Some say there are two types of people in the world: those who take and those who give.

Bob Kirkpatrick, a business agent and International Union Organizer based out of Local 952 in Orange, Calif., is definitely the latter.

Raised in a Teamster household, Kirkpatrick said giving back is in his blood.

“We were always taught it’s not a ‘me’ society, it’s a ‘we’ society,” Kirkpatrick said. “My parents were always giving people. If all we had was two pieces of bread and someone needed something to eat, they would give one of those piece of bread to that hungry person.”

With a heart so big and a need to help others so strong, Kirkpatrick’s giving spirit is nothing short of contagious: The 38-year Teamster member has taught his own children the same lesson.

So it’s no surprise when one of Kirkpatrick’s sons, a Future Farmers of America member, asked his father about raising seeing-eye puppies for a project, Kirkpatrick said yes without batting an eye.

What is surprising is that this project has turned into a long-term way of life for the Kirkpatrick family.

A Dog-Day Way Of Life

The Kirkpatricks have raised four seeing-eye puppies from their home in Southern California. Though four may not sound like many, that number quickly gains depth when one takes into consideration all that goes into raising a guide dog.

“It’s a year-long investment with each dog,” Kirkpatrick said. “We get them when they’re just barely weaned. We have to housebreak them, socialize them, take them to puppy classes and vet visits.”

Most importantly, Kirkpatrick said, the seeing-eye puppy must be taken anywhere and everywhere the raisers go.

“You take them to the grocery store, you take them shopping, traveling, to the movies, to school,” Kirkpatrick said. “You teach them to lay down under your legs. All of that is important for the dog to learn so when it goes to the next phase in the training, it is ready to take up the task of learning to be an actual guide dog.”

The seeing-eye puppies wear a special leash, collar, and apron that identify them as guide-dogs-in-training while out with those raising them. According to Kirkpatrick, it is imperative that the puppies learn the difference between wearing a leash and not wearing a leash.

“When you take the leash off, they know it’s time to play. When you put the leash on, they know it’s time to work,” he said. “That leads them up to the guide apparatus they will wear as working dogs.”

Passing the Test

Despite their intense upbringings, not just any puppy can be raised to be a seeing-eye dog. All of Kirkpatrick’s puppies have been labs—a breed preferred because of their intelligence and calm temperament.

Kirkpatrick explained that even within the breed, strict rules apply. The puppies come from certified breeders, not puppy mills. They are pure-bred labs whose backgrounds have been thoroughly checked—inbreeding is a quick, one-way ticket out of the guide-dog pool.

It is the job of the puppy raiser to ensure the puppies are up to the challenge of living life as a working dog—this means they can’t be too aggressive or too loving.

“I had one lab that was an absolute lover. Anytime he was taken off of his leash, he jumped on people for attention,” Kirkpatrick said. “You have to break them of being so affectionate; if not, they will flunk college.”

Ah, college. It isn’t the same kind of college we’re used to, though it is just as selective and competitive. Puppy college is where the puppies, after being raised, go to learn to become seeing-eye guide dogs.

Aside from leaning commands, the dogs are put through a multitude of tests to ensure they are up to the task of guiding the blind. In some cases, dogs do fail puppy college—at which point, the puppy raiser has first dibs on keeping the dog as a pet.

“We did get a black lab out of the process; my brother got a chocolate lab and a golden lab,” Kirkpatrick said.

Once a guide dog has passed puppy college, it goes through a transition phase and is placed with an owner who is seeing impaired. Finally, the day arrives when the puppy—now a full-grown lab—is handed from raiser to owner.

“Upon graduation for the dog, the puppy raiser is invited to hand the leash off to the blind person,” Kirkpatrick said, explaining the ceremony is often very heartfelt and emotional. “It’s pretty gratifying.”

Though Kirkpatrick said it is never easy parting with the puppy he and his family have raised, he realizes the end result is what matters most.

“It’s very gratifying to know that you’ve helped another human being,” Kirkpatrick said. “That’s why I do this. That’s why I love and believe in the Teamsters. It’s all about helping others.”