“Ruffles is such an amazing, enthusiastic dog and has such a heart for the work that she does,” explained Seeing Eye graduate Milissa. “Out of all of my dogs that I have worked with, I have never worked with a dog that is so responsive in terms of tail wags and excitement when receiving verbal and physical praise through petting. It is truly a joy and so much fun to work with her.”
Ruffles is Milissa’s first Seeing Eye dog and her sixth guide dog. While she originally wanted a German shepherd, she ultimately trusted The Seeing Eye to pair her with the best dog for her, and the instructors did just that.
“Ruffles is exactly what I asked for in a dog,” said Milissa.
Milissa was particularly drawn to The Seeing Eye’s training techniques, which focus on giving praise rather than using food rewards.
“I really wanted a dog that really took initiative and was enthusiastic about the work, which is exactly what Ruffles is. She is always 110% in, and she lets you know it,” Milissa remarked, noting how often Ruffles’ tail wags.
After learning to understand each other, the pair has become an excellent team. So much so that Ruffles has become very attuned to Milissa’s emotions, and when she notices Milissa being stressed at work, she insists that Milissa pet her.
“Ruffles is a super confident dog who is spunky with a lot of personality and who is so much fun to work with. I would also like to thank everyone at The Seeing Eye, as well as all the puppy raisers and donors. The work, time, and contributions put into the success of these dogs are so very much appreciated and make such a positive difference in my life as well as many others.”
