Barbara Lawlor, Nederland. For a dog, traveling by air, locked in a crate in the belly of a jet plane with no idea of where you are going, is a traumatic experience.

Two weeks ago, Conchita, an eight-year-old yellow lab/golden retriever mix guide dog, was dropped off at DIA. She peered out of her crate, wondering where she was. When the door was unlatched she stepped out, looked around, got a few good whiffs of the people around her and went delirious.

She knew that person in front of her—in fact, that person was one of the first people she had known in her life. After seven years of separation, it was as if they had been together yesterday. Conchita couldn't help herself; she jumped happily on Cathy Greenwald, the person who raised her to be a good candidate for guide dog training. Who raised her not to jump on people.

Conchita would be forgiven for jumping. Cathy was just as happy to see the dog, good manners or not. Since saying goodbye all those years ago, there hadn't been much communication and Cathy wasn't sure how her old friend was doing. Now they both knew.

Conchita was going home.

Cathy has been raising puppies to be guide dogs in service to the vision-impaired, for 24 years. She is one of three leaders in the Boulder Valley Guide Dog Club and is currently working with her 22nd dog, Valiant, a one-year-old golden retriever.  In three months, Valiant goes back to the Guide Dog School in California to begin real work.

In the meantime, he is a member of Cathy's family, which includes two guide dogs in training, three retired guide dogs and one Newfoundland.

The first trainer gets the puppy when it is weaned, from 8 to 10 weeks old. The puppy becomes a close member of the family, learning good house manners, public and social skills and confidence. The puppies are taken to many various public places and with their service jacket are allowed entrance to buildings not ordinarily open to dogs.

They visit movie theaters, museums, restaurants, elevators, and even dog parks, where they are taught to focus on their what their human wants them to do without being distracted.

Once they are acclimated to being a well-mannered, brave, calm, social being, about a year and a half old, the dogs are sent back to school where they are evaluated, health-checked, and put into a positive reinforcement training, in harness with certified handlers. They become dogs who are able to make good decisions to keep people safe.

The dogs go through eight levels of training. When finished, they are ready to be placed. They are sent to either Boring, Oregon, or San Rafael, California, guide dog campus, to be introduced to a possible partner. Trainers try to match dogs with people having similar personalities and habits. For example: an active person is matched with an active dog; a person who travels a lot is matched with a dog who is comfortable on land, in a car, at sea, or on a plane.

Cathy says it is amazing how perfect the matchmaking is. As a trainer, Cathy meets other trainers and they often exchange the dogs, have visits, get them accustomed to behaving with many people, to feel comfortable with other people, to obeying the rules no matter where they are.

If a dog and person are paired, they will work together for two to four weeks on campus, bonding and learning how to communicate.

Cathy said that Conchita, at 8 years old, retired early; that there might have been some health issues.

"When I got Conchita she had gone halfway through training and then the family sent her back. She chewed on things and got up on the counter. I volunteered to take her on and we got rid of the bad habits. She was playful but not pushy and entertained herself well; did not demand attention."

Cathy went to Conchita's graduation and met the gentleman who would be her partner. He had never had a guide dog before. He wasn't much for keeping in contact and Cathy had been concerned.

Two weeks ago, the Guide Dog representative called to say that Conchita was retiring. The original raiser always gets first chance at keeping the dog.

Cathy said, "Bring her home. The least we can do is give her a chance at a good retirement, let her kick back and have a good time. If I didn't take her they would have a right to place her anywhere."

Conchita is the fifth retired guide dog to return to Cathy. She arrived two weeks ago Tuesday. Cathy says it is amazing what she remembers.

"She walked around the house like she knew exactly where she was going. No problem. No issues. She got on her dog bed and slept through the night as if she had never left. This was certainly an unexpected present. Instead of a present under the tree, I got one with four legs – a true blessing for Christmas. Most of all, the gift that keeps on giving."