The Essentials

It was just last October that we at the Cornell Chronicle office bade farewell to Tanner, the beloved yellow Labrador retriever seeing-eye-puppy-in-training we were lucky enough to help raise until she was old enough to begin her life of service.

With Tanner’s departure came the arrival of Doco, the eight-week-old chocolate Lab who would be her successor. Doco, raised primarily by Cornell Chronicle managing editor Susan Lang, joined us as a cuddly, dark-brown puppy full of both love and sass – and grew up to be a smart, gentle, affectionate and treasured member of our office.

Which is all to say – Doco is ready to begin her intensive training with the Freedom Guide Dog Foundation, and then to take her place at the side of a human who needs her.

It hasn’t quite hit us yet. We will miss her, as we still miss Tanner. But we’re also preparing for a new puppy – another female yellow Lab, from the foundation through Franklin Hill Labrador Retrievers, who will join us on Monday.

And here’s the thing: The new puppy doesn’t have a name yet. We have a few ideas, but we need your help.

So, e-mail your ideas! If we choose your suggestion, you’ll get the satisfaction of knowing you were a part of the giant effort that goes into raising a service dog – one of the biggest prizes there is.

– Lauren Gold

Calling all dirty dogs! Cornell Vet students are holding their fall dog washing fundraiser this Saturday, September 5, noon – 4 p.m. outside Schurman Hall (next to the Vet Research Tower on Tower Road).

A $5 donation gets your dog a wash as well as a free body condition scoring. Nail trimming is available for an additional donation. Dogs will be washed on a first-come, first-served basis; appointments are not necessary.

The dog wash benefits the Omega Tau Sigma co-ed veterinary fraternity.

- Sarah Purdue

Guests – including five Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show best-in-show winners – mingled Feb. 7 at benefit for Angel on a Leash, a club program that brings therapy dogs to schools and health care facilities. Board member Donald F. Smith (pictured, with Rufus), dean emeritus of the College of Veterinary Medicine, was joined by a capacity crowd at the Affinia. The 2008 best in show winner, a Beagle named Uno, toured the United States as an ambassador for Angel On A Leash, visiting families at Ronald McDonald Houses and soldiers at the Walter Reed Amputee Patient Care Clinic.

For the past two years, Tanner the guide-dog-in-training has spent nearly every afternoon with the Chronicle staff at 312 College Ave. A yellow Labrador retriever, Tanner was born to one of our staff member’s dogs through Cassville N.Y.-based Freedom Guide Dogs, which trains service dogs for the blind or visually impaired. Shortly after they’re born, the dogs are fostered for two years with volunteer families. Tanner’s foster parent was a friend of the Chronicle who was nice enough to share her with us.

We’ve watched Tanner grow from a yellow fuzzball who could fit in the crook of your arm into a disciplined, loyal, loving friend. She leaves us today to begin training. She is ready to fulfill her destiny.

So goodbye, Tanner. We know you’ll be a faithful companion to someone who needs you more than we do. In the meantime, we’ve begun training full time a chocolate lab named Doco, now 14 weeks old. Above: a changing of the guard.

Read more about Freedom Guide Dogs.