This Week’s cool historical dog names is:
Buddy
Buddy was a female German Shepherd who became the first Seeing Eye dog in the United States.
In 1927, Morris Frank a blind man from Tennesee wrote Dorothy Harrison Eustis. The letter said, "Thousands of blind people like me abhor being dependent on others." "Help me and I will help them. Train me and I will bring back my dog and show people here how a blind man can be absolutely on his own."
Morris Frank’s letter moved Dorothy, a champion breeder and trainer of German Shepherds, convincing her that she had to do something to help. She invited Morris to visit her in Switzerland to see what could be done.
Dorothy had become interested in guide dogs after visiting a school in Germany that had taught them to help blind war veterans. An article she wrote inspired Mr. Frank to imagine greater independence for blind people everywhere.
He and Dorothy agreed to pursue this goal together, starting with the training of Buddy.
When Morris Frank took Buddy home, she became the first official guide dog in the United States. Morris and Buddy toured the nation together, attracting attention from the public and the press. People were amazed by their ability to cross busy streets and master other challenges of daily life.
Morris Frank was thrilled by his new freedom and Dorothy Eustis soon opened the first school in the United States for guide dogs for the blind, which she named The Seeing Eye.
There are about 7,000 guide dogs working in America today. They are trained to respond to commands but also to think on their own – to disobey if told to cross the street when a car is coming.
For more dog names go to www.dognameswoof.com
Photo Credit: Morris Frank, Dorothy Harrison Eustis, and Buddy I, the founders of The Seeing Eye. (Photo: The Seeing Eye)
