Does anyone here have experience or work with this particular program? They contacted me today regarding my dogs. I noticed on their site they breed mixes of labs and goldens- is this common practice for guide dog programs? I have no problem 'giving back' to my community, but i also do not want my dogs to end up in a puppymill- type situation.
www.guidedogs.org

Many of the pups that the puppy walkers for the Seeing Eye bring to 4-H are Lab/Golden mixes and have been so for years. In part it was to modify the working styles of both breeds and at one point it was, I believe, to try to help beat PRA. That being said, they are a different group than the Southeastern Guidedogs, Inc. I am posting a link to their site for information on their breeding practices. They do a lot of genetic testing, which led to development of PennHIP and Optigen tests, in part.

I was also contacted by this organization asking for a dog for breeding purposes. This person actually contacted me many months ago regarding a specific color, but did not say they were from an organazation or that they were looking to purchase a dog for breeding. I save e-mails for quite a while, so was able to go back and pull that up and re-read. To me, it seems odd to not state all of this from the beginning.

I do know that service dog organizations often mix breeds in their program, but have to admit that bothers me.

I have dogs that have gone to service dog organizations in the past, but not for breeding. I think of my own girls and maybe I'm wrong, but I imagine they would be stressed living with one family and then being uprooted when it comes time to whelp. All in all, its just not something I'm comfortable with.

Is this the one based in Florida? They wanted a pup out of my recent litter (pups went home last weekend)to add to their breeding program.

As we got further down the road on negotiations, I found their demands to be a bit unreasonable (they take no risk, I take all risk) so I told them it wasn't going to work out. Placed the pup in a lovely home the next day.

MWK

It's interesting that just this morning members of Huron River LRC were forwarded an e-mail from this organization soliciting information on dogs or puppies available for their "breeding colony" or to be trained for guide dogs. They are looking for both Goldens and Labs.

Personally, as attractive as it might be to have puppies in a service organizations programs, I don't think I'd want my lines inplicated in the mixing of the two breeds.

Yes, it is the organization based in FL that contacted me. After I said I wasn't interested, he said he really hated to hear that as he was also hoping for a chocolate for their breeding program from my Labradors. My thought is, why would you be interested in a specific color for this?

Seems they are contacting everyone. Wanted a chlt female, reduced or free, if free then they would give me a "Breeder Supporter" title... had no idea whether or not one would even be suited for service. When I asked @ who would be doing the training and for what type of service she said she would that she had epilepsy and preceded to send me pictures of the dogsssss she already had. They do not train these dogs then GIVE them away. They are charging close to $30,000 for these dogs and want us to give them to them for their "non-profit" program. They make it sound as if we have nothing vested in our babies. They MUST know what goes into raising happy, healthy, intelligent puppies or they would have their own show/breeding stock. It's obvious from looking at their facilities they are heavely funded...oh, and again..they want chocolates. I am getting pretty fed up with the so called "non-profits" out there. Try and adopt a puppy from a "non-profit" and expect to pay $565.00 here. Just sayin'.

I was on a site and also read about the mixing of goldens and labradors. It wasn't a name or place that you mentioned. I check my internet history to see if I can find it.

I wouldn't want mine mixed either and I don't get the desire for chocolate. Any color from healthy lines with good temperament should be what they're looking for.

Something sounds fishy. Maybe certain workers get the puppies that are drop outs and they want chocolates if they don't make it through the program.

Let them breed their own line like Seeing Eye does and start with chocolates if it's so darn important.

I would rather donate cash from the sale of a companion dog then give a puppy to an organization I know little about. JMHO.

Over the years, I have raised puppies and donated dogs to a service dog organization. I don't mind doing this from time to time. However, my donations were made in a time when there were FAR FAR less service organizations training and providing dogs to individuals in need.

These days, I'm contacted by several varying organizations each year and everyone wants a dog donated (no charge/free). I'm sorry, but with the expenses that we breeders incur to breed/raise a litter I just cannot continue to donate dogs to someone wanting to train a dog for search and rescue, cadaver work, blind/hearing, epilepsy, reading and all the other services.

