Christina: [00:00:00] Welcome to the taking the lead podcast where we empower people to be unstoppable. I'm Christina Hepner with my cohost, Leslie Hoskins in Timothy Cuneio. Hello guys. How are you both
today?
Leslie: Hello, Oh,
come on.
Timothy: [00:00:20] Snowmageddon.
Christina: Oh, you know, it's funny. And here in Michigan, we did not get any snow it's cold, but we didn't get any snow.
So the shelves should have came to me.
Leslie: Yeah, hold her there. So what happens? It's snowed. What maybe an inch or so
Timothy: we got four, we got four inches. We got four inches. It was [00:00:40] terrible. It was
Leslie: terrible. Wow.
Timothy: And I had the production crew here on a Sunday for leader dogs for the blind filming me. So there's going to be snow everywhere in the film.
Th they'll probably believe I'm in Michigan, but actually I'm in Georgia. It really snows there once in a while. Yeah. [00:01:00]
Christina: Timothy, we're going to talk about why that production crew, is there a little bit? Our biggest event dinner in the dark is coming up in March. We were hoping to have a hybrid event, both in-person and virtual, but we've had to move it fully virtual and Timothy is our keynote speaker.
So that's why the production crew was there. So [00:01:20] excited for everybody to hear story. And now everyone from around the country can attend because it's virtual. I'm excited because my dog at home can attend. So, you know, when we're hybrid and I'm there in person, I can't bring them.
Leslie: It's a win-win that way it is Lord guests this
Christina: way.
Yes. So we're super excited. [00:01:40] Tickets are on sale. Now, if anyone is interested in attending it's leader, dog.org, you can look right there on our website events, dinner in the dark, and it get all of the information. Super cool event. Timothy, tell us a little bit about what happened with, give us a little sneak peak with the production.[00:02:00]
Oh,
Timothy: well, they, uh, Camaguey came in about 9:00 AM. Sunday morning. The wind was blistering 50 miles an hour winds. I lost a tree, my backyard. Oh yeah. And, uh, so they came in, they asked me some questions and, uh, I did a little, you know, a little speech there for the interview. Then I interviewed my wife [00:02:20] and they also interviewed my neighbor about the impact, what leader dogs has done for.
And, uh, how it basically saved and changed my life. So, uh, it's a good story. I hope everybody gets to see it. It's inspirational and it's the truth and that's how I feel. And it's, uh, I'm proud that I was able to do that. [00:02:40]
Leslie: That is awesome. Tony and I really cannot wait to see you in glacier, traveling in the snow.
And I would think that glacier is named being glacier would have loved the snow environment. Yes,
Timothy: she did. I had a holler in by hand because she wanted to stay out there and believe me, Leslie, when it was snowing, I thought of you and not a good way.[00:03:00]
Uh, I call it, I have another S word for it, but we can't use that because this is a G-rated show. It was good. It was fun though. It was fun. It, if the wind died down, when it was time to film outside, so it wasn't that bad, but it was nice white, fluffy, [00:03:20] white stuff. And, uh, so it was great. It was as though it
was,
Leslie: it was okay.
I'm glad to hear it went well. We are really looking forward to seeing the story. Dinner in the dark for the virtual events. So, but today we are really excited to begin introducing listeners, to members of our leader, dog team and the different departments and roles [00:03:40] at leader dog. So the natural starting point is our breeding department.
This is really where the leader dog journey begins representing the breeding department is our guests. Dana hunter. Dana is the breeding program.
Christina: Yes, Leslie indeed. His job at leader dog is to steer the direction of our breeding colony to ensure we are creating the best [00:04:00] possible guide dogs for our clients.
Along with her dedicated team, she oversees the health and wellbeing of all. 85 dogs in the volunteer host families that care for them. So we are so excited to welcome Dana. Dana. Hi guys. Good
Dana: morning. Hi. Good
Christina: up for having me. Of [00:04:20] course. Thank you for being our first guest on our podcast. And of course we have to start with, how long have you been at leader dog?
