Enter, Stage Right: Career Change Dog Humbolt On Stage with the San Francisco Opera

GDB career change dog, Humbolt, a stunning 11 year-old white German Shepherd, was recently cast as a battle dog in the San Francisco Opera's production of "Die Walkure." Here's his story behind his fun adventure, submitted by his adopter and handler, Blancett Reynolds.

Humboldt's career change from Guide Dogs over 10 years ago opened the door for him to be a competition agility dog and a demo dog for the competition agility classes that I teach at Ace Dog Sports in San Francisco. Humboldt has been retired from agility competition for a couple of years, but still does a little bit of agility for fun (you can see him in action during the half time show of the Stanford Women's Basketball Team on YouTube).

Humboldt's current adventure in San Francisco Opera's production of "Die Walkure" started when a student at Ace Dog Sports with connections to the opera asked me if I knew any German Shepherds who could run across a raked stage that was surfaced like a subway grate. I knew Humboldt would love to be in front of an audience (he had been on stage before in a comedy sketch), so I brought him down to audition. With all the different surfaces Humboldt had experienced while a puppy in the Guide Dog program, and the surfaces he was exposed to in agility prep, Humboldt didn't have a problem accepting the stage surface. He got the job of one of two dogs who run across the stage during the climactic battle scene in which Siegmund is killed by Hunding. (Humbolt is pictured here with Baritone Mark Delavan, who plays Woton in the production.)

Humboldt is getting the star treatment at SF Opera and loves it. He walks into the Opera House backstage area with his Kong in his mouth, greeting all his new friends and checks himself in for his performance calls. Right before he goes on stage there are thunder/lightening cues, and trombones blaring right behind him in the wings, none of which bother him at all. A moment before his entrance, Humboldt gets very excited (and sometimes barks!) and tries to pull the props person holding him in the wings forward before he is released (with his new dog friend and co-star, Milo) to run across the stage to his waiting handler. After their dash across the stage, the actors rush in behind the dogs and start fighting. There is always a murmuring response from the audience as the dogs run across the stage. Humboldt loves it and gets faster with each performance. Not bad for an 11 year-old German Shepherd!

All Aboard! Puppies Take to the Rails

An enthusiastic group of Southern California puppy raisers and families "rode the rails" again this year, marking the 16th annual Guide Dog Puppy Travel Day event, co-hosted by L.A. Southwest Guide Dog Raisers, MetroRail and MetroLink (MetroRail and MetroLink provided courtesy rides for all). This excellent socialization experience gives Guide Dog puppies an opportunity to ride the trains, work through Union Station, find their comfort zones along busy Olvera Street with its narrow shopping areas and restaurants, and encounter many curious people who want to pet them. The people enjoy it as well, since there is ample opportunity to meet other puppy raisers and find littermates.

"Raisers and puppies are treated to the colorful, crowded marketplace filled with Mexican shopfronts, restaurants, mariachi bands, and lively music and dancing," said participating puppy raiser Gail Hardy.

Members of six puppy clubs came out for the day: Antelope Valley GDPR, VIP3, Diamonds in the Ruff, PRIDE, Riverside GDPR, and L.A. Southwest GDR. Photo by David Hudson.

Going Full Circle

This past Saturday, for the first time ever at GDB's Oregon campus, the audience at our graduation ceremony saw the complete story of Guide Dogs when we celebrated the accomplishments of six new Guide Dog teams AND delivered three new pups to their Oregon puppy raising families.

Anyone who has attended one of our graduations knows that these ceremonies are always filled with emotion, but this graduation was something extra special. We have been working with a few young pups in some early training tests here on the Oregon campus, so we had the opportunity to have the little guys around for a bit - a great treat! And when it was time for them to be sent to their puppy raising homes, we got the chance to send them off with much fanfare.

With an auditorium filled with visitors, supporters and friends, there were plenty of “ooohs and aaahs” when Zenith, Alden and Art were presented to their new families by campus volunteers. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the stage was swamped with well-wishers, all wanting to welcome these little bundles of fur into their hearts.

So, from beginning their lives as Guide Dog puppies in the arms of their new families, to concluding their training and becoming bona fide Guide Dog teams, we came full circle in the span of the afternoon.

Join us on July 17th at our Oregon campus for another graduation ceremony, once again complete with puppies. The ceremony begins at 1:30 p.m., and is open and free to the public. Check our website for details and directions.