Puppy Story

Reflection on Club Meetings... Carol Miner

I have been a member of Eyes of Hope for just over seven years. It’s been a pleasure to see the club grow over the years – there are so many new members, already dedicated and enthusiastic. It seems that with each meeting there is a new face and several new puppies.
I haven’t had a puppy for several months now. Sometimes I miss a few meetings and when I come back I am always struck anew with the awesome work that is going on there. With over forty puppies and many more people in that one room there could be bedlam. But there isn’t. And it’s remarkable. I haven’t had experiences in other areas, but it seems to me that a Seeing Eye training meeting is the only place where so many dogs could be so close together without fur flying and ceaseless barking.

What happens instead of chaos is amazing. Thanks to the efforts of Janet Keeler and Carmella Passaro, and more recently Kim Geczi, order reigns. If you’re reading this you’ve probably come to meetings often enough to know the drill. Dogs and handlers walk together three or four at a time, then in two groups. They practice commands – sit and down, rest, and come-and-sit as well as basket weaves and figure eights there are always announcements about upcoming activities, sometimes followed by cookies to recognize a puppy’s return to The Seeing Eye for training.

Training meetings are important. They are not just a time for socializing – for people or puppies. They are a time to learn how to better work with your puppy and sometimes to be alerted of a problem and how to deal with it. Janet and Carmella are always there to help and encourage you; more experienced puppy raisers are there to be a good example for you. I f seven years is enough to make me an “old-timer” then I can speak with authority - attending training meetings is one of the most important parts of raising a puppy, especially for some of you new puppy raisers.

Thanks for filling up that room.