Guide Dogs for the Blind


“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” -- Will Rogers

Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) has been bringing people, dogs, and communities together since 1942. Lois Merrihew and Don Donaldson founded GDB after recognizing the growing need of wounded servicemen returning home from World War II without their sight. A German Shepherd named Blondie, rescued from a Pasadena dog pound, was one of the first dogs trained in a small rented home in Los Gatos, California. Blondie was paired with Sgt. Leonard Foulk, the first serviceman to graduate from the school.
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Photo courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind
Click here for more information on Guide Dogs for the Blind.
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Photo courtesy of Guide Dogs for the Blind

GDB understands that choosing to live with a guide dog is a big decision, and they work to help everyone find the right partner. They provide small, two-week long classes, along with continued support after graduation. GDB now has two campuses, one in San Rafael, 20 miles north of San Francisco, and another in Boring, Oregon. Students spend the two weeks on campus in student residences, which have private rooms, libraries, music, computers and exercise rooms.

Through the support of donors and volunteers, GDB is able to offer all training and support at no cost to the participants, along with financial assistance for veterinary care. GDB “envisions a world with greater inclusion, opportunity and independence by optimizing the unique capabilities of people and dogs.”