And tell us about your journey of joining the leader dog.
Dana: Yeah. So I've actually been at leader dog now for just over three years. Um, I actually have a [00:04:40] background in zoology, so I come from the zoo industry where I worked for about 12 years, um, with a variety of different species, everything from a small Madagascar hissing, cockroach to a polar bear, um, and everything in between.
So. Um, you know, the, the demands of [00:05:00] the physical side of being a zookeeper, um, you know, we're taking their toll and, um, I wanted to still. I wanted to still find a job where I could still give back to my community and make a difference for animals and people. And, um, you know, that's, that's just something that's kind of always been an innate part of my [00:05:20] desire, um, for my future career.
Yeah. You know, when I was looking to step away from the zoo field, I happened to stumble upon this, um, posting and, um, it, it was kind of a win-win, um, leader, dogs for the blind is based out of Michigan. And that's actually my home state. And I had not [00:05:40] lived in Michigan for, um, about 12 years after graduating from college.
So it was really nice to be able to kind of come back home to my roots. Um, and then. Still participate with an organization that has such an incredible mission, you know, to feel, you know, to feel happy with what I'm doing every day and, you know, to feel like I'm really making a difference. [00:06:00] So that, that led me here.
That's the one
Leslie: that is
Timothy: cool. That's cool. Dan, can you tell us the history of the Braden and bleeder? Why don't we breed the dogs that we
Dana: use? Absolutely. So in our past history, you know, leader dogs been around for over 80 years, right? So historically they would be able to resource dogs from, um, local [00:06:20] shelters or, um, local rescues.
Um, but what we've seen is a shift in the type of dogs that are available in those, in those situations. And. We weren't able to then guarantee the product that we were producing for our clients. Um, you know, not knowing the history of the dogs [00:06:40] or who their parents were. And, um, you know, what kind of health concerns may might pop up in the future?
There was just so much unknown variability to it, um, which, you know, sparked the interest in growing a breeding colony. And it has developed significantly over the last 20 years. [00:07:00] Um, and the direction now, you know, and the reason that we have created this breeding program is so that we can. More accurately guarantee the product that we're going to be producing for our clients.
You know, our end goal is that our, that we're providing our clients [00:07:20] with a life of independence and the best way to do that is to produce quality guide dogs. So, um, with our breeding program, we, you know, we carefully select who the parents are going to be. We, um, we pull from our. Um, puppy raising colony.
So it's really, it's really fun to watch these puppies grow [00:07:40] up with their, their razors over the course of a year. They returned for formal training, you know, they're young adults and ready to take on the world and I get kind of my first. Choice of, um, which dogs I might want to bring in for breeding. And so I'm get to select them for breeding before they ever even have a chance to go on to [00:08:00] graduate.
And ideally, um, the reason that we do those, cause we're selecting the best of the best. Um, you know, I often hear, oh, they couldn't make it as a guide dog. So you took them for breeding and that's absolutely not the case. Ideally, if we had left them in training, we would assume that they would then go on to graduate.
That's what we're doing. [00:08:20] We have to breed the best in order to create the best.
Christina: Yes, Dana. So Leslie, Timothy and I, the other week, when we were looking things up, we looked up. Timothy's or glaciers not Timothy's
Timothy: oh, I am a [00:08:40] Georgia bulldog. Not a,
Christina: we looked up glaciers parents and Leslie,
Leslie: I'm trying to remember. Yeah. So I believe I'm just curious, Dana, if you remember these dogs, I believe what did we say? The dad's name was? And the mom was Phoebe. [00:09:00] Was that CB duck and Phoebe, how do you decide, you know, what two dogs to put together?
And obviously we got glacier out of the deal, which is wonderful, but I'm imagining there's lots of science behind that and pros and cons to breeding different dogs.
Dana: Absolutely. Yeah. So there's. [00:09:20] You know, there is a lot that goes into it. Um, we look at what have the parents of the dogs produced in the past.
