Puppies begin trek toward becoming guide dogs for visually impaired

SAN ANTONIO – Seven puppies on Saturday began their trek to become guide dogs for the visually impaired.

Guide Dogs of Texas inducted the seven puppies in its "L" litter -- Laura, Luna, Lily, Luke, Leo, Liam and Levi -- into training Saturday.

The dogs, born June 22, were introduced to their trained "puppy raisers" who will help socialize them and conduct initial training for the next year and a half. After the 18-month period, the dogs will enter advanced training with a Guide Dog Mobility instructor for six to nine months.

After the final months of training, the dogs will be paired with a visually impaired Texan.

From there, the handler and dog will undergo more specific training in the handler's community.

Guide Dogs of Texas is the only fully accredited guide dog provider in Texas and has provided more than 240,000 days of guided sight to Texans disabled by blindness, according to a news release.

KSAT adopted a guide dog from the "G" litter named Gino and Gino's sister gave birth to the seven puppies in the "L" litter.

After following Gino's path for the past two years, KSAT will once again adopt a guide dog in training, this time from the "L" litter.