A golden retriever named Dusty trained in downtown Clarkston by local resident Linda Britton is now a full fledged Leader Dog for the Blind.
Last September, The Clarkston News featured a story about the pup and Britton. Last week, Britton wrote to CNews to inform us of Dusty’s accomplishment.
‘Please advise Andrea B. that the future Leader Dog of the Sept. 25, 2013, Clarkston News article is now a Leader Dog,? wrote Britton.
In last September’s article, the News wrote how Dusty and Britton strolled city streets and a variety of public places, from parks to schools, while in training.
Britton taught Dusty patience and how to be invisible while in public places like a restaurant.
Dusty also had to learn how to handle noises and crowds, all while being obedient and calm.
In addition to his training in the real world, Dusty was also trained at the Leader Dogs for the Blind facility in Rochester. Dusty’s human companion also trained at the facility to work with his leader dog.
Dusty now lives far away from Clarkston, with Adrian Ramos.
‘They live in Oklahoma,” Britton said.
Britton and her husband have trained several leader dogs over the years. She mentioned dogs are also trained for a prison program in which minimum security prisoners get to train a leader dog.
For more information visit www.leaderdogforblind.com.
-Andrea Beaudoin