Earhart

A guide dog story and questions.

Once upon a time there was a young girl whose name was Ann. She read a book called "Follow My Leader," when she was ten years old. The words in those pages had her dreaming of getting her own guide dog one day. And now she is living her dream for the fifth time.

Earhart is my fifth guide dog. Earhart and I were paired together August 10, 2015. When Adam gave the word that I would be receiving a female, black lab by the name of Earhart, I thought he had to be kidding. After all, who would name a dog "Earhart." Adam and Stephanie intoduced her to me Monday afternoon. Earhart kissed me wildly on my face and hands as she pulled Adam to my side. She was determined to clean out my right ear. I knew she was the right dog for me when Adam and Stephanie expalined that we call her "our little flier." Tears flowed. My heart felt full after hearing those words as I took her leash for the first time.

Once upon a time there was a mother dog whose name was Dolly and a father dog whose name was Mitzvah. They came together to make a family. Cindy knew that these puppies would do important work for blind people one day. Earhart and her litter mates were born on January 24, 2014 at Guide Dogs for the Blind. There were six puppies in her litter. All the names of the puppies in Earhart's litter had to begin with the letter "e" according to Guide Dog customs. Earhart's litter was Mitzvah's first family. Since this was Mitzvah's first family, Cindy (Mitzvah's foster person,) got to suggest names for the puppies. Mitzvah and Dolly's puppies were named: Elroy, Escort, Eva, Elan, Eloise, and Earhart.

Cindy keeps Mitzvah at her home for Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB). She returns Mitzvah to GDB when he is needed for breeding. She will be able to adopt Mitzvah when he retires from breeding.

Cindy is a pilot. Because she is a pilot, Cindy has a great admiration for Amelia Earhart. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. They never found her plane when she crashed trying to fly around the world years later. She was thrilled Mitzvah's litter was assigned the letter "e," so she chose Earhart as her first choice. Cindy was delighted GDB used her suggestion.

I met Cindy and Mitzvah at graduation. We were excited to meet one another. Both of us believe Earhart is the perfect name for her. Maybe, one day, I will meet Dolly and her keeper. Earhart and I will have many happy years together. Perhaps you will dream of getting your own guide dog one day after reading these words.

True or False

  1. Ann dreamed about getting a guide dog one day after reading a book about guide dogs.
    (True)
  2. Ann has had seven guide dogs already.
    (False)
  3. Ann loved the name “Earhart” right away.
    (False)
  4. Cindy told Ann that she would be receiving a female, black lab, by the name of “Earhart.”
    (False)
  5. A person might want to raise a guide dog puppy so blind people could be independent.
    (True)
  6. A person might want to keep a dog like Mitzvah so they wouldn’t have to pay for a pet dog.
    (False)
  7. Earhart is the perfect name for her because she is “a little flier,” according to Adam and Stephanie, Cindy and Ann.
    (True)
  8. Mitzvah and Dolly are Earhart’s parents.
    (True)
  9. Earhart’s litter was Mitzvah’s first family.
    (True)
  10. Cindy groaned when she heard that she had to suggest a puppy name that started with the letter “E.”
    (False)
  11. Cindy decided on the name Earhart because she had a great admiration for Amelia Earhart.
    (True)
  12. Cindy is a pilot.
    (True)
  13. Ann loves going fast so she loved the idea of Earhart being “our little flier.”
    (True)
  14. Cindy will be able to adopt Mitzvah when he retires.
    (True)
  15. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across America by herself.
    (False)