We recently got the call from Fidelco that it was time for Yazzie to begin her formal training to be a guide dog! We got about 4 weeks notice and were able to pick a time that was good for us to bring her in for the last time. The staff did a great job preparing for the day including a final class with Yazzie’s “Y” littermates. We’ve really enjoyed getting to know our group of eight families and have made many friends. Several families have already received new puppies before the old ones had graduated! 

As hard as it was to say goodbye, we try to keep in mind that Yazzie’s mission in life is so much more than being a pet to us. The impact on someone’s life – as we learned from meeting Kristin and her dog Eva – is immeasurable. 

Yazzie will now go through a six month training program where she will have to pass 10 levels of training. Assuming she succeeds, we will get an opportunity to see her do her final walk with a blindfolded trainer before being assigned to a client.

Looking back our role was to teach Yazzie to bond with one person, develop good habits and to expose her to as many different situations as possible so she won’t be fazed by whatever the world throws at her.