We aspire to provide individuals with disabilities with a life that is as fulfilling as possible, allowing them to experience the world and its joys just like anyone else. The participation of people with disabilities in social activities is inseparable from societal support, including guide dogs for the visually impaired.

We had always wanted to raise a dog but never got around to it for various reasons. One day, The Seeing Eye came to our company to promote their program and recruit volunteer puppy raisers.

To become a guide dog, certain physical and temperamental requirements must be met. Considering this, The Seeing Eye only breeds golden retrievers and Labradors. Even among these breeds, individual dog personalities, upbringing, and training can vary greatly, so only a small portion of the puppies bred at The Seeing Eye will ultimately pass the tests and embark on a career as a guide dog. Those who do not pass are "demoted" to become regular pets, adopted by families interested in having them. The raising of these puppies requires a large number of volunteer families to assist with feeding, companionship (adapting to family life is a crucial part of becoming a qualified guide dog), and basic training. In short, the guide dogs that visually impaired individuals receive are the result of a collaborative effort between The Seeing Eye and the raising families.

Our puppy was a three-month-old golden retriever boy named Murphy. From the first day he came home, Murphy became the apple of our eye. At three months old, his every move could melt your heart. Those who have raised golden retrievers would understand that when a golden puppy runs towards you with its smile, it might be one of the most healing sights in the world.

Based on my previous experience with dogs and all the dog-raising guides, puppies tend to cry all night, or even for several nights, when they arrive at a new home before they can slowly adapt to their new environment. However, Murphy didn't make a peep on his first night at home. Moreover, on the first night, we set an alarm, preparing to get up several times in the middle of the night to take him to the bathroom, but Murphy slept straight through from 11 p.m. until 7 a.m.

Murphy is very smart. He passed all the tests prepared by the trainer, such as going through hoops, standing on unstable objects, and getting on and off public transportation, on the first try.

Currently, the only aspect where Murphy falls short as a guide dog is his reluctance to ride in private cars. This is not his fault. I suspect it's because the journey home from the dog shelter was a bit long and a sudden brake caused him to fly from the front seat directly into the footwell, resulting in a bad experience. Now, to get Murphy into a car, we have to coax and pull him. Whenever there's traffic congestion or bumps, he often gives me a look that I think conveys, "Can you drive or not?"

As a guide dog, Murphy will miss out on some of the joys that other dogs have. He can't play certain games with his owner (like fetch), has to be led and follow commands when going to the bathroom, and can't jump on other dogs even when excited. This is the training that Murphy must endure as a guide dog.

As a raising family, in addition to being responsible for the dog's basic needs and providing a warm home, we also need to take Murphy for proper socialization, which means giving him opportunities to familiarize himself with various sounds, smells, and environments in both family and public settings. Murphy's first public appearance was at IKEA. We were worried that taking him to such a noisy and chaotic place for his first outing might be too challenging. It turned out our concerns were completely unnecessary. Murphy showed great psychological resilience, not only obeying commands but also maintaining a dignified and polite demeanor towards the enthusiastic crowd that couldn't resist petting him.