The Seeing Eye, Inc. is the oldest guide dog school in the United States and is located in Morristown, NJ. Since 1929, The Seeing Eye has partnered with people who are blind who seek to enhance their independence, dignity, and self-confidence through the use of Seeing Eye dogs. More than 15,000 of these specially bred and trained dogs have brought a new level of mobility, safety, and self-sufficiency to almost 8,000 men and women- wow!

In 1942, The Seeing Eye joined forces with the 4-H Youth Development program, placing puppies in 4-H homes to be raised until they were old enough to begin their formal training as guide dogs for the blind. The Seeing Eye breeds its own German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever crosses. When Seeing Eye puppies reach the age of 7 or 8 weeks, they are delivered to the homes of volunteer “foster families” who nurture and care for their charges until they are about 16 to 18 months old. Families give the dogs abundant affection, teach them basic obedience, and expose them to a variety of social situations they will later encounter as working dogs. Many of these volunteer families have children, while a number of retired adults also volunteer their time for our puppies.

The puppies return the Seeing Eye at about 16 to 18 months of age to begin the next steps in their training. They then begin formal training and learn how to guide. After 4 months of training, they are ready to be placed with a blind person to spend their working years helping provide independence and dignity for their blind masters.

“I See For You” - the Passaic County Puppy Club is one of 48 clubs in NJ, PA, DE, and NY that raises these puppies for the Seeing Eye. Puppy Raisers are individuals and/or families that teach basic obedience, socialize, raise, and most importantly, LOVE, these pups from 7 weeks of age until the puppy returns to the Seeing Eye to begin its formal training.

“I See For You” Puppy Club is partnered with the Seeing Eye and the local 4-H Youth Development Program. 4-H clubs engage children to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development. The name 4-H represents four personal development areas of focus for the organization: head, heart, hands, and health!

Club meetings are held twice a month and in addition to meetings, the club also plans many outings to give the pups as much exposure and socialization as possible to become a successful guide dog. When you receive your puppy the first thing you need to start training on is Housebreaking as well as basic obedience. As they get older they begin to get better with their obedience commands: Forward, Sit, Down, Rest, Come, etc.

For more information about becoming a puppy raiser, consult our Seeing Eye Area Coordinator for Passaic County, Janet Farmilette. For more information, e-mail the Puppy Placement Department at puppyraisers@seeingeye.org

4-H Mission Statement
"The Rutgers Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development Program uses a learn-by-doing approach to enable youth to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to become competent, caring, and contributing citizens of the world. This mission is accomplished by using the knowledge and resources of the land-grant university system, along with the involvement of caring adults."

4-H Non-discrimination statement
The 4-H Youth Development Program is part of Rutgers Cooperative Extension. 4-H educational programs are offered to all youth, grades K-13, on an age-appropriate basis, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or disability.

"I Pledge my Head to clearer thinking, my Heart to greater loyalty, my Hands to larger service, and my Health to better living, for my club, my community, my country, and my world." - 4-H Pledge.

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