Community Southeastern Guide Dogs to Hold Open House Saturday

BRADENTON — Southeastern Guide Dogs will host an open house at the organization's beautiful 35-acre campus this Saturday. Guests will learn about the creation of a guide dog, enjoy family activities and even get the opportunity to visit with some of the group's remarkable dogs in training.

Activities include a blindfold walk with a trained guide dog (ages 10 and up); Ambassador Dog meet-and-greet; dog grooming for dogs-in-training; and observing puppies learning on the puppy training trail.

There will be presentations on topics such as All About Puppy Raising, All About Guide Dogs and Guide Dog Assessment. Information tables will provide materials on becoming a puppy raiser, hosting a breeder, sponsoring a puppy or a student, volunteering, walkathons, public dog training classes, admissions and graduate services for visually impaired students.

Concurrent Event Schedule:

10:30-10:50 Creation of a Guide Dog presentation
11:00-11:15 All About Puppy Raising presentation
10:15-10:30; 11:00-11:15; and 11:45-12:00 Guide Dog Assessment Presentation
10:30-10:45; 11:00-11:15; 11:30-11:45; and 12:00-12:15 Meet a Guide Dog in Training
11:45-12:00 Graduate Speaker Corporal Michael Jernigan, USMC (Ret.), co-founder and first recipient of a Paws for Patriots guide dog
 
Southeastern Guide Dogs is internationally accredited and named as Tampa Bay Business Journal’s 2014 Nonprofit of the Year. Founded in 1982, the organization employs the latest in canine development and behavior research to create and nurture partnerships between visually impaired individuals and extraordinary guide dogs.
 
Southeastern Guide Dogs serves more than 400 graduates across the U.S. and continues to place more than 100 dogs each year into careers benefiting people with visual impairments, and veterans. The charity provides all of its services free of charge and receives no government funding.