Seeing Eye dogs have been the official state dog of New Jersey since 2020.
They come from The Seeing Eye, a nearly 100-year-old nonprofit that breeds, raises and trains Seeing Eye dogs and matches them with people who are blind and low vision.
The dogs are placed across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, but the organization is headquartered in Morris Township, where it has a 60-acre campus, a training center in downtown Morristown, and a campus in Chester where Seeing Eye puppies are born.
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Here are 10 things to know about Seeing Eye dogs and the people and partnerships behind them.
10. It’s the oldest guide dog school in the world
The Seeing Eye was established in 1929 and is a pioneer of the guide dog movement. “Seeing Eye” is a registered trademark, so Seeing Eye dogs come only from The Seeing Eye in Morristown. Dogs trained by other schools are called guide dogs. Put simply: All Seeing Eye dogs are guide dogs, but not all guide dogs are Seeing Eye dogs.
9. It breeds its own puppies
The Seeing Eye maintains its own genetically diverse breeding population and every puppy is born at a specially designed campus in Chester. The Seeing Eye uses three breeds, German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, and a cross of the Lab and golden. The success rate of Seeing Eye puppies has more than doubled since the breeding program began. Today, about 60% of Seeing Eye puppies go on to graduate from the program. Many of those who do not graduate go on to work in law enforcement, therapy programs, and other types of service work, throughout New Jersey and beyond.
8. The puppies are raised by an army of volunteers
There are more than 500 volunteers. The Seeing Eye pays for the puppies’ veterinary care and food, and the puppy raisers provide them with a loving home environment for about one year. They teach the puppies basic manners and get the puppy comfortable in all kinds of environments. Puppy raisers live in New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and Maryland.
7. Your community may already be a training ground
Puppies need real-world practice, so raisers bring them to stores, offices, attractions, airports and train stations. Once puppies return for formal training, professional guide dog mobility instructors train with them in Morristown, nearby towns and New York City. One of the most important skills they teach is “intelligent disobedience,” when a dog refuses a command that would put its handler in danger, such as stepping into the path of an oncoming car.
6. Independence comes from the team, not the dog alone
Every new Seeing Eye team completes two to three weeks of training when they are first matched. It is the person’s responsibility to make navigation decisions and give the dog direction. The dog steers their handler around obstacles and hazards along the way.
5. The Seeing Eye charges a nominal tuition
It’s just $150 for a first-time handler, $50 when they return for a successor dog, and military veterans only pay $1. The tuition covers the dog, instruction, transportation, room and board, equipment and lifetime follow-up services. The Seeing Eye receives no government funding and is supported by individuals, foundations, corporations, and other planned gifts. That support adds up: More than 18,800 partnerships have been made between Seeing Eye dogs and people who are blind since 1929.
4. Technology is a partner, not a replacement
GPS and AI-powered smart glasses are increasingly used by people who are blind or low vision to access hands-free information through voice commands, camera-based features, and mobile app integrations. The Seeing Eye teaches students to use technology, like AI-powered smart glasses, while they work with their dogs.
3. Access is guaranteed by law, but gaps remain
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination guarantee that people who are blind can bring their guide dogs anywhere the public can go. In practice, handlers are still turned away by rideshare drivers, businesses, and other public places, often because staff don’t know the law. Pending legislation, S533 (Beach, Bucco) and A1894 (Tucker, Dunn, Murphy, Scharfenberger, Sweeney), would educate businesses and law enforcement about the rights of people with service animals.
2. A newly released PSA asks, “Service Dog or Pet?”
Another growing problem is poorly behaved pets passed off as service animals. In a Seeing Eye survey of more than 500 guide dog handlers, about 75% said that in the past 5 years, poorly behaved dogs had kept them from safely working with their guide dogs in public. This October, The Seeing Eye and the New Jersey Restaurant & Hospitality Association released “Service Dog or Pet? Spot the Difference,” a humorous public service announcement that helps business owners and staff understand how to identify and respond to service animals and pets they may encounter.
1. It’s important to know the etiquette, and the rules
Distracting a guide dog can put its handler at risk so don’t call, feed, pet or make eye contact with a working dog. Keep your own pets at a distance and speak to the handler directly, not their dog.
To learn more visit seeingeye.org.