Um, you know, is that have they produced outstanding dogs that we wanted then contribute going forward? Um, you know, so we're, we're very careful in our selection, you know, like I [00:09:40] said, early on with which dogs we bring into our program, but then. When, when our female is ready to breed, then I have to make a decision of who do I breed her to.
Um, so this Phoebe and duck litter is actually pretty exciting because, um, this actually shows a cooperation that we have with, um, a few, [00:10:00] um, private breeders. So the. The stud or the dad for this litter. And so glacier's dad was actually from donated services. Um, yeah, so we actually, um, received his donation stud um, I don't know if I can[00:10:20]
Um, and then the mom was part of our program. So, um, mom was then able to, you know, care for the puppies in the home for those seven [00:10:40] weeks. And now what we have are more genetically. Puppies for our colony. Um, and it's, it's a really great way to keep us sustainable for, for years to come. Um, if you think about it, if you're only ever breeding the dogs that are part of your group, eventually you're going to have a very invasive.
[00:11:00] Colony and breeding can create a lot of other negative traits. So it's definitely something that we have to be very careful with. So, um, by receiving donation, um, Studs for our program, we're able to then keep our genetic [00:11:20] material more diverse. So this is a really great example of collaboration that we have out in the community.
So the private breeders that we work with are also breeding for the exact same things that we are, um, they're breeding for confirmation, which is how. Is built, how, how are their hips and their elbows and how is their [00:11:40] body put together? Are they capable of doing the work that a lab was bred to do? Um, and then additionally, they're also looking to improve the overall health, um, and temperament of the litter, which is exactly what we do with ours.
So it, it leads us to have this really. [00:12:00] Cooperation. Um, you know, and then additionally, once we have this litter on the ground, we then offer up, you know, a puppy back to that breeder, um, kind of as payment for, you know, donating the stud services to. So that also
Christina: shows how much we work together with other [00:12:20] organizations, other breeders, just throughout the whole leader, dog organization.
Timothy, I have to ask you, did you know any of this went behind? Glacier becoming your leader, dog, your guide dog.
Timothy: Well, when I was there, I've heard about this program, but I didn't know glacier was a part of that. So that's kind of exciting that she was breaded [00:12:40] that way. So, uh, that's kind of cool. I didn't know about that
Leslie: duck, duck and Phoebe are the parents.
I love that. You
Christina: know, who would expect a dog named doc? It just, it's such a cute
Dana: name. I think it's great. So this is Dana again, and one other really fun fact out [00:13:00] of that litter, we actually pulled a breeding female from that litter. Oh. So one of glacier sisters is, um, an active breeding stock dog. Her name is Mary.
Leslie: So where, what happens to Mary then? Okay. So she's now a breeding dog. What happens? What does she do? [00:13:20]
Dana: Yeah. So, um, first and foremost, we, um, obviously have to find a home for Mary, somebody that, um, is willing to host one of our dogs in their home. That dogs are technically still owned by leader dog, but, um, at retirement at age of retirement, they then turn over to be their [00:13:40] personal forever.
So we want this to be a really great match. Um, somebody that's willing to host, uh, four litters of puppies in their homes over the course of two to three years. Um, we do breed our females back to back litters typically, um, for, for. [00:14:00] And, um, each litter lives with their mom and the ho in the host family in their house for about seven weeks in total.
Um, at that seven week age, they then come back to leader, dog and go out on their adventures as future leader dogs, which are puppies and train. [00:14:20] Um, so yeah, the, the host family helps support the mom through the Welp process, um, helps socialize the puppies and care for them. Um, you know, while they have them in their home.
And, uh, you know, basically at the end of it, they're getting, uh, an incredible experience, um, a wonderful community to be a part of. [00:14:40] And, uh, the dog, of course, at the end of it,
Christina: then
Timothy: how many volunteers do you need to have to host these.
