When I was a little girl, I was on an outing with my mother and we saw a very dignified blind man with his German Shepherd guide dog.  I tugged at my mother’s shirt and said to her, “Mommy, I wish I was blind so I could have a German Shepherd!”  Be careful what you wish for…

While in high school, I began to lose my eyesight.  It has been a slow process: giving me time to reflect over all the things that I will miss when the pinhole I currently see through finally dissolves.  I am losing my vision to Retinitis Pigmentosa.  I now realize just how much the German Shepherd meant to the man I saw as a child.  The dog gave him his independence and added to his dignity.

In 2004, I was introduced to a working guide dog team, and although I have considerable experience raising, showing and training German Shepherds, I had not yet realized the independence and assistance a guide dog could provide for me personally.  A brief demonstration was all it took for me to realize that I wanted to travel with a canine partner.  However, I had just given birth to my brand new baby daughter and was unable to leave home for the four weeks required by most traditional guide dog training facilities.  With the help of other visually impaired guide dog users, I began teaching my three-year-old German Shepherd, Admiral, how to perform basic guide dog tasks such as avoiding obstacles and stopping for changes in elevation.  I used my skills as a trainer and my innate talent with dogs to continue Admiral’s guide dog training.  Thank goodness Admiral is a fast learner - I appreciate the independence he has given back to me.

Exhilarated by my own success with Admiral, I developed a dream of bringing the same gift of independence and confidence to other visually impaired individuals.  I reason there must be other low-vision or blind persons in our geographic area that, for a variety of legitimate circumstances, cannot attend traditional, out-of-home training programs.  Family obligations, professional commitments and secondary health conditions should not deprive someone of the opportunity to work with a guide dog.  Thus, the concept of the OccuPaws Guide Dog Association was born with our motto “Harnessing Independence Through Teamwork.” 

- Nicole Meadowcroft 

           

After much hope, many prayers and the grace of the good Lord, certified guide dog instructor, Doug Weil, joined the OccuPaws' family and successfully trained and placed OccuPaws' first guide dog team in December of 2006 - Nicole and her Guide Dog Dale.  Miracle dog, Dale, a black Labrador Retriever, was donated to the program by Ann Garmon of Anthem Labradors in Harvard, IL.  Doug and Ann have made significant contributions to the development and success of the OccuPaws' program.  They gave us a chance, and because of their compassion and dedication for changing lives, OccuPaws has  grown into a valuable asset to Wisconsin's blind and visually impaired community.

Nicole and Dale are now a seasoned, working team and they continue to be ambassadors for the OccuPaws' in community training program.

 

Member - Middleton Chamber of Commerce