Farmingdale Welcomes A New Four-Legged Student

From Weldon E. Howitt Middle School: Howitt Middle School has a new student of the four-legged kind. A black Labrador Retriever puppy named Skipper. For the next year-and-a-half, Skipper will be attending school at the side of Physical Education Teacher, Stephen Messina, training to be a guide dog. Howitt’s active environment is a great training ground for a puppy that might someday provide “eyes” for a blind person—and presents a wonderful opportunity for the entire student body to participate in community service.

The idea of becoming a puppy handler came from Messina’s daughter, Jenna, who thought it was a great way to give back. Principal Pena loved the idea— and gave approval even before Messina’s wife gave the thumbs up!

Skipper is the second puppy Mr. Messina has taken in for the Guide Dog Foundation of Smithtown. His first dog, Doug, was partnered last summer with a veteran in Louisiana, whose eye site is severely diminished by diabetes.

Being a puppy handler is a big commitment that requires advanced training, bi-monthly obedience classes, and daily socialization. Handlers get their puppy at 8 weeks old, and bring them everywhere they go, into as many environments as possible. Messina says, “Pet stores are the most challenging place with all the smells, other pets, and low shelves with food.” After 14-18 months with their handler, dogs receive an additional 3-6 months of formal instruction with a professional trainer, before being matched as a guide or service dog for someone with disabilities.

Only fifty percent of puppies make it through the training to become a guide dog for a blind person. The others are placed with programs that match their strengths, like companions for veterans, or as bomb-sniffing canines.

Skipper and the children of Howitt Middle School are learning the in’s and out’s together. When the yellow vest goes on, the children know it means hands off—and Skipper is learning that the vest means it’s time to go to work. With a wink, Messina confides, “When the vest is off I can’t get down the hall! Everybody wants to pet the puppy. So, if I need to get somewhere quick, I put the vest on.”

“It really is a great opportunity for kids to learn about the process, and the meaning of the yellow vest,” says Messina. It also inspires children to think philanthropically, and incorporate like-minded community service into their own lives. He continues, “A lot of the kids say they want to do it someday, it really has a ripple effect.” Mr. Messina also hosts an after-school Puppy Club at Howitt to teach the children about what it takes to raise a guide dog puppy, and how they help people who are visually impaired.

“It’s hard to say goodbye,” said Mr. Messina, “but when you go in, you know you’ll be helping somebody, and whoever gets him needs him more than me. When we said goodbye to Doug, I couldn’t be happier. I gave him a command, and we were good, like he was going off to college. And it was just so rewarding, we decided to do it again.”

Doug was so popular at Howitt, he even made it into the middle school yearbook. Skipper seems destined to follow in his paw prints.

Images courtesy of Weldon E. Howitt Middle School:

(Image 1) Mr. Messina and Skipper with Howitt Middle School students.

(Image 2 )Skipper ready for a nap during gym class.

(Image 3) Skipper attending gym class with Mr. Messina at Howitt Middle School