Leader Dogs for the Blind today announced the appointment of Melissa Weisse as its new President & Chief Executive Officer, following an extensive, national search process. Weisse will replace Susan Daniels, who in May of 2023 announced her intention to retire.  Weisse is an industry-respected nonprofit executive with over 20 years of experience in fundraising and senior management leading staff and services that support people who are blind or visually impaired. Weisse has served as the chief philanthropy officer at Leader Dog since 2008. During this time, Weisse has grown total phil ..read more

When asked what they’re most afraid of, a lot of people answer that it’s going blind. In fact, studies and surveys have shown that people are more afraid of vision loss than cancer; stroke; heart disease; loss of hearing, memory, speech, or a limb; or even premature death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 6 million Americans have vision loss and 1 million are blind. More than 1.6 million Americans with blindness or vision loss today are under the age of 40. The National Eye Institute expects the number of people who are blind to double by 2050. As we age, we are increasingly ..read more

Day 1 I flew out of Dallas instead of my usual airport, Houston, so that I would be closer to my son’s water polo match upon my return. Weird flying out of another airport. I know exactly where everything is in Houston: parking, gates, caffeine, etc. It felt odd, but planes still fly from Dallas, just like they do from Houston and, apparently, the DFW-ers know how to make an automated faucet work. It’s the small things. I flew to Chicago for my connection to Knoxville. The time between flights was very short and the terminals at O’Hare are long. The flight attendant asked everyone with quick t ..read more

Day 1 The trip this time is a little bit different. I’m making a stop in three major Wisconsin cities. I’m flying into Milwaukee, driving to Madison, then to Green Bay. (Just in case you were wondering, the Brewers are out of town, the Badgers haven’t started their season yet, and the Packers are in pre-season training camp. No sports joy for Barry on this trip.) I flew out at a seriously early time so I could get into Madison in time to get a lot of work done before it got too late. I landed in Minneapolis with plenty of time to make my Milwaukee connection, but we sat on the tarmac for thre ..read more

The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) and Assistance Dogs International (ADI) recently released a joint statement on the ethical training and care of guide and assistance dogs. As a longstanding member of both the IGDF and ADI, Leader Dog adheres to and endorses this statement. We wanted to take this opportunity to reaffirm our own commitment to the highest standards of care for our dogs in and out of the harness. From the moment one of our puppies is born, they receive top-notch veterinary care, proper nutrition and enriching socialization experiences. This foundation sets the stage ..read more

Day 1 This trip is the first time since I’ve been traveling for Leader Dog that I had to transfer flights in order to get where I was going. As the old saying goes, “Even if you’re headed to hell, you have to go through Atlanta first.” Indeed, I went through Atlanta, which means I waved my hands at motion-activated bathroom fixtures in three different airports, AND got to ride a train in between. In Atlanta, the inter-terminal train is called the Plane Train. It’s a nice name (rhyming is most always a good thing) and it makes you think you’re going on a ride at Six Flags. In actuality, the tra ..read more

  This Independence Day, many of us will celebrate the date with fireworks. However, our dogs (and other animals) may not appreciate this form of celebration. This Fourth of July, help keep your dog and others safe with these tips. Keep your dog inside. Dogs are sensitive to loud noises and smells, and the bursts that come from fireworks can be upsetting and disorienting to them. Let them stay home with the TV or radio playing to cover the noise, or put them in a quiet place if one is available. Keep the blinds or curtains closed to avoid the visual stimulation. Keep your dog distracted ..read more

Day 1 So, I flew with the airline that shall not be named and I couldn’t help but wonder when the ugliness was going to start. Surely, there was weather somewhere, or the flight crew would be delayed because someone hadn’t had enough sleep, or something.  I acted as if my flight would be delayed, without any extraneous information otherwise. So much so that I was actually surprised when they called for my flight to board. The rental car was waiting for me, and my room was ready even though I checked in a couple of hours early. Thankfully, the ugliness never began. My travel day went as s ..read more

“It takes a pretty remarkable dog to make my travels unremarkable, but that is exactly what my Leader Dog Wake does for me. It is incredible.” – LDB Client Calvin V Travel of any kind relies on fuel. Airliners burn jet fuel, automobiles consume gasoline (or battery-provided electric power for you early-adopters) and locomotives have transitioned from coal to diesel as their main source of propulsion. Leader Dogs, for more than two decades, have received the energy necessary for their travels from Purina ProPlan dog food. “We feed exclusively ProPlan products to our breeding moms and their p ..read more

Day 1 “… you will find fortune, though it will not be the fortune you seek. But first, first ye must travel a long and difficult road. A road fraught with peril. You shall see things, wonderful to tell… I cannot tell you how long this road may be, but fear not the obstacles in your path, for fate has vouchsafed your reward. Though the road may wind, and, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall you follow them, even unto your salvation.” For any movie buffs that may read this, this is a portion of the speech the blind man gave the three escaped convicts in the classic movie “O Brother, Where A ..read more