Wrangler Honored by Canine Company As 2016 Guide Dog of the Year

Wrangler, a 19-month-old yellow Lab guide dog-in-training, was honored June 13 with Canine Company’s 2016 Dog the Year Award for his work as a national ambassador for Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

Canine Company President and CEO Jennifer Hill presented the award to Wrangler during a dinner following the Guiding Eyes Golf Classic.

For 14 months, puppy-in-training Wrangler appeared as a regular on the NBC Today Show to raise awareness of the mission of Guiding Eyes for the Blind and the story of its guide dogs. He garnered more than 212,000 Instagram followers and traveled thousands of miles to raise awareness about the benefits of service dogs. The show's cast, crew and viewers fell in love with the puppy as he educated them about how guide dogs transform lives.

“Wrangler captured the hearts of millions of people as he grew up before our eyes on television,” said Hill. “His happy, confident personality helped us all understand more about the important work these amazing dogs do, and we are proud to celebrate him with the 2016 Dog of the Year Award.” Wrangler received a trophy and a basket of toys and treats along with his new title.

Wrangler is now undergoing his final and formal training and Guiding Eyes hope to match him with a person who is blind or visually impaired in the fall. They will spend three weeks training together at organization’s Yorktown facility before Wrangler heads to his new home and life as a guide dog.

About Guiding Eyes for the Blind
Guiding Eyes is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides guide dogs to people with vision loss as well as service dogs to children with autism. Since its inception in 1954, Guiding Eyes has grown to be one of the foremost guide dog schools in the world, known for its accredited training programs and lifetime commitment to its graduating teams. Guiding Eyes is dependent upon contributions to fulfill its mission and provides all services free of charge.

About Canine Company

Canine Company provides at-home pet care products and services that help pet parents keep their dogs and cats safe, healthy and happy. The company offers Invisible Fence® brand pet containment systems and Manners at-home obedience training across New England, New York and New Jersey as well as mobile grooming and pet sitting in select markets. For information, call 800-818-DOGS (3647).

About Wrangler

For more about Wrangler, click here.