Many Seeing Eye puppy raisers choose to bring their pups to New York City for either a club outing or a family trip to allow them the opportunity to experience and be exposed to the busy atmosphere before they are in formal training. For the Sneider family and Emme, the German shepherd Seeing Eye dog they raised, it was a worthwhile trip!
“We live on a farm in rural Sussex County. Emme had lots of experience with big trucks, tractors, other animals, ponds, woods, farm fields, soccer games, and Mountain Creek Resort,” explained Melissa Sneider.
When Emme turned eight months old and was deemed city-ready, the Sneider’s planned their outing to the Big Apple with stops including a train ride into Penn Station, walks around Midtown and Times Square, and even a visit to the Natural History Museum.
“Emme led the way the entire time. Not batting an eyelash at the crowds, city traffic, crosswalks, loud noises, and construction.”
The Natural History Museum was especially welcoming, allowing Emme to explore all the exhibits with her puppy raising family.
“Emme did not hesitate at all with the large animals, nor dinosaurs exhibited throughout the museum. She was confident, brave, and kept an eye on my 11-year-old daughter, who handled her the entire time. I knew she would do well, but she impressed me so much.”
The Sneider’s trip was a complete success for them, allowing them to explore the city and also for Emme to show off all her skills, which would later help her become a working Seeing Eye dog.
“Seeing Eye puppies are different than other dogs,” Melissa said. “When I say Seeing Eye Dogs are different, it is because I didn’t worry if Emme could handle the huge change from country life to city life. She was bred to do what she did, and she handled it like she had done it many times before.”
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