Clarence, a male German Shepherd, returned to the Seeing Eye recently to begin his formal guide dog training. His raisers shared the following favorite memories:

• Every morning after breakfast, Clarence races over for his exclusive cuddle time, determined to block the other dogs from joining in. He always made sure to get his morning hug.
• After a tough vet visit for an ear infection, we promised Clarence a treat when it was all over and got home. As soon as we walked through the door, he ran straight to the treat cabinet and stared at it expectantly. He had remembered everything and reminded us of the promise with his look. He got his treat, along with some well-earned cuddles.
• The sound of our bottom freezer drawer opening was enough to summon him from anywhere in the house. He’ll drop whatever he’s doing for a crunchy frozen ice cube treat.
• Clarence’s first encounter with the baby pool on our deck was funny. He approached it with curiosity, happy to drink from a giant water bowl, but was not thrilled when Hershey, our water-loving Labrador, climbed in. Clarence sniffed the edge, dipped one paw in, and promptly decided it wasn’t for him.
• From our backyard deck, Clarence would also observe our daughter practice her volleyball serves near the woods. He found the practice enticing and would follow back and forth while she served to nobody.
• His public transit adventure stands out as a milestone. We boarded the SEPTA train at Newark, rode two stops to Wilmington, walked to the bus depot, and took the DART bus back. Clarence handled it all with confidence and ease. I’d always been nervous about taking a puppy on public transit, but his poise made me a better raiser. With Clarence, I felt like I could go anywhere.

We wish Clarence the best of luck in his training!