Leader Dog Teaches and Learns at Bemis and Hill

There’s a new kid at Bemis and Hill Elementaries, and he’s of the 4-legged variety. Media Specialist Heidi Apol fosters puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester, and 5- month-old black lab Archie is her latest project. “I’ll keep him for 12 – 15 months and teach him about socialization through exposure to different kinds of people and situations.” Puppies are constantly learning during their first year of life, so as the puppy raiser Apol is providing Archie with the foundation and basic skills needed to begin guide dog training.

Leader dog puppies need to learn social skills as well as be exposed to different environments, people and places. “An elementary school is perfect for that, and the kids benefit from being around Archie too,” said Apol. “He stays with me in the media center, comes with me to deliver books to classrooms, assemblies and other special events in the buildings.” Students love seeing and interacting with Archie because “He’s so cute and friendly,” said Bemis 4th grader Lily Smith. Hill 5th grader Natalie Etheridge thinks it’s good to have him around, “because it helps kids without a pet at home learn to see and pet a dog, and practice being around service animals that you cannot touch.”

Archie will be returned to Leader Dogs in May of 2020 to continue his guide dog training with the goal of becoming a trusted companion to someone who is visually impaired. Students will surely miss him, and so will Apol—“It will be very hard to give him back, but I go in knowing he is not my dog and he is destined for bigger and better things.”

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Photo Courtesy of the Troy School District