A Day at Leader Dogs for the Blind

Dining in the Dark

As I tried to identify the ingredients in my Caesar salad, I heard a woman at our table say, “This isn’t working. I’m just not going to eat my salad tonight. I might pick up something later at the restaurant.” Her response to being without sight—even briefly—made me think about what independence requires for someone who is blind. For many people, that independence comes from learning to use a white cane or working with a Leader Dog to navigate a complex, constantly changing environment.

Our day at the Leader Dogs for the Blind campus in Detroit, Michigan, had been filled with lessons about the program and conversations with clients who receive its services at no cost. It ended with a Dining in the Dark supper. Before we began, a staff member gave us brief instructions: “Once you pull your mask down, you will be in total darkness. Your experience will be similar to someone who is blind, with one exception: You can take your mask off, and things pretty much return to normal for you.”

There was plenty of laughter during the meal, including jokes about where the butter was and which side of a knife was sharp. Yet experiencing Dining in the Dark after a full day on the Leader Dogs campus added a powerful exclamation point to more than eight hours of seminars, lectures, tours, and client panels. More than 110 members of several Lions clubs had been invited to the summer program after their clubs earned Top Dog Club status for their continued support of Leader Dogs.

By the time dessert arrived, almost everyone was waiting for permission to remove their masks. Then I heard someone say, “Well, that table has their masks off. I guess it’s OK to remove ours.” That was all it took for the more than 45 people in the room to return to their comfort zone—a place where no one had to remember where the water glass was or whether a fork had slipped to the two o’clock position on the plate. Many Lions clubs sponsor Dining in the Dark events as fundraisers for Leader Dogs. Dessert, by the way, was tiramisu, and it was finally appropriate to ask for another fork to finish the meal.

The Leader Dogs Campus

When we arrived on the 14 acre campus, the first order of business was to give the guests for the day a bit of education on Leader Dogs for the Blind.

            Leader Dogs CEO, Melissa Weisse led off with a welcome and a short 30,000 foot look at Leader Dogs for the Blind. “We believe everyone deserves independence and mobility. Thanks to generous donor support, all our programs for people who are blind or low vision are provided free of charge, including instruction, equipment, room and board, and travel to our campus. This removes financial barriers and ensures that life-changing services are accessible based on need, not ability to pay.”

            “From white cane instruction to pairing individuals with a Leader Dog, we provide the skills, instruction, and support people need to navigate the world with freedom and confidence. Our approach opens doors to new possibilities and lasting independence.”

Staff members also explained how someone becomes a Leader Dogs client. An applicant completes the online form at LeaderDog.org and submits a doctor’s assessment. Leader Dogs then determines whether the applicant may qualify for its services. If accepted, the client’s experience—including flights, room, and board for a trip to the campus—is provided at no cost. Because every client has different needs, Weisse said, “There is no cookie-cutter experience. Our professional staff want to provide a great experience, and of course we also want to provide what that client needs as we work toward our goal of doing what is right.”

Touring the Campus

            A 2-hour block of time was allowed to tour the Leader Dogs campus. There were several groups and the tour included a tour of the residents’ area where there are comfortable rooms for clients. Attached to the residential area is a complete dining area. Each table has a large, lazy Susan in the middle to make dining necessities like salt & pepper, catchup if needed and other condiments available for everyone sitting at the table. Small brail signs help clients to identify their spot and on the back of every chair is a bracket for parking a white cane.

Next, we toured the Canine Development Center, where breeding, veterinary care, training, and harness fitting take place. Leader Dogs for the Blind breeds its own dogs. After birth, puppies typically spend about a year with a host family. If all goes well and the puppy adapts successfully to family life, it returns to Leader Dogs for additional training and may eventually be matched with a client. Our guide explained that only 35% of the dogs bred become Leader Dogs. Dogs that do not enter the program are still highly sought after by other organizations, including police departments seeking canine assistance and nursing homes seeking companion animals.

            As part of our tour of the Canine Development Center, we were able to take a test walk blindfolded with an ambassador dog and a trainer. Even though our experience was not long it was helpful in giving us the experience of a leader dog for someone who is blind.

            In the Development Center there was a surgery center, several neighborhoods where dogs were kept during their training process and even a harness making area. Leader Dogs tries to do as much in house as possible to control the price and the quality of the products that are provided.

            Our last experience gave us a chance to see what it is like to use a cane for assistance. Jeff Hawkins, a Leader Dogs alumni, gave us a bit of “White Cane 101” in his words, and then we put on our masks and tried to negotiate a corner. Once again it was such a relief to pull off the mask and get back to normal.

An Absolutely Awesome Experience

To learn more about Leader Dogs for the Blind, visit LeaderDog.org. The organization’s results over 87 years show the reach of its programs: 16,067 clients have received Leader Dog Training; 1,841 clients and an additional 27 teen clients have received Orientation and Mobility Training; and 323 clients have attended Teen Summer Camp. Altogether, Leader Dogs for the Blind has served more than 18,000 clients.

Author’s note: On the flight home, I reflected on my Leader Dogs experience and realized there was no better way to describe it than absolutely awesome. Juanita Lillie, chair of the Leader Dogs Alumni Board, explained why: “Leader Dogs for the Blind is not about dogs. It’s about a life-changing experience for those who need their services.”