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Stages of the Seeing Eye Dog’s Journey

A Seeing Eye graduate laughs as she holds her Seeing Eye dog, a yellow Labrador retriever.

Stages of the Seeing Eye Dog's Journey

A golden retriever snuggles her newborn puppy.

Stage 1: The First Weeks

Seeing Eye puppies are born and spend their first weeks of life at The Seeing Eye’s state-of-the-art breeding facility.

A yellow Lab puppy wearing a puppy raising bandana.

Stage 2: Puppy Raising

Each Seeing Eye puppy is placed with a loving volunteer family whose role is to teach them house manners, basic obedience and socialize them to prepare them for the world.

A male instructor embraces the yellow Lab/golden cross he is training.

Stage 3: Training

Each Seeing Eye dog spends four months training with a guide dog mobility instructor before being matched with a person who is blind.

A golden retriever wearing a Seeing Eye harness, guides his handler.

Stage 4: Career

Seeing Eye dogs are about two-years-old when they embark on their careers with their new handlers.

A yellow Lab/golden cross swims in a pool in retirement.

Stage 5: Adoption (Retirement)

When our graduates choose to retire their dogs, they become beloved pets. 

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