Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Sparkle is a Seeing Eye dog!

Sparkle has graduated from the Seeing Eye and is fulfilling her destiny.

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Sparkle is a Seeing Eye dog!

POSTED: Tuesday, October 30, 2012, 11:58 AM
George Carter

We just got the letter, along with an official picture, telling us that Sparkle is now a Seeing Eye dog!  She has completed training with her new owner and has gone home on the train to Massachusetts to start her new life of service. Betsy and I could not be prouder!

It's not so quiet around the house though, because last week, we got a new dog -- to keep. Sparkle's mom, Velma, the Seeing Eye puppy we raised from 2008-2009, was officially retired. I picked her up last Monday, and she and Porter are now having the time of their lives renewing their old friendship. I do believe we have come full circle!

I hope everyone has come through the hurricane safely, with their pets. I managed to get Porter and Velma out on a few carefully timed short walks and have the multiple soaked-through blue jeans and raincoats to prove it!
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Comments  (2)
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:49 PM, 10/30/2012
    That is a great accomplishment! I am sure it takes a lot of training for her to become a seeing eye dog. May she serve her new companion well.
    — Ohmy
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:17 PM, 10/30/2012
    It is always a good feeling when graduation day comes. It is also great when you get to have a "homecoming" of one of the pups that you have raised. We have raised 5 pups for Guide Dogs for the Blind, with 3 having gone on to be working guides, and 1 who is a breeder.....currently gestating with a due date in December. We got involved in puppy raising because my wife has had 2 guides from GDB, and we wanted to give back a little in honor of those who gave of themselves so she could be more independent. We did consider The Seeing Eye in 2001 when first looking to obtain a guide for her, but settled on GDB because we live only 3 hours from the Oregon campus. Enjoy having Velma back, and we hope you continue to raise pups to be successful guides. Our best to you.
    The Smiths, with:
    Mariah, retired guide
    Roanna, working guide
    Unknown guide pup, who we will recieve tomorrow night from the puppy truck. This will be pup #6.
    — Todd Smith


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About this blog
George Carter, The Inquirer's weekend national/foreign editor, has always counted dogs among his closest companions. According to family lore, he learned to walk by clinging to the side of a saintly patient mutt named Spanker. In turn, one of his earliest hazy memories is of tossing treats to the family dogs gathered expectantly on the porch of their Maryland farmhouse. It was only natural then, that when George saw a newspaper ad looking for families to raise puppies for the Seeing Eye of Morristown, N.J., he bit at the chance. From the start, it has been a family project, with teenage daughter Betsy as the official puppy-raiser. First there was Porter, a big-hearted yellow Lab born on Memorial Day 2004. A few years later, the Carters raised Velma, a gorgeous Lab/golden cross. Just a couple weeks ago, Velma's 7-week-old daughter Sparkle arrived as the latest family charge. George, Betsy and mom Cathy are thrilled that Sparkle is from Velma's very first litter. You can reach George Carter at 215-854-2411 or by clicking here. Reach George at gcarter@phillynews.com.

George Carter
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