"Dogs at Work"

Dogs and humans share a special bond.

The U.S. Postal Service celebrates the enduring partnership between dogs and people with the Dogs at Work issuance. This set of four stamps depicts four hard-working canines: a guide dog assisting a woman who is blind, a tracking dog on the trail of a scent, a therapy dog visiting an elderly woman in her home, and a search and rescue dog standing in a field, ready to tackle the next assignment.

Artist John M. Thompson created original paintings for the stamps, which were designed by art director Howard E. Paine.

Dogs today excel at a variety of jobs. Currently, some 10,000 guide dogs in the U.S. and Canada serve as an extra set of eyes for people who are blind. Therapy dogs, chosen for their friendly dispositions, bring comfort and joy to the elderly and the ill. Dogs that work with police and military personnel are trained to detect drugs, guns, and explosives. Search and rescue dogs speed up search efforts, increasing the odds of survival for disaster victims.

Puppy Raisers Needed

Do you love puppies?

Here is the perfect volunteer job.

Guide Dogs for the Blind, a San Rafael, California based organization that provides highly trained service animals to visually impaired people, needs volunteers to temporarily house and train its puppies.

Yes, the hardest part of the job is returning the puppy (between 13 and 18 months of age) for further training and placement with a visually impaired person.

Qualified volunteers receive their young canine charges - Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, or their mixes - around 8 weeks of age to teach them basic obedience, good house manners, and to begin introducing them to the real world. That means the pup goes with you everywhere to become familiar with life's sights and sounds.

Prepping puppies as future service animals is a lot of work, but volunteers do not do it alone. Local puppy raising clubs meet a few times each month to give volunteers guidance on proper training and socialization.



Guide Dogs is currently looking for volunteers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Washington.

Are you ready to be a Puppy Raiser?

For more information about volunteering call Guide Dogs for the Blind at 800-295-4050 or visit them online.

Canine Helpers

Not every dog is cut out to serve as a guide dog. These uniquely gifted dogs are the result of careful breeding and vigorous training. And, of course, thoughtful placement with the right owner ensures the best possible outcome for both the dog and owner.

Historically, German Shepherd Dogs were used as guide dogs because of their strong-bodies and willingness to perform tasks. Starting in the 1960's other breeds were incorporated into the guide dog training, including Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers.

Today, worldwide, the Lab is the most-used breed of dog for this work. Not only do they have a strong body and will, but also a calm, even-temper and the initiative.

Guide Dogs of America, founded in 1948, is one such organization that trains and breeds dogs to assist their owners. At 8 weeks of age the dogs go to foster homes and begin a program of early socialization, formative training, learning to be a house dog, and getting into normal public places. At 16 to 18 months they return to the school for their formal guide-dog training.

You can apply for a dog or make a donation by clicking on the above link.

Guide Dogs

There are approximately 314 million visually impaired people in the world, whose daily routines can be made easier and possible by guide dogs. Currently 1,750 Seeing Eye® dog users in the U.S. and Canada and hundreds of organizations around the world that offer this specialized form of training and assistance.

The Seeing Eye is one such organization.

Since 1929, The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey, has partnered with people who are blind who seek to enhance their independence, dignity, and self-confidence by providing them with and instructing them in the use of Seeing Eye dogs. On their 60-acres of land in the Washington Valley, about 325 dogs reside and train to be seeing-eye dogs.

All of the dogs used at The Seeing Eye are bred within the program. Every dog is specifically matched to meet the individual needs of each student. Matches are made based on handler/dog compatibility in strength, pace, temperament, and home environment.

The Seeing Eye matches about 270 dogs with blind or visually impaired owners each year. The program involves a 90-day, 12 class training program, where the dogs train in a variety of situations. The owners also go through a three to four week course. After these weeks and months of rigorous training are complete the dog and owner can return home together.