We breeders incur expenses just like the service organizations. For many, funds aren't overly abundant either. Surely, my goal is to keep a pup from every litter for myself, but I do place the remaining dogs and try to cover my breeding expenses incurred and put all the extra litter money back into day to day care of the dogs (vet bills, dog food, etc.) All litter money belongs to the dogs for "their" needs. If there's not enough then I make up that difference, and YES I'm prepared and able to do so for my dogs if needed.

Maybe I'm rambling a bit, but our generousity doesn't always get the level of recognition it should given all the hard work we have put forth supporting genetic research, health clearances, etc. I do think it's time for service organizations to realize they do need to invest money to obtain the quality animals they seek for their programs.

Wow. There’s a lot of misinformation in this string. My sister shared the info on this forum because I am actively involved with this organization. So I wanted to share some facts. So…here they are. Whoever stated that Southeastern Guide Dogs is selling dogs for $30,000 is completely misinformed. And like every similar organization, breeding dogs are already part of the program but there is an ongoing search for genetic diversity which simply improves the health of their puppies. The focus of this organization is the temperament, trainability and dependability of the dog, not its’ color.



The organization – which is a registered 501(c)(3) corporation – gives the dogs it trains over approximately two years to the visually impaired. They couple this incredible gift with 26 days of on-site training as well as a lifetime of follow up services. So, as breeders, if you want your puppy to have a dramatically positive impact on someone’s life, this is the place for you! Recognizing that not every dog is cut out for guide dog service, the organization has a robust program that places the dogs in other “work” that is similarly impactful – such as specially-trained dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD. One thing they don’t do is train service dogs for people with autism, etc. so that information -- which I saw in a post -- is inaccurate. I really think your concerns would evaporate if you cruised their website (Guidedogs.org). It’s informative and gives you an idea of the professionalism of Southeastern which has been in business for 30 years and has served thousands of visually impaired people - at no charge. It’s well worth supporting in my view.

Lois White Gagne (Stonecrest)

As one of the representatives contacting breeders and as a puppy raiser and breeder host for Southeastern Guide Dogs, I want to address some concerns raised in this thread. I hope I can provide some useful information about our organization.

If you look at what constitutes a puppy mill, you will find that it bears little resemblance to the breeding program at SEGD. SEGD breeders (male and female) spend most of their lives in loving "host family" homes. It is true that the females go to the school to whelp and nurse, but that means they are surrounded by experienced professionals who help ensure that the litters are healthy and strong and that the mothers' individual needs are met. The puppies start their socialization program at an early age and go to dedicated puppy raisers at 9 weeks old. Breedings are carefully planned, and all adult dogs that do not end up in guide or other service work are adopted out to carefully screened applicants, often to the puppy raisers who nurtured and cared for them in their first year.

Unlike a puppy mill, dogs are not bred indiscriminately, and all puppies and dogs are lavished with attention, affection, and appropriate care every step of the way. SEGD is a non-profit organization and certainly does not advertise litters for sale to make a quick buck. The public is permitted to apply to adopt well-trained adult dogs who are not suitable for guide or other work, but such applicants are screened and are subject to a hefty adoption fee to discourage casual adoptions and to help defray the school's considerable investment in the dog. SEGD does not in any way use the championship lineage of any dog to try to add prestige to their program. In fact, though handsome dogs are nice (and beauty is in the eye of the beholder), the way a dog looks and the trophies its ancestors have won are the least important traits for a Southeastern guide dog.

As someone else noted, Lab/golden crosses are not unusual for service work in an attempt to harness the best qualities of both breeds, though SEGD also uses many (mostly?) purebred Labs and, occasionally, golden retrievers.

Please let me know if you have more questions.

- John Bauer, Puppy Raiser and Breeder Host, Southeastern Guide Dogs
www.guidedogs.org

I was probably the one who contacted you previously. Looking over the many emails I've sent to breeders this year, I see that the first email I sent you was the one time when I did not explain my purpose, mainly because at the time I was looking for a chocolate Lab for purchase later in the year and simply wanted a quick answer as to whether or not you had any more chocolate litters planned for later in 2011. I did not intend to be deceptive (and certainly explained all in my subsequent emails to you); I apologize if I came across that way.

Please see my later reply for *why* I was and am looking for a chocolate Lab.

- John Bauer, Puppy Raiser and Breeder Host, Southeastern Guide Dogs
www.guidedogs.org