“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.”
– Helen Keller
Thinking of partnering with a guide dog?
- Independence
- Confidence
- Companionship
- Increased and changed social interactions
- Increased mobility
Not a client yet? Register now and learn ways to conquer barriers!
Optimal Wellness Services
Whether or not guide dogs receive graduate support from their training centers, GDH offers financial support to help individuals cope with the growing cost of veterinary and nutritional care.
A clean and healthy dog with a nutrient rich diet will provide not only unconditional love, but also optimal performance.
Optimal Wellness Program provides assistance with:
- Veterinary
- High quality dry dog food
- Professional grooming
Selecting a Training Center
The founders of GDH believed that blind and visually impaired individuals would potentially benefit from the use of a guide dog. To this day, we, at GDH firmly hold to this belief.
Although we may not provide guide dogs at this time, we continue to support the partnering and well-being of the dog and team from start to end.
Thinking about getting a guide dog?
Our Guide Dogs 808 support group has teams from different training centers who can share their training experience and their knowledge about what working with a guide dog can do for you.
The application process to any training center can be overwhelming. We will be happy to assist you in completing your application, conducting your O&M assessment and videoing you if required.
GDH can cover out of pocket costs like travel costs and training fees, if any.
GDH will be available to assist you in establishing new routes upon returning from training.
For more information, give us a call!
Orientation & Mobility (O&M)
During the course of a working relationship with a guide dog, it is natural to encounter behavioral and working concerns. For this, an O&M instructor can help to reinforce traffic training, review walks in areas with challenges and scope out unfamiliar areas to establish new routes.
The O&M instructor’s role is to assist the handler in collecting useful information about the environment and to evaluate the area making sure it is safe. During these exercises, it remains the handler’s responsibility to direct the dog.
Need to establish a new route? Contact our office for an appointment!
Words From Our Clients
“When GDH got me my first guide dog, it expanded my independence by 110%. I am now on my fifth guide dog and learning more every day.”
-Joy Nakata Muranaka, client with GD Novella,GDB graduate
“I was inspired to get a guide dog by the example of other GDH Clients. Since partnering with my first guide dog Dane, my confidence has increased greatly.”
Kaili Kameoka, client with GD Dane, GDB graduat