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Sarasota, FL - The Asolo Theatre Company recently had some very special guests attending a performance of Broadway Bound. Accompanied by their training families, nine beginning guide dog students enjoyed their first Asolo Theatre Company performance. The visiting guide dogs ranged in age from 11 weeks to two years old and from pups in early training to an expectant, mother dog. 

According to the coordinator of the event, this type of experience is essential to the training of each dog. The families that care for and socialize the dogs during this phase of their training find that the more exposure the dogs get to new environments, the better equipped each will be to fulfill its duties as a working guide dog for the blind.

Hosting the future guide dogs was a natural move for the Asolo Theatre Company, which has for many years provided special audio described performances for the visually impaired. The Asolo is one of only a few theatres in Florida to provide such a program.

Shyla Gotlieb, a beloved Asolo volunteer who passed away last year, traveled to WashingtonDC many years ago to secure the special grant that began the Asolo’s audio described program. Today, a new group of narrators carry on Shyla’s mission at the Asolo.

These specially trained narrators read scripts and attend shows several times before the audio described performance. The visually impaired audience members listen through an earpiece as the live narrator vividly describes the action and setting of the play during the performance.

“We loved having the guide dogs and trainers here for Broadway Bound. It is a natural extension of our commitment to the visually impaired community. Perhaps we will again host some of these dogs in the future when they go into service and attend one of our audio described performances,” said Howard Millman, the Asolo’s producing artistic director.

For more information about Audio described performances at the Asolo, or to obtain a schedule, please call 941-351-8000 or toll-free 800-361-8388, or go to the Asolo website at www.asolo.org.

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Southeastern Guide Dogs’ mission is to offer free of charge, a unique opportunity to achieve independent travel with safety and dignity to blind men and women, through the use of professionally and humanely trained guide dogs.

The steps required to graduate a successful guide dog team require an average of 21 intensive months; however, the commitment to the student lasts a lifetime. 

The Beginning:
Puppies are selectively bred for optimum guide dog characteristics, then placed with foster families for 12 to 16 months. Foster families provide socialization and basic training. The pups receive medical care at Southeastern’s expense and are under close staff supervision.

Preparing to Guide:
Upon returning to Southeastern, guide dog candidates enter a strict selection process. Professional instructors and future guide dogs train together for 4 to 6 months. During this time the dogs learn over forty commands, plus intelligent disobedience.

The Partnership:
Once the dogs are fully trained they are matched with blind recipients in the 26-day training program. Besides learning commands, an important bond of trust, love and devotion forms. This mutual bond is vital to the success of any guide dog team.

Graduate Follow-Up:
Southeastern provides in-home assistance to graduates. Follow-up visits occur yearly or as often as necessary. Southeastern has graduated over 2,000 guide dog teams and maintains follow-up contact nationwide.

Lifetime Commitment:
Every Southeastern graduate leaves with a promise that they will be provided with a guide dog that meets their changing needs throughout their life. Most guide dog users require three or four guide dogs during their lifetime.

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