New Lenox couple preparing lab puppy to become guide dog

The New Lenox couple will leave Ellie, a black Labrador who will have stayed with them for a year, there. Ellie will be primed to do bigger and better things — likely becoming a guide dog for the blind.

The Evans family is doing preliminary training of Ellie but that time is ending.

Will there be some tears shed when it time to part ways with for Ellie?

But in this case, the good of being a puppy raiser for the Leader Dogs for the Blind organization will outweigh the emotions of saying goodbye.

“I’m going to be prepared by taking Kleenex on the trip, that’s for sure,” Jennifer Evans said.

But Evans knew that this is part of the deal.

“We never considered her our dog,” she said. “This is for somebody who needs a dog more than we do.

“We always knew what we were getting into. This was how I’ve chosen how to volunteer to help others. My goodness, to know we’re going to impact someone’s life with this dog will make it worth it in the end.”

Evans said that Ellie will got through four-to-six more months of training in Michigan with three possible outcomes.

The best bet is that she will be assigned to a blind client.

There is also a chance that she could be used for breeding to bring other potential guide dogs into the world.

And, if any medical issues are found, Ellie will become someone’s well-trained family pet.

The Evans family picked up Ellie when she was eight weeks old. Now that she is eight months old, Ellie is wiser.

“She is progressing beautifully in her training and has a very chill and sweet personality,” Jennifer Evans said. “Ellie goes everywhere with us when shopping, eating out, on trips.

“But while all the training is very much important, house manners are also just as important. When working out in public, we are easily recognized by her blue Leader Dog jacket with patches on it and always have our paperwork with us identifying myself and Ellie.”

Evans retired from full-time nursing and that gave her time for this endeavor. The family has loved having dogs as pets, so this was a natural fit.

When the Evans’ daughter, Grace, swam for the Joliet Jets and Lockport High School, Jennifer Evans got to know some swim parents who were involved in raising guide dogs and found the project rewarding.

Now that Jennifer Evans is in the middle of this initiative, she said she hopes others will get involved. She said everyday people can help those in need by becoming puppy raisers.

“If you had a dog before, it’s not that tough,” she said. “If you raised a puppy from a young age all the way up, you’re probably going to have an easier time of it and have a little more success quickly.

“But, it doesn’t mean that someone who has never had a dog could not be successful, too. Leader Dogs prepares their puppy raisers well.”

That includes detailed manuals, internet information and numbers to call for expert advice.

Evans said that in many instances puppy raisers will be kept abreast of what is going on with their dogs after they depart, including getting to meet and talk with the blind client the dog will serve.

She said the best part is that there is no charge to the clients for the dogs.

“When you consider all of the training that goes into this, these dogs are worth $50,000,” she said.