This is an I-Heart podcast.

And we continue with our American stories.

And up next, we're going to have a little fun.

If you're having a rough day,

this story is sure to make you smile. Guide Dogs for the Blind is the largest guide dog school

in North America and the second largest in the world. Christine Binninger, CEO of Guide Dogs for

the Blind, is here to share her stories about some possum friends and all that

they do. Please forgive me for all the dog puns. Here's Christine with this beautiful story.

Guide Dogs for the Blind was founded in 1942 to serve individuals who were blinded during World War II.

The very first founders of Guide Dogs for the Blind were military dog trainers.

They had the idea that dogs could make a real difference in people's lives

and helping them negotiate life with more freedom and more independence.

We breed labs, golden retrievers, and then we breed across between the two.

Dogs are individually just as different as people. So dog personalities, wants, needs, the way they act. Each dog is unique. But that works for us,

and the reason is our clients are unique. Part of the magic of guide dogs for the blind is the

matching process and finding exactly the right match. And that match is based on what your lifestyle is. If you're somebody who

works in downtown Manhattan and takes, you know, a train and then a bus to get into your office

every day, you have to walk the streets of Manhattan, that's a little bit of a different dog

than, you know, if you're living in a suburb and, you know,

maybe you're doing volunteer work every day or you're meeting friends for coffee. Different dogs

like to work in different environments. We match by personality. If you are somebody who's super

outgoing and really likes talking with people.

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