We ran the 5K option of the 1st Annual Mutt Strut today at a park near downtown Los Angeles. Rarely do we have the opportunity to raise money for a good cause while also getting a great workout but this was both. The California Council of the Blind organized the event with our friend Melissa Hudson (the one who is blind yet climbed Mt Baldy) as the Chairperson. There were lots of guide dogs with their owners, but there were also plenty of sighted people there to show support and help fund raise.
We arrived earlier than we needed to, but that gave us a great chance to mingle with the crowd and to ask questions about guide dogs, which are truly amazing animals.
Anya
One of the first working dogs we saw was Anya, a dog we’ve met before. Anya is Melissa’s dog and is a beautiful and patient black Labrador. Anya is also nearly ten years old and will retire soon after many years of great service that allows Melissa to move about Los Angeles much like anyone else. The training these dogs receive is long and intense and only a little more than half of the candidate dogs make the cut to be guide dogs for the blind.
Dusty Rose
Though Labradors are a popular choice, there are several breeds trained to guide the blind. We talked to the owner of a beautiful Golden Retriever, Dusty Rose, a 2 year old that was raise in Palm Springs, to the east of Los Angeles. Dusty Rose was new to her career as a guide dog but still showed the incredible discipline that makes these dogs so perfect for the task. The amount of freedom these dogs give to the blind is amazing.
Hazel
Alongside the working dogs we also met the dogs that are in the middle of their training. Hazel was a thirteen-month-old Golden Labrador that was coming near the end of her training. While she wore a vest that indicated her ‘trainee’ status, she was as patient and under control as the dogs we saw with many more years of experience. If you want to know more about how this program works, go to the Guide Dogs for the Blind website for information.
We’ll be sure to attend next year’s event as we had a great time and met some exceptional people.
maximum adventure 
September 11, 2011 at 4:54 pm
I direct a 3 mile run in NJ that raises $ for the local animal shelter (St Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center). I really started it because my dog loved to run and race and she was not allowed in many races…It’s called the Hounds and Harriers Run and being held for the 15th year on October 8. It is limited entry and you MUST have a canine partner. About 30 spots left as of Sept 11 (take 150). Last year we hit a cumulative total of over $100,000 for the cause. If you live in the NY area and have been dying to find an event like this contact me or go to the website http://www.HoundsandHarriers.com.