Guide Dogs Visit Mount Vernon

As a dog-friendly site, Mount Vernon welcomes pups and their humans to explore the estate. In early October, the estate welcomed a special group of canines from the Guide Dog Foundation. These six labs/lab mixes and a poodle practiced good behavior in challenging situations to prepare them for their future placements as guide dogs.

From left to right:

Clark: This good boy is named after Clark Kent.
Leo and Clinton: Two brothers who love to be close.
Comet: A 6-and-a-half-month-old poodle who will serve as a guide or service dog for someone who is allergic to dogs.
Camden: Currently WBAL-TV NBC Baltimore's Puppy with a Purpose
Billy: This 5-month-old visited us from the University of Maryland.
Grant: At 12 weeks old, Grant has been in-training for four weeks.

These dogs began training at 8 weeks, and will stay with their first families until they are 15-16 months. While it's hard to let them go, their handlers said, they receive frequent updates on the pups and, of course, receive another puppy to train.