The Seeing Eye

Hello! We are The Seeing Eye, and we have a very special job. We are the oldest guide dog school in the entire world. Our mission is to help people who are blind or have low vision to live more independent lives. We do this by breeding, raising, and training amazing dogs to be their partners and guides. Our story began with a young man named Morris Frank. He wanted more freedom to go where he pleased. He learned about a dog trainer named Dorothy Harrison Eustis, who was working with dogs in a new way. Together, they decided to create a school to train guide dogs in America. On January 29th, 1929, we were founded in Nashville, Tennessee. This was the start of a new kind of partnership between humans and dogs.

Creating a Seeing Eye® dog is a long and careful journey that starts even before a puppy is born. We have our own special breeding program to make sure we have healthy and intelligent dogs. We often work with breeds like German shepherds and Labrador retrievers because they are great at this job. When the puppies are young, they don't stay with us. Instead, they go to live with volunteer families called "puppy raisers." For about the first year of their lives, these families give the puppies lots of love and care. They also teach them basic commands and how to behave politely in a home and in public. This early experience is very important for their future work.

After their time with a puppy raiser family, the dogs come back to us for the next stage of their education. This happens at our campus in Morristown, New Jersey. Here, the dogs begin four months of formal training with our professional instructors. This is where they learn the specific skills needed to be a guide. Our instructors teach them how to safely lead a person, navigate around obstacles on sidewalks, and stop at curbs. One of the most important skills they learn is called "intelligent disobedience." This means that if their human partner gives a command that would lead them into danger, like stepping into traffic, the dog knows to disobey the command to keep them safe. It’s a crucial part of their training.

Once a dog has completed its training, the next step is to find the perfect human partner. We don't just give a dog to the next person on our list. We think very carefully about creating the right team. We call this the matching process. We consider many things about the person, such as their lifestyle, how fast they typically walk, and even their personality. Then, we look for a dog whose energy and temperament would be a great fit. After we make a match, the person comes to our campus for several weeks. During this time, the person and their new dog train together every day. They learn how to communicate, how to trust each other, and how to work as a seamless team. Our job doesn't end when they leave. We are committed to supporting every team for the entire life of the dog.

Today, we are proud to continue the mission that started so long ago. Over the years, we have matched thousands of teams. These partnerships have given people who are blind or have low vision greater independence and mobility, allowing them to travel safely and confidently. The dogs also provide wonderful companionship. Besides training and matching, our work also involves educating the public about what guide dogs do and why they are so important. We also advocate for the rights of people with guide dogs, making sure they can access public places like stores, restaurants, and buses, just like anyone else. We are honored to have pioneered the guide dog movement in North America and to continue helping people form these life-changing bonds.