Leader Dogs For The Blind

EMPOWERING PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED WITH LIFELONG SKILLS FOR SAFE AND INDEPENDENT DAILY TRAVEL.

GUIDE DOG TRAINING: SINCE 1939, LEADER DOG HAS OPERATED ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST RESPECTED AND INNOVATIVE GUIDE DOG PROGRAMS. THE FREE, 21-DAY RESIDENTIAL TRAINING PROGRAM WELCOMES CLIENTS WHO ARE LEGALLY BLIND, AT LEAST 16 YEARS OLD, HAVE GOOD ORIENTATION AND MOBILITY SKILLS AND ARE ABLE TO CARE FOR THEIR DOG.TRAINING IS PERSONALIZED FOR EACH CLIENT. THANKS TO SOPHISTICATED BREEDING, PUPPY RAISING AND DOG TRAINING PROGRAMS, LEADER DOG IS ABLE TO MATCH CLIENTS WITH A DOG THAT BEST FITS THEIR LIFESTYLE, TRAVEL PACE, PHYSICAL SIZE, STAMINA AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS. CLIENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAIN WITH THEIR GUIDE DOG IN A WIDE VARIETY OF SITUATIONS TO FIT THEIR CURRENT AND FUTURE NEEDS, INCLUDING URBAN, SUBURBAN AND RURAL LOCATIONS; COLLEGE CAMPUSES; BUSY STORES AND MALLS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTS.

VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM: THE LEADER DOG VOLUNTEER PROGRAM PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR VOLUNTEERS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED. VOLUNTEERS ARE INTEGRAL TO DAILY OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT LEADER DOG, BOTH LOCALLY AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IN PROVIDING LIFE-ENHANCING SERVICES TO OUR CLIENTS. VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME, ENERGY AND A VARIETY OF SKILLS AND TALENTS IN MANY AREAS OF THE ORGANIZATION INCLUDING DOG CARE, CLIENT ASSISTANCE, PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.-THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PORTION OF THE PROGRAM ALLOWS LEADER DOG TO UTILIZE VOLUNTEERS TO REACH OUT TO THE COMMUNITY PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT GUIDE DOGS, LEADER DOG OPERATIONS, AND A SENSE ABOUT WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE BLIND OR VISUALLY IMPAIRED. COMMUNITY OUTREACH IS CONDUCTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY BY VOLUNTEERS WHO ATTEND, SPEAK OR GIVE PRESENTATIONS BEFORE VARIOUS GROUPS IN SCHOOL, CORPORATE OR COMMUNITY CLUB SETTINGS.

ORIENTATION & MOBILITY (O&M) TRAINING: THE FIRST FIVE-DAY RESIDENTIAL O&M PROGRAM EMPOWERS PEOPLE BY PROVIDING THE SKILLS NEEDED TO TRAVEL SAFELY USING A WHITE CANE IN A MUCH SHORTER TIMEFRAME THAN TRADITIONAL O&M PROGRAMS. O&M TRAINING IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARD BECOMING AN INDEPENDENT TRAVELER.TRAINING FOCUSES ON CANE SKILLS AND MAINTAINING ORIENTATION WHILE TRAVELING. IT IS PROVIDED ON A 1:1 CLIENT-TO-INSTRUCTOR RATIO AND IS PERSONALIZED FOR EACH CLIENT'S INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND CAPABILITIES.THE TRAINING IS PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO ANYBODY WHO IS LEGALLY BLIND AND AT LEAST 16 YEARS OF AGE, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY PLAN TO EVENTUALLY TRAIN WITH A GUIDE DOG.

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