Dana: Yeah. Great question. So every single dog lives in a different home. So we have currently 85 breeding stock dogs.
And, um, so that's males and females [00:15:00] that live with our volunteer host families. So those people volunteer their time and support to our program. Um, You know, to, to take care of these dogs, we provide all of the vet veterinary services, free of charge, as long as they come to leader, dog. Um, we provide free boarding over [00:15:20] the course of their breeding career.
So if the family needs to go on vacation or, um, you know, they have a family emergency, they can drop the dog off and they stay with us. Um, and, uh, yeah. It takes a village to make this happen. Yeah.
Leslie: So this is a really cool opportunity for a [00:15:40] lot of our volunteers. What are the requirements to be a volunteer for our breeding house?
Stop.
Dana: Yeah. So, um, there's, uh, a couple big, big, um, requirements. One is our female breeding hosts need to live within a six hour driving radius of campus and be in the United States. [00:16:00] Um, the reason that we say you need to be within a six hour driving radius because. If there's ever an emergency in your home or in your family, and we need to get the dog and maybe her puppies back to campus, we need to be able to do it in a, in a one day turnaround, possibly right.
In an emergency situation. So any [00:16:20] farther than six hours, it's just, it's a little bit too much for us, um, to accommodate. Um, additionally, if you're hosting a female, you can only have two personal dogs. Um, in addition to the breeding stock dog. So a total of three and, um, [00:16:40] uh, otherwise you have to adhere to our quarantine, um, protocol, which is, is pretty.
Um, it's pretty intense. Uh, we require that mom and all other dogs in the home stay kind of at home and in their own backyard for the duration from breed, from [00:17:00] pickup, from breeding all the way through litter return at seven weeks of age. So it's quite a commitment, you know, all the dogs can see. You know, mingle and beats together.
Uh, but we're not bringing in new dogs from the outside. We're not taking them out to socialize with other new dogs.
Christina: Yes. And. I have had the chance since [00:17:20] I've been at later dog to meet some of our breeding hosts and Dana, you even get, gave me the opportunity to see one of the puppies being born, which was so cool to be able to do that.
So, um, I like the pictures that we get from the hosts and just being able to see one of the puppies [00:17:40] being born at leader dog impersonal was such a cool experience. So as a volunteer, you had to be. These cute, adorable puppies into the world that are going to go out and serve people, which I think is such an awesome thing, but, and I'm sure people are wondering like, oh, you know, I'm sure I can't have kids to do this.
[00:18:00] Or, you know, I probably have to like live alone or work from home, but really there's a wide range of breeding hosting. Uh, can you talk about some of our different breeding hosts and kind of what they do and if they have kids or not.
Dana: Yeah, absolutely. We have all types. Um, you know, we have people that are [00:18:20] retired that, you know, decided this is the opportunity that they've been waiting for.
Um, we have some that have younger. That they really want to do expose them to such an incredible experience, you know, early on in life so that they can appreciate, um, you know, kind of [00:18:40] just nature in and of itself. Um, and the process of, you know, supporting these puppies, watching their journey, and then knowing that they're going on to hopefully change somebodies life.
Um, you know, that's, that's really big. Um, we have people that work at home. We have people, um, of really, of all time. Um, you know, it's, [00:19:00] it, it is a time commitment once that litters on the ground. Um, but outside of that, you know, it's, it's you and your family spending time with the dog and, um, bonding with them.
Uh, once the litters on the ground, it includes bonding with the litter and, um, you know, socializing them to different, you know, [00:19:20] Things in your house, you know, new toys, new areas, um, you know, you can have friends and family come over once. They're about four weeks of age. You can, you know, small, small amounts of people could come over, help the socialization process.
So, um, you know, it's, it's really nice, a little community that we've created [00:19:40] for these breeding hosts, um, as well. You know, they, they share, share ideas and share topics and, you know, best practices and what works and what didn't. Um, so it's really exciting to see. That
Leslie: is amazing. I love all of that. What a community, what a great support system, what a great way to give back.
