WEST CHESTER TWP. — Lisa Kay Bashaw of West Chester has had an interesting workout companion for the last year — Ace, a 1-year-old yellow Labrador.

        Ms. Bashaw, 22, has been taking Ace with her to the Fitworks Fitness Center off Tylersville Road as part of his socialization training in the Leader Dogs for the Blind program.

Rocky, a dog trained by Lisa Kay Bashaw for Leader Dogs for the Blind program, yawns as he waits while Ms. Bashaw works out. (Michael Snyder photo) | ZOOM |

        “He's exposed to clanking weights and machines and lots of people,” said Ms. Bashaw, who volunteers for the program. “It's training to make sure he behaves. You want to make sure you hit every situation.”

        Because Ace is a guide dog in training, businesses aren't required to let him in everywhere. But Ms. Bashaw says most of the West Chester community has been supportive.

        “What she's doing is pretty neat; why wouldn't we want to be a part of it?” said Joe Englert, manager of the West Chester Fitworks. “I felt like we were doing our little part to help out.”

        Ace has spent weeks at Ms. Bashaw's part-time job at a dentist's office and time curled under a desk at the University of Cincinnati.

        “The professors handled it really well, but halfway through some of the classes he would start snoring. And sometimes he would growl in his sleep,” Ms. Bashaw said.

        He's flown on an airplane, been to Washington, D.C., and even taken a canoe trip.

        “He's the most intelligent dog I've had, but he's just into everything,” said Ms. Bashaw.

        Ace is her fifth dog with the program, but it's the 14th training she's been a part of because her parents and siblings also train dogs. They have a family friend who is blind and has a guide dog of her own.

        Now, after spending a year with Ms. Bashaw learning how to behave, Ace'll be teamed with a special instructor who will teach him how to refuse orders that would put his blind companion in danger.

        The Leader Dogs for the Blind program, based in Rochester, Mich., has trained 12,000 student-and-dog teams since its founding in 1939. It's the work of volunteers like Ms. Bashaw that make the program possible, said Kathy Mazur, who works in the puppy department of the program.

        Each year, 300 puppies graduate from socialization training into formal training, which also lasts a year. Then the dogs spend six months working with their prospective owner. The dogs are able to work for eight to 10 years.

        Puppies are placed in homes like the Bashaws' at 7 weeks old. Volunteers receive a one-time stipend to help out with the dog's needs. The first trainer is responsible for housebreaking them, teaching home manners, socializing them to different environments and exposing them to real-life situations.

        Ace and his fellow guide dogs in training do occasionally get time off to act like regular dogs.

        “He loves going out in the park and just running,” Ms. Bashaw said.

        But Ace really shines when he's working.

        “He recognizes the uniform and the training collar,” she said. “He loves to show off.”

        Ms. Bashaw's face lights up when talking about Ace and her other pets, but she knows her time with him is short.

        “It's a heartbreak at the end of the year when the dogs leave, but I got addicted to being with them,” she said. “At the same time, I know there's a new dog coming at about the same time the other one is leaving, and that 7-week-old puppy needs love.”

        For more information about Leader Dogs for the blind, call (888) 777-5332.

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