hers and concedes, “I love her, but I’m only raising her. One day she’ll be sent back for extensive training. If she doesn’t graduate, I’ll be tempted to keep her. I try to enjoy life, look for the good things and be useful.”

Recruits are always encouraged as 800 puppies per year are born at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Campus in San Rafael, CA. The puppies are taken to eight western states to be raised by volunteers like Louise. Anyone interested can contact Pawsabilities at www.paws-abilities.org. or the Guide Dogs for the Blind at www.guidedogs.com