I'm curious. So these [00:20:00] volunteers that host our breeding dogs, do they kind of get to find out where their puppies go and if they make it into the leader, dog, a world in the sense that they were working with a client. Um, just curious that they get to know their journey.
Dana: Absolutely. Um, you know, we, everyone.
That has had a puppy or a dog in their home is [00:20:20] invested in the, in the outcome of, you know, what happens to that puppy. Right. Um, we talk a lot about the puppy raiser who spends a whole year with that puppy, um, teaching them and socializing them and then, you know, basically turning them over to college campus and, um, watching them on their journey, but it [00:20:40] really all starts in the brief.
Home, right. They are spending, you know, hours and days with these puppies. And, um, you know, they're pouring their heart and soul and it's not easy work, you know, the puppy's poop and somebody's got to clean it up. , you know, I mean, it's, [00:21:00] it's, it takes a lot of dedication and there. You know, they're just, they're linked the, of these puppies.
So when they returned to campus at seven weeks, we do puppy wellness exams, their microchips, their first set of vaccines. Um, and then when they go home with their razor, once, once all of the puppies in the litter are out [00:21:20] with their razor, we send an email. To our breeding hosts and write down, you know, exactly where each puppies being raised.
Um, we tell them which state they're in. So it's fun. You know, sometimes we'll have one out in Utah or Montana or Connecticut, you know, so it'll be fun to do that. We also have. Uh, [00:21:40] Facebook group, that's just for our puppy raisers and breeding hosts. And that's a really nice way for everybody to kind of stay connected.
Um, when the razors posted photos on there, they'll usually write in parentheses who the parents are. So the, you know, the host families kind of get to follow along with their, with their, um, puppies as they grow up. [00:22:00] Once the puppy is return, um, for formal training and go through the whole process. And every puppy in that litter has a final disposition, or we know where they all are.
You know, how many graduated, did any get pulled for breeding where how many were career changed? Um, once we know all of that, we will actually send a letter with [00:22:20] photos, hopefully of graduate dogs and their clients back to the host family. So they'll get to see the full circle of, of the work that they.
What if
Timothy: somebody has a cat or another dog in their house, can it still be a breeder hope? Oh,
Dana: great question. Yes, absolutely. So, um, we actually have a couple of families that [00:22:40] have. Um, in, in cats, we have specific guidelines on how, um, you know, the puppies can't interact with other pets in the home, just mom.
So, you know, you have to be able to put up some barriers and, and things, um, you know, and separate them. But absolutely it's, it, it is not a deal breaker. [00:23:00]
Christina: That is awesome. So now I know we could talk about breeding probably. Hours on end, but we are getting close to our time on this podcast. So, Dana, I just want to end with asking you, what is your favorite part of your job or most rewarding?
Um,
Dana: you know, I'd say it's making the connections with [00:23:20] people and then watching them grow through this process, you know, a lot of host families will come to us, never having had a litter of puppies in their home. Right. Um, and it's not a requirement to host a breeding stock dog. So they come in a little nervous and can I do it?
You know, how is it going to go? And. Watching them, [00:23:40] them grow through the support that we provide and the support that our, um, mentors provide for them. Um, kind of watching them develop and gain confidence and then really fall in love with the process and our team and other. And their dog. I mean, it's just, it's the connections I think is my [00:24:00] favorite part.
Leslie: That's wonderful. Well, thank you so much, Dana, for joining us today. We're so glad you were here and able to share so much about the breeding department and thank you everyone for listening to the, taking the lead podcast. I'm your host, Leslie Hoskins with host Timothy Cuneo and Christina. We hope you enjoy learning about our breeding department in where our leader dogs [00:24:20] come from.
Please join us next week. As we continue to share stories and educate about the world of blindness the asset. And if you
Christina: liked today's podcast, make sure to hit subscribe and check us out wherever podcasts[00:24